Offroaders give Mangawhai track high praise

 

A couple of days heavy rain threatened to mar what turned out to be a big Mangawhai weekend for petrol heads but Good Friday dawned clear, and a real hot Saturday dried the new track to perfection for the first round of the ORANZ Northern Offroad Championship.

Great support from racers saw 70 cars line up during the day with a wide variety of classes including the new Polaris turbo and standard machines and some brand new US imports in the J Class events with the juniors showing all the skills necessary to proceed through to the bigger stuff in time.

All racing had thrills and some spills with just enough track contour and moisture to keep drivers on their toes.

The Big Bangers though were a sight to behold with a field of high powered cars and hard driving racers, but multiple champion Tony McCall carried the day quite handsomely winning four from four and ending the day with 70 points and a handy early lead in his chase for further honours.

One of the features was his bounce back after cooking his Chevy LS2 engine at Mt Maunganui in a pre-season event just a few weeks ago.

The replacement 403 cubic inch V8 gave him more torque than Donald Trump and, in the end, winning with just as much arrogance!

Smaller they may be but no less exciting were the J Class Kiwi Trucks won by Holly Russell in her brand new import, showing the boys how it’s done in amassing a handy 60 points.

Harry Hodgson, always near the top of the leader board, had an ordinary first round but improved with racing to finish just four points in arrears setting up some keen competition to come.

Big ups to Wayne and Nicky Preston for the use of their property and their enthusiasm, Nick Leahy and helpers for the track preparation allowing extra good spectator-friendly viewing, and the many local supporters and sponsors keen to make the day a success.

Drivers with years of experience were quick to praise the track and many agreed they had never competed in such a well organised event.

“The course itself was spectacular and challenging, the race action was fast-paced and exciting, and there were bouncy castles, food vendors and even a separate area for kids to ride motorbikes. It really emphasised the family-friendly nature of short course events and it was the perfect way to kick off the championship,” said Off Road Association North Island vice president Richard Crabb.

With the event moving to different venues by rotation, we can see it happen again in Mangawhai in a couple of years.