Hickman wins Heritage Shield

Jarrod MacBeth
Despite facing tough competition from a strong field of drivers, Duane Hickman won the Midget Heritage Shield at Stratford Speedway on Saturday night.  After winning the first race, local speedster Dylan Waite looked like he would be tough to beat in the event, and he was, just not too tough for Hickman.  Following his race one, second place behind Waite, Hickman won race two from a grid one start before winning race three from grid nine, after running the high line and even brushing the wall on two occasions.  Waite came home second overall after adding a third and fifth place to his earlier win while Palmerston North driver Chris Bagrie finished third, just the one point behind Waite.
Tyler Walker raced unhindered all night to take three wins from three starts to earn maximum points and win the Michael Walker Memorial trophy that is raced  in memory of his grandfather.  Bradley Podjursky was second and Kylee Symes third when he beat Blair Wadsworth in a run-off after the pair were tied on points.  
Nic Smith’s front-wheel-drive Toyota Camry was too quick for the rest of the 13-car streetstock field and he won the Darren Olsen Memorial after beating veteran racer Steve Reed in a four-lap run-off to settle the top step of the podium.  Reed was second and John Young was third.
A nearly full field of adult ministock competitors raced for their best pairs trophy.  After the three races were completed and the points tallied, the winners were Nathan Nolly and his Palmerston North racing partner Nick Simmons.  Tait Scott and Roger Dettling were second, by just three points, while Keegan Riddiford (Palmerston North) and William Campbell were third.
Two support classes raced on the night also with Blair Uhlenberg collecting a hat trick of wins in the superstock class, while youth ministock races were won by Terrence Dorrell (Rotorua), Regan Ogle and Cody Ogle.
The night ended with an entertaining holiday derby in which seven crazy drivers towing a range of caravans and boats. They took to the track and to each other in a carnage-inducing 10-lap race.  Matt Hill, who had earlier lost his boat, was the first to cross the finish line with the required drawbar, axle and set of wheels and won the prize money.
On the same night, Stratford racers performed well at national titles with Sheldon Arapere placing second in the North Island Stockcar Champs in Tauranga and Richard Pierce was third in the North Island Modified Championship in Wellington.
Speedway in Stratford will take a break for a week when the Stratford Scrappers Superstock team heads to Palmerston North to compete in the Superstock Teams Champs.  The next meeting at Stratford Speedway will feature the JD Hickman Transport New Zealand Midget Grand Prix on February 13.

Caption: Cameron Petterson’s boat parts company from its trailer and heads over his car during the Holiday Derby that was held at Stratford Speedway on Saturday night.

Photo:  Michael Espiner