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Coons wins dramatic Barry Butterworth Classic
American driver Jerry Coons Jr. has become the first driver to win two Barry Butterworth Classics after victory at Western Springs Speedway in a race that was equally dramatic as the man the race honoured.
Earlier in the night, test match racing pitted New Zealander's Michael Pickens, Brad Mosen and Dave Gick up against American drivers Coons, Dave Darland and Ricky Logan. After three three lap races, the Kiwis came out on top with 33 points to 30.
The unique format for the Barry Butterworth Classic saw the fastest drivers coming from the back of the field, as Butterworth did throughout the majority of his career, with last year's winner Brock Maskovich starting from the back and each driver choosing who would start in front of them. Maskovich was joined on the final row of the 20-car field by Coons.
One of the early movers in the field was Pickens, who has started from grid 18, until a lap six incident saw Pickens left with nowhere to go and he slammed into team-mate Scott Buckley, before Darland also joined in, puncturing Pickens' tyre and forcing him out of the race. Off the restart, fellow Kiwi drivers Hayden Williams, Brock Maskovich and Michael Kendall all came together and ended their races, again bringing out the yellow flags.
Coons hit the lead from pole-sitter Harley Taylor on lap 16 but was forced to concede the position as yellow flags flew, this time after Darland rolled over and was hit by Buckley, forcing both drivers out. Just a lap after the restart, Coons again hit the front, this time for good, and two laps later, Mosen got up into second place, while Shayne Alach and Graham Standring battled out the final podium spot, until lap 25 when Standring suffered a spectacular roll-over, by which stage the field was down to just nine cars from the original 20 starters.
Coons made a small jump off the restart while Alach set to work on Mosen for a couple of laps, before Mosen then set off in pursuit of Coons, who suffered power steering failure with five laps remaining. That let Mosen close right up onto the back of Coons with a lap remaining, but was unable to get past leaving Coons to win ahead of Mosen with Alach finishing in a popular third place.
Sprintcar racing saw Jonathan Allard take victory over Rob Corscadden and Ricky Logan while the Shane Turner Memorial race for TQ midgets was won by Ryan Barry ahead of Scott Baker and Jared Taylor.
The next meeting, which is the final showdown for the season, runs on March 2. For more information, check out www.springsspeedway.com.
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Larson is King of the Springs
Young American sensation Kyle Larson has continued his winning ways in the International Midget Series held at Western Springs Speedway with his third win in as many starts seeing him crowned 'King of the Springs' as the winner of the 40 Lap feature race.
Earlier in the night another American, Bryan Clauson, and top Kiwi hope Michael Pickens were equal top qualifiers from the heat racing but Larson stormed through the opposition in the spectator friendly Pole Shuffle to start the feature race from the front of the grid.
Once the feature race got underway, Larson moved into an early and comfortable lead as most drivers set about conserving tyres on a slick race track whilst also jostling for position. As the leaders approached lapped traffic, Clauson began to close down the gap and at one point sat side by side with his fellow countryman. Meanwhile Pickens was battling with another American, Dave Darland, until Darland succumbed to tyre issues and was forced to the infield.
But in the end, no-one could stop Larson who extends his lead in the International Midget Series with a perfect score to date.
Other action saw Jonathan Allard survive a spectacular battle with Peter Murphy to win the Sprintcar feature.
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Larson is King of the Springs
Young American sensation Kyle Larson has continued his winning ways in the International Midget Series held at Western Springs Speedway with his third win in as many starts seeing him crowned 'King of the Springs' as the winner of the 40 Lap feature race.
Earlier in the night another American, Bryan Clauson, and top Kiwi hope Michael Pickens were equal top qualifiers from the heat racing but Larson stormed through the opposition in the spectator friendly Pole Shuffle to start the feature race from the front of the grid.
Once the feature race got underway, Larson moved into an early and comfortable lead as most drivers set about conserving tyres on a slick race track whilst also jostling for position. As the leaders approached lapped traffic, Clauson began to close down the gap and at one point sat side by side with his fellow countryman. Meanwhile Pickens was battling with another American, Dave Darland, until Darland succumbed to tyre issues and was forced to the infield.
But in the end, no-one could stop Larson who extends his lead in the International Midget Series with a perfect score to date.
Other action saw Jonathan Allard survive a spectacular battle with Peter Murphy to win the Sprintcar feature.
Racing continues on January 3 with the final round of the International Midget Series, the Crowne Plaza Auckland World 50 Lapper, before the Koken Tools New Zealand Sprintcar championship on January 5.
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Larson wins 30 lapper amongst drama
Kyle Larson has continued his run of victories in the 2012/13 International Midget series after taking out round two, the World 30 Lap Derby, at Western Springs Speedway last night.
The night was full of drama right from the very first heat when New Zealand champion Michael Pickens and American visitor Dave Darland got together, putting Pickens into the fence and forcing his retirement. That put Pickens, along with Darland and fellow American Alex Bright amongst a strong line-up in the B-Main, a last chance qualifier to advance to the feature race at the end of the night. Although all three of the stars advanced, they would have to start from the back of the grid in the feature race.
Larson to endured dramas in one of his heat races, twice being caught up in other peoples incidents but was able to re-join in his position prior to the incidents to qualify fourth, behind equal leaders Cory Kruseman and Bryan Clauson of America, plus Kiwi Brad Mosen. But in the pole shuffle, Larson worked his way through and after a battle with Clauson that was only sorted on the final corner, Larson gained pole position for the second time in as many races.
As the field lined up for the prestigious 30-lapper, the was yet more drama when an electrical problem as the field formed up ground Clauson to a halt. His team called for a 'two-minute bell' and we granted that grace period to repair the problem, completing the repairs with just two seconds remaining.
The race got underway on a very slick racetrack but Larson held the lead through turn one and was gone, unchallenged all the way to the final turn, where an incident in front of him almost ended a perfectly driven race. Despite that, he had built up such a lead over the field he was able to take the win. Behind him was a relieved Clauson while Brad Mosen took third place and top Kiwi, elevating him to second in the International Midget series standings.
Fast and furious Sprintcar action saw American based Australian Peter Murphy take victory ahead of Ricky Logan and Ryan O'Connor, while the TQ racing saw Jared Taylor take the win ahead of Scott Baker and Aaron Foss.
The International Midget continues in the new year with the 40-lap 'King of the Springs' on January 1, then concludes with the ultimate test of man and machine, the Crown Plaza Auckland World 50 Lapper, on January 3. Each night will also see action from Sprintcars and TQ Midgets.
Race day sees gates open at 5pm with the first race getting underway at 6.30. Adults are $30 with kids under the age of 16 free with a paying adult. For more information, check out www.springsspeedway.com.
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World Midget 50 Lapper 3rd January 2013 Driver List Car # Name 1 1NZ Michael Pickens 2 1USA Dave Darland 3 2NZ Chris McCutheon 4 3USA Jerry Coons Jnr 5 4A Dave Gick 6 5A Brock Mascovich 7 7AUS Nathan Smee 8 9A Michael Brunt 9 9USA Steve Buckwalter 10 10A Wayne Green 11 11A Shayne Alach 12 14A Simon Wi 13 17A Alistair Wootten 14 19A Mark Mullins 15 21A Cory Kruseman 16 22A James Earl 17 25A Scott Buckley 18 26A Dayne Maxwell 19 27A Hayden Williams 20 33USA Alex Bright 21 36A Ben Drummond 22 39A Peter Hunnibell 23 39USA Bryan Clausen 24 41A Ricky McGough 25 43A Matthew Watson 26 47A Rose Halfpenny 27 49A Blair Bertram 28 67A Harley Taylor 29 76A Dylan Wade 30 77A Shaun Insley 31 78A Shannon Taylor 32 81A Ricky Logan 33 85A Jared Wade 34 88A Brad Mosen 35 89A Trevor Cooper 36 91A Shane O'Connor 37 95S Duane Hickman 38 98A Chris Gwilliam 39 99USA Kyle Larsen
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Larson takes top honours in 25-lapper
Not even the Auckland weather could stop young American sensation Kyle Larson in the opening round of the International Midget series last night as he stormed to victory in the 25-lap feature race at Western Springs Speedway.
After the traditional boxing night slot for the race was rained out, it was left to the rain day on December 27 for the international drivers to take it to the Kiwis but in the end it was the locals that filled three spots in the top five.
Larson, from Elk Grove, California, and Jerry Coons Jr from Tuscon, Arizona, topped the qualifying points after the five heat races, but it was current New Zealand champion Michael Pickens who worked his up a few places in the pole shuffle. The final showdown in the Pole Shuffle, which sees the top eight cars go on track two at a time for two laps to set the top eight grid positions for the feature race, team-mates Pickens and Larson went head to head. It appeared the Kiwi had the advantage until the final turn when Larson made a spectacular pass around the outside to take the win and pole position.
Notable omissions as the feature race field went four wide to salute the strong Western Springs Speedway crowd were American drivers Steve Buckwalter and Bryan Clauson, but up front was a truly world class line-up. Larson hit the lead into turn one and was never challenged, while local Brad Mosen got past American Jerry Coons Jr. to take third behind Pickens.
There was drama late in the race when Australia's Nathan Smee was forced to the infield from fifth place with his misfiring motor unable to comply with Western Springs Speedway's strictly enforced 95 decibel noise limit, which bunched the field up under a yellow flag. Prior to that, Mosen had capitalised on a mistake from Pickens to move up to second, but on the restart Pickens pulled a huge move to regain second on the run to the flag.
But no-one could stop Larson, who repeated his win in the corresponding event twelve-months earlier, but Pickens and Mosen upheld Kiwi honour with second and third respectively. Jerry Coons Jr. was fourth and the top five was rounded out by Brock Maskovich.
Sprintcar action saw Jamie McDonald hold off Ryan O'Connor for the win with a last minute dash securing third for Jeremy Halpin, while in the TQ's, Ryan Baker headed home Jared Taylor and Shane Phillips.
The International Midget continues with the World 30-lap Derby following on December 29. The 40-lap 'King of the Springs' runs on January 1 with the series concluding with the ultimate test of man and machine, the Crown Plaza Auckland World 50 Lapper, held on January 3. Each night will also see action from Sprintcars and TQ Midgets.
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Coons and Pickens set to do battle again
One of the fiercest on-track rivalries seen in New Zealand speedway is set to play out once again this summer when American driver Jerry Coons Jr. and New Zealand's own Michael Pickens take to the track for the International Midget series, which kicks off on Boxing Night.
Just two seasons ago, the pair had run near the front but were both without a win heading into the final round of the International Midget series, the Crowne Plaza Auckland 50-Lapper, which is widely regarded as the most prestigious race of them all.
The race became famous, not for Pickens clearing out to a strong lead early on, nor for Coons closing the gap late in the race, but the final run to the flag. With Pickens baulked by lapped traffic in the final turn, Coons got a run and the pair crossed the line absolutely neck and neck. Not even the transponder timing system could separate the pair to the ten-thousandth of a second and the race was declared a dead heat.
A month later and Coons returned to New Zealand for two shows only, the Barry Butterworth classic and the New Zealand Midget title races. The Barry Butterworth's unique format saw the pair start off the back row, as was the norm when Butterworth raced Midgets, but it didn't take long for the pair to clear the field. In the end, a small mistake from Pickens left Coons to take victory.
The pair lined up one last time for the New Zealand Midget championships and were again the class of the field. Coons lead early before Pickens suffered a spectacular roll-over, leaving Coons to become the first off-shore driver to win the New Zealand Midget championship.
But Pickens did finally get one back over his old rival, winning last season's 50-Lap classic in a flag-to-flag victory with a strong margin that left no doubt as to who the winner was. Coons meanwhile was left to watch from the infield after early mechanical problems.
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Great action continues at Western Springs
When the International Midget series wraps up on January 3, it won't be the end of the top class action at Western Springs Speedway, with confirmation that New Zealand's premier speedway will host the Koken Tools New Zealand Sprintcar Championship just two days later on January 5.
While the world's top Midget drivers will fly out almost straight after the Crowne Plaza Auckland 50-lap classic Midget race on January 3 to contest the 'Chili Bowl' in the USA, widely regarded as the world's biggest midget race, New Zealand's top Sprintcar drivers will line up for the top prize Speedway New Zealand has on offer for the 'Winged Warriors'.
The last time that the Central Auckland ¼ mile dirt oval hosted the New Zealand Sprintcar championship was back in the 2006/07 season, where Western Springs regular Jamie McDonald took his one and only national title to date.
This season, it is expected that five former national champions will line up for the race, plus several international drivers including American drivers Jonathan Allard, Ricky Logan and Peter Murphy, an ex-pat Australian now based in California.
"It is a great honour to be able to host the Koken Tools New Zealand Sprintcar Championship here at Western Springs Speedway for the first time in six years," says Western Springs promoter Bill Buckley. "Hosting it straight off the back of the International Midget series will be a great way to round out a busy but fantastic period of speedway racing."
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Top Kiwis face international challenge
New Zealand's top Midget drivers will face the toughest challenge of the season when the International Midget Series gets underway on Boxing night at Western Springs Speedway.
New Zealand has a rich heritage of producing top Midget drivers, some of which has gone on to not only take victory in the International Midget series, but have gone on to win races in the USA as well. In fact, on more than 20 occasions New Zealand drivers have taken out the Herman Tros Memorial Shield, which is awarded to the winner of the International Midget series.
Currently being touted as one of the greatest Midget drivers to ever come out of New Zealand, Michael Pickens is one of the drivers who has experienced success in the USA in the past and is not only the current New Zealand Midget champion, but also the current holder of the Herman Tros Memorial Shield and the defending champion of the Crowne Plaza Auckland 50-Lap classic.
Another driver to have experienced success in New Zealand as well as on home turf against international visitors is Brad Mosen. Driving a kiwi-built engine and chassis package, Mosen is still one of the country's top Midget car drivers and always brings his A-game when the international visitors are in town.
Like Pickens, Shaun Insley has also won the Herman Tros Memorial Shield back in 2006. Insley would rate as one of New Zealand's most consistent Midget drivers and is sure to be near the front of the field.
Western Springs Speedway also features a large field of drivers giving the established stars a run for their money. Names like Scott Buckley, Shayne Alach, Brock Maskovich, Hayden Williams, Alastair Wootten, Duane Hickman, Michael Brunt, Shane O'Connor, Chris Gwilliam, to name but a few, will make just qualifying for the 20-car feature race at the end of the night an achievement.
The International Midget series kicks off with a 25-lap Feature race on Boxing night, with the World 30-lap Derby following on December 29. The 40-lap 'King of the Springs' runs on January 1 with the series concluding with the ultimate test of man and machine, the Crown Plaza Auckland World 50 Lapper, held on January 3. Each night will also see action from Sprintcars and TQ Midgets.
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New Zealand 2013 SPEED SPORT Knoxville World Challenge Qualifiers Complete; Donny Schatz, Ricky Logan & Jonathan Allard All Qualified for August Classic
KNOXVILLE, IOWA (December 19, 2012) - Three-time and defending SPEED SPORT Knoxville World Challenge champion Donny Schatz of North Dakota, inaugural Jesse Hockett “Mr. Sprint Car” titlist Ricky Logan of Arkansas and three-time and defending King of the West Sprint Car Series champion Jonathan Allard of California are all qualified for the twentieth annual SPEED SPORT Knoxville World Challenge event, to be held on Friday, August 9, at Knoxville Raceway, as a result of the first two international qualifiers in New Zealand. The third and final qualifier for Americans will take place on Saturday-Sunday, January 26-27, 2013, at the Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.
Said Knoxville general manager Brian Stickel this week, “We were very pleased with the results from both Western Springs Speedway in Auckland and Robertson Holden International Speedway in Palmerston North, so now we look forward to the last weekend in January at Warrnambool. According to today’s The Standard, Ohioan Caleb Griffith and Californians Kyle Hirst and Tim Kaeding are pre-entered in the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, which means that we will have some new faces in the SPEED SPORT Knoxville World Challenge come August.”
For more information on the Knoxville Raceway and its twentieth annual SPEED SPORT Knoxville World Challenge, fans are urged to visit www.knoxvilleraceway.com.
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Buckley confirms record line-up for International Midget Series
Springs Speedway promoter Bill Buckley has confirmed another four overseas drivers for the upcoming International Midget Series which kicks off with the traditional Boxing night meeting.
Fresh back from the United States of America, Buckley has confirmed that American's Bryan Clauson, Alex Bright and Steve Buckwalter, as well as Australian Nathan Smee, will take on New Zealand's best, plus previously announced drivers Kyle Larson, Jerry Coons Jr., Dave Darland and Cory Kruseman. That takes the total field to a record breaking eight international drivers.
Clauson, 23, is amongst the top Speedway drivers in the USA, despite his young age, and will be making his third consecutive appearance in the International Midget series. As well as his speedway commitments this season, Clauson also lined up for the infamous Indianapolis 500 alongside Kiwi drivers Scott Dixon and Wade Cunningham. On top of that, Clauson won the USAC Sprintcar series and finished third in the USAC Midget series this year.
Buckwalter is one of the emerging stars of the American scene and the 34-year old is making his first tour of New Zealand off the back of some success racing in Western Australia, including a feature race win. Of the eight international drivers, only Buckwalter will have never driven at the infamous Western Springs Speedway in the past.
Like Buckwalter, 22-year old Alex Bright has been competing in Australia, as well as Western Springs, in the American off-season. Bright will have the experience of Jerry Coons Jr. as his team-mate so will have plenty of experience to draw on.
As the sole Australian competitor in the International Midget Series, Nathan Smee has plenty of responsibility on his shoulders. Smee is the last Australian to win their national Midget championship and is also the defending champion of the 40-lap 'King of the Springs' race, which will again be the penultimate round of the International Midget Series.
"The International Midget Series is a highlight of the season here at Western Springs Speedway and with the line-up of international drivers going up against the best New Zealand has to offer, just making it into the 20-car field for the feature race will be quite an achievement," says Buckley.
The International Midget series kicks off with a 25-lap Feature race on Boxing night, with the World 30-lap Derby following on December 29. The 40-lap 'King of the Springs' runs on January 1 with the series concluding with the ultimate test of man and machine, the Crown Plaza Auckland World 50 Lapper, held on January 3. Each night will also see action from Sprintcars and TQ Midgets.
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Western Spring Speedway Midget Feature Dec. 1, 2012 25 laps 1. Brock Maskovich 2. Michael Pickens 3. Hayden Williams 4. Shane O'Connor 5. Scott Buckley 6. Alex Bright 7. Dayne Maxwell 8. Chris Gwilliam 9. Alastair Wooten 10. Mark Mullins 11. Ricky McGough 12. Harley Taylor 13. James Earl DNF: Brad Mosen, Michael Brunt, Duane Hickman, Shaun Insley, Ricky Logan, Dave Gick, Shayne Alach.
410 sprint car feature 30 laps 1. Donny Schatz 2. Jonathon Allard 3. Jamie McDonald 4. Ryan O'Connor 5. Jamie Duff 6. Daniel Eggleton 7. Peter Murphy 8. Carl Wilson 9. Daniel Rogers 10. Ricky Logan 11. Dean Brindle 12. Greg Pickerell 13. Bradley Tyrell 14. Dion Kendall 15. Raymond Griffen 16. Glenn Torpey 17. Robert Allen DNF: Stephen Taylor, Skinny Colson, Deon Shadbolt, Rodney Wood.
