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Speedway success for Bay of Plenty drivers

The records keep coming this season for Bay of Plenty Speedway drivers.

Chris Cowling won the rare Triple Crown by taking out the New Zealand, North Island and Grand Prix saloon car titles while Caitlin Hayward became the first female to qualify for a NZ stock car championship final.

Bay of Plenty Speedway president, Tim Sidwell, was rightly proud of the achievements in many classes so far this season.

The Triple Crown was so rarely achieved that to have local drivers do it over successive seasons was totally unexpected, he said.

"Chris is second generation. He is Maurice Cowling's son and along with his brother Steve are just absolutely devoted to what they do and very talented in their own right as well.

"It was quite surprising because Dan Corrin did the same feat last year and he is also registered here. I didn't think anyone would repeat it but for Chris to come down and do the same thing to that level is just astounding really.

"Baypark has, for a long time, been known as a saloon car track so I believe any of our top 10 to 15 drivers in super saloons and saloons are capable of winning a New Zealand title.

"Every weekend they go out they are putting on a hell of a good show and it puts them in good stead when they do go out and compete for a New Zealand title."

Chris Cowling, 31, said winning the Triple Crown was something "you never really think is possible".

"You have to have to have so much going your way at all those meetings. It just takes a little bit of bad luck and it ruins your weekend for you," he said.

Continued below.

"Just winning one of them is probably the one goal you have each season. If you end up getting two that's pretty cool and if you get all three then that is just one of those things that is pretty rare in the sport.

"Everything kind of played out our way this year and we were able to do it."

It was also a Bay of Plenty clean sweep at the Saloon Car Grand Prix with Cowling first ahead of Bodie Abrahamson, Michelle Wymer and Steve Cowling.

Sidwell was equally excited about Hayward's achievements this season.

He said there were probably only five female stock car class drivers from throughout New Zealand but she was consistently a cut above the rest.

"Her family are right into it, her brother races Super Saloon and they are just big fans of the sport, as well as putting huge amounts of time and effort into it. And a bit of talent of course, that always helps.

"The unique thing with the stock car champs is you ge t 200 entries to a New Zealand title, which is phenomenal. So to go through and make the top 30 of that is great and she had to go through the repechage to get there. She beat some very top level cars so to make it in there is massive."

Hayward, 22, was not making too much of a deal about beating the male drivers but was definitely pleased about her success. This was her fifth year in stock cars after coming through five years of mini stocks.

"Once you are out there and the helmet is on you are just another driver on the track," she said.

"But I would say it is the highlight of my career so far and it is awesome to be able to do it and show other females that we are just as good as the males and we can all do it as well."

South Pacific Super Saloon Champs
Baypark, tonight, 6.30pm-10pm
Super saloons, saloons, stock cars, 6 shooter wingless sprint cars and mini stocks
Details: www.bayparkspeedway.co.nz

- Bay of Plenty Times[4]

Source: www.bing.com

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