woodford 1

Video:

Click here to see a video I took in 1998.

Thanks To Blair For This Write up and Photos

Woodfordglen Speedway Opening Night
WOODFORD GLEN OPENING 17-10-2009

The new season at Woodford Glen opened for the Moller and Young Trophy Challenge under rain threatening skies which thankfully never dropped more than a few spits. The stockcars and Superstocks provided some great action, with 24 stockcars but only 8 Superstocks in attendance. As a result, 6 stockcars joined the supers in their 3 races as well.

The 24 stockcars lined up for their first race, which was a fairly tame one with most drivers content to race for points. It was the ever consistent 44c Peter ‘Pooh Bear’ Ross who won the race coming from mid-pack to pass 18c Nick Sidaway on turn 4 to take the win or so we thought. This wouldn’t be the first time during the night this would happen, as 9C Dean Franklin was given the race win.

Heat 2 saw the drivers turn together between 38c Terry McBride and 46C Ben Fechney in turn 4. 87C Craig Tobin wound 38C McBride into the turn 3 wall and 25C Hamish Wilkinson was hammered by Russell Tuuta. Peter Ross again came through the field to challenge for what most thought was the lead. He nailed 81c Blaine Blyth hard into the front straight wall just past on the action with hits and spins galore. There was a massive coming the start/finish line to take the lead according to most in the crowd and the commentators. However at the end of the race, the win was given to 5C Craig Tobin.

Heat 3 saw some more torrid racing with the hits and spins flying in. 12C Shane McNolly hammered Peter Ross hard into the turn 2 wall before the race settled down. 17c Vaughan Fairburn went on to win a hard fought race.

The 3 Supertsock races saw stockcars compete with them with a quarter lap head-start. All eyes were on 1NZ Malcolm Ngatai who was back from the UK after competing in the World Final and many would have been thinking it would have been a Ngatai benefit considering the lack of competition for him. There were 8 Superstocks and 6 Stockcars for the first race, with Ngatai leading after 3 laps, with 59C Brad Rosewarne pushing him out of the way in turn 4 a lap later for the lead. Ngatai then suffered a puncture and was pulled from the track while 97C Paul Dummelow and 89C Jason Smith came together in turn 3. Rosewarne held onto win comfortably.

Ngatai won the second race easily as Rosewarne turned his attention to 14C Aaron Rowlands and these two had a ding-dong battle all round the track as they attacked and jostled amongst themselves. Rosewarne eventually nailed Rowlands into the turn 2 concrete hard before nailing Dummelow in turn 4.

7 Superstocks and 3 Stockcars made it out for the third race with the stockcars intent on making life difficult for their bigger brothers as much as possible. 44C Peter Ross spun Ngatai out in turn 4, before revenge was taken on the back straight as Ngatai hit Ross to the infield. Rosewarne and Rowlands continued their battle while 29C Murray Greig had taken the lead before Ngatai recovered to hit him in turn 4 and go on to win the race.