American Sprintcar star Joey Saldana leads the ‘Thunder Down Under’ International Sprintcar Series after two stunning, action-packed rounds in the Lower North Island over the last two weekends.

Two second-place finishes at Max Motors Family Speedway in Wellington, and Robertson Holden International Speedway in Palmerston North has ‘The Brownsburg Bullet’ leading on 62 points, followed by fellow American Ricky Logan (54 points) in second, and top Kiwi performer so far Dean Brindle (41 points). Brindle is tied for third with Californian star Jonathan Allard.

Another American, Craig Dollansky, Saldana’s new World of Outlaws team mate at Kasey Kahne Racing in the US next year, should have been leading the points chase after a win in Wellington and a second-place finish in Palmerston North on Sunday night (Dec. 21), but was sensationally disqualified after the race at Arena Manawatu for receiving outside assistance from his Salter Cartage crew during a stoppage in the Palmerston North Partsworld 30- lap Main Event.

The previous week though, thirty-two Sprintcars were pitside in Wellington for the opening round of the $80,000 International Series (Dec. 13). Saldana and current NZ Sprintcar Champion Carl Wilson topped the time trials, each clocking an identical 12.8 second lap. After failing to set a time due to transponder issues, Jonathan Allard was destined to start from the back of his heat, which saw the American then get tangled up with another car, ending his race. Allard would then have to start at the rear of the ‘C’ Main, starting a ‘run through the alphabet’ charge which would end up being just one of many highlights of the night. Thirty-odd Sprintcars with no mufflers was certainly one of them as well, along with Saldana’s new track record of 12.6 seconds in his heat.

Skinny Colsen led from the start of the feature, jumping dash winner and poleman Paul McMahon at the drop of the green. McMahon exited out of third place with a wild flip in turn three at half race distance. Another flip victim would be Wanganui’s Peter Huijs. Skinny Colsen upheld the local honours with a storming run, initially leading until getting passed by both Craig Dollansky and Saldana during the race. It was Dollansky’s first time back in a Sprintcar for nearly three months after fracturing his wrist in a vicious crash at Eldora Speedway in the US. Dollansky held on to win from Saldana, an elated Colsen, Dean Brindle, and Johnathan Allard who charged from the back of the ‘C’ Main, the back of the ‘B’ main, and from twentieth in the ‘A’ to fifth, wowing the large Wellington crowd.

One week later, thirty-one cars travelled to Palmerston North for round two, only for the event to get rained out on the Saturday night (Dec. 20). The Promotion decided to run on Sunday night, only after a full day of track prep, wheel packing by a local 4WD club and a spectacular Helipro helicopter helping to dry out the Arena Manawatu surface during the day.

McMahon topped time trials at the start of what would be a spectacular night of racing and even more spectacular crashes, with a 13.26 second lap from Saldana, and Ricky Logan. Heat wins went to 18-year-old Ryan O’Connor, Daniel Eggleton, and Jamie McDonald.

The first of the nights big crashes was at the end of the ’B’ Main, when local Nick Pedley somersaulted along the top of the fence on the start/finish straight vaulting over the flagman! The car came to a sudden stop in what was left of the catch fencing, with Pedley extracting himself, thankfully able to walk away OK. Also OK was the shaken Flagman!

Logan got around pole sitter Dollansky off the start of the ‘A’ Main, leading through to the start of lapped traffic. There was an incident in front of the two leaders, which saw Logan and Dollansky both unable to miss the spun cars, both stopping. A change during the week from local official’s saw the series ‘restart to the back’ rule negated, luckily handing both Logan and Dollansky their spots back at the head of the restart. Dollansky’s subsequent issues with officialdom happened during that particular yellow light.

Logan led away from the restart, chased by Dollansky, Saldana, and McMahon. Then with 13 laps to go, Peter Huijs flipped into the turn one catch fence, after contact with another car. The Wanganui driver tore down another thirty feet of fence bringing out the red light. Again like Pedley, Huijs thankfully walked away from another massive accident on the night.

The race restarted with Logan limping around on a deflating left rear tyre. He streaked away from the green hoping the tyre would stay together. Almost unbelievably, it stayed together for the final thirteen laps, flashing across the line to head Dollansky, Saldana, McMahon, Allard, top Kiwi Dean Brindle, and Jamie McDonald. With Dollansky’s subsequent exclusion, everyone else moved up one position.

So heading into Friday night’s (Dec. 26) third round of ‘The Thunder Down Under’ International Sprintcar Series at Western Springs Speedway’s Boxing Night Spectacular, Joey Saldana leads overall on 62 points, followed by Ricky Logan in second (54 points), with Dean Brindle and Johnathan Allard third for third (41 points). Graeme ‘Skinny’ Colsen is fourth (40 points) followed by Craig Dollansky in fifth (37 points), Carl Wilson sixth (32 points), and Jamie McDonald seventh (31 points). The top ten is completed by Alan Wakeling eighth (28 points), Bill Rose ninth (28 points), and Paul McMahon in tenth (26 points).

The Boxing Night Spectacular night also features Kiwi Kidz Quarter Midgets, TQ’s, and Round Six of the Samsung/Century Yuasa batteries National Midget Car Series. Remember Kids are always free at Western Springs Speedway, gates open Friday afternoon at 5.00pm, with racing starting at 6.45pm.

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