Last weeks heavy rain produced a demanding track surface at Western Springs Speedway last night for the running of round two of the Springs Midget  National Championship series. The track’s softer sticky patches combined with the slicker hard pack surface areas meant that finding the optimum race line was crucial to a good result.

One driver who made the most of last nights uncertain track was Midget star Bryce Townsend. The 38 year old Aucklander proved the old school fans right last night when he raced from the back of the field, in what was the stand-out drive of the night, to take second place in an action packed feature race.

Townsend started off grid 18 and within 3 laps had worked up to 8th spot only to get caught up in an incident, with Wayne Green, Michael Pickens and Carl Worboys, which left Worboys on the infield out for the night and the other three drivers restarting off the rear of the field.

By lap 17 of the 25 lap feature Townsend had worked his way through the field to 4th place behind Lance Beale. Steven Currie and youngster Brad Mosen were well out in front but a yellow light, brought on by Shayne Alach spinning out, closed the field back up.

Two laps later New Zealand Champion Tony Fabish spun out and on the restart Aggressor team drivers Shaun Insley and Scott Buckley came together, Buckley flipping over his team mate, and put paid to any chance of either driver picking up many points in the National series. Both drivers restarted at the rear of the pack.

19 year old Mosen was the last driver to be overtaken by a flying Townsend after a spectacular overtaking move up the inside had gone wrong sending Townsend up on two wheels almost into Mosen’s car.

“When Bryce came underneath me I thought he was going to end up in my car. said Mosen. It was a really tiring race, my car seemed to find all the biggest holes in the track.”

Townsend couldn’t manage to catch a dominant Currie. The feature win went to Currie, the first midget feature win of his career.

“This is a big win for me, my first midget feature and hopefully we’re back on track after last weeks DNF and having to watch the race from the infield, said last year’s National series winner, the new Goughs CAT car is so good to drive this year”.

Townsend’s team seems to be getting on top of the setup in the new Aggressor/Hawk powered car which proved to be almost unbeatable last night.

“The car’s great and we’ve found out a lot about the setup now and we know we have a great car, said the former 50 lap champion, I hope we’re on the podium again a few more times this year.”

Michael Pickens drove an outstanding race to come from the back into 4th spot followed by Matt Thompson and veteran campaigner Graham Standring. Early race leader Lance Beale dropped back to seventh place followed by last weeks second place man Nelson’s Nevil Basalaj in eighth.

Bill Clarkson Jnr. Finished in ninth in only his second midget race ahead of Shayne Alach.

The National Series points battle continues at Western Springs on the 2nd December.

WESTERN SPRINGS MIDGET FEATURE RACE

Position        Name                         Town                          

1                      Steven Currie            Auckland

2                      Bryce Townsend       Auckland

3                      Brad Mosen               Auckland

4                      Michael Pickens        Auckland

5                      Matt Thompson         Auckland

6                      Graham Standring    Auckland

7                      Lance Beale              Auckland

8                      Nevil Basalaj             Nelson

9                      Bill Clarkson              Auckland

10                    Shayne Alach            Auckland

11                    Tony Fabish               Hamilton

12                    Scott Buckley             Auckland

WESTERN SPRINGS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

MIDGETS

Car No.          Name                         Town                         Total

54                    Michael Pickens        Auckland                    40

119                 Brad Mosen               Auckland                    34

91                    Bryce Townsend       Auckland                    31

73                    Nevil Basalaj            Nelson                        30

67                    Steven Currie            Auckland                    26

33                    Graham Standring    Auckland                    23

87                    Lance Beale              Auckland                    19

12                    Matt Thompson         Auckland                    19

2                      Shaun Insley               Auckland                    17

25                    Scott Buckley             Auckland                    16

11                    Shayne Alach            Auckland                    15

75                    Bill Clarkson              Auckland                    14

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