Central Motor Speedway Easter Double

Central Otago and the South Lakes are never short on things to see and do, but for nail-biting, edge of seat action over Easter, the top choice has to be ‘Central’s Fastest Family Show on Earth’ at Heavy Trax Hire Central Motor Speedway on Cromwell’s Sandflat Road.

And the news gets even better with Easter delivering a double dose of high octane, Jandal to the floor excitement with two sprint car finals plus an always popular metal crunching, steam hissing demolition derby. Both days also see other classes competing in Central Motor Speedway Easter Champs.

On Good Friday, 24 of the South Island’s top echelon of sprint car drivers will be scorching the Cromwell clay in the Grand Final of the $75,000 Hydraulink 2021 Sprint Car War of the Wings (Wow) presented by Wastech Central Otago.

The acronym ‘Wow’ could not be better for describing the wheel to wheel, wing-to-wing racing that Formula 1 great Jackie Stewart called the last true spectacle in auto racing. Nelson young gun Connor Rangi (57n) comes to Cromwell leading on points but has former Wow champion and 1NZ Jamie Duff (19c) well within striking distance. In a sport where anything can happen, don’t rule out defending champion Caleb Baughan (59c) currently third on points or in fourth equal his dad Ray (95c), Matt Honeywell (64c) and Central Motor Speedway’s Sam O’Callaghan piloting Nelson owned sprint car 75n snatching the series.

On Easter Sunday sprint cars will again wow spectators as they race at full noise in the final and deciding round of the 2020-21 King of Cromwell presented by Civil Construction
Until this season, the head that wears the crown was decided as a one-off race. But such is the desire of sprint car drivers to lord it over others from the throne in the Heavy Trax Hire Central Motor Speedway clubrooms, King of Cromwell was made into a series where the winner of five meetings on the Cromwell clay gets to wear the crown. So far Jason Scott (88t), Whetu Taewa (6t), Matt Anderson (16t), Sam O'Callaghan (49t) and Jamie Duff (19c) have tried the crown for size. To know who will win the crown on Easter Sunday and get to keep it on their head through to the beginning of the 21-22 season be sure to be trackside on Easter Sunday.

Speedway is all about variety, with the Easter Double at Heavy Trax Hire Central Motor Speedway no exception. In the stockcars, 38 drivers have signed up to biff and bash their way to victory. Looking like stockcars that have shrunk in the wash, youth ministocks will be competing in their gold rush competition. Other classes racing in Easter Champs are saloons, super saloons, six shooters and productions.

Then of course, spectators are guaranteed a smashing time with Easter Sunday’s demolition derby.

Track action on both days starts at 4pm, but for anyone keen to secure a parking spot around the circuit gates open at 2pm. Spectators are welcome to visit the pits (children must be accompanied by an adult) to meet drivers, their crews and also collect free posters. Mr Whippy will be trackside along with Nikita’s Coffee and Cromwell Lions serving up tummy-filling hot dogs on a stick and chips. Outside the clubrooms, sausages and patties will be sizzling.

Photograph: Christopher Scrimgour