The Easter Extravaganza at Milestone Homes Top of the South Speedway managed just one night of racing after wet weather dealt the meeting a final blow.
Racing was delayed by 24 hours after Friday’s first night was postponed.
Surface water around the arena meant the committee had to make it a Saturday/Sunday event.
The highlight demolition derby did take place on a weather-reduced Sunday night, with the usual thrills and spills.
Clint Paris took out the event with Phil Kramer second.
The country-wide storm halted the travel plans of several drivers with cancelled ferries and flights, but the majority of visitors did manage to make the meeting.
Strong fields in most grades made for a competitive nights racing with several results being decided in the final laps, it was a night for the visitors, many of the major trophies heading out of town.
In the feature grades, Mark Osborne in his McDonalds super saloon won all three races.
The super stocks were a close run title with some strategic blocking in the final race giving Canterbury’s Malcolm Ngatai the win.
Nelson’s Jayden Corkill kept up his knack of winning features, taking out the hotly-contested TQ title.
Eddie Franz kept the lead to win the production saloon title.
Tom Lumsden ran round the outside of his competitors in the Midget feature.
Nelson’s Keightley Teece was untroubled in the tame stock car grade, while the street stocks provided the most action during the night with Dave McSherry clinging on for the points win.
Sadly, with so much water during the week, the track became fairly lumpy early in the night meaning it was too dangerous for the side-car class to race.
Side-cars were a highlight last year and, with drivers from Invercargill and North Island here for the weekend, it was a shame that they were unable to race on the first night.
Sunday’s racing always looked like it would be cut short and they only managed three races before the night was called off and the demolition derby brought down the curtain on a speedway season that had been disrupted by weather which, almost poetically, had the final say.
