New Zealand Superstock Teams Championship
| Category | Superstocks |
|---|---|
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Inaugural season | 1980/81 season |
| Teams | 14(2023) |
| Engine suppliers | 248 cubic inch V8 |
| Tyre suppliers | Hoosier |
The New Zealand Superstock Teams Championship is a 2-day event held annually at Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The event attracts crowds of 14,000 people on each day of the event, as they are entertained by up to 14 teams, all fighting with full-contact allowed for the ultimate New Zealand speedway crown. In 2018, the event gave the region a $5.2M economic boost, an estimated $1.5M up from 2017.[1]
Racing[edit]
Superstocks racing allows for full contact, hardcore racing around oval dirt tracks with concrete walls in close proximity to the outside of the track. Drivers are entitled to push one another into the infield, up the wall or into one another in the fight for victory. With no blue flags backmarker cars may wait for the lead pack and if drivers wish, may take out lead cars to best suit their team. Superstocks teams racing consists of 2 teams facing off in each race progressing through qualifying night for a chance to be in the grand final. Teams of 5 cars take part with 1 car from either team sitting out each race as a reserve car. With a total of 4 cars in the race for each team most teams use a 2:2 tactic with 2 cars attacking and going to the victory while 2 cars block the other team from taking out their attackers. Because of the all-out nature of the sport there are often many rollovers and cars up into the catch fencing, leading to red flags where cars must stop in as little distance as possible, hold position and wait until the accident is cleared and the green flag is shown once again.[2]
Deaths[edit]
There have been two deaths at the Superstock Teams Racing championship.
On 9 February 2009, Peter Barry, aged 44, was flown to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition with severe head injury. He succumbed to the injuries six days later at 6pm, February 12.[3] Barry was driving a block car for the Kihikihi Kings versus the Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes when he lost consciousness from multiple hits between cars and the concrete wall. Barry's car continued to move slowly along the track for three quarters of a lap before a flag marshall stopped it. The coroner accepted fatalities were relatively rare in superstock racing, although the likelihood of injury was not. It was inherently high risk and violent, especially in teams' racing, where drivers crashed into each other on purpose. The coroner raised concerns about the HANS (head and neck restraint system) device, a safety item compulsory in many motorsports. The HANS device is now a primary piece of safety equipment used by every driver when racing.[4]
In 2022 the Championships were not completed after Stephen Penn who was driving for the Manawatu Mustangs crashed and sustained injuries leading to his death on the track.[5] [6]
Past Champions[edit]
| Year | Date Held | Teams Entered | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | February 3/4/5 | 13 | Canterbury Glen Eagles | Rotorua Rebels | Great Britain Lions |
| 2023 | February 4/5/6 | 14 | Canterbury Glen Eagles | Palmerston North Panthers | Gisborne Giants |
| 2021 | February 6/7 | 13 | Rotorua Rebels[7] | Canterbury Glen Eagles | Gisborne Giants |
| 2020 | February 7/8 | 14 | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes | Gisborne Giants | Palmerston North Panthers |
| 2019 | February 2/3 | 13 | Canterbury Glen Eagles | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes | Wellington Wildcats |
| 2018 | February 3/4 | 14 | Palmerston North Panthers | Gisborne Giants | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes |
| 2017 | February 4/5 | 12 | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes | Great Britain Lions | Palmerston North Panthers |
| 2016 | February 6/7 | 12 | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes | Great Britain Lions | Gisborne Giants |
| 2015 | February 6/7 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Wanganui Warriors | Baypark Busters |
| 2014 | February 7/8 | 12 | Baypark Busters | Wanganui Warriors | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes |
| 2013 | February 8/9 | 13 | Palmerston North Panthers | Manawatu Mustangs | Nelson Tigers |
| 2012 | February 4/5 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Nelson Tigers | Great Britain Lions |
| 2011 | February 4/5 | 11 | Palmerston North Panthers | Stratford Scrappers | Nelson Tigers |
| 2010 | February 5/6 | 11 | Nelson Tigers | Great Britain Lions | Manawatu Mustangs |
| 2009 | February 6/7 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Nelson Tigers | Great Britain Lions |
| 2008 | February 8/9 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Wanganui Warriors | Waikato Wanderers |
| 2007 | February 9/10 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes | Wanganui Warriors |
| 2006 | February 11/12 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Nelson Tigers | Manawatu Mustangs |
| 2005 | February 11/12/13 | 12 | Manawatu Mustangs | Canterbury Glen Eagles | Baypark Busters |
| 2004 | February 20/21/22 | 12 | Baypark Busters | Palmerston North Panthers | Waikato Wanderers |
| 2003 | February 21/22 | 12 | Baypark Busters | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes | Palmerston North Panthers |
| 2002 | February 22/23 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Rotorua Rebels | Baypark Busters |
| 2001 | February 23/24 | 12 | Wellington Wildcats | Stratford Scrappers | Rotorua Rebels |
| 2000 | February 18/19 | 12 | Nelson Tigers | Wellington Wildcats | Palmerston North Panthers |
| 1999 | February 19/21 | 12 | Palmerston North Panthers | Wellington Wildcats | Bay of Plenty Raiders |
| 1998 | February 20/21/22 | 12 | Wellington Wildcats | Rotorua Rebels | Palmerston North Panthers/Stratford Gladiators |
| 1997 | February 21/22 | 12 | Stratford Gladiators | Palmerston North Panthers | Wellington Wildcats |
| 1996 | February 16/17 | 12 | Taranaki Scrappers | Rotorua Rebels | Waikato Wanderers |
| 1995 | February 17/18 | 12 | Waikato Wanderers | Auckland Allstars | Palmerston North Panthers |
| 1994 | February 18/19 | 12 | Baypark Busters | Rotorua Rebels | Palmerston North Panthers/ Stratford Scrappers |
| 1993 | February 26/27 | 8 | Waikato Wanderers | Palmerston North Panthers | Wellington Wildcats/ Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes |
| 1992 | February 28/29 | 10 | Palmerston North Panthers | Wellington Wildcats | Christchurch Glen Eagles/Stratford Scrappers |
| 1991 | February 15/16 | 10 | Palmerston North Panthers | Nelson Tigers | Baypark Busters/Waikato Wanderers |
| 1990 | February 16/17 | 10 | Palmerston North Panthers | Wellington Wildcats | Stratford Scrappers/Rotorua Rebels |
| 1989 | February 17/18 | 10 | Palmerston North Panthers | Baypark Busters | Waikato Wanderers/Nelson Tigers |
| 1988 | February 19/20/21 | 10 | Stratford Scrappers | Palmerston North Panthers | Wellington Wildcats/Rotorua Rebels |
| 1987 | February 20/21 | 10 | Stratford Scrappers | Palmerston North Panthers | Baypark Busters/Nelson Tigers |
| 1986 | February 21/22 | 10 | Rotorua Rebels | Wanganui Warriors | Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes/Baypark Busters |
| 1985 | February 22/23 | 10 | Palmerston North Panthers | Stratford Scrappers | Christchurch Glen Eagles/Nelson Tigers |
| 1984 | February 24/25 | 8 | Palmerston North Panthers | Stratford Scrappers | Wanganui Warriors/Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes |
| 1983 | February 26/27 | 8 | Stratford Scrappers | Bay of Plenty | Wellington Wildcats/Palmerston North Panthers |
| 1982 | February 26/27 | 8 | Palmerston North Panthers | Wanganui Warriors | Palmerston North B/Stratford Scrappers |
| 1981 | March 7 | 8 | Palmerston North B | Wanganui Warriors | Palmerston North Panthers/Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes |
| Team | Entered | Semi Finals | Finals | Titles | 2nds | Races | Wins | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmerston North Panthers | 40 | 34 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 133 | 105 | 79% |
| Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes | 40 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 96 | 50 | 53% |
| Nelson Tigers | 37 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 84 | 42 | 50% |
| Stratford Scrappers | 39 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 93 | 47 | 52% |
| Rotorua Rebels | 38 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 92 | 45 | 47% |
| Wellington Wildcats | 33 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 82 | 40 | 49% |
| Canterbury Glen Eagles | 33 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 70 | 23 | 30% |
| Manawatu Mustangs | 31 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 77 | 34 | 45% |
| Wanganui Warriors | 30 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 72 | 24 | 33% | |
| Waikato Wanderers | 29 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 72 | 37 | 53% | |
| Baypark Busters | 27 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 64 | 39 | 63% |
| Auckland Allstars | 26 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 61 | 18 | 26% | |
| Great Britain Lions | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 41 | 25 | 61% | |
| Otago Cougars | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0% | ||||
| Kihikihi Kings | 7 | 14 | 4 | 33% | ||||
| Gisborne Giants | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 14 | 65% | |
| Bay of Plenty | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 60% | |
| Stratford Gladiators | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 73% | |
| Rotorua Rookie Rebels | 2 | 4 | 2 | 50% | ||||
| Te Marua Terminators | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0% | ||||
| Blenheim Vikings | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0% | ||||
| Nelson Vipers | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0% | ||||
| Wanganui B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% | ||||
| Hawkes Bay Allstars | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
References[edit]
- ^ "Superstock Teams Champs rake in $5.2 million economic boost for Manawatū". Stuff. 23 April 2018.
- ^ https://www.sporty.co.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=0c20c0f7-bb66-4d9d-9578-4258e07e8f65 [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Team's tribute to dead stockie". Stuff. 28 July 2009.
- ^ "Coroner questions speedway headgear". NZ Herald. 2010-02-11. ISSN 1170-0777.
- ^ "One dead following crash at Palmerston North speedway track". Newshub.
- ^ "'It's brutal': Commentator's shock as racer dies in crash at Palmerston North speedway". 4 July 2023.
- ^ "Rotorua Rebels beat Glen Eagles to win Teams' Champs final". 8 February 2021.