Pickens Wows Palmerston North
 

Pickens Wows Palmerston North

By Jamie McCarthy NMCS, Palmerston North, NZ - November 22, 2008 - An enthusiastic and appreciative crowd were treated to a superb display of ‘on the limit’ driving as Michael Pickens powered from the back of the field twice in his ‘Little Rippers’/’Metalman’ #54 Esslinger powered Breka to win the National Midget Car Series, 30-lap Manawatu Midget Car Classic at the Robertson Holden International Speedway on Saturday night (Nov. 22)

21 NMCS Midgets from Auckland were joined on the night by American Midget star Davey Ray, and Christchurch’s Ray Baughan (Advanced Panel Gaerte/Beast #95C) to do battle over four heats and the 30–Lap Main Event for the third round of the $100,000 Samsung/Century Batteries National Midget Car Series at the Arena Manawatu oval. The 23-car field was split into two groups for qualifying, with each driver racing in two heats each to determine the top qualifiers for the 30-lap feature race.

Chris McCutcheon (Bearing Wholesale Gaerte/Stealth #96) looked strong in his win in the first heat, backing his car spectacularly into the turns from the front row, but was then relegated two places for jumping the start. Series points leader Lance Beale (BNT ED Pink/Aggressor #87) inherited the win from Bill Clarkson Jnr (TDM/Century Hawk/Aggressor #2NZ), and McCutcheon. Michael Kendall (Demon Esslinger/Terminator #81) was very lucky not to roll after clipping Dave Gick (Logick Fontana/Breka #4).

It was clear after the second heat just who to watch, after a wheelstanding Pickens powered past an impressive list of names with ease from grid seven, including the likes of Shane Alach (Parker Store Esslinger/Aggressor #11), Graham Standring (Wendys Esslinger/Lendich #33) and Carl Worboys (Fumacare Mopar/Beast #21). Alach followed Pickens home in second, with Standring third. Pickens fastest lap time of the heat was a blistering 15.55 seconds.

Pickens also won his second heat comfortably, again utilising the outside line on a very racy Arena Manawatu surface to great effect. National Champion Shaun Insley (United Truck Parts Mopar/Aggressor #1NZ) was second, ahead of Wayne Green (Robbos Demo Ed Pink/Breka #10). Pickens was still lapping in the fifteen second range, setting a 15.59 second fastest lap. Davey Ray (CRC Synergy V8/Aggressor #88) did not make the third heat, due to a brake mount breaking off the side of the diff in his first heat. He would make it back out for the feature, only for the same problem to reoccur, unfortunately ending his night.

Brad Mosen (Dickies Mopar/Aggressor #13) won the final heat driving away from the field off the front row, coming back after brake problems slowed his run in his first heat. Mosen set the fastest lap time of the night, a 15.46 second lap, and finished ahead of Michael Kendall and Lance Beale, who charged back up to third place after an early spin.

Pickens was the top qualifier from the heats with two dominant wins (24 points), from Beale (22), Alach and Mosen (19), and Clarkson and Worboys (18). Pickens then had to draw a marble to decide whether the grid would start fastest to the front (#1 Marble), or invert the top sixteen, with the top three drivers from the second round of the series starting out of position’s 14, 15, and 16 (#2 Marble). He drew the #2 marble which meant he would start from position sixteen, Beale from fifteen, and Worboys from fourteen. Worboys then chose the next car (Brad Mosen) to start from thirteen, with Mosen choosing the next car from grid twelve (Alach), and so on with each next driver picking the next car to start ahead of them, down to position one. A unique way of deciding the grid to say the least, but the outcome guaranteed excitement!

22 cars lined up for the 30-lap feature, with Jason Bunney (Gaerte/Aggressor #7) out from the heats with engine issues. Mark Oudney (Logitech Ed Pink/Aggressor #27) got away cleanly from pole position, and held the lead initially from Wayne Green and Angus McLeod (Open Wheel Fontana/Aggressor #9). Pickens was already working his way through the traffic, and after a few laps was already up to eighth place. Oudney’s good run then ended as he spun to the infield out of turn two and drifted back onto the track, right into the path of the charging Pickens. Pickens had to stop in avoidance and had to then restart from the back.

The next few minutes featured some absolutely mesmerizing driving, as Pickens was simply in a class of his own. It took him only ten laps to pick his way from the very back of the field to the lead, using both the high line and the pole line as the situation required, continuing to thrill the crowd with wheelstands. There were also battles for positions right through the field, with the drivers all excelling on a multi-laned, well prepared surface, ideal for top notch, wheel to wheel Midget racing.

Brad Mosen made up some good places from grid thirteen to take second, with Green and McLeod receiving reward for a good night’s racing in third and fourth place. Fifth was Lance Beale, followed by Alach (6th), Worboys (7th), Insley (8th), Gick (9th), and Scott Buckley (Iscar Mopar/Aggressor #25) in tenth.