Duff's 1 - 2 In Sprintcar Summer Slam

The Total Access Sprintcar Summer Slam concluded at The Racecourse Hotel and Motorlodge Ruapuna Speedway on Saturday evening with the Duff boys, Jamie, and younger brother Steve junior, rewarded for consistent placings to claim the top two overall placings in the series. Jamie, who top the points table coming into the meeting took out the series on 273 points, to Steve’s 196 with Martin Harcourt third on 174, just two points ahead of Caleb Baughan.

Ray Baughan took out the opening heat from Shaun Ashton and Nelson’s Conner Rangi from the fast-finishing Duff’s, Jamie fourth and Steve fifth. Heat two saw the Duff’s lead out from the opening lap, with former NZ champ, Jamie setting the fastest lap of the meeting of 13.58 second on lap two, to keep Steve at bay with Alicia Hill in third place. Jamie managed to increase in lead over the closing laps as Steve became involved in a three-way battle with Hill and follow Nelson driver, Connor Rangi, with Rangi finishing strongly to first pass Hill and then Steve Duff on the final lap.

The Feature saw Jamie Duff and Rangi starting on the front row from Steve Duff and Ashton. On the green light Jamie Duff passed Rangi a with Steve Duff passing Ashton. The first of three yellow lights came on when Luke Wederell spun in lap four, and then again on lap nine after a tangle between Blenheim’s Paddy North and local Martin Harcourt, with North retiring from the restart. Jamie Duff again lead out from the restart with his brother managing to pass Rangi on the next lap.

Four laps later Rangi managed to regain second place but the yellows come out for the final time, meaning the placings reverted but to the last completed lap so Rangi had to drop back a spot. The final restart again saw Jamie Duff open-up a handy lead from his brother with Rangi having to settle for third from Ashton, with Daniel Anderson putting in a strong finish with pass Hill with teenager, Oscar Harcourt in seventh place from Dave Kerr, Martin Harcourt and Wederell.

Race Results:
Sprintcars – Total Access Summer Slam
Ht 1. Ray Baughan 1, Shaun Ashton 2, Connor Rangi 3.
Ht 2. Jamie Duff 1, Rangi 2, Steve Duff 3.
Feature. J Duff 1, S Duff 2, Rangi 3, Ashton 4, Daniel Anderson 5, Alicia Hill 6.

Summer Slam Final Points – J Duff 273, S Duff 196, Martin Harcourt 174, Caleb Baughan 172, Paddy North 166, Rangi 146, Oscar Harcourt 124, Luke Wederell 104, Dave Kerr 80, Ray Baughan 78, Ashton 66, Hill 56, Anderson 50, Gene Spooner 24.

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