New Zealand Superstock Teams Championship


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.

Racing

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.

Deaths

Peter Barry, 44, has been the only death in Superstock Teams Racing history. On 9 February 2009 he was flown to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition with severe head injury, succumbing to his injuries six days later at 6pm, February 12.
Barry was driving a block car for the Kihikihi Kings versus the Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes when he lost consciousness from multiple hits against between cars and the concrete wall, after a severe blow into the outside wall Barry lost consciousness. 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 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.

Past Champions

TeamEnteredSemi FinalsFinalsTitles2ndsRacesWinsWin%
Palmerston North Panthers39342318512910279%
Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes3913523934953%
Nelson Tigers3711624844250%
Stratford Scrappers3814844914752%
Rotorua Rebels3712514884147%
Wellington Wildcats3211624783849%
Canterbury Glen Eagles325211662030%
Manawatu Mustangs306321753445%
Wanganui Warriors291066692333%
Waikato Wanderers28922703753%
Baypark Busters2612541623963%
Auckland Allstars25311571526%
Great Britain Lions11533412561%
Otago Cougars71400%
Kihikihi Kings612433%
Gisborne Giants5311171165%
Bay of Plenty421110660%
Stratford Gladiators331111873%
Rotorua Rookie Rebels24250%
Te Marua Terminators2400%
Blenheim Vikings2400%
Nelson Vipers1200%
Wanganui B1100%
Hawkes Bay Allstars1100%