Easy to remember address : www.macgor.co.nz
1st published Feb 2001, republished 25-06-2015

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Rotorua North Island Teams Classic 2nd & 3rd February 2001 by Macgor

Semi Final one
Auckland Allstars versus Waikato Wanderers
I can't do a blow by blow account of this match up because I didn't take notes and the operator of my camera(me) stuffed up much to my disgust and without notes the task is impossible .
We all knew this was going to be a mighty clash having seen Auckland deal up the Rebels the night before and there was no doubting Huntly's ability to triumph when the going gets tough .
8h Dave Roigard left from pole and had a ding dong battle with 11a Gary Ellis heading down the back straight for the first time . Roigard was the victor and broke clear although Ellis scored a spin on 58h Shaun Wade as some compensation . 125a David Neal arrived on  the scene and dealt a hefty blow to Wade although damage was minimal . 17a Rick Campbell made a fatal error in getting between the 18h Bryce Steiner tank and the wall . The red lights were used to bring Campbell down from said wall and Auckland was on the back foot from there on .

7a Dayne Wright got his first run for the Allstars in this event and proved he was up to the task despite a couple of near misses on the opposition . For the Wanderers 71 Tony Wootton was on track in place of 41h Trevor Mason.
The race was a battle of wits and bumpers . Lead changes throughout meant the winning side was not certain until the final flag dropped .There were no losers in this race even though it was the Wanderers that took the victory lap .







Semi Final two
Rebels versus Northern Select
36h Kevin Free was an addition to the Select team for finals night and he was needed on the track too as 6h Jason Reidinger broke during warm up laps . 9a Kevin Brookes stayed on the brakes and held up the inside row of cars at flag fall while the outer lane raced away led by 95r Rodney Wood . Wood had only traveled a few metres before he was on the brakes too and blocking 22h Blair Ashton allowing 93r Chris Allen to inherit the lead . Kevin Free was served a good hit by 92r Shane Penn as Free pondered on how to manage Rebel blocker 96r Murray Hobbs . The hit rebounded on Penn though and it was he that spun .

Free was still hampered by Hobbs and when Penn caught up again he was once more treated to a spin but this time from the front bumper of Free . Penn stalled at this point so chalk one up to the Select Team . Free attempted an outside move on Hobbs forcing the 96r towards the infield and over the right front of a parked up Russell Hunter . Result for Hobbs was two flat left hand tyres and freedom for Free .

Blair Ashton had 93r Chris Allen glued to his rear bumper and when Free caught up he treated Allen to a free spin . Allen got going again and set out after Free . Hobbs had got involved with Ashton in a slow moving struggle and Free figured that an inside pass was a safe bet . Not so as Hobbs swung left clipping the right rear of the 36h launching Free into a high speed spin . 93r Chris Allen finished Free off with a full noise front bumper to front bumper whack .

With Free and Hunter both out it was just Blair Ashton and Kevin Brookes up against three Rebels . In the dying stages Hobbs push started Shane Penn before retiring himself . Wood took the white flag and dealt solidly to a ready and waiting Ashton on the last lap before picking up the Rebel win .