New Zealand Link
In 2006 links were established with the promoter of Paradise Valley Speedway in Rotorua, New Zealand - Sonja Hickey. Two Hotstox drivers travelled to Rotorua to participate in the 'World of Stocks' in April 2007. Chris Fort and Stuart Milnes raced borrowed cars for the Championship with Fort acquitting himself well. In August 2007, 3 New Zealand drivers - Paul Maybe, Clive Pritchard and Scott Gallopp - raced in the Hotstox World Final meeting (Maybe and Pritchard also raced in the World Final itself whilst Gallopp only contested the rest of the programme) at King's Lynn. Maybe ran 3rd for a large part of the race before mechanical failure relegated him down the field.
April 2008 saw Hotstox drivers Matt Smith, Marc Radforth and Darren Cottrill race in New Zealand with Radforth performing well and Cottrill managing to roll his car. Kiwi drivers racing in the UK were Nick Vallance, Alan and Graham McRobbie. Alan McRobbie scored two wins at his one and only UK race meeting - no mean feat.
In March 2009 Mark Allen and Steve Bowman travelled to Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand to represent the UK. Drivers from New Zealand represented their country in the UK also with Scott Fredrickson competing at many meetings throughout the summer and recording race wins including a feature final at Coventry. Scott was joined by Dale Stewart and Doug Stanaway for the 2009 V8 Hotstox World Final although all three recorded a DNF (Did Not Finish).
In 2010 Ivan Pritchard and the then current V8 Hotstox World Champion Chris Fort represented the UK at the World of Stocks event at Rotorua's Paradise Valley Speedway, New Zealand. During their stay, Fort recorded a win - the first UK representative from the V8 Hotstox formula to do so. The New Zealand representative for the 2010 World Final at Buxton on 1st Aug 2010 was Shaun Stewart. Stewart recorded a DNF after suffering an arm injury during the race and took no further part in the meeting.
In March 2011 Chris Bracher - 2010 World Champion - represented the UK at the Rotorua staged World of Stocks event where he managed to finish just one race out of three in 25th place. His 4 point haul bringing him home in last position. Winner of the event - Scott Fredrickson - looks set to represent New Zealand in the UK at the Belle Vue staging of the V8 Hotstox World Final in September.
Read more about this topic: V8 Hotstox
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