A heavy crash on opening night and a career-first feature race win have book-ended a season that has seen young Baypark racer Max Guilford emerge as a force in the Sprint Car division.

Max, 21, built on a string of recent podium performances as he raced to a breakthrough feature victory at Baypark Speedway's season finale on Saturday night.

Starting third, Max had a mid-race duel with former NZ champ Rodney Wood on his way to adding Sprint Car success to his achievements in Midget Cars.

It's a timely win for Max who heads to the USA next week to race for an Indiana Sprint Car team.

'From where we started, crashing on the first night of the season, ending the season on a high is the best thing we could have done,” says Max.

Max Guilford raced to his maiden Sprint Car feature race win at Baypark Speedway on Saturday night. Photo: Supplied.

Max will race for the Terre Haute, Indiana team of Travis Norris and Bob Burkle with about 40 race meetings on his schedule through till September.

After racing throughout the country this year, Max says, 'Baypark is the most bad-ass track in New Zealand because it's fast and it's technical.

'I used to hate coming here because we couldn't finish a race here. But Rodney [Wood] and his team have really worked hard on the track this season and it's been great to race on.”

Rodney Wood came home second with Tokoroa's Keaton Dahm completing the podium. The heat race winners were Wellington's Stephen Taylor and Hamilton's Dean Brindle who finished fourth and fifth in the feature.

Rotorua Stock Car drivers held a weight of numbers advantage in the chase for the annual Harry Fredrickson Gold Cup but it was Auckland visitors to the fore.

Heat race wins went to Aucklanders Brad Simpson and Blake Brooks while Baypark racer Ryan Hunt was the top point scorer to earn pole position in the trophy race.

Brad raced to the front and found the gaps in the traffic to lead home Rodney while Sam Wright completed an Auckland trifecta ahead of Rotorua's Jayden Steiner.

Formula 2 Midget Cars delivered some fast-paced action with Carlos Stone withstanding pressure from both Lindsay Gate and Corbin Anderson in the 20-lapper to score his second feature win of the season.

The 2023-24 racing season at Baypark Speedway will open at Labour Weekend, on Saturday October 21.