The return of national champions past and present is the theme of this Saturday night’s Bay Summer Slam event at Baypark Speedway.

Five classes are in action this weekend with a strong line-up for the final appearance of the Midget Car division at Baypark this summer being headlined by the return of newly crowned national champion Brad Mosen.

After a winning start to the season at Baypark, Mosen missed the summer international events while serving a three-week suspension but has since claimed his second NZ title in Christchurch.

Mosen will be joined by national title podium finishers Brock Maskovich (Baypark) and Mitch Fabish (Kihikihi) who are also entered in the 20-strong field.

A champion of the past is returning to Baypark almost 20 years after scoring one of the most memorable victories in the history of the sport.

Tauranga’s Ben Finemore upset the odds when he won the 2005 New Zealand Sprint Car Championship at Baypark - at the age of just 15 and even before he had a road license.

Finemore has been living in Queensland - both driving and crewing on speedway cars - and this weekend while on a visit home he’s taken up an offer to drive a Six Shooter belonging to Tom Ward.

The annual Harry Fredrickson Memorial Gold Cup for Stock Cars has again attracted a big field with 35 drivers entered and visitors from Auckland, Huntly, Kihikihi, Rotorua and Gisborne in the field.

Stock Cars will contest the Harry Fredrickson Memorial Gold Cup with recent BOP title winner Karl Garnett (92R) among the 35-strong field.

Fresh from victory last month in the BOP Championship, Rotorua racer Karl Garnett will be one of the leading contenders.

There will also be a welcome back to Baypark for Sprint Car racers Dean Cooper and Jamie Larsen, both sporting new numbers after finishing second and third respectively at the recent NZ Championship.

Super Saloons are also on the programme with national champ Chris Cowling and runner-up Sam Waddell in action while a notable newcomer to the class is Kihikihi’s Mitch Vickery – whose recent credentials include podium finishes in both the NZ Stock Car and NZ Super Stock Championships.