The heavy metal division of dirt track racing is the headline attraction for the Bays of Thunder meeting at Baypark Speedway on Saturday evening.

A championship quality grid of Super Stocks representing six tracks will provide the action as the North Island Super Stock Thunder Series pays a visit to the Mt Maunganui stadium, delivering their entertaining spectacle of bumper-to-bumper standing starts, V8 horsepower and full contact racing.

The series began at Whanganui’s Oceanview Speedway earlier this month and following the Baypark round it will be decided at Gisborne in December.

The Thunder Series is led by Baypark racer Kerry Remnant, who top-scored at the Whanganui opener.

Gisborne racer James Clark is Remnant’s nearest challenger, trailing by only two points after round one. The 24-strong grid includes a strong Baypark line-up including North Island Champ Elias Dykstra plus Whanganui, Rotorua, Gisborne and Huntly contracted drivers and Christchurch-registered Scott Tennant.

North Island champ Elias Dykstra is among the front runners entered for the Super Stock Thunder Series round at Baypark Speedway. Photo supplied.

The full-contact competition isn’t limited to the Super Stocks, as the Stock Cars are scheduled for their first appearance of the season with a full 30-car grid drawn from seven tracks.

The other class making its 2024-25 season debut are the F2 Midgets, with a line-up of 17 drivers filing entries for this weekend.

Sprint Cars and Youth Mini Stocks complete the programme. The Sprint Car field is expected to feature 16 cars with the first appearance of the year by two-time New Zealand champion Jamie Larsen (Kapiti) and the return of opening night feature race winner and 2023 NZ champ Daniel Thomas (Hamilton).

Hamilton’s Dean Brindle, Tauranga’s Rodney and Cole Wood and the four-car HLR team comprising Aucklanders Hayden Williams, Ryan O’Connor and Christian Hermansen, along with young Katikati Ayrton Hodson, also feature in a quality line-up.

Racing starts at 6.30pm.