SILSDEN stock car star Frankie Wainman Junior had a watching brief as Team GB Racing had the ideal preparation for this weekend's Superstock Teams Championships at Palmerston North in New Zealand.

They earned a fourth victory over Auckland Allstars in the Team Challenge Trophy at the Waikaraka Speedway venue, with captain Wainman opting to sit out the race to give John Dowson and Bob Griffin experience.

Four drivers from each team compete in team racing, with drivers acting either as ‘runners’ – to act as hares to try and win the winner-takes-all event – or ‘blockers’, whose main role is to slow the other team down.

BriSCA F1 world champion Wainman said: “Team manager Pete Falding, Guy Parker and I went through our strategies and decided the other four guys should go out.

“It also meant I could watch them to plan the overall strategy for the main event this weekend.”

When the lights went green Team GB got the perfect start with both Lee Fairhurst and Dowson getting away cleanly to act as runners, with Griffin and Ben Hurdman acting as blockers, holding up the Auckland team.

Fairhurst managed to break away but with an Auckland car close behind, the Bolton driver took the safer option and slowed down enough to hold up the rival team car. Fairhurst’s blocking move allowed Dowson to take the lead and the Durham driver managed to peel off a number of laps.

Team GB’s cause was helped with blocker Hurdman managing to take out the Auckland lead car. Griffin was also in block mode and was sent to the wall with a huge hit that ripped off both front shock absorbers.

“It was a massive reminder of what team racing is all about,” said Wainman. “While your team can look in a winning position it can easily turn the other way.”

Up front, however, Dowson and Fairhurst had the race under control with Dowson taking the flag and the win for the Team GB Lions.

In a successful meeting for the British outfit, Wainman enjoyed two race victories on the support card.