Hodgson was on the move from the third row of the grid, building speed as the high line opened up and he passed Pickens for the lead on lap seven and continued using the high line to edge away.
Following Hodgson through was Brad Mosen who started fourth and initially lost a spot before making a move towards the front.
Auckland’s Brad Mosen claimed his sixth runner-up finish in the New Zealand Midget Car Championship. Photo / Stuart Whitaker/The Write Angle
The only caution in the 25-lapper gave Mosen a chance and he briefly got in front immediately after the restart, before Hodgson counterattacked and started to edge away again.
“On the restart I knew Brad would fire it in there. I was expecting it, but I also know that Brad always races you cleanly,” Hodgson said.
In the seven lap sprint to the chequered flag Hodgson edged out to a 1.3secs winning margin.
Hodgson paid tribute to the team led by former NZ champ Shayne Alach for the preparation and chassis set-up of the Spike-Stanton combination on just its second outing this season.
“They had the car tuned-up so it could pretty much drive itself,” Hodgson said.
Aaron Hodgson powers around the Baypark oval during the last round of qualifying heats on Saturday night. Photo / Stuart Whitaker/The Write Angle
It was a special win for Alach who owns the winning car. His father Ray won the NZ Midget Car title in 1980, and Shayne won himself in 2009.
“Our family has fielded a race car for 66 straight years and it’s our third New Zealand title. I guess one every 22 years isn’t too bad,” Alach said.
Mosen’s second placing is his sixth runner-up effort in addition to two national title wins.
There was an impressive fightback drive from young Auckland racer Ben Morrison to score a podium finish. A run of qualifying misfortune ended with a win in his fifth heat and Morrison carried that momentum in the championship race, racing forward from grid 11 to third to complete the podium.
Maskovich was always in contention near the front, running as high as second and eventually finishing fourth.
Auckland teenager Alec Insley had been the star of qualifying with four heat race wins and a second placing.
He ran in second spot in the early laps but then lost ground in a lead pack battle before passing Pickens to secure a fifth place finish.
“I didn’t expect the track to move to the top as early as it did and I stayed on the bottom for about four laps too long, and that’s all it took,” Insley said.
Pickens finished sixth while Tauranga’s Luke McClymont, Christchurch racer Ben Morgan, Te Awamutu’s Mitch Fabish, and Aucklander Corbin Anderson completed the top-10.
Tokoroa’s Keaton Dahm claimed his first Baypark Sprint Car feature win of the season, leading from start to finish ahead of Jonathan Allard and Ryan O’Connor in the 15-lapper.
The winner of the five-race Predator Series for the Six Shooter class was Rotorua’s Boyd Westbury with a clear 12-point margin from Auckland racer Laurie Petersen and Rotorua’s Billy Griffiths two points further back.
The next event at Baypark Speedway is the Battle of the Bay on Saturday, February 14, featuring the Harry Fredrickson Stock Car Gold Cup and the second annual Aotearoa F2 Midget Car title.
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