“But you also need everything to go right on the night. It’s a single-night deal, one race final, you don’t get a second chance.”
One night, no safety net
The New Zealand Sprintcar Championship format is unforgiving: Five qualifying heats determine grid positions for a single final.
There are no averages, no carry-overs, no redemption races.
“You want to be at the front in every heat. Score as many points as you can,” Thomas said.
He finished level on points with American visitor Joey Myers Jr, but a faster time-trial lap earned Thomas first choice on the front row.
He chose the outside.
“With sprintcars it’s all about momentum. The faster you go, the more the wings work.
“The more wind speed you get on them, the harder they push into the track.”
Thomas ended up launching cleanly and stayed in front for 25 laps to win the title.
Why slow is worse
Sprintcars punish hesitation – driving them gently rarely produces control.
“The slower you go, the worse they are to drive,” Thomas said.
“It’s like Formula One. If you’re not driving them at their maximum potential, they won’t turn or handle properly.”
Despite commanding machinery producing close to 900 horsepower, Thomas races with a very low margin of error, something rarely seen at this level.
“I probably drive [the car] at 90 per cent [capacity, just below its maximum],” he said.
Daniel Thomas in the 900 horsepower sprintcar.
“You can always push to 110 or 120, but that’s when you stop finishing races.”
Friday night doubts
Behind the scenes, the championship was nearly lost before it was won.
Friday night produced points, but not confidence.
“The car was on top of the track,” said car owner Jason McIndoe.
“RPMs weren’t controllable, temperatures were higher than we like. Something wasn’t right.”
Then came an unexpected lifeline: hot laps on Saturday night, a rarity for New Zealand title meetings.
“That was a free session for us,” McIndoe said.
“So we took the new rear shocks off and put the tried-and-true ones back on.
“I was watching from the infield. Daniel went P3 in hot laps. I could see straight away the car was back.”
Back on track
“When the car’s right, everything gets easier,” Thomas said.
“You think about where you want to go and the car actually does it.”
Until then, Thomas admits he had been questioning himself.
“I thought it might’ve been me. I hadn’t driven Cromwell much. The last thing I ever want to do is blame the car.”
The sprintcar Thomas drives is effectively identical to those racing in the United States and Australia: massive wings, no clutch, enormous power.
“Most guys are 860 to 900 horsepower, some are over 920,” McIndoe said.
Every component is imported. Every meeting is expensive.
Retirement?
Thomas balances racing with work and family, including raising twins, while MacIndoe runs a large Hamilton-based business.
Racing fits around their life, not the other way around.
“Our families have really come together. We’re enjoying it … and the results are showing,” Thomas said.
Originally, McIndoe had planned to retire after last weekend.
“That was the idea. But now there’s a number one on the car,” he said.
The only one retiring now is the championship-winning engine.
Another motor goes in this weekend as Waikaraka Park awaits – the North Island Championship is only weeks away.
And next season, the New Zealand title returns to Baypark, the team’s favourite circuit.
“We’ve got a very good handle on that place,” McIndoe said.
Graeme “Mintie” Mead is a sports commentator, the host of the radio show Waikato All Sports Breakfast and a Newstalk ZB overnight host. He is also a Hamilton City Councillor.