This year’s Woodhill 100 - held over the June 04-05 weekend - drew the biggest entry in the 2016 Polaris New Zealand Offroad Racing Championship and the strongest field of unlimited class racers this century: 97 cars were entered in the event, with 17 unlimited class race cars.

In his Lexus V8-engined race car, eventual winner Mike Fraser started the ten lap race from tenth place. At the start he carved through the field, overtaking seasoned Polaris driver Mike Small on the dusty run down to the first corner, then a lap later Yamaha UTV racer Carl Ruiterman, while Nelson’s Nevil Basalaj joined the fray, also on a charge to the front.

Basalaj’s car broke an axle, though, while pole man Ben Thomasen damaged his rear suspension on the first lap then blew his UTV’s transmission.

Raana Horan took over the lead from Tony McCall on the second lap, but Fraser was fourth after three laps, then third as McCall went out with a broken clutch.

Between Fraser and Horan was the flying unlimited class Achilles Tatum Evo of James Buchanan. But Buchanan crashed and soon after Horan pitted to change a flat tyre, leaving Fraser in a lead he would never lose, the race red flagged after Buchanan’s stricken car caught fire.

The field toured around to the start area while the fire crew made sure the flames and hot spots were extinguished, then the race restarted with an elated Fraser taking the win from Horan with John Morgan in his Chev V8 engined unlimited class car third.

Only Fraser and Horan completed the eight laps of the shortened race; Morgan in third place completed seven. The first UTV home was S-class driver Joel Giddy in seventh place.

To read the full story in the August 2016 issue of NZ4WD go to Zinio.com (July 25) or purchase your own hard copy at the Adrenalin store.