SPEEDWAY: Upbeat Hawkeyes on road to redemption | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

Hawke's Bay Hawkeyes Superstock team manager Geoff Harris is eagerly awaiting next month's Auckland Teams Champs.

It will be an ideal opportunity for his troops to redeem themselves after a campaign marred by bad luck at the weekend's Palmerston North-hosted ENZED Teams Champs - the glamour event on the Speedway New Zealand calendar.

"We're on the road to success and all the boys want to go to Auckland ... I can't wait," said Harris.

The Hawkeyes finished sixth in the 11-team event. As Harris pointed out the Hawkeyes couldn't have had a better start than their 140-55 win against the Stratford Scrappers on Friday night. A 120-75 loss to the Waikato Wanderers in their second outing ruined their chances of a semifinal berth on Saturday night.

"We had a fair bit of damage to deal with on Saturday morning," said Harris, referring to the six hours of work required on the cars before scrutineering on night two.

"We virtually rebuilt the siderails on Craig Owen's car and Steve Jude's car required a lot of work. Another gearbox was put in Garry Foley's car but he could only find fourth gear as the grand parade got under way."

Despite racing three cars against four the Hawkeyes beat the Scrappers 125-70 in their minor semifinal on Saturday night. Like he did the previous night, in-form Hawkeye Joe Faram secured the victory.

This put the Hawkeyes up against the defending champion Palmerston North Panthers in the battle for fifth place. Jude blew a gearbox before the start of the race and veteran Murray Long also experienced gearbox problems.

Faram surrendered to the infield when he was the last Bay car remaining.

"We waved Joe in ... it wasn't worth him getting smashed up at that stage," added Harris.

 Bay-based Shane Penn again drove for the Panthers and Bay's Andy McCabe was reserve. Nelson Tigers thrashed the Panthers 165-0 in their major semifinal and denied Penn a fifth title.

Nelson Tigers won their first title since 2000 when they beat the British Lions in the final.

• Bay TQ driver Craig Todd won the New Zealand Grand Prix in Gisborne on Saturday night.

"I did what I should have done in Christchurch," said Todd, referring to his second placing at the Christchurch-hosted nationals last month.

Fellow Bay club member Dylan McGregor was second and Auckland's Lawrence Baker third in Gisborne. Todd hopes to retain his North Island title at Meeanee on March 13.