Happy 21st, Brett Nicholls. This summer's season marks more than two decades since Nicholls first competed in speedway, taking up the sport as a 17-year-old in 2003. Since then, it's always been Nelson and it's always been superstocks.

So, what better gift than the possibility of a national number on his Rees-Toyota when Milestone Homes Top of the South Speedway hosts the DC Equipment New Zealand Superstock Championship, supported by TWS and Mean Machine? Nicholls isn't blowing out the candles just yet though...

“There's a lot of luck involved, keeping all four tyres on the car is a good place to start,” he says. “And luck hasn't always gone my way at these things in the past.”

Nicholls, now 38, has been near the top of the tree in Nelson since his first season in an ex-Burson Ford 6. There was a Gordge car or two, one Higgins and he's currently running a recent Rees chassis, powered by Hartley Toyota. While he's been the South Island superstock champion twice and been on the podium on a couple of other occasions, success on a national scale has eluded him.

“I've ended up in the wrong place a couple of times and been taken out on a couple of others,” Nicholls said. His best finish at a New Zealand title meeting is fifth, there's a sixth and a couple of others in the top 10. Nelson, where he's probably turned more laps than any other current entrant, presents another chance to break through.

“We've got the package,” he says. “There's not much that we have left to chance in terms of putting a good car together – but so many little things can trip you up.

“Getting through qualifying is the goal, just making it to the Saturday night when things start fresh with the top 26. But there's going to be 100 guys all with the same aim and three-quarters of them are going to be disappointed.”

There's a story in how Nicholls arrived at his current “package”, the former 2NZ Josh Prentice superstock. Not so long ago, the Nicholls family and Edridge Contracting team owned two top-level race cars. The Gordge-Toyota he'd run as 48N for a number of seasons had a potential buyer pushing to get his hands on it. So the ex-Ant McKenzie Higgins-Toyota and trailer were purchased as a replacement – then the Gordge buyer pulled out.

“It definitely wasn't in the plan to have that amount of money tied up in superstocks,” he says. “I'd always looked up to Higgy (Brendan Higgins) and wanted to try one of his cars but the Gordge sale falling through left us with two cars. The Higgins car was great on a slick track, great around here and Brendan and Shane (Harwood) helped with a few fine-tuning things, it was a bloody sharp car.”

But with the Gordge eventually gone down the Coast to Cleve Kokshoorn, numbers in Nelson stuck around the 6 and 7 mark and young son Hudson in the mix, the pilot light went out for Nicholls. He approached his 20th season without the usual energy and the 48N Higgins was sold up north. Two cars became one, then none …

“I thought I'd retired,” he says. “Huddy and KJ (wife Kirsty) and the business were the priorities and the shed was empty for the first time in 20 years or so.”

And then the Nelson club was awarded the rights to the 2024-25 national title meeting.

“The old man came round and said 'Well, what's the plan?' and we started to look at getting back into it.”

Initial thoughts were to build a new car, maybe a Higgins, but chats with various figures within the sport uncovered the Prentice car – not on the market but everything is for sale, if the price is right. The Nicholls camp considered a Nissan V8 but realised they could get an equivalent Toyota for around $30,000 less. “I said to dad, freshen up the Toyota and I'll have the leftover 20 grand in better luck!”

The track record of the Rees chassis in superstock championship meetings is undeniable, elder son Asher is the three-time defending champion heading into the Nelson meeting and they have been to the fore for more than a decade now. Despite that, Nicholls was just looking for the best car available and had an open mind.

“I had absolutely no intention of buying a Rees car until it happened but this one ticked the boxes. It feels like I'm following the leader a bit – but it's the leader for a reason, these cars have the results.”

Nicholls made it out for the tail-end of Nelson's 2023-24 season with the car instantly on lap record pace. It's been the local standout in early meetings this season, too, but he is under no illusions about what to expect on January 10-11.

“The last time we held the meeting here (2012-13), Nelson had a whole bunch of cars in the finals, nine, I think, and it all kicked off. There was carnage and guys who were in with a chance – including us – got caught up in stuff. It's superstocks, if someone doesn't want you to win – you're gone.”

Nicholls, despite running with the Nelson club his whole career, isn't a huge fan of deal-making at individual meetings. It's common for drivers with a title chance ahead of heat three to sidle through the pits, checking out who's safe to pass and who might have a pop. Allegiances aren't just limited to track codes, either, with chassis loyalty or social media friendships often the deciding factors.

“I'm not going to be doing that (pit walk),” Nicholls said. “We tend to stand and fall on what we can do ourselves.

“I'm a bit of a spares nutter and we will have a supply of all we need without having to ask someone else for bits and owe any favours.”

Having said that, both the Blake Hearne and Matt Evans teams have been the beneficiary of help and parts as the 48N Nicholls camp look to encourage newcomers in the sport.

“I've been there when Nelson's run the same six cars all season and the costs are crazy – if passing on some tyres with life left in them helps build the class here, then we're all for it. I've had massive support over the years from my family and the Edridge family and it's good to be able to pass some bits on to the newer guys.”

Nicholls, briefly retired but now back in the game and enjoying it, isn't 100 per cent clear on where the team's future lies. He's glad to have had the spark rekindled in the sport that's dominated more than half his life (“tried fishing, not for me”) and young Hudson is a tearaway who can't wait to wreck some gear. Over in the Martin Racing pits, young nephews Locky and Taylor are eyeing uncle Brett's superstock, too.

“I got out when it wasn't fun,” Nicholls said. “We have always wanted to keep it sociable, get a group of three or four guys in, smash out the work and have a few beers. But we didn't have the fields, Huddy was having a sleep when we went to the track … it just got a bit old.

“But it's back, the butterflies in my guts returned and we're in a great car with a great bunch of people so let's see where this takes us.”

• Brett Nicholls races with the support of wife Kirsty and son Hudson, mum and dad (Sue and Phil), Edridge Contracting, Tasman Machinery Transporters, Walker Engineering, Discover NZ Motorhomes, Signs & Stripes, Burnsy's Straight and Paint, RJ Batteries, Mean Machine Ltd, Mahana Earthworks, Waimea Print, Berkett Contracting, Rapid Roofing, Austin Transport, Forest Safety Management, Dean's Truck Services, Nigel Bryant Logging and BMTT.   
• Crew duties are in the hands of Brian Sumner, Larry, Care Bear, Kerry and Phil. 

• The DC Equipment New Zealand Superstock Championship, with support from Mean Machine and Technical Welding Services, will be raced over two nights, January 10-11, at the Milestone Homes Top of the South Speedway. 

Written by Pete McNae

Photos by Rebecca Connor Maling, BM Photography