A deluge of sixes from Aces openers Martin Guptill and Simon Keene set up a 53-run thumping of the Firebirds in Wellington, as the race intensifies to qualify for the Dream11 Super Smash Finals weekend 1 and 2 February.
Guptill (82 off just 49 balls) smashed six sixes and Keene seven sixes in a breakthrough knock of 81 off 35, the young allrounder's maiden T20 half century.
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Together with a slew of boundaries, it all helped propel the Aucklanders to a strong total of 215/3 - the highest total by any team this season.
The dynamic dup also set a new Auckland Aces T20 record with their first wicket partnership of 164, beating the mark of 149 set by the veteran Guptill himself, with Lou Vincent, in 2009/10, also against the Firebirds.
It was Auckland's day as pacemen Danru Ferns (4/16), Keene (2/24) and Angus Olliver (2/21) all went on to record their new career best T20 bowling figures during Wellington's doomed chase.
The win was an important one for the slow-burning Aces who move up again, to fourth spot.
The top three men's teams, the Central Stags, Otago Volts and Northern Brave, can control their destiny in the race for the three Finals weekend berths, and are putting the heat on the bottom three teams - all three of which can reach a maximum of only 24 points, putting them in danger of being bumped out.
Earlier, defending women's champion Wellington Blaze bounced back from twin losses to runaway leader the Otago Sparks, with a 13-run win over the Auckland Hearts that lifted them back in to second spot on the ladder.
Hearts swing bowler Bree Illing again stood out - bowling Sophie Devine for a golden duck and conceding just 12 runs off her four overs (with two wickets after she added Rebecca Burns to her victim tally).
But it was ultimately the class of Melie Kerr (an unbeaten 75* off 60 balls) and spinner Xara Jetly (3/15) that won the day for the hosts at the Cello Basin Reserve.