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Facing battles on two fronts, Tony Rees has been forced to establish his priorities as he prepares for the motorcycle race meeting at Ruapuna, Christchurch, this weekend.
The experienced Kawerau racer leads both the big-bike classes, Superbike and Open Sports Production, as he heads into the second round of the Motorcycle Trader national championships. But in each class Rees, riding for Yamaha, is up against fast riders on Suzukis: Shaun Harris in Superbike, and Andrew Stroud in Open Sports Production.
Rees has found that he cannot put maximum effort into both bikes, and has decided to focus on the premier class, Superbike. \"I\'ve never won the Superbike championship,\" he said. \"I\'ve won five Open Sports Production titles, and one 600cc Sports Production.
\"I need to spend more time on the superbike, to get it set up for the track and to get used to riding it. And this is the bike I\'ll be racing in Australia this year, so I want more experience on it,\" Rees said.
In the first round, at Teretonga (Invercargill) last weekend, Rees won both production races but lost the second Superbike heat to the fast-starting Harris, the New Plymouth rider aboard a brand-new Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Stroud pressed Rees hard in the second production race and could well have won it but for a minor technical problem. However, the Christchurch-based international might not be able to contest the final two rounds in April because he is going to Europe to act as test rider for a 500cc GP team.
Meanwhile defending Superbike champion Dean Fulton of Mt Maunganui said he might revert to his title-winning Kawasaki ZX-7RR for Ruapuna because this 750cc bike should be better on the circuit\'s many corners than the 900cc ZX-9R he raced at Teretonga, where power is more important.
Scott Buckley had problems riding the Auckland-built BSL 500 at Teretonga because very strong winds pushed the lightweight two-stroke around, but he could be a contender in better conditions.
Harris is also riding a Suzuki GSX-R600 in Formula Two and 600cc Sports Production, and in both these classes can look forward to more battles with Oamaru rider Brad Selfe, who claimed one race at Teretonga with the latest-model Honda CBR600.
The meeting also features championship races for Formula Three, 125cc GP and Sidecars. Two points races in each class will be run on Sunday.
