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Suzuki Supermoto – Stars of Tomorrow?
INSPIRED by the spectacular new form of motosport that lit up Taupo’s Centennial Park race circuit on April 27, Suzuki New Zealand has ensured the further development of the class, backing two more events.
The first of the new Suzuki Supermotos will be staged this Saturday, July 6. Again it will be at Taupo, the Centennial Park circuit proving perfectly suited to the category. The inaugural event was staged by enthusiastic advertising man Todd Sutherland with the backing of used motorcycle market place publication Bike MART and attracted a broad cross section of road and off-road riders.
Centennial Park Raceway provided a perfect venue, with dirt sections marked out on the in-field to provide a course that was 70 per cent tarmac and 30 per cent dirt – a sort of motorcycling equivalent of the car world’s Rally Cross.
"Suzuki New Zealand getting in behind Supermoto is the best thing that could have happened to the class," says Todd Sutherland.
"Suzuki’s sponsorship means we can develop this exciting category of motorcycle racing and perhaps even provide a career pathway for aspiring young racers to make the jump into road-racing in the future," he adds.
"The New Zealand motocross scene is bristling with talent and some are no doubt following
the careers of Josh Coppins and Ben Townley in the World Motocross
Championship with great interest. But there will also be quite a few who would like to
emulate Slight and Crafar, but don’t know how to get into road-racing. Supermoto
allows them to use their existing machines and have a go in a category that allows
them to use their dirt riding skills and also try racing on tarmac.
"There are literally hundreds of youngsters racing motocross in New Zealand every
weekend. Supermoto opens the door to those who want to have a go on a tar with
very little additional financial outlay. And let’s be honest, the skills Aaron Slight and
Simon Crafar honed in their Junior motocross years was a huge help at the highest
level of road-racing," Sutherland concludes.
In addition to the July 6 event at Taupo, Suzuki Supermoto will be back at Taupo on Sunday, August 4.
