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Media Release - 10th October 2002.
Two Wheels Join Four at YELLOW PAGES® 500:
Motorcycles again form a part of the successful formula to satisfy petrol heads of all tastes at the YELLOW PAGES® 500 at Ruapuna on October 19th and 20th and once again, some of the country’s very best motorcycle road racers have been attracted to the meeting.
The YELLOW PAGES® 500 is now regarded as the highest profile domestic event in the country’s motorsport calendar, a fact reflected in the 10 hours of live ONE Sport television coverage devoted to the two days of racing. This year, Stephen Ward and Motorcycling Canterbury have taken on the challenge of organising two classes and six races of top-class motorcycle action and have succeeded in attracting a huge field of more than 70 riders, running in two classes.
Spearheading the FFM Helmets Formula One class will, with one notable exception, be the racers who made all the thrilling front running last year – Suzuki riders Brian Bernard (Wanganui), Dean Fulton (Tauranga), Dennis Charlett (Palmerston North, this time riding a 1000cc bike instead of the 600 he rode last year), Timaru warrior John Hepburn and BSL’s Stephen Briggs (Auckland).
The absentee from this combination, that last year fought tooth and nail around the spectacular Canterbury track, is Whakatane’s Tony Rees who has reluctantly been forced to withdraw his entry of a brand new 2002 model Yamaha R1 after breaking a wrist in a trail riding accident.
The unfortunate Rees was also down to drive a V8 Touring Car in the YELLOW PAGES® 500 for Shapley Motorsport but a combination of his wrist injury and concussion suffered in the crash has ruled him out of the drivers seat as well.
Despite the absence of Rees, organisers expect a repeat of last year’s action where six riders stayed so close together, rubbing and jostling their way around Ruapuna’s corners, that one camera-shot could take them all in for almost the entire race. As well as last year’s front runners, South Island riders like Brendon Gare from Timaru (Suzuki GSXR600), Jon Lowther from Timaru (Yamaha R1 1000) plus Aucklander Carey Brier (Suzuki GSXR600) can be expected to add plenty of spice to the field of 35 riders contesting the three FFM Helmets Formula One races.
The other class, Wynn’s Formula Two, is cleverly loaded so two very competitive classes will meet head on – the diminutive but highly competitive 125 GP two strokes versus Formula 3 bikes, most of which are four cylinder four strokes. In the 125GP corner, we have the ingredients of event organiser Stephen Ward, Cameron Horgan and Neil Freeman, all from Christchurch and all riding Honda RS125s.
In the other corner is Oamaru’s Andy Bolwell, Upper Hutt’s Barry Armes and Derek Hill, and Christchurch’s Chris Huddlestone, all mounted on the very popular Kawasaki ZXR400. Plenty of back up comes from a multitude of bikes and riders from both Islands, including the two highly accomplished lady riders, Sally Steadman (Honda RS125) from Palmerston North, who featured well in this class in 2001, and Anita Lowther from Timaru (Honda NSR250)
. In conjunction with its sponsorship of the Formula One class at the YELLOW PAGES® 500, FFM Helmets will be auctioning a specially-autographed helmet with the proceeds going to the Starship Childrens’ Hospital. The helmet is a one-off model and has been autographed by 12 World Superbike and World Supersport riders including past champions Troy Bayliss, Stephane Chambon and Andrew Pitt plus recently crowned Superbike champion, Colin Edwards. Other prominent riders whose signatures appear on the helmet include Neil Hodgson, Noriyuki Haga, Andrew Stroud, Ruben Xaus, James Tosland, Ben Bostrom, James Ellison and Ian McPherson.
Bids for the helmet can be placed up until 24th October by phoning 0800 STARSHIP.
The forerunner of the YELLOW PAGES® 500, the DriveSafe 500 was first run in 1999 and marked the return of high-profile endurance racing to the New Zealand Motorsport arena. It has featured some of the most exciting domestic television Motorsport coverage and has a good viewer following on ONE Sport that continues to build. At its peak, up to 200,000 people have watched the race on TV One with up to 48% channel share across the male demographics.
Facts at a glance:
The YELLOW PAGES® 500 is to be held at Ruapuna Park, Christchurch.
The race is to be run on Sunday October 20th 2002.
Qualifying is to be held on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th October 2002.
Support races will be held on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October 2002.
The race is for cars complying with NZ Schedule TL V8 Touring Car regulations – Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores.
The winning team will be awarded the Greg Ryan Memorial Trophy.
The second placed team will be awarded the Rod Coppins Memorial Trophy
The third placed team will be awarded the Bruce Patton Memorial Trophy
The maximum fuel tank capacity is 120 litres.
The race will be of four hours duration.
Each car must have a minimum of two drivers, thereby necessitating at least one driver change. Most cars will have to stop at least twice for fuel and tyres.
There is a compulsory brake pad change – all cars must change at least four pads within a two-hour ‘window’ either side of half distance.
