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Photo - Jared Love at Wanganui on Boxing Day:
JaredLove.com: - Press Release:
The SsangYong Battle of the Streets hit Wanganui on Boxing Day to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event held at the historic Cemetery Circuit. Over 10,000 Wanganui residents and riders from around the country came out in force to watch the action and hear motorcycle engines roar - in the heart of a city that embraces action without fear of noise!
Hamilton’s Jared Love signalled a return to top-level form following life-threatening injuries sustained in a racing crash on the streets of Paeroa in 2000. Riding a factory Castrol Honda CBR1000RR, the day’s racing consisted of two Formula One races and two Robert Holden Memorial races. The racing was extremely close on the tight little street circuit!
Following a disappointing qualifying, Love turned up the wick right from the start of the first F1 race, ploughing into the first corner in fifth position. Having completed only five practise laps, Love continued to work his way up into third, but couldn’t find a way past local Brian Bernard (Suzuki GSX-R1000), who lead until mid-race when Bruce Anstey (Suzuki GSX-R1000) took over the lead and the win. But a slow starting Craig Shirriffs came through the pack on his smaller and more nimble GSX-R600, to pass Love on the last corner to cross the line third, with Love a close fourth.
The first important Robert Holden Memorial race proved a winner for Love, who this time started from the front row and went into turn one behind leader Anstey. Love made his pass on Anstey stick and led the pack to cross the line first, and take Honda’s first premier class win in New Zealand for many years. Anstey had a low speed tumble after a failed attempt to pass Love around the outside in the esses. Shirriffs meantime whistled through the field on his smaller GSX-R600 to take second, ahead of Lance Lowe.
Love got the holeshot into turn one in the second F1 race, only to suffer a minor technical problem before the lap was over, sending him from first to last in under ten seconds! Love continued in the race to finish well down the order. Anstey won from Shirriffs and a hard-charging Lowe, on a near standard Kawasaki ZX-10R.
The final Robert Holden Memorial race saw early leader Anstey suffer gearbox problems, allowing Shirriffs and Love to catch up and pass, before going on to finish in that order.
Love and Shirriffs are tied on 47 points each for the Robert Holden Memorial as they take a break before the battle resumes at Paeroa, where the long front straight will prove a definite advantage for Love’s powerful Honda.
(Ed:) At Wanganui I had the pleasure of meeting Jared who was dishing out posters and chatting to his fans. I was impressed by the quiet self effacing manner of this very determined young guy - a credit to his sport and his Honda: sponsors.
I was reminded again of the disposition that the more successful motorcycle sport competititors display - so very far removed from a bombastic, swaggering persona. I also noted that he did not back off in subsequent laps after powering out of the BP corner during the 2nd leg of the Robert Holden Memorial, the rear end of the Honda unloaded on a Wanganui bump lurching him clean out of the seat........
2005 New Zealand Road Race schedule;
February 20, Battle of the Streets Rnd 2, Paeroa (Hacksaw circuit).
February 26-27, 2005, Manfield, Fielding.
March 5-6, Pukekohe (includes TT titles).
March 19-20, John Britten Memorial, Ruapuna, Christchurch. (Superbike and 600 Sports Production classes only)
Detailed results for SsangYong Battle of the Streets, Wanganui are at MyLaps.Com
