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Kiwis, Phill Gray, #66, Ducati Bostrom Replica 998, and Steven Hayr, #77, Ducati 916 SP, blitzed the 2005 National Formula 1 and Formula 2 Championships at the final round, at Wakefield Park raceway, last weekend. "B" grader, Gray had to fight off a determined Steven Cutting, #13 Aprillia RSVR, and a hard charging Craig White, on the Bridgestone 999S, to win the title. "I can't believe it, we've tried so hard this year, I'm ecstatic!" beamed the Bears president. "Having Steve (Hayr), win the F2 title as well, certainly puts a smile on all our team's faces." he said. Gray bested Cutting two out of three races, with a winning margin of 7/1000ths of a second in one of them, mastering the freezing race track, and doing the fastest times in F1. "It's been close all year, but at Willowbank Steve had a better package, I just wonder how we would have gone if he hadn't DNF'd in Mt Gambier, and suffered concussion in a dirt bike prang a week or two ago, he's great to race with, and I've learnt a lot." he said. Ducati have retaken the championship from Aprillia, after John Lyons fell at the same race meeting last year, being beaten at the final round by only one point! "Lyonsey came at sat with me in the pits, it was great to have his and the team's support, I just hope I've done enough to be "A" graded." said the jubilant Kiwi.
In F2, Steve Hayr, was also smiling. "I fell off and broke the same pinned collar bone which was almost healed, had it re-pinned and went to Broadford and won. If I hadn't have done that, I would not have had any chance of a win in the series, fortunately I've managed it, but it was a very near thing!" he said. The F1 and F2 victory to Ducati and the Ducati Bears Team has only happened once before, by the same team in '03. "We've, had a very testing year, with injuries and desperate attempts to claw back points." said team manager "Aunty" Mal. "Phill and Steve have gone above and beyond the call of duty, Gray still carries a plated femur, despite this, he's undoubtedly gone to the next level as a rider, and Steve is very lucky to have conquered the Broadford round, riding injured.
"The whole team felt the intense pressure of the competition and I'm very proud of them. Crew Chief, Bruno Mamone, Engineer, John Dodds, Crewman, Neale Parker, Photographer, Giuseppe Mandile, our friends at NFI, and our wonderful sponsors, Pennzoil, Wynns, Aim, Ducati Penrith, Dragon Tyre Warmers, Da 'Vanti Developments; IPP/Televisionmakers; Salinger Group and the Ducati Owners Club of NSW ,have all joined to make this victory possible. Lets hope we can do it again, next year." he said.
