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Press Release
Shayne King reinforced his prowess in the New Zealand off road motorcycling scene by blitzing the field from the tail this past weekend at round one of the 2006 Suzuki New Zealand National Enduro Championship just south of Tokoroa.
King was one of the 217 riders who started the 160km race through the south Waikato forestry in showery conditions. Despite forecast fine weather the sprinkling played into riders favour by simmering the dust down.
King’s class showed as he started from the rear of the pack after arriving late to sign-on. This left him battling for clear track.
Former national champion Chris Birch who also had to battle for clear track as he too started back in the pack finished second to King some 25 seconds behind the motocross ace.
Third place went to the youngest of the King Brothers. Team Subway Yamaha rider Damien King in his first ever enduro managed to hold off fellow motocross star and current Under 21 Enduro Champion, Michael Phillips.
In terms of classes, Shayne King riding his CRF450R was 40 seconds quicker than younger brother Damien who finished second to him in the Expert 301-Open four-stroke class. Third went to Husaberg’s Karl Power.
Darryll King completed the King trio by winning the Expert 0-300 four-stroke class ahead of Australian rider Geoff Braico with Mitchell Neild third.
Birch won the Expert 201-open two-stroke class by 74 seconds. Phillips grabbed second, while Suzuki’s Kevin Archer took third on his RM250.
Paul Whibley had the worst luck after sustaining a puncture within the first 6km of the ride. Whibley made it back to the pits and changed the rear tyre on his CR250R but was later disqualified due to outside assistance after he borrowed a tyre to replace his damaged one. His luck was to grow worse as he sustained a total of three punctures in the day.
Dene Humphrey had no such bad luck as he piloted a Yamaha YZ125 to comfortably win the Expert 0-200 two-stroke class ahead of KTM’s Jason Davis. Damon Neild, who recently graduated from junior competition into senior, took the final podium spot in his first enduro.
Dougy Herbert dominated the Expert veteran 35+ class.
Round two is on Saturday February 4 near Dargaville.
