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Hamilton’s Andrew Stroud took his Suzuki to the top step of the podium in the last Superbike race, at round four of the SsangYong New Zealand Superbike Road Race Championships at Manfeild Park today, 25 February 2007,
This gave him the overall win in the event and the lead in the Superbike Championship by six points over the hard charging Australian Robbie Bugden also on a Suzuki.
However Stroud did not have it all his own way, Yamaha’s Australian "Young Guns" Scott Charlton and Chris Seaton had a very successful day, with Seaton winning the first Superbike race and Charlton picking up two seconds.
18-year-old Sam Smith (Pukekohe) dominated the 600 Sports Production class on his Yamaha, with two wins from two starts.
Smith was closely chased by Stroud and the young Seaton and Charlton. Reigning Champion Feilding’s Craig Shirriffs had a serious get off in the morning’s scrub-in session and rode all day with a damaged right shoulder, finishing fifth and sixth in the 600 races and two fourths in the Superbikes.
Formula Three was dominated again by defending champion Taranaki’s Terry Fitzgerald, while Wanganui’s Stephen Bron took two wins in the sidecar class on the ex Stacy Sellar LCR.
15-year-old Australian Jackson Leigh-Smith showed a clear set of heals in the 125cc Grand Prix class took both wins which brings him to third on the classes’ points table.
The series now have a two-week break before moving to Pukekohe on March 10/11 for the final round.
