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Young Guns Finish on a High
Bernard Racing’s young Australians finished the SsangYong New Zealand Superbike Road Race Championships with a win in the Superbike TT at Pukekohe Park, just South of Auckland at the weekend.
Unfortunately Chris Seaton had a minor get-off in practice and was forced to sit out the remainder of the event after aggravating a shoulder injury sustained at round one.
To add some spice to the team, the young Australians were joined for the last round by ex-Superbike Champion, Whakatane’s Tony Rees. Rees had not competed in road racing for two years but was still able to pick up two fourths in the Superbike races after qualifying third fastest on the Saturday.
Scott Charlton was the star of the weekend, battling with the Suzukis of fellow Australian Robbie Bugden and Hamilton’s Andrew Stroud in the Superbike class and points leader Sam Smith on his Yamaha in 600 Sports Production..
The highlight of the weekend and the season for the team was Charlton winning the New Zealand Superbike TT.
The Superbike TT was the last race of the weekend and three points separated Bugden and Stroud for the Championship. All three riders were determined to win. The lead changed several times in the fifteen lap race, Charlton led at the beginning of the last lap. Bugden came out of the hairpin on the grass in a last minute do-or-die effort, but it was not enough, Charlton took the win by 0.391 of a sec.
"I am really happy for Scotty," said team owner Brian Bernard after the race, "It was a great way to end the season"
Points after Four Rounds:
