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Honda enters the fray of the Streetstock 150 class racers this Sunday (July 30) at Manfeild Road Race Circuit. One of only two of the dazzling looking new Honda NSR150RR in the country, and with one of South Island’s best up & coming riders on board, its debut is awaited with interest. Daniel Jansen from Stoke near Nelson, will pilot the bike for Nelson Bays Shell Racing Team. Currently the 21 strong class is being led by two Kawasaki KR150 riders, Derek McAdam from Wellington & Graeme Parr from Auckland. Following them is a bevy of Suzuki RG150, all tightly bunched – it could be anyone’s weekend to star.
The all New Zealand BSL500 Grand Prix Team return to Manfeild too this Sunday, looking to add to their first ever victory with their bike at Round 3 of the Suzuki Road Race Series in May. High hopes come from Wayne Wright, the engine builder for the team. After faultless reliability at the last round following modifications to the crankshaft, Wayne has been able to increase power by more than 20bhp, so with jockeys Steven Briggs & Scott Buckley aboard the striking orange & black #19 & #25 respectively, expect their best lap time of 1minute 9. 37 seconds to be bettered. They will race in the Shoei Helmets A Grade class.
Local Palmerston North rider, Regan Griffiths holds a commanding lead in the Aprilia & Down Under Motorcycles sponsored 125GP & 250 Production class, with his Honda RS125. But Hastings rider Brent Symes (Honda RS125) joined the series after two rounds had been run, and is cutting inroads into Griffiths lead, already moving to 3rd place ahead of Whangamata’s Kevin Brookes (Honda RS125) and behind highest placed 250cc rider Dean Russo from Upper Hutt on his Suzuki RGV250.
The Honda supported Formula 3 Plus class will see Coastline Honda VFR400 rider Glen Tanner (Tauranga) try to maintain his lead from fellow BOP rider “Raging” Bill van den Hoven (Yamaha FZR400), who has suffered from three DNF’s so far. Formula 3 Plus caters for 4 cylinder fours, & all twin cylinder 2 valve cylinder head 4-strokes, plus pre 1990 250cc twin cylinder two strokes. It’s a “spicy fruit cake” class this one!
The Pirelli Sports Production classes see Aucklander Glen Williams and his Kawasaki ZX6R leading the Pirelli “controlled tyre” 600cc class from Suzuki GSXR600 riders, Taranaki’s Bruce Hansen & Palmerston North rider Tim Kendall, with another Manawatu rider Troy O’Donoghue and his Kawasaki ZX6R moving up now to 4th place, after missing the first two rounds.
All wins from 12 races put Brian Bernard & his Suzuki GSXR750 well in the lead of the Pirelli Open Sport Production class, but always kept honest by Aucklander Lance Lowe on a similar bike in second, while Waikanae’s Bruce Telford never misses a spectacular performance on his Robbie Dean Aprilia RSV “Mille”.
Newly introduced class – Formula Xtreme gains more riders at each round, and while it shows Wanganui’s Brian Bernard, this time on a Suzuki TL1000R V-twin in the lead, the whole “fruit salad” of bike makes (Ducati, Aprilia, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki) make for close racing as the Aprilia “Mille” RSV bikes of Bruce Telford, Glen Williams & at one event, Dean Fulton, really showed Xtreme racing at it best - close, noisy, throbbing & awesome. Xtreme is getting better every time we see it.
No fewer than five girls are contesting the RK Chain Novice class, in fact Kilbirnie’s Vicki Knight & her Suzuki GSXR 400 leads the class. This class caters for first time riders, always wanting to try road racing, but never wanting to be thrown in at the “deep end”. With some training before & during the races, all manner of bikes & people line up for their very own chance to “have a go”. Saturday is a Kiwi Rider/Bike Mart Open day.
Racing at Manfeild this Sunday starts at 10.30am, with the 24 race Red Baron Motorcycles programme expected to finish by 4pm. Admission is free for spectators, & close exciting racing is on the menu.
The 2000 Suzuki Road Race Series is proudly supported by – Yamaha, Shaft Motorcycles, Blue Wing Honda, Kiwi Rider, Suzuki, Red Baron Motorcycles, Aprilia Motorcycles, Bike Mart, Kawasaki, Motorcycle Trader & News, RK Chain, Shoei Helmets, & the best Sports production tyre available - Pirelli.
