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When the flag drops on Oct.15 for the beginning of the QUALITY HOTEL 4 HOUR at Manfeild, it will be almost 12 years to the day since the running of the last CASTROL 6 HOUR.
Half of the winning team on that day in 1988, was Kawerau’s Tony Rees, the current New Zealand Open and 600cc Sports Production Champion.
Rees teamed with Auckland’s hard charger Paul Gee will lead the Yamaha charge in this year’s event on board a 2000 model Yamaha R1.
Nine wins from nine starts at the recent final round of the Suzuki Road Race Series at Manfeild, against all his competition except Timaru’s Johnny Hepburn, who did not attend, has left Rees confident for the upcoming event.
“We have a well prepared Team. Paul and I both have the speed and experience to do the job and an excellent crew backing us, but in endurance racing there are so many variables. However you can be sure there is only one thing on our minds and that’s winning. We aren’t attending to make up the field.” Says Rees.
Rees is able to back this confidence with experience. During 1998/99 he campaigned the World Endurance Championship Series as part of the British based Phase One Team, one of the highlights being a 4th Overall at Spa in July 1998. More recently Rees partnered Australian Graeme Morris home second in the Bathurst TT at the 2000 Easter Motorcycle Festival in Australia.
