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Suzuki has won the Hawkes Bay Six-Hour for the second year running.
After eight gruelling laps that covered narrow forestry tracks, farm paddocks and flat-out trails, the DR-Z400E ridden by Sean Clarke and Kevin Archer took the chequered flag by 90 seconds from last year’s winner Adam Youren.
And like last year, Youren was riding his RM250 Suzuki alone to win the Ironman class.
In a race characterised by crashes, broken motorcycles and re-fuelling rule infractions, 33 year old forestry contractor Clarke and Taumarunui bull farmer Archer stayed out of trouble and were in the hunt right from the moment the shotgun fired to send the huge field of more than 210 riders on their way.
However, even lightning fast Archer had to give best to former Taranaki motocross ace Greg Ngeru who used the electric start on his Suzuki DR-Z400E to great effect – streaking off the line to lead at the first turn.
But Archer quickly caught Ngeru and slotted into third place before mowing down the two bikes ahead to lead at the first fuel stop.
On the second lap, Clarke was in the saddle of the Suzuki four-stroke and, although he slipped to third behind Youren, he was pacing himself, well aware that the torrid pace would take its toll – as it did.
As the day wore on, Archer and Clarke were never out of contention and going into the final lap, had the lead. Determined to shake off any remaining competitors, Clarke dialled the pace up to unbearable, stretching his lead from 40 seconds to 1 minute and 30 seconds in an absolutely inspired ride.
“I really went full out on the last lap,” he admitted later.
“I’m naturally thrilled to bits to win. I nearly had it won in 1991 but I crashed and finished third. To win it this year caps off the season for me,” he grinned.
After winning two rounds of the New Zealand Enduro Championship outright on his DR-Z400, Clarke also won the Tarawera 100 in June and now he’s added the Hawkes Bay Six-Hour to the list.
For his part, Archer agreed it was a team effort.
“You don’t win a race like this on the first or last laps. You’ve got to stay near the front, don’t let the leaders get away but still always hold something in reserve,” Archer said.
Youren revealed that trying to peg back the flying Suzuki four-stroke out front would have been a tall order.
“I couldn’t have gone any faster at that stage. It was very rough out there,” he said.
Former two-time winner Stephen Bird naturally expected to do well but his chance at adding a third win to his name took a knock after he was penalised for speeding through the pits. Then co-rider Mark Penny “missed an arrow and got lost somewhere in the forest. “Despite that, they finished fifth outright and second in the Over 200 Two-stroke class.
Meantime, Dougy Herbert and Greg Ngeru brought their DR-Z400E home eighth outright and second in the Over 300cc Four-stroke class while Gary Powell rode another DR-Z400 to win the Veteran Ironman class.
