Suzuki Tri-Series only a week away
Friday 30 November: The 2011 Suzuki Tri-Series drew thousands of motorcycle race fans from all over New Zealand and the 2012 edition is shaping up to be even bigger.
A record Formula 1 field of top
riders will guarantee the best action on NZ soil for some time, each
gunning for a share of the $30,000 series prize purse, plus an extra
$6000 prize money from Wanganui.com spread over the three rounds at
Hampton Downs, Manfield and Wanganui during December.
Defending
F1 champion Andrew Stroud returns on a new Suzuki GSXR1000 to defend
‘his’ Suzuki Tri-Series, which this year celebrates the 60th
anniversary of the Cemetery Circuit. The Hamilton-based racer has won
the last four consecutive series and is more than keen to add an
unbeaten fifth when the chequered flag falls in the final race during
round three, at Wanganui on Boxing Day.
The
44 year professional old alludes to an approaching decision, "You never
know, this could be my last Suzuki Tri-Series. Suzuki have been so good
to me over the last 12 years it’d be great to wrap up the title for
them in their back yard, as Suzuki NZ are based in Wanganui – right on
the race track!,” Stroud says.
"I’ll
be trying. I’m not there just to ride around, but everyone is getting
faster, especially Nick Cole, Sloan Frost, James Smith, and Craig
Shirriffs, they were all going fast at the end of last season, so it’s
never easy.”
Stroud
didn’t have NZ’s largest road race series all his own way last year,
after fellow Hamiltonian Nick Cole (Red Devil Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R),
plus Australians Robbie Bugden and Dan Stauffer took their share of the
spoils. With the Australians not racing this year, it will be down to
Cole and any one of a number of super-fast Kiwi Superbike riders to lead
the pack.
Cole
returns even more determined to improve on his second placing in the
2011 series. "We’ve been working in the off-season developing the
Kawasaki more, and we’ve made some big changes, this year I’ll be on
Pirelli tyres. I want to win races, and the series, that’s our goal,”
Cole said.
A
surprise 2010 race winner at Hampton Downs on a BMW S1000RR, Sloan
Frost, 31, is riding stronger than ever on the latest and much improved
Bavarian model. "The 2012 Valvoline BMW is really a step forward and is a
lot easier to ride. They’ve done exactly what I’ve been wanting, the
triple clamps, frame and the swingarm are a little bit different, which
give the bike heaps more traction, and it also has more mid-range punch!
Frost explains. "I want to win, and I know I’m capable of winning now -
I’ve beaten everybody before so it’s just a matter of beating them all
at once.”
With
some stunning performances during the final rounds of the NZ
championship last summer James Smith will want to lead from the front.
Smith, of Christchurch, has joined the Castrol Honda team and this
season will be racing a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade Superbike.
Also
on a Honda Fireblade for the first time is former NZ Superbike champ
Tony Rees (Whakatane), who will be racing all three rounds, as well as
the spectacular riding Ryan Hampton (Christchurch) on his Hampton Honda
CBR1000RR.
Stepping
onto a Superbike for the first time since 2004 is three-time NZ 600
Supersport champion Dennis Charlett, also from Christchurch. Charlett
will race Stroud’s proven GSXR1000 from last season in his new
Underground Brown team, and the 2007 South Australia and Victoria
Superbike champ should not be underestimated in the big bike class.
A
very fit Hayden Fitzgerald has also switched to a Suzuki NZ supported
GSXR1000, and already likes its impressive torque, which he says is
suited to NZ tracks, and his style. Fitzgerald was fourth in last year’s
series and the New Plymouth rider wants to improve. "I’ve had one
outing and it’s showing a lot of potential! It has a lot of mambo down
low that will help this year,” Fitzgerald says.
Ray
Clee came close to winning both races at Manfeild last year on his RCM
Suzuki GSXR1000, and finished the Suzuki Tri-Series third. Joining him
in the F1 category for the first time will be Australia domiciled Karl
Morgan, on a similar Suzuki.
Stroud, Smith, Bugden, Frost, Shirriffs. Photo: Terry Stevenson
Andrew Stroud is the man to beat. Photo: Terry Stevenson
Formula 2
Glen
Skachill is returning to defend his Formula 2 title, having won the
past three years in a row. But it won’t be easy for the Wellington rider
with talented racers including Jaden Hassan on his Home Buyers Reports
Yamaha NZ R6, John Oliver (Bulls), Jeremy Holmes (Invercargill), Avalon
Biddle (Orewa) on a Repsol Suzuki GSXR600 (fresh from her European
campaign), and Adam Chambers from the Hawkes Bay.
Dennis Charlett leads Glen Skachill, F2, Wanganui. Photo: Terry Stevenson
Supermoto
series winner Toby Summers will add some class on his Yamaha R6, but
also keep watch on a promising David Hall (Te Awamutu) in his second
year, and young newcomers to the F2 class Seth Devereau (Christchurch)
and Aucklander Daniel Mettam.
Ironman Rhys Holmes (Katikati) will again ride two classes, a Yamaha R6 in F2 and his BMW S1000RR in BEARS.
Successful
German rider Thomas Kreutz will travel to NZ to race his Yamaha R6 in
both F1 and F2 classes. He was second in the German Superbike
championship in 2010, and placed second last year in Supersport.
F1
Sidecars are always a major attraction for spectators and this year no
less than 17 outfits are entered. Everyone will be out to put one across
the defending champion combination of Adam Unsworth and Stu Dawe on
their Windle F1. Former NZ champ Aaron Lovell makes a return after
almost a decade away from the sport, with champion passenger Dennis
Simonson doing swinging duties. But Andy Scrivener and swinger Steve
Bryan (Taupo, Sowersby Hayabusa 1300) plus the Chris Lawrance/Richard
Lawrance (Auckland, Yamaha R1) pairing may pose the biggest threats.
All
the top riders will be racing in the favourite support classes
including Post Classic Pre ‘89, Formula 3, BEARS, and 450 Supermoto.
With big names attending such as Sean Donnelly, Glen Williams, Scott
Moir, Eddie Kattenburg, Steve Bridge, Dave Cole, Glen Hayden, Russell
Josiah, Richard and Simon Dibben, Duncan Hart, Nick Kampenhout, and many
more.
Travelling from Australia to race at Wanganui in the Pre ’89 category are Murray West (CR750) and Marcus de Caux on a TZ750.
Race fans at Wanganui will be treated to a special 60th
anniversary Legendary Rider parade lap at midday, with many former
Cemetery Circuit winners including Aaron Slight, Andrew Stroud on the
Britten, Bob & Rod Coleman, John Hepburn and Tony Rees. More
Cemetery Circuit ‘Legends’ are expected!
Plus,
multi-Marlboro Series and Wanganui winner Pat Hennen will make a
special return to the circuit where he made his name and will be guest
of honour at the 60th reunion dinner in Wanganui on Boxing Day evening.
Organiser Allan Willacy says, "American Pat Hennen is coming back especially for the 60th
reunion, and we have one of his bikes he won on [Suzuki TR750] on
display in Wanganui at the information centre. It’s fantastic to have
Pat Hennen back, he was third in the World 500cc Grand Prix
championship, so it’s great to have him here!”
Hennen
won three successive Marlboro Series for Suzuki over the summers of
1974-75, 1975-76 and 1976-77 riding a mix of Suzuki TR500s, a TR750,
and an RG500 during his final year. The Californian won six races at
Wanganui and he was also the first American rider to win a World 500cc
GP.
With
nine premier class titles, Andrew Stroud is the most successful
motorcycle road racer within NZ shores. "Andrew Stroud has done so much
and won so many races in NZ for many years, he is the guy everyone tries
to knock off the pedestal. Since we started the Tri-Series he has been
the winner and no one else has taken that title off him. So to win again
would be fantastic for Andrew, and our sponsor Suzuki!”
Catch
the former World Superbike, 500cc Grand Prix and world famous Britten
rider in action at the 2012 Suzuki Tri-Series at Hampton Downs on
December 8, Manfield on December 15, and Wanganui on Boxing Day.
Gate sales for Wanganui are $30 for adults although you can save $10 for early bird pricing online at www.cemeterycircuit.co.nz. Super Passes are also available, at $60.
2012 Suzuki International Tri-Series Schedule;
- Round 1: Hampton Downs, December 8
- Round 2: Manfeild, December 16
- Round 3: Wanganui Cemetery Circuit, December 26
Copy and images by Terry Stevenson