Cole, Frost and Dennis Charlett lead Suzuki Series
Sunday 08 December: Hamilton’s Nick Cole leads the 2013 Suzuki Series after the opening stanza at Hampton Downs on Saturday, held under changeable weather conditions. Terry Stevenson reports.
Cole took his
Red Devil Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R to a clear F1 victory in race
one ahead of a charging Dennis Charlett, of Christchurch (Underground
Brown Suzuki GSXR1000), who made a bold late-race pass for second on
Wellington-based Sloan Frost, riding his Fujitsu TSS Red Baron Suzuki NZ
GSXR1000.
A
rapidly drying track from recent rain caught many riders out, who
fitted ‘wet’ tyres, leaving most of the international field and local
racers struggling for corner speed as the race progressed. Former
Australian enduro expert Phil Lovett and his 23 year old Australian
daughter Sophie both pulled out of the race with resultant tyre issues
on their respective Kawasaki ZX-10R Superbikes.
David
Hall of Te Awamutu put in the ride of the day by capturing a surprise
fourth place on his Suzuki GSXR1000 during his first major race on a
Superbike, and Craig Shirriffs (Feilding) ended the challenging race in fifth position on his AJ Boss Racing Suzuki GSXR1000.
Race
two was held under sunny skies at frenetic pace. Sloan Frost lead a
rampaging pack after the first lap and went on to win by 0.3 seconds
from Nick Cole, who pressured Frost the entire race.
Frost
said after race two, "For the first race we made the right call and
fitted slicks, it was definitely the right move. After they warmed up I
got into a good race with Dennis and we traded paint a few times! I came
third which I’m bitterly disappointed about as I made a small mistake
on the last lap. I need to redeem myself in the second race. Nick got
past me at one stage in turn one, and I got him back into turn two and
then he tried to come past me again but we bashed fairings a bit going
around turn one, but I had the inside line. I didn’t run him off, I gave
him a bit of room - I don’t think he’d do the same for me? We race so
close to each other all the time, so we trust each other.”
Australian
Linden ‘Magoo’ Magee found the dry track more to his liking and
finished third on an M1 Motorsport BMW S1000RR machine.
Scott Moir, Taupo (MotoTT Promoto Suzuki GSXR1000) crossed the line fourth, with New Plymouth rider Hayden Fitzgerald fifth on his Team RGM Suzuki GSXR1000.
Cole
says, "We had a positive weekend, a lot better than I expected to do.
To come up with a first and second is fantastic, and leading after this
weekend is great.”
Cole
explains his close passes on Frost at turn one, "I went up the inside
the first time and he cut back on me down the straight, and then next
time I had a go around the outside. Sloan said he felt my elbow in his
boots, so that’s how close we were! We’ll approach Manfeild with an open
mind, we’ll go there to win but we’ll just take it as it comes.”
Magee
said, "In the first race we went the wrong way and chose a wet. I knew
on the warm-up lap I would struggle because it was drier through the
back of the circuit than it looked on the front straight” He finished
twelfth.
"I didn’t get the best
start in race two but I got past a couple of guys and got into fourth,
behind Scott Moir. I had to put a brave move on him into the dipper
hairpin, but once I got around him I got away. All in all I’m pretty
happy coming to a new track where I hadn’t ridden the bike before.”
For
his efforts Cole earned 48 points for the day but Frost is only three
points behind on 45, Charlett has 37, and Moir is fourth in the Suzuki
Series with 32 points.
The F1 category, which includes four Australians and one German, will regroup at Manfeild on Sunday December 15.
Joining them will be Australian Chris Seaton aboard a Motul Aprilia
RSV4 Superbike. Race fans have to wait until Boxing Day to see if TV
star Guy Martin (UK) can outride our local racers around the streets of
Wanganui’s famous Cemetery Circuit.
Formula
1, race 1: Nick Cole (Hamilton, Red Devil Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1;
Dennis Charlett (Christchurch, Underground Brown Suzuki GSXR1000), 2; Sloan
Frost, (Wellington, Fujitsu TSS Red Baron Suzuki NZ GSXR1000), 3; David
Hall (Te Awamutu, Bridgestone Suzuki GSXR1000), 4; Craig Shirriffs (Feilding, AJ Boss Racing Suzuki GSXR1000), 5; Tony Rees (Whakatane, Tony Rees Motorcycles Honda CBR1000RR), 6.
Formula 1, race 2: Sloan Frost, 1; Nick Cole, 2; Linden
Magee (Brisbane, M1 Motorsport BMW S1000RR), 3; Scott Moir (Taupo,
MotoTT Promoto Suzuki GSXR1000), 4; Hayden Fitzgerald (New Plymouth, Team RGM Suzuki GSXR1000) 5; Dennis Charlett, 6.
F1 Series points: Nick Cole, 48; Sloan Frost, 45; Dennis Charlett, 37; Scott Moir, 32; David Hall, 30; Linden Magee and Hayden Fitzgerald, 29.
Sloan Frost leading Nick Cole & Scott Moir during race two at Hampton Downs. Terry Stevenson image.
Nick Cole leads the Suzuki Series by three points. Terry Stevenson image.
The
600cc Formula 2 Class provided plenty of action in wide-open field
where any one of a number of riders could capture the F2 title.
Manuaku
racer Toby Summers (R&R Power Sports Yamaha R6) stepped up to the
plate with a win and second placing to lead the F2 series with two
rounds remaining. Summers also won both Supermoto legs on his R&R
Power Sports Yamaha YZF450.
Adam
Chambers (Clive) enjoyed a well deserved second place on his Honda
CBR600RR in the opening rain affected F2 heat, finishing ahead of
Wanganui’s Jayden Carrick (GJ Gardner Homes Suzuki GSXR600) and
Tauranga’s Rhys Holmes (Yamaha R6). However, it was Carrick who crossed
the line first in a dry race two, followed by Summers, Aucklander Daniel
Mettam (Honda CBR600RR) and Chambers.German Thomas Kreutz recorded a sixth and firth placing aboard his Yamaha R6.
Formula 2, race 1: Toby Summers (Auckland, R&R Power Sports
Yamaha R6), 1; Adam Chambers (Clive, Lattey Civil & Precast Honda CBR600RR), 2;
Jayden Carrick (Wanganui, GJ Gardner Homes
Suzuki GSXR600), 3; Rhys
Holmes (Tauranga, John Tuhoe Racing Yamaha R6), 4; Daniel Mettam (
Auckland, CTAS Honda CBR600RR), 5; Thomas Kreutz (Germany, Yamaha R6),
6.
Formula 2, race 2: Jayden Carrick, 1; Toby Summers, 2; Daniel Mettam, 3; Adam Chambers, 4; Thomas Kreutz, 5; Rhys Holmes, 6.
Formula 2 series points: Toby Summers, 47; Jayden Carrick, 46; Adam Chambers, 40; Daniel Mettam, 36; Rhys Holmes, 33; Thomas Kreutz, 31.
Toby Summers on his way to win in Formula 2. Terry Stevenson image.
The
F1 Sidecar duo of Aaron Lovell/Dennis Simonson won both races, but had
to earn their second victory after Adam Unsworth/Stu Dawe on their F1
Windle (Auckland) made some brave passes going into Metalman corner.
Race two was decided when Unsworth missed a gear at turn 5, allowing
Lovell to charge ahead and take the chequered flag several laps later.
Adam Unsworth/Stu Dawe finished second in both heats, although third place was shared between Barry
Smith/Robbie Shorter (race one) and the charging Chris and Richard
Lawrance brothers (Auckland) on their Anderson R1 in race two.
Lovell
says, "We had to fight for the second win, it was well earnt! We had a
slipping clutch but, no excuses as Adam and Stu are riding really well.”
F1
Sidecars race 1: Aaron Lovell/Dennis Simonson (Hamilton/Masterton,
Gough TWL LCR1000), 1; Adam Unsworth/Stu Dawe (Auckland, Boss
Engineering Windle F1), 2; Barry Smith/Robbie Shorter (Te Puke, Carl Cos
Motorsports Windle Suzuki), 3; Chris Lawrance/Richard Lawrance
(Auckland, Anderson R1), 4; Spike Taylor/Astrid Hartnell (Masterton,
Stealth Electric Bikes LCR Suzuki), 5; Alex MacDonald/Glen MacDonald
(Kaiapoi, Daniel Smith Industries Dunoon Suzuki 1000), 6.
F1
Sidecars race 2: Aaron Lovell/Dennis Simonson, 1; Adam Unsworth/Stu
Dawe, 2; Chris Lawrance/Richard Lawrance, 3; Barry Smith/Robbie Shorter,
4; Alex MacDonald/Glen MacDonald, 5; Peter Goodwin/Darren Prentis
(Albany, LCR/Windle), 6.
F1
Sidecars points: Aaron Lovell/Dennis Simonson, 51; Adam Unsworth/Stu
Dawe, 44; Chris Lawrance/Richard Lawrance, 38; Barry Smith/Robbie
Shorter, 38; Alex MacDonald/Glen MacDonald, 31; Peter Goodwin/Darren
Prentis, 28.
Trading paint, Aaron Lovell passes Adam Unsworth to win race two. Terry Stevenson image.
BEARS Class
Craig
Trinder didn’t ride in the Formula 1 class however, the 51 year old
Australian won the first BEARS race on his Motul Aprilia RSV4. Fellow
Australian Linden Magee finished ahead of his compatriot in race two.
The last time Trinder raced in the Waikato he won at the Hamilton Lake
street circuit, in 1985!
BEARS race 1: Craig
Trinder (Gold Coast, Motul Aprilia RSV4), 1; Dwayne Bishop (Wanganui,
DML Builders Aprilia RSV4), 2; Rhys Holmes (Tauranga, John Tuhoe Racing
BMW HP4), 3; Gavin McKay (Lower Hutt, Kaprilliam GCM), 4; Rowan Houlahan
(Wanganui, Buell XB12), 5; Roger Crowley (Wanganui, Triumph 675), 6.
BEARS race 2: Linden
Magee (Brisbane, M1 Motorsport BMW S1000RR), 1; Craig Trinder, 2; Rhys
Holmes, 3; John Oliver (Feilding, BMW S1000RR), 4; Dwayne Bishop, 5;
Gavin McKay, 6.
BEARS series points: Craig Trinder, 47; Rhys Holmes, 40; Dwayne Bishop, 38; Gavin McKay, 33; Roger Crowley, 28; Rowan Houlahan, 27.
Other Class results:
Formula
3, race 1: Gavin Veltmeyer (Auckland, Coleman’s Suzuki SV650), 1; Dean
Bentley (Lower Hutt, TSS Red Baron Suzuki SV650), 2; Royd Walker-Holt
(Kawakawa, Drury Performance Centre Suzuki SV650), 3; Hayden Fitzgerald (
New Plymouth, Suzuki NZ SV650), 4; Joel Dykstra (Foxton, EJ Engineering GSXR450), 5; Hugh Trenholme (Dee Contracting Honda RS125), 6.
Formula 3, race 2: Hayden Fitzgerald, 1; Royd Walker-Holt, 2; Joel Dykstra, 3; Dean Bentley, 4; Gavin Veltmeyer, 5; Hugh Trenholme, 6.
Formula 3 series points: Hayden Fitzgerald, 43; Gavin Veltmeyer, 42; Royd Walker-Holt, 42; Dean Bentley, 40; Joel Dykstra, 36; Hugh Trenholme, 30.
Supermoto race 1: Toby Summers (Auckland, R&R Power Sports Yamaha
YZF450), 1; Duncan Hart (Tauranga, Mimico Yamaha YZF450), 2; Malachi
Mitchell-Thomas (Great Britain, Silicone Engineering TM450), 3; Casey
Bullock (Reporoa, KTM 450SMR), 4; Richard Dibben (Wanganui, Silicone
Engineering Honda CRF450), 5; Aden Brown (Wanganui, Balance Accountants
Yamaha YZF450), 6.
Supermoto race 2: Toby Summers, 1; Malachi Mitchell-Thomas, 2; Richard Dibben, 3; Casey Bullock, 4; Jayden Carrick (Wanganui, GJ Gardner Homes Suzuki RMZ450), 5; Duncan Hart, 6.
Supermoto
series points: Toby Summers, 51; Malachi Mitchell-Thomas, 42; Duncan
Hart, 37; Richard Dibben, 36; Casey Bullock, 36; Aden Brown, 28.
Post
Classic Pre ’89 race 1: Duncan Coutts (Whangarei, Planet Honda
GSXR1100), 1; Jay Lawrence (Ohaupo, Bridgestone Tyres GSX1100), 2; Nigel
Lennox (Auckland, High Rope Access Kawasaki ZXR400), 3; Terry Moran
(Wellington, Boyle Kawasaki ZZR600), 4; Sean Donnelly (Paraparaumu,
Precise Print Kawasaki Z1000R), 5; Vince Burrell (Hastings, Moto Guzzi
V7 Sport), 6.
Post
Classic Pre ’89 race 2: Duncan Coutts, 1; Jay Lawrence, 2; Paul Wooton
((Waikane, Suzuki GSXR1100), 3; Sean Donnelly, 4; Nigel Lennox, 5; Vince
Burrell, 6.
Post
Classic Pre ’89 series points: Duncan Coutts, 50; Jay Lawrence, 45;
Nigel Lennox, 36; Paul Wooton, 34; Sean Donnelly, 34; Vince Burrell, 30.
2013 Suzuki Series remaining schedule;
- Rnd 2: Manfeild, Sunday December 15
- Rnd 3: Wanganui Cemetery Circuit, Thursday 26 December. $23 ‘early-bird’ tickets for the Wanganui final are still available at www.cemeterycircuit.co.nz
and go in the draw to win a Suzuki GSR750 after the last race – you
must be present. Stand Superpasses in front of the big screen are
$65.00.