Motourage

While we in the U.S. were freezing our dupas off this weekend, they were racing in New Zealand. Round 3 of the New Zealand Superbike Championships were at the Timaru International Motor Raceway on Jan 30 and 31.

Results from selected races are as follows. Stay tuned for more NZSBK race reports

Superbike Race 1:
Andrew Stroud
Robbie Bugden
Craig Shirriffs (New Lap Record 1.03.788)
James Smith
Hayden Fitzgerald

Superbike Race 2:
Robie Bugden
Andrew Stroud
Craig Shirriffs
Hayden Fitzgerald
James Smith

125GP Race 1:
Eric Oliver-Maxwell
Gordon Hastings
Adam McCutcheon
Jaden Hassan
Colin Hastings

125GP Race 2:
Alistair Hoogenboezem
Jared Hassan
Eric Oliver-Maxwell
Avalon Biddle

125GP Race 3:
Eric Oliver-Maxwell
Gordon Hastings
Adam McCutcheon
Jaden Hassan
Colin Hastings
Glen Orwin
Angela Buunk

Sidecar Race 1:
Stephen Bron/ DennisSimosen (New Lap Record 1:11.512)
Dave Annan/ Warwicks Demmocks
Peter Goodwin/ Pion Weedon
Graeme Harris/Colin Grace
Bill Newton/ Paul Bolton
Brent Hall / Phil Tomkins

Sidecar Race 2:
Stephen Bron/ DennisSimosen
Dave Annan/ Warwicks Demmocks
Peter Goodwin/ Pion Weedon
Graeme Harris
Bill Newton/ Paul Bolton
Brent Hall / Phil Tomkins

Sidecar Race 3:
Stephen Bron/ DennisSimosen
Peter Goodwin/ Pion Weedon
Dave Annan/ Warwicks Demmocks
Bill Newton/ Paul Bolton
Brent Hall / Trevor Stokes

600SP Race 1:
Nick Cole (New Lap Record 1.05.320)
James Smith
John Ross
Glen Skachill
Karl Morgan
Dennis Charlett

600SP Race 2:
James Smith
Nick Cole
John Ross
Karl Morgan
Jay Lawrence
Dennis Charlett

Other Timaru lap records set this weekend:
Geoff Booth 650 Pro Twin 1.09.711
Jason Easton F3 1.08.609
Jaden Hassan 125GP 1.09.294

Current Timaru lap records: UPDATED 31/1/2010
Superbike: Andrew Stroud    1.03.598
600SP: Nick Cole                    1.04.809
F3: Jason Easton                    1.08.501
650 Pro-twin: Geoff Booth      1.09.771
125GP: Alastair Hoogenboezem  1.08.396
Sidecar: Steve Bron/Dennis Simonsen 1.11.512
Street Stock:  Johnny Small   1.17.891
Motards: Leighton Selfe  1.12.606
Clubmans: Mark Taylor  1.10.781

A mix-up with the flag signals at Invercargill may yet have a long-term impact on this year’s national superbike championship.

There was a tinge of controversy to the weekend’s racing at the weekend’s second round of five in this year’s Castrol Power 1 New Zealand Superbike Championships at Invercargill’s Teretonga circuit when the white last-lap flag was not shown to the race and championship leader, Suzuki’s Andrew Stroud, at the end of the prescribed 14 laps.  Instead it was waved after the 15th lap and, soon after that, there was a new man in front, defending champion Robbie Bugden (Suzuki).

Stroud had won the day’s first 15-lap superbike race, finishing ahead of Australian Budgen and Christchurch’s James Smith (Suzuki).  But Brisbane rider Bugden fought back in race two — Bugden, Stroud and Feilding’s Craig Shirriffs (Honda) battling furiously in a three-way fight at the front.  When race leader Stroud had a “moment at the hairpin” on the “extra” lap 16, Bugden pounced and crossed the line first.

After much deliberation, Bugden’s win was confirmed and it was an extremely disappointed Stroud who left the track at day’s end, his championship lead still intact, but with Bugden now up to second in the title chase, albeit still 13 points behind Stroud.

Bugden will have renewed confidence as the riders head to round three at Timaru’s Levels circuit next weekend.

“It has been recommended to me that I could protest this (flagging mistake),” said Stroud.  The same thing happened in a 125GP race on Saturday and they wound it back to the rider order on the previous lap. I filled out a protest form but then drew a line through the whole lot. I always race to the flag and to the spirit of racing, so I’ve left the situation as it is and I’m not protesting.  I’ll just carry on as it is and aim to finish in front of Robbie at the next rounds.  I blew it in that second race. On the lap I went in too hot in the last corner before the flag and overshot the bend and lost all my drive coming out.  But I’m still feeling confident. The Brother Suzuki is great and the Pirelli tyres are fantastic. I know a lot of the crowd are wanting to see the title come back to New Zealand (after Bugden has won it the past three seasons), and I hope I can satisfy their wants.”

Read more…

Australian Robbie Bugden won’t be sitting back and taking it lightly in Invercargill this weekend.  The Suzuki rider from Brisbane, AU has won the New Zealand Superbike title for the past three seasons, winning the title last year by a solid 29 points over fellow Suzuki man Andrew Stroud of Hamilton.  But now the boot is on the other foot and it’s Stroud who is on top after the series opener at Christchurch on Sunday.  Stroud leads fellow Hamilton rider Sloan Frost by two points, with defending champ Bugden back in fifth spot overall and 13 points behind Stroud.  But the series has a long way to go yet and the action is only just starting to warm up.

Robbie Bugden will need to act fast if he hopes to hold off an early season charge by Andrew Stroud

It’s round two at Invercargill’s Teretonga Park this weekend, followed by the Timaru International Motor Raceway event the following Sunday. Then the riders head north to round four at Feilding’s Manfield Circuit and, finally, the new track at Hampton Downs, near Meremere.

So a lot is likely to happen before the championship reaches Hampton Downs on March 28 and Bugden has plans to catch and overtake the four men ahead of him.

Bugden’s race team manager, Red Fenton, is confident his man can do the job.
“Robbie always goes very strong at Teretonga and I’m sure he will get amongst it and come away from there with the gap a lot closer.  We always go out to win and that’s what we’ll be trying to do this weekend.”

Andrew Stroud has come on strong and looks to open up a points lead this weekend

Bugden’s teammate, Christchurch’s James Smith, is enjoying his debut season in the Superbike class, and he is currently third in the standings. Smith is also racing in the 600cc Sports Production class and hoping to improve upon his runner-up finish of last season.  That might be a difficult proposition, though, for Smith, after the sparkling performance of Hamilton’s Nick Cole (Kawasaki) at round one.  Cole looked comfortable in winning both 600cc races at Christchurch, and he has a solid 10-point lead over Smith and 21-point gap over third-ranked John Ross (Yamaha) after that opening round.

Racing is also close in the other classes, with more exciting action expected in the Formula Three, Pro Twins, 125GP, Super Motard and Streetstock categories.

Read more…

This could be Andrew Stroud’s year. The Suzuki rider from Hamilton won the day at the opening round of this year’s Castrol Power 1 New Zealand Superbike Championships at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Park on Sunday, instantly signaling to his rivals that he means to take back the superbike crown he last held in 2006.

Andrew Stroud looks to take back the New Zealand Superbike title that he last held in 2006

For the past three seasons it has been Australian interloper Robbie Bugden who has crossed the Tasman to steal away the coveted Kiwi title and he was hoping to make it four in a row this year. It certainly looked a distinct possibility when the Suzuki rider from Brisbane won the first of two superbike races on Sunday — albeit less than a second ahead of Christchurch Suzuki rider James Smith — and Stroud crossed the line in a disappointing fourth spot. But the 42-year-old Stroud, a seven-time former champion, is possibly as fast now as at any time in his career and the balance of power swung convincingly in the Waikato man’s favor when he ran off to an impressive victory in the next outing, winning the race by a whopping 15.9 seconds.

That race win also gave Stroud the New Zealand Superbike GP title. Bugden, meanwhile, found had himself stuck in traffic and his bid to break free ended in disaster as he crashed his bike on the opening lap. Bugden was unable to finish the race and those lost points may prove costly for the defending champion as the five-round series progresses, with round two set for Invercargill’s Teretonga circuit next weekend. “The pack seemed half a lap behind me,” said Stroud afterwards. “I guess you could say the weekend worked out good for me. I struggled a bit in the first race and it took me a while to work out how much traction I could find on the wet surface. It all turned back in my favor in race two though.” Fellow Hamilton rider Sloan Frost (Suzuki) finished 3-2 to take second overall for the day, while Smith’s 2-4 placings gave him the third step on the superbike podium.

One of very few riders to tackle two classes this season, Smith had his work cut out to keep sight of Hamilton’s Nick Cole in the 600cc sports production class. Kawasaki-mounted Cole was simply sensational, winning both 600cc races by a comfortable margin with Smith runner-up both times. “I won both races by quite a large margin. I’m rapt, of course, and taking the GP title was great too,” said Cole. Another Christchurch rider, Yamaha’s John Ross, finished the day in third spot overall after posting 4-3 results.

Read more…

Robbie Bugden is on the hunt for his fourth NZSBK title

Robbie Bugden may be the defending Castrol Power1New Zealand Superbike Series champion however he’s not resting on his laurels for a successful defense of his Superbike crown. Bugden will be riding the new Triple R Mack Truck Suzuki Superbike Team GSXR1000 in the five-round title chase, starting at Ruapuna this weekend. Although an Australian, Bugden has won the last three NZ Superbike titles in a row, no small feat against New Zealand’s fastest riders aboard 200hp race bikes. But, retaining the Castrol Power 1 NZ Superbike title won’t be easy. Fellow Suzuki rider Andrew Stroud may be Bugden’s greatest challenger, again, although Hondas Craig Shirriffs and Hayden Fitzgerald have displayed good form during the recent Suzuki International Tri-Series, won by Stroud. GSXR1000 mounted Ray Clee can never be discounted in any race.

Team manager Peter ‘Red’ Fenton is confident of success at Ruapuna, “The tests we’ve done so far have been very encouraging, and Robbie has just done the Australian Superbike championship. He’s been over twice in the last month, that went well because we’d been working with the K9 model GSXR1000 in Australia.”

Suzuki rider Sloan Frost is the name many people will be watching this season, including the Triple R Mack Truck Suzuki Superbike Team, who are assisting the promising Hamilton racer this season.

Fenton’s Triple R Mack Truck Suzuki Superbike Team is the most successful motorcycle race team in recent history, notching up no less than four major NZ championships using Dunlop tires over the past three years. Fenton also manages Bugden’s Australian-based Joe Rocket Suzuki satellite team, completing the 2009 Australian Superbike season in fifth position.

Having the right backing can be as important to a team’s success as having the fastest rider. Their effort on both sides of the Tasman this year will be boosted considerably with new support from Mack Trucks.

James Smith returns for his fourth season with the Triple R Mack Truck Suzuki Superbike Team. The Christchurch rider will be busy – Smith has elected to race in the big-bore Superbike class on a Suzuki GSXR1000, and in the ultra-competitive 600 Supersport class aboard the latest Suzuki GSXR600. Smith has recorded excellent pre-season results during his first rides on a Superbike, and the team is expecting consistent results from the 29 year old. In the 600 Supersport category, Smith is aiming to go one better this year than his runner-up positions from the previous two seasons, and with 2009 champ Gareth Jones absent from the series, Smith must be title favorite.

Regarding the championship Fenton says, “Our aim this year is to win both classes. Because our series is so short a small mishap can really cost us – a bit of good luck goes a long way in our championship I believe, and sometimes you make your own good luck. But I know that Andrew (Stroud), Craig (Shirriffs), Hayden (Fitzgerald), and you can never write off Ray Clee, Sloan (Frost) will be on the pace too, all those guys will be competitive. With a bit of luck on our side and with Robbie and James’ natural talent, we should win.”

2010 Castrol Power 1 NZ Superbike Championship schedule:
Rnd 1: Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, Ruapuna, January 16-17
Rnd 2: Teretonga Park, January 23-24
Rnd 3: Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, January 30-31
Rnd 4: Manfeild, February 27-28
Rnd 5: Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, March 27-28