Charismatic Hawke's Bay sidecar rider Russell Stuart abandoned his retirement plans yet again after winning a second New Zealand championship at Meeanee on Saturday night.
"I've been going to retire year after year but I keep saying have another one, have another one ... I'll definitely be back for another year after this," Stuart, 59, said shortly after he and swinger Andrew Parker beat Palmerston North's Wayne Lett and Chris Chatfield by two points for the sidecars title in the 35-crew David Jones Motors-sponsored event, which attracted 2030 spectators.
The Palmerston North-contracted crew who have been racing together for 12 years won their first title during the 2010-11 season in Nelson and finished third last season in Whanganui. A mechanic for Nimon & Sons Ltd, Stuart, didn't fancy their chances of a podium finish coming into the meeting.
"We had a bad accident in Palmerston North three weeks ago and I collected some badly bruised ribs. They're only starting to come right."
Because of that accident Stuart and Parker didn't enter this Saturday's New Zealand Grand Prix in Gisborne.