Motorsport: Rider unstoppable on debut

Whakatane's Tony Rees (Honda CBR1000RR) had great success at the Burt Munro Challenge in Southland. Photo / Andy McGechan

Put Tony Rees on a motorcycle, stand back and watch the fireworks.

Although making his debut, the Whakatane rider was virtually unstoppable at the annual Burt Munro Challenge which finished on Sunday in Southland.

He took his "spare bike", a 2009-model Honda CBR1000RR, to win two of the events he entered and finish equal first in another at the week-long festival.

The 48-year-old impressively won both Formula One races, in the inaugural Honda Invercargill Street Races, that wrapped up the final day of activities on a closed-off section of the city's industrial area. He won that class ahead of Lee Munro, a relative of the legend himself, Burt Munro.

To make it even sweeter for the Rees contingent, Rees' 20-year-old son Damon Rees was not far behind in sixth and fourth spots over the two races.

It was a glittering week for Tony, who also won Thursday's Bluff Hill Climb and finished first equal in the F1 class during circuit racing at Teretonga Park Raceway on Saturday.

"I had never been to the Burt Munro event before, but I had been meaning to come down for years. I was heading down here about five years ago and I broke my leg just before I came, which was the end of that."

Tony said his wealth of experience helped him succeed in his Burt Munro debut.

"I have been road racing a good 20 years plus overseas, here and World Superbike and World Endurance events," he said. "I have done a lot of street racing which helps when it comes to here."

Tony is the record winner of the annual Paeroa Streets Races and a multi-time former winner and current champion of the Boxing Day races on Whanganui's Cemetery Circuit.

"It has been a big week, but this is an excellent series of events and they made us very welcome down here. They really looked after us."

His eldest son, 22-year-old Mitchell Rees, had qualified third overall in the supercross nationals, the second event of the Burt Munro week on Thursday night.