Motorsport: Shirriffs takes top honours at Paeroa

Nick Cole won both formula races on his Kawasaki. Photo / NZ Herald

Feilding's Craig Shirriffs is king of the streets ... in Paeroa anyway.

Shirriffs was unstoppable at the annual Yamaha Battle of the Streets motorcycle race meeting in Paeroa on Sunday, winning the day's first glamour race, the Formula Paeroa 10-lapper, and then the all-important King of the Streets feature race, before the day was cut short as the organisers "ran out of ambulances".

A spate of crashes kept ambulance crews busy but when two sidecars collided, leaving four competitors injured, coupled with the fact an ambulance had been called away from the meeting to attend a nearby car accident, it left organisers with no alternative but to declare the meeting over.

"We were already running behind schedule and we had to wrap it up before 5pm anyway," said media liaison officer Paul Lance.

"We could not continue without an ambulance in attendance. We had no alternative," he said.

But the thousands who flocked to the sun-baked Thames Valley town were certainly entertained by the racing that was completed.

Honda's Shirriffs again showed his liking for street racing as he dominated the big bike class from the beginning, leading Honda teammate Hayden Fitzgerald and Auckland Suzuki rider Ray Clee to the finish in the Formula Paeroa race and then heading Fitzgerald and Hamilton's Nick Cole (Kawasaki) to the flag in the King of the Streets feature race.

"It's a pity Andrew Stroud and Gareth Jones weren't here today ... I love to race against them," said Shirriffs. "It certainly made my day easier without them, certainly less stressful."

Meanwhile, Waikato's Cole was also a double winner at Paeroa, taking his 600cc Kawasaki to victory in both formula two races, as well as chasing the 1000cc bikes of Shirriffs and Fitzgerald to the finish in the all-in feature race.

"This is by far the best I've ever done at this event," enthused Cole afterwards.

"I made it hard on myself though, after crashing during the practice session early in the day. Luckily I wasn't hurt but the bike's front forks were twisted. It was still rideable though.

"In the King of the Streets race I had a real horsepower disadvantage. Shirriffs and Fitzgerald were gaining a lot of ground on me on the straights."

After the national superbikes championships, which continues with the fourth of five rounds at Manfeild next weekend, Cole says he now has plans to tackle the legendary Isle of Man.

"I desperately need a sponsor or two but that's certainly the plan, to race the Manx GP at the Isle of Man in early September. It's just something I've got to do."

Cole is in position to win his first national road-racing title, just a handful of points off the lead in the 600cc sports production class and, but for a snapped drive chain at one round, he'd be comfortably leading the series.

He has plans to attack at Manfeild this weekend and then wrap up the title at the final round at Hampton Downs, near Meremere, in March.

Leading results from the Yamaha Battle of the Streets:

King of the Streets: 1. Craig Shirriffs (Feilding, Honda); 2. Hayden Fitzgerald (New Plymouth, Honda); 3. Nick Cole (Hamilton, Kawasaki).

Formula Paeroa: 1. Craig Shirriffs (Feilding, Honda); 2. Hayden Fitzgerald (New Plymouth, Honda); 3. Ray Clee (Auckland, Suzuki).

Formula two: 1. Nick Cole (Hamilton, Kawasaki); 2. Karl Morgan (Auckland, Suzuki); 3.David Manuell (Auckland, Suzuki).

Formula three: 1. Terry Fitzgerald (New Plymouth, Suzuki); 2. Scott Moir (Taupo, Honda); 3. Bill Van den Hoven (Tauranga, Yamaha).

Post classics pre-82: 1. Sean Donnelly (Paraparaumu, Kawasaki); 2. Chris Sales (Feilding, Honda); 3. Steve Bridge (Hamilton, Ducati).

Post classics pre-89: 1. Jay Lawrence (Wellington, Yamaha); 2. Patric Nussbaum (Kerikeri, Kawasaki); 3. Peter Smith (Rotorua, Suzuki).

Junior classics: 1. Ginger Molloy (Huntly, Bultaco); 2. Bill James (Wanganui, ALS); 3. Andrew Drake (Cambridge, Velocette).

Senior classics: 1. Warren Marsh (Napier, Norton); 2. Colin Tate (Wanganui, Norton); 3. Neville Mickleson (Hamilton, Jawa).

Sidecars: 1. Adam Unsworth and Stewart Dawe (Wanganui, Honda); 2. Chris and Richard Lawrance (Auckland, Yamaha); 3. Stu Prentis and Chris Meads (Hawera, Suzuki).

Post classic sidecars: 1. Andy Scrivener and Steve Bryan (Taupo, BMW); 2. Neville and Joann Mickelson (Hamilton, Matchless); 3. Will Williamson (Triumph).

Supermoto: 1. Toby Summers (Auckland, Aprilia); 2. Scott Moir (Taupo, Honda); 3. Scott Birch (Rotorua, KTM).

Bears (non Japanese bikes): 1. Craig Sargeant (Waipukurau, Ducati); 2. Justin Power (Napier, Husqvarna); 3. David Hall (Te Awamutu, Aprilia).