Motorsport: Stroud appeal upsets title race

The country's best motorcyclists may go to Pukekohe to contest the last round of the 2004/05 Production Superbike title this weekend without knowing the points spread and their position in the trophy race.

The title may yet be decided by a judiciary decision from Motorcycling New Zealand.

Andrew Stroud will today file an appeal with Motorcycling NZ against its decision to disqualify him from one of the three races he won at Manfeild last weekend.

Stroud is accused of passing Tony Rees while the race was under a yellow flag.

Manfeild is the only track that uses a system of placing cones around the apex of corners notorious for crashes: When a rider falls and the yellow flag is out, no passing is allowed between the cones.

Stroud maintains he passed Rees before reaching the coned area; that the race marshal who reported him was well down the track and didn't have good view of the incident; and that statements from fans will bear him out.

Rees finished second in that race. Motorcycling NZ initially reversed the placings.

Honda rider Jared Love appealed against that decision and the governing body subsequently removed Stroud's 25 points for the win.

That decision leaves Rees (Whakatane, on a Yamaha R1) leading after three rounds with 164 points.

Auckland's Ray Clee on a Suzuki GSX is second on 152 and Stroud (Hamilton, on a Brother Suzuki) is third on 140.

If the appeal succeeds, Stroud will be leading with 165 - and Motorcycling NZ may have a problem from Rees if it decides to remove points from him by shifting him back to second.

Stroud is adamant he is innocent and will appeal both the "conviction" and severity of the sentence. Rees remains convinced Stroud is guilty.

"I knew I could pass him before the cones [under braking]," Stroud said. "I'd done it before and I did it again afterwards just to prove the point.

"I could understand if it was five metres but I was more like 50 metres out."

Rees said: "I thought he wasn't going to pass because of the yellow. I asked him afterwards, 'Why did you do it? You know the rules.'

"It's a valuable rule in our sport [slowing for fallen riders]. He should have settled for second. It's a shame he did it - for him, but not for me."

Unfortunately, no one has video that would determine the issue.

Motorcycling NZ has 10 days to hear the appeal and can impose a fine or removal of points.

The body's chief executive, Trevor Gill, said a protest committee had to be formed and to meet to consider evidence. He did not think that could happen before Sunday's final races.

"It's sticky but that's road racing," he said. The committee's decision will be final, with no other appeal avenue.

Rees is not concerned about the outcome of the appeal.

"At the end of the day all it means is that I have to go out and win again this weekend."

Isle of Man champion Bruce Anstey, fourth on 126 points and now without hope of winning the title after being plagued by mechanical failures to his Irish-prepared Suzuki, will take a locally prepared back-up to Pukekohe.

Anstey felt unstable on the bike at Manfeild and wasn't competitive despite changing front suspension between races one and two.

There is interest in how the resurfaced Pukekohe track will perform, with qualifying for the 69th New Zealand TT meet on Friday and the racing itself the first event since repair work which was still being completed this week.

A track steward from Motorsport New Zealand will inspect the surface and must give it a safety pass.