Scott Moir had a mixed day at the office despite winning back-to-back Suzuki Series F1 titles on the Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui yesterday. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Scott Moir had a mixed day at the office despite winning back-to-back Suzuki Series F1 titles on the Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui yesterday. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Scotty Moir had a Boxing Day to remember after winning back-to-back Suzuki Series Formula one titles then gifting the coveted Robert Holden Memorial to a visiting international rider in sensational style.
Moir (Suzuki GSXR1000) had arrived at the final leg of the series on the Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui three points adrift of F1 leader Shane Richardson (Kawasaki ZX10R) from Wainuiomata.
In the first of the two F1 races on the card, Moir took the early lead and was never headed, while Richardson languished back in the pack. Evergreen street circuit specialist Tony Rees (Honda CBR1000Sp1) sat second ahead of Auckland's Daniel Mettam (Suzuki GSXR1000) with Richardson soon breathing down their necks and visiting British racer and current Isle of Man champion Peter Hickman fifth.
While Moir cleared out to an effortless win, the remaining group battled it out in tight quarters until Richardson swooped through a dream gap in the dying stages to take second.
This placed Richardson and Moir tied on points at the top of the F1 table with a race to go.
Starting from the second row on the grid with Moir on pole, Richardson needed a good start to have any chance of turning the tables on the man from Taupo. Unfortunately that was not to be and he was suddenly 12th with more than half the field in front on him while Richardson played cagey game knowing full well a top four or five finish would hand him the title with his rival out of the frame. Richardson pulled pin midway through race two extinguishing any chance of taking the title.
Moir finished fourth behind an impressive Tony Rees, but enough points to secure the title for the second yea on end.
"I felt great out there and just put my foot down and went for it," Moir said of his first race.
"And I felt if I got the start I did in the first, I could hold out Shane, but in end he wasn't in it. The pressure was on in that second race and I knew I didn't need to put myself at too much risk. Winning the Suzuki Series is a real confidence booster for the upcoming nationals."
Richardson said after race one he was always going to be up against it from the second row on the grid.
"I was lucky enough to get up for second and be tied on points with Scott, but my chances of winning the second race depended on a very good start from the second row."
The Robert Holden Memorial, race open to the fastest 25 times of the day in all classes apart from Supermoto, initially appeared to be Moir's for the taking, however, brain fade, power loss to his bike or simple complacency cost him back-to-back trophies.
In what appeared to be a repeat of F1 race one, Moir scooted to what appeared an unassailable lead while the rest of the field, including Hickman, fought for the scraps. On lap three Moir even set a new F1 lap record of 48.709 seconds.
Hickman was obviously getting used to street racing Cemetery Circuit-style and gaining ground with each race and each lap. In the Robert Holden, Hickman was picking off rivals head like plums from a tree and with a lap to go he only had Moir to rein in. However, even Hickman himself thought it was a bridge too far.
Visiting international and Isle of Man champion Peter Hickman was a surprise winner of the Robert Holden Memorial on the Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui yesterday. Photo / Lewis Gardner
In the final lap and nearing the final corner before the short run to the chequered flag, Hickman was honing in on Moir who seemingly appeared blissfully unaware. He visibly slowed, or his else his bike was losing power, and Hickman nailed him just short of the finish line on Ridgway St to become the first international rider in recent history to win the Robert Holden Memorial.
The Rees family also had a day to remember with patriarch Tony taking one leg of the F1, while son Damon Rees (Honda CBR600RR) won the Suzuki Series F2 title.
Defending champion Duncan Hart (Yamaha YZF450) from Tauranga had enough points to claim the Supermoto title after two incident-packed races.
Duncan Hart (74) won back-to-back Supermoto titles despite crashing in an incident-packed final race on the Cemtery Circuit in Whanganui yesterday.Photo / Lewis Gardner
Hometown hero Richie Dibben was unbeatable in both races, but having missed the first two rounds with an injured hand, he had not chance of winning the title for the third time. Dibben easily took the lead in race one before the red flag was flown. At the restart Dibben was again vying for the lead when another accident on the first corner caught his eye.
"I thought the red flag would come out again, but it didn't and all of a sudden I was back in the pack," Dibben said.
Undeterred, Dibben quickly raced through the field and finally take honours with a late dash to the line.
In race two Dibben was clear in the lead when again the red flag was flown. A restart was ordered and again he took the lead, while Hart was brought down late in the piece after Taumarunui rider Jette Josiah (YZ450) hit the airbags in spectacular fashion at the entrance to the chicane. Neither rider appeared serious injured and Dibben went on to take line honours, while Hart was awarded the title.
