NZ Superbike Battle Continues

MOTORSPORT NETWORK LTD
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

NZ Superbike Battle Continues

Smith & Jones 600 SP Battle

Jones Leads Stround in Superbike GP Battle '09

Following a three week break the Castrol Power 1 New Zealand Superbike Championships resume this weekend, Feb 14/15, at Manfeild Park, near Palmerston North.

Following the hard fought battle for the New Zealand Grand Prix at the last round in Christchurch, the Superbike championship race has tightened up.
Reigning champion Australian Robbie Bugden (Suzuki) only leads Hamilton's Andrew Stroud (Suzuki) by 15 points, with fellow Queenslander Garth Jones (Yamaha) another 5 points adrift in third. These three were never more than a few metres apart during the Grand Prix and when you add New Plymouth's Hayden Fitzgerald and Feilding's Craig Shirriffs both of whom have experienced problems with their new Hondas; we have the potential for some fantastic racing.

In the 600 Sports Production class, Jones, the only rider doing double duties on his Bernard Yamaha, leads Christchurch's James Smith (Suzuki) by a convincing 30 points, with Smith's teammate Dennis Charlett (Suzuki) third.
Although Jones holds a commanding lead, the battle is by no means over. Smith is still to win a Championship race and is determined to do so at this round.

The minor classes have again been dominated by a single rider, this year that rider has been Palmerston North's Glen Williams (Suzuki) in Formula Three, Tauranga's Sam Love (Suzuki) in the Pro-Twin class, while Dunedin's Tim McArthur leads the 125 Grand Prix class.

However their dominance may well come under threat as some of the contenders in these classes return to the home turf.

In the Formula Three class, the men to watch will be New Plymouth's Terry Fitzgerald (Suzuki) and Foxton's Jason Easton (Tigcraft Aprilia). Both had mishaps during the early rounds of the championships. But on form and on home turf, they will be hard to beat.

In Pro-Twins, second placed Dannevirke's Geoff Booth (Suzuki) will also be return to home ground and will have his sights set on the top step of the podium at Manfeild.

In the 125ccGP class, Avalon Biddle (Honda) and Jaden Hassen (Yamaha) although both are from Auckland, they have done a considerable number of laps around Manfeild during the winter, so they to will both bear watching.

Last but not least, there are our friends on three wheels.
The sidecars only contested two rounds down South and several of the leading contenders had events to forget. So the cloves will be off in the North Island and with Australian Stacy Sellar now returning for the last two rounds, things will get pretty exciting.

Points standings after Three Rounds:

New Zealand Superbikes:
Bugden 131; Stroud 116; Garth Jones 111; Fitzgerald 72; Frost 58.

600 Sports Production:
Garth Jones 150; James Smith 120; Charlett 75; Cole 69; Sam Smith 66.

Formula Three:
Williams 210; Fitzgerald 138; deBoer 123.

Pro-Twins:
Love 206; Booth 168; Patrick Jones 155.

125cc Grand Prix:
McArthur 185.5; Biddle 132; Hassan 127.5.

ENDS

© Scoop Media