Hart Stays Out of Trouble to Win Title Again

DECEMBER 29, 2016: Tauranga's Duncan Hart knows a thing or two about winning championships.

It was text book stuff again from Hart, as he ticked off a third consecutive trophy win in one of the biggest super motard events on the Kiwi calendar, the annual three-round Suzuki Series, which wrapped up on the famous Cemetery Circuit at Whanganui on Boxing Day.

The 40-year-old twice finished runner-up at Whanganui, on both occasions behind arch rival Richie Dibben, but that was easily enough for Hart to win the series outright.

Kiwi international Dibben had clearly been the quicker of the two riders throughout the series, but Hart was the more consistent of the pair and this is again where Hart had the edge.

Hart won just one of the six races held over the three rounds of the series and was runner-up in the other five races.

In contrast, Dibben won five of the series' six races, but failed to finish the second race at the series opener at Taupo because of mechanical failure and this is what torpedoed his campaign.

"Although I had a solid 12-point advantage at the top of the standings when the day started at Whanganui, I still felt that I was under a bit of pressure. Whanganui rider Ben Dowman was giving me quite a hard time in the battle for second place and I didn't want to be dropped back behind him.

"Dibben was long gone at the front and so it was just a matter of me staying out of trouble and banking the points for second place.

"This is the third year in a row that I've won the super moto class and it's been on the same 2013-model Yamaha YZ450F. It's been a well-maintained bike and gets freshened up each year, but it has always run like clockwork and never misses a beat.

"I have been racing super moto for 10 years and it all started when I had an old motocross bike that I wasn't using. I was convinced to have a go at super moto by friends and sponsors Fred and Debbie from The Equipment Centre. And they've been helping me ever since."

Hart is supported by Mimico, Ryco, The Equipment Centre, Endeavour Engineering and Bayride Motorcycles in Tauranga.

Other class winners in the series this year were: Whakatane's Tony Rees (F1/Superbikes); Whakatane's Damon Rees (F2/600 supersport); Pukerua Bay's Glen Skachill (F3/sport bikes); Tauranga's Colin MacGregor (Bears, non-Japanese bikes, seniors); Bulls' Ashton Hughes (Bears, non-Japanese bikes, juniors); Pukerua Bay's Glen Skachill (Post Classic, Pre-89, senior); Auckland's Scott Findlay (Post Classic, Pre-89, junior); UK's John Holden and Tauranga's Robbie Shorter (sidecars).

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