Honda Superbike Family Affair Continues At Pace

MARCH 9, 2025: Is there no stopping the Bay of Plenty-based Honda Team Rees juggernaut in this season’s New Zealand Superbike Championships? 

When the third round of four in the annual motorcycle road-racing series wrapped up at the Hampton Downs circuit, just north of Hamilton, on Sunday afternoon, it was again 32-year-old Mitch Rees unbeaten and on the top step of the podium in the premier 1000cc superbike class, with his 57-year-old father Tony Rees climbing up to join him, on the second step. 

Christchurch’s Alastair Hoogenboezem was forced to settle for the third podium spot on Sunday. 

In terms of the series points, however, it is Mitch Rees comfortably in front, a massive 68 points ahead of Hoogenboezem, with Tony Rees in third overall, now just one point further adrift. 

Every post was a winning one for Mitch Rees at the weekend, the man from Whakatane qualifying his Honda CBR1000 on pole – that achievement also worth one additional competition point – before he then went out and turned that incredible pace into a hat-trick of wins, the two-time former New Zealand champion also setting a new Hampton Downs lap record in the process. 

Not unsurprisingly, Mitch Rees also claimed the Tourist Trophy (TT) title, an additional prize bestowed upon the various winners of the third and final race in each class at Hampton Downs.   

In total, Mitch Rees has now won eight races from nine starts in this series and his only “failure” was his finishing runner-up to Christchurch’s Dale Finch in one of his three races at round two at Timaru last month. 

Evergreen multi-time former New Zealand champion Tony Rees said he was thrilled to be able to again join his son on the podium and, depending on what transpires at the fourth and final round at Taupo next weekend, the championships may well end up a 1-2 finish for the family. 

“It was a perfect weekend I suppose you could say,” said Mitch Rees afterwards. “I have a good points buffer now and can possibly wrap up the title with a solid result in the first of my three races at Taupo’s finale next weekend. 

“I actually had an issue to deal with regarding the bike in race one at Hampton Downs. It had rained midway through the day, and so we changed tyres after practice. Somehow the wheel rim got a dent in it, and this affected the bike’s handling in race one. I managed to ride around the problem. 

“Dad did magnificently to finish where he did at Hampton Downs too, especially considering he wasn’t feeling 100 percent. He just has so much experience that racing is second nature to him.  

“It’s going to be a busy weekend at Taupo next week and the aim now is to make it a Rees family 1-2 for the championship. I like the Taupo track and hold the lap record there, so that’s a positive omen.” 

Meanwhile, other national championship class and TT title winners at Hampton Downs at the weekend included Christchurch man Jake Lewis (Supersport 600 class and TT title); Auckland’s Cameron Leslie (Supersport 300 class and TT title); Taupiri’s Billee Fuller (Pro Twins 650 class and TT title); Hokitika’s Luke Ryder (Super Twins and TT title); Silverdale’s Tyler King (Superlites class); Taupo’s Karl Hooper (Superlites class TT title); Lower Hutt’s Nixon Frost (Supersport 150 class); Christchurch’s Hunter Charlett (Supersport 150 class TT title), Gisborne’s Phillip Law with Angus Ravenwood (sidecars class); Palmerston North’s Barry Smith with Auckland’s Stu Dawe (sidecars class TT title). 

The series wraps up with round four at Taupo next weekend, on March 15-16. 

DATES FOR 2025 NZ SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS SEASON: 

Round 1, Feb 7-9, 2025, Teretonga Park, Invercargill (part of Burt Munro Challenge week); 

Round 2, Feb 14-15 (Friday and Saturday), 2025, Levels International Motor Raceway, Timaru; 

Round 3, March 8-9, 2025, Hampton Downs (MotoFest); 

Round 4, March 15-16, 2025, Taupo (MotoMania).

Credit: Words by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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