THE REED AND PHILLIPS SHOW
It was the Reed and Phillips show in Hamilton on Saturday night.
Australia’s Chad Reed (Kawasaki) and New Zealand’s Michael Phillips (Honda) were the big winners at this sixth round of seven in the Monster Energy Australasian Super X Championships inside Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium.
Reed was untouchable as he won every race he started in the open class, taking over the series lead from luckless fellow Australian Jay Marmont (Yamaha) and putting himself in prime position to wrap up his title defence at the Brisbane finale in a fortnight.
Phillips, meanwhile, survived a brutal battle with Australian Danny “Digsy” Anderson (KTM) to win the one-off New Zealand Open MX2 (Lites) trophy, with another Kiwi, Hamilton’s Jesse Wiki (Honda), finishing on the third step of the podium.
It has been a golden run for Phillips this season, the dairy farmer’s son from Rotorua having clinched his second national MX2 motocross title in Taranaki just six days earlier.
Saturday’s big event was the only time the fledgling series was to cross the Tasman this season and the vocal 15,000-strong crowd that packed Waikato Stadium surely gave the right message to the Australian organisers … “please bring Super X back to New Zealand next year”.
It was the biggest spectator turn-out of any of the rounds thus far and the riders responded by putting on a sparkling display.
The rain that had threatened stayed away; the food and drink satisfied demand; the merchandise stalls proved extremely popular and, most importantly, the high-octane entertainment came thick and fast. It was a complete entertainment package to rival anything ever before seen inside the stadium.
If this event was also to act as a teaser to the New Zealand Supercross Championships, which kick off in Timaru on January 6, then it did a great job.
When the New Zealand Supercross Championships roll around, fans could perhaps look for Saturday night’s standout Kiwi riders such as Phillips, Wiki, Christchurch’s Justin McDonald, Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme, Waitakere’s Ethan Martens, Gisborne’s Matt Hunt, Rangiora’s Isaiah McGoldrick, Ngatea’s Luke Temple and Tauranga’s Davi Fisher to shine.
CAPTION: Rotorua Honda rider Michael Phillips (centre), in the No.1 spot on the 250cc podium in Waikato Stadium, flanked by Hamilton’s Jesse Wiki (left) and Australian Danny Anderson (right). Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Top 10 results – Monster Energy Super X, round six, Waikato:
1 Chad REED (Australia, Kawasaki) 80 points (maximum)
2 Tye SIMMONDS (Australia, KTM) 72
3 Dan REARDON (Australia, Honda) 65
4 Michael BYRNE (Australia, Honda) 63
5 Daniel McCOY (Australia, KTM) 62
6 Todd WATERS (Australia, Honda) 57
7 Craig ANDERSON (Australia, Kawasaki) 55
8 Matt MOSS (Australia, Suzuki) 53
9 Cody MACKIE (Australia, Kawasaki) 53
10 Cameron TAYLOR (Australia, Suzuki) 41
Top 10 results – 250cc class, New Zealand Open:
1. Michael PHILLIPS (Rotorua, Honda) 78
2. Danny ANDERSON (AUS, KTM) 76
3. Jesse WIKI (Hamilton, Honda) 70
4. Justin McDONALD (Christchurch, Honda) 69
5. Peter BROXHOLME (Tauranga, Honda) 64
6. Ethan MARTENS (Waikatere, KTM) 58
7. Matt HUNT (Gisborne, Kawasaki) 56
8. Isaiah McGOLDRICK (Rangiora, KTM) 55
9. Davi FISHER (Tauranga, Suzuki) 45
10. Travis RUSSELL (Ngaruawahia, Suzuki) 44
Monster Energy Super X Open class championship standings after six of seven rounds:
1 Chad REED, Kawasaki, 132
2 Dan REARDON, Honda, 118
3 Jay MARMONT, Yamaha, 114
4 Tye SIMMONDS, KTM, 108
5 Daniel McCOY, KTM, 94
6 Cody MACKIE, Kawasaki, 80
7 Cheyne BOYD, Yamaha, 77
8 Craig ANDERSON, Kawasaki, 69
9 Cameron TAYLOR, Suzuki, 67
10. Troy CARROLL, Kawasaki, 66
Words and photos by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
Full story and more photos in your next issue of KIWI RIDER magazine.
