SUPER MOTARDS | Bikesportnz

The Road Guide 2011 Motard Endurance Races in Taupo at the weekend proved exciting racing for all concerned, with several first-timers entering and giving the established stars something to think about.

This was the second running of the Road Guide Motard Endurance Races, organised by Northern Accessories’ Steve Croad with Rob and Robyn Edwards. This year’s event was nearly doubled in size from that of 2010, with more than 70 riders competing in a one-hour ironman and a two-hour teams’ race.

As well as the race duration, the other point of difference with these races is the 1.3k dirt section which has flat grass track, pumice, berms, jumps and whoops and a small tabletop which links up with the twisty 2.2-kilometre Taupo circuit.

It was encouraging to see a real range of riders. Some had never ridden tar seal before.

Among these were Mitchell and Damon Nield, well known in dirt circles, who amazed all present with their versatility, winning the Stock 1 class in the Two-Hour race and gaining a sixth overall, beating some very classy opposition.

Mitchell also finished third overall and first in the Stock 1 class in the One-Hour Ironman. It was a remarkable motard baptism for the Nield brothers and it is hoped they return in 2012 and bring with them some more riders from the enduro/cross country scene.

Hawera’s Daryl Hurley raced this year and was another welcome addition.

The former national motocross and supercross champion raced both the Ironman and in a team with Taumarunui’s former national superbike champion Russell Josiah. Hurley’s speed on the dirt section was not a surprise given his motocross pedigree, but considering it was done on a trashed wet tyre on a 17” rim, it was impressive.

At one point in the team race, Hurley and Taupo’s Scott Moir battled it out closely with Hurley edging the dirt and Moir the tar seal.

Winners on the day were Auckland’s Toby Summers in the Ironman class on his S1 Yamaha. He also took out the team race partnered with Croad. Taranaki’s evergreen Mitch Rowe won the S2 Ironman class and Travis Russell the Stock2 class.

Other two-hour team race class winners were Scott Moir/Casey Bullock in S2 and the Russell brothers in Stock 2.

The Stock classes are for riders on standard MX/enduro/trail bikes. The only modification allowed are a set of dual-purpose tyres.

Many riders took advantage of this and gave motarding a go. As proved by the Nield brothers, and other riders such as Morrinsville’s Leelind Bennett, these stock bikes on a multi-surfaced track can be really competitive.

Hard luck story for the day goes to the father/son team of Terry and Hayden Fitzgerald. They left New Plymouth at some unseemly hour, only to have their van breakdown and ruin their day.

Best effort award went to Scott Baird and David Sasse who came all the way up to Taupo from Dunedin for the racing.

It is hoped that events like this can grow one of the most exciting forms of motorsport. Motard tracks with a dirt section like the Taumarunui kart track, what used to be at Wanganui and now Taupo provide a brilliant chance for riders of all track and dirt skills to come together under one formula. Rumours doing the rounds suggest that another kart track and another circuit are looking at adding dirt sections.

With luck we could end up running a series! 2012 is looking bright for the motard fraternity and the Road Guide Endurance Races will be back.

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