It was always going to be a big day for Wanganui’s Jayden Carrick, but the Boxing Day races on the streets of his own city could be something very special this year.

The 30-year-old bike and boat mechanic is in prime position to rise up and snatch the trophy in the Formula Two category after a brilliant performance at the second round of three in the series at Manfeild on Sunday.

Carrick (Suzuki GSX-R600) finished fourth and third in the F2 class at Manfeild, elevating him to third in the series with just the Cemetery Circuit races around the streets of Wanganui on Boxing Day to wrap it up.

Auckland’s Jaden Hassan (Yamaha R6) leads the class, 18 points ahead of Invercargill’s Jeremy Holmes (Honda CBR600RR), with Carrick another 12 points further back.

“I’m a little surprised at how well I’m going,” said Carrick. “I had not raced a 600 until this season. I finished third overall in the Suzuki Tri Series last season riding a Suzuki RM-Z450 dirt bike in the super motard class.

“My new bike is the bike that Christchurch’s Dennis Charlett rode to win the 2012 national 600 supersport title … so there are no excuses really. I bought it off him and just peeled the No.1 off it and plastered my own number 55 onto it. My favourite number is actually five but I have not earned that national ranking and didn’t want to put it on my bike and be a bit of a Dick.”

“I started the day at Manfeild fourth overall in the F2 class, so I’m pleased to have moved up.

“I’d like to think I’ll go well at Wanganui. I know I’ll have plenty of home-town support there. I know I’ll hear the fans calling out and see all the banners and flags. I feel guilty if I don’t go well at Wanganui. I don’t want to let the fans down and they’ll all be there watching.

“There is always a danger factor to consider when racing on public streets. It’s always in the back of your mind and you’d be kidding yourself if you think you’re not scared.

“I’ll be thrilled to finish third overall in this series and anything better than that would be a bonus.”

The glamour Formula One class is likely to go down to the wire with any one of perhaps three or four riders capable of clinching the title at Wanganui.

Charlett (Suzuki GSX-R1000) leads the F1 class by just seven points from Wellington’s Sloan Frost (BMW S1000RR), with a trio of Suzuki stars – Auckland’s Ray Clee, New Plymouth’s Hayden Fitzgerald and Feilding’s Craig Shirriffs – just a handful of points further back in third, fourth and fifth respectively.

Sidecars, formula three, pre-89 Post Classics, Bears (non-Japanese) and super motard bike categories will also be racing on Wanganui’s Cemetery Circuit next Wednesday.

© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

RESULTS from Manfeild on Sunday:

Formula 1:

Race 1: Sloan Frost (Wellington, Valvoline BMW S1000RR), 1; Ray Clee (Kumeu, RCM Suzuki Superbike), 2; Dennis Charlett (Christchurch, Underground Brown Suzuki GSXR1000), 3; Hayden Fitzgerald (New Plymouth, Suzuki NZ GSXR1000), 4; Nick Cole (Hamilton, Red Devil Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R), 5; Craig Shirriffs (Feilding, Suzuki GSXR1000), 6.

Race 2: Frost, 1; Clee, 2; Charlett, 3; Fitzgerald, 4; Shirriffs, 5; Ryan Hampton, (Christchurch, Hampton Honda CBR1000RR), 6.

Formula 1 Series Points: Dennis Charlett, 82; Sloan Frost 75; Ray Clee, 74; Hayden Fitzgerald, 69; Craig Shirriffs, 67; Ryan Hampton, 53.

Formula 2:

Race 1: Jaden Hassan (Auckland, Home Buyers Reports Yamaha NZ R6), 1; John Ross (Christchurch, Repsol Suzuki GSXR600), 2; Jeremy Holmes (Invercargill, Castrol Honda CBR600RR), 3; Jayden Carrick (Wanganui, Suzuki GSXR600), 4; Thomas Kreutz (Germany, Yamaha NZ R6), 5; Daniel Kempthorne (Palmerston North, Yamaha R6), 6.

Race 2: Hassan, 1; Holmes, 2; Carrick, 3; Seth Devereux (Christchurch, Kawasaki ZX-6R 2012), 4; Adam Chambers (Hawke’s Bay, Honda CBR600RR) 5; Kreutz, 6.

Formula 2 series points: Jaden Hassan, 102; Jeremy Holmes, 84; Jayden Carrick, 72; John Ross, 64; Toby Summers and Daniel Kempthorne, 56.

Formula 3:

Race 1: Glen Williams (Palmerston North, Suzuki SV650), 1; Chris Osborne (Feilding, Ozzy 450R), 2; Terry Fitzgerald (Waitara, SV650), 3; Jason Nairn (New Plymouth, Suzuki SV 650), 4; Gavin Veltmeyer (New Windsor, Suzuki SV650), 5; Kerry Bates (Upper Hutt, Suzuki SV650), 6.

Race 2: Williams, 1; Fitzgerald, 2; Nairn, 3; Osborne, 4; Veltmeyer, 5; Gareth Easter (Lower Hutt, Suzuki GSXR450), 6.

Formula 3 series points: Glen Williams, 97; Chris Osborne, 74; Terry Fitzgerald, 73; Gavin Veltmeyer, 70; Gareth Easter, 52; Scott Moir, 49.

Supermoto:

Race 1: Duncan Hart (Tauranga, Yamaha YZF450), 1; Richard Dibben (Wanganui, Honda CRF450), 2; Scott Moir (Taupo, Honda CRF450), 3; Glen Haden (Wanganui, Honda CRF450), 4; Casey Bullock (Taupo, KTM 450SMR), 5; Toby Summers (Auckland, Yamaha YZF450), 6.

Race 2: Dibben, 1; Moir, 2; Summers, 3; Hart, 4; Bullock, 5; Haden, 6.

Supermoto series points: Richard Dibben, 92; Duncan Hart, 81; Toby Summers, 76; Glenn Haden and Scott Moir, 72; Casey Bullock, 64.

Post Classic Pre ’89:

Race 1: Glen Williams (Palmerston North, Bimota YB8 1000), 1; Eddie Kattenberg (Hawke’s Bay, Yamaha FZR1000), 2; Damian Mackie (Te Puke, Suzuki RG500), 3; Paul Wootton ((Waikane, Suzuki GSXR1100), 4; Sean Donnelly (Paraparaumu, Kawasaki GPZ1170), 5; Ernie Cudby (Upper Hutt, Yamaha FZR600), 6.

Race 2: Kattenberg, 1; Mackie, 2; Wootton, 3; Cudby, 4; Mark Hay (Otaki, GSXR1100), 5; Malcolm McDonald (Wanganui, Kawasaki KR 1250), 6.

Post Classic Pre ’89 series points: Eddie Kattenberg, 91; Damian Mackie, 78; Glen Williams, 77; Paul Wootton, 74; Mark Hay, 55; Andrew Skelton and Terry Moran, 46.

BEARS (non Japanese):

Race 1: Sloan Frost (Wellington, Valvoline BMW S1000RR), 1; Rhys Holmes (Katikati, BMW S1000RR), 2; Richard Taylor (Wellington, BMW S1000RR), 3; Travis Moan (Auckland, BMW S1000RR), 4; Jamie Galway (Masterton, Triumph Daytona 675), 5; Nick Prestige (Hawera, Ducati 1098R), 6.

Race 2: Frost, 1; Moan, 2; Holmes, 3; Taylor, 4; David Michael (Palmerston North, Ducati 1098), 5; Galway, 6;

BEARS series points: Travis Moan, 87; Rhys Holmes, 84; Sloan Frost, 77; Richard Taylor, 76; Jamie Galway, 65; Nick Prestidge, 60.