MOTORSPORT CAN BE CRUEL

Motorsport can sometimes be a very cruel mistress indeed, just ask Wellington’s Sloan ‘Choppa’ Frost.

But Frost remains pretty cool about things, despite seeing what could have been a sensational double victory turn quickly into a campaign-killing disaster last weekend.

It perhaps came as no surprise at all that the Valvoline BMW rider won the day’s first Formula One race at the Suzuki Tri Series opener at Hampton Downs on Saturday – the national superbike No.3 had, afterall, bagged an impressive pair of wins at the same circuit during the Auckland champs the previous weekend, beating the man who is four-time former and current Tri Series champion, Hamilton Suzuki star Andrew Stroud.

Frost led Stroud (Brother Suzuki GSX-R1000) to the chequered flag in the first of two F1 races at Hampton Downs on Saturday and looked solid as he led the second race, again with Stroud in pursuit.

But then it all fell to pieces as Frost’s bike violently twitched as he exited turn one at the start of lap three, and he was sent tumbling to the tarmac.

The race was red-flagged as an ambulance arrived to attend to Frost and, though groggy, he was eventually able to stand and walk to the rear of the emergency vehicle. He was sidelined for the day.

Stroud went on to win the re-started race and he takes a six-point lead over Christchurch’s Dennis Charlett (Underground Brown Suzuki GSX-R1000) into round two of the series at Manfeild this weekend.

Frost is back in eighth spot overall, with just the 25 points he gained for the solitary race win at Hampton Downs.

Frost is philosophical about the situation, with his main aim this season to win the New Zealand Superbike Championships. That five-round series kicks off in January, a separate contest where every rider will, of course, be starting afresh with a blank scoreboard and Frost can thankfully banish the memories of his crash.

“I will come back from this set-back and I want everyone to know I’ll be a contender in the nationals,” said Frost, a 31-year-old father-of-two.

“I work for the CozyCool air-conditioning company and they are giving me great support. The boss supports me well, but it would have to be something really serious for me not to turn up for work each Monday. I was at work on Monday after my crash on Saturday,” he smiled.

“The Tri Series is not over for me. There are only four F1 races to go, but anything can happen.”

Though eighth in the standings, Frost is just two points behind seventh-ranked Tony Rees (Honda CBR1000RR), of Whakatane, and just another one points behind sixth-ranked James Smith (Honda CBR1000RR), of Christchurch.

“I’m pleased for Andrew (Stroud) and, if it can’t be me, it’s great that it’s him leading the Tri Series. He’s such a great bloke and has mentored me a lot over the years. All the other riders have so much respect for him.”

It is an unusually close relationship that Frost has with his rival.

“The first motorcycle helmet I bought was on Trade Me and it turned out that it was Andrew Stroud selling it. He offered to go for a ride with me and he’s continued to help me a lot over the years.

“I ended up buying his 2008-model Suzuki from him in 2009, when I started racing superbikes. Now I’m one of his biggest rivals. It’s unbelievable really. I’m pinching myself.”

Intense rivals on the track and firm friends off it, those dynamics are set to be a theme running through the remainder of the Tri Series and the nationals that follow.