It was a breakthrough day for Bay of Plenty’s Scott Moir at the third and final round of last season’s Suzuki Series in Whanganui.
The Taupo man dominated on the famous Cemetery Circuit streets circuit at the traditional post-Christmas race meeting, wrapping up the Suzuki Series’ premier Formula One superbike class title and also celebrating a start-to-finish win in the coveted Robert Holden Memorial feature race.
With a small points advantage at the start of the day, the Suzuki rider knew that a sensible approach to racing on Boxing Day would be enough to get the job done and allow him to wrap up his first major road-racing title.
And that’s exactly what happened.
The question being asked now is can Moir repeat that at the finale of the 2018 edition of the Suzuki Series in Whanganui this week?
It will certainly be tougher for him … Moir doesn’t lead the series heading into Wednesday’s final round wrap-up, with Wainuiomata’s Shane Richardson holding that advantage, while visiting British rider Peter Hickman, the 2018 Isle of Man champion who is a close third in the standings, is certainly expected to light up the tarmac on Boxing Day.
It is sure to be edge-of-the-seat excitement on Boxing Day and not something you’d want to miss.
© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
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Leading standings after the second of three rounds in the 2018 Suzuki Series are:
Formula One superbikes: 1. Shane Richardson (Wainuiomata) 84 points; 2. Scott Moir (Taupo) 81; 3. Peter Hickman (UK) 73.
Formula Two 600: 1. Damon Rees (Whakatane) 102 points; 2. Rogan Chandler (Upper Hutt) 78; 3. Ashton Hughes (Feilding) 71.
The super motard class is always a crowd thriller on the streets of Whanganui. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Formula three: 1. Jacob Stroud (Palmerston North) 102 points; 2. Leigh Tidman (Taumarunui) 84; 3. Richard Markham-Barrett (Nikau Valley) 74.
GIXXER Cup: 1= Zak Fuller (Taupiri) and Jesse Stroud (Hamilton) 90 points; 3. Clark Fountain (Greymouth) 88.
Post Classics, Pre-89, Seniors: 1. Peter Bogusz (Paraparaumu) 89 points; 2. Gian Louie (Hastings) 87; 3, Duncan Coutts (Whangarei) 74’
Post Classics, Pre-89, Juniors: 1. Scott Findlay (Auckland) 98 points; 2. Dean Bentley (Lower Hutt) 90; 3. Chris Sales (Palmerston North) 62.
Bears (non-Japanese bikes) and Formula Sport, Seniors: 1. Steve Bridge (Ngaruawahia) 91 points; 2. Brendon Coad (Auckland) 89; 3. Malcolm Bielski (Wellington) 71.
Bears (non-Japanese bikes) and Formula Sport, Juniors: 1. Gary Morgan (Te Awamutu) 101 points; 2. Robert Lammas (Palmerston North) 86; 3. Paul Jenkins (Kaikohe) 72.
Super Motard: 1. Duncan Hart (Tauranga) 102 points; 2. Andrew Rudd (Ashburton) 80; 3= Will Young (Wellington) and Russell Josiah (Taumarunui) 72.
F1 Sidecars: 1. John Holden and Robbie Shorter (England/Tauranga) 102 points; 2. Ian Staples and Mark Thompson (Whanganui) 78; 3= Peter Goodwin (Albany) and Louise Blythe (Whanganui), Jarrad Winter and Kelly Winter (Christchurch) 62.
F2 Sidecars: 1. Barry Smith and Tracey Bryan (Tauranga) 102 points; 2. Gary Bryan and Philip Hyde (Leceister, UK) 88; 3. Mark Halls (Auckland) and Darren Prentis (Taranaki) 80.