As one Suzuki rider went down, another stepped up to replace him at the second round of three in this year’s Suzuki Tri Series at Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding, on Sunday.

The Tri Series took a dramatic and tragic turn early on Sunday when four-time former and reigning Tri Series formula one class champion Andrew Stroud crashed out within sight of the finish line while leading the day’s first of two F1 races.

Hamilton’s Stroud (Brother Suzuki GSX-R1000) was taken to Palmerston North hospital with suspected broken right collarbone and dislocated left knee, his series prematurely ended and a dream of making it five consecutive Tri Series title wins in tatters.

Stroud had passed early race leader Sloan Frost, of Wellington, just a lap earlier and was charging towards victory when the leading riders caught a lapped rider just one corner from the finish.

“There was some confusion as the lapped rider suddenly changed his line,” explained Frost, the rider with a front-row seat to the incident.

“I had committed to try and drive down the inside of Andrew when the lapper moved over, forcing Andrew across in front of me. I had nowhere to go and I hit his handlebars. I wobbled a bit but managed to stay upright and went on to win the race.”

Frost completed a further lap after the chequered flag and was still the first to arrive at the accident site, worried about the condition of his friend and rival.

With Stroud gone for the day, Frost (BMW S1000RR) also won the day’s second F1 race and also elevated himself to second in the series standings, but it was Christchurch’s Dennis Charlett (main photo above), the national 600cc supersport champion back on a superbike for the first time in several years, who made the most significant impact.

Charlett, a 44-year-old father of four, “with one on the way”, and a grandfather of two, has taken over the Suzuki Tri Series lead and the riders now head to Wanganui for the final with the series on a knife-edge.

Charlett took his Underground Brown-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a pair of third placings on Sunday, both time finishing behind Auckland’s Ray Clee (Suzuki GSX-R1000), and now leads the F1 standings, seven points clear of Frost, with Clee third overall, just one point further back.

Fourth and fifth overall after two rounds of the series are fellow Suzuki stars Hayden Fitzgerald, of New Plymouth, and Craig Shirriffs, of Feilding.

There is just one round remaining, but it’s in an entirely different race setting, on the public streets of Wanganui on Boxing Day, an exciting and highly-charged environment that could trip up any of the sport’s heroes.

“It’s an exciting series, with all the top superbike riders within a second of one another. It’s good to be taking a points lead to Wanganui but it’s a place where anything can happen,” said Charlett.

“I’m really happy with how quickly I’ve adapted to the superbike. I just need to stay safe in Wanganui to make sure I can go on and contest the nationals.”

Meanwhile, in the formula three class, Palmerston North’s Glen Williams was unstoppable.

He won both races and finished the day ahead of fellow Suzuki SV650 rider Terry Fitzgerald, of Waitara, and Feilding’s Chris Osborne (Ozzy 450R). This was easily enough for him to take over the series lead from Taupo’s Scott Moir (Honda RS450), who suffered, mechanical problems and failed to score points in either race at Manfeild.

Auckland’s Jaden Hassan (Yamaha R6) won both Formula Two races at Manfeild and he has extended his lead in the class to 18 points over Invercargill’s Jeremy Holmes (Honda CBR600RR), with Wanganui’s Jayden Carrick now moving his Suzuki GSX-R600 up to third overall in the class with just his home town event to come.

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

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