FROM ZERO TO HERO | Bikesportnz

It took just a few hours for Christchurch’s Seth Devereux to go from zero to hero on Sunday.

The Kawasaki ace experienced both the lowest of lows and the highest of highs at the penultimate round of this season’s New Zealand Superbike Championships at Hampton Downs on Sunday, the weather playing its part to mix up the action and cause just a little bit of havoc as well.

The 2011 national 250cc class champion and 2012 national 125GP class champion qualified his Spectro BikesportNZ.com Kawasaki ZX6R in sixth position in the 600cc supersport class at the weekend, with only one second to separate the top six riders in the class.

But long overdue rain arrived on race day morning and made a mockery of all the work that had gone in on Saturday, the track suddenly a very treacherous place to race and lap times achieved, just 24 hours earlier, with slick tyres in the dry, totally meaningless.

The 21-year-old Devereux was one of many riders to come unstuck in the nasty conditions, crashing his bike three times in the first of two 600cc supersport races on Sunday.

“I was in the lead on lap three … after passing eight riders to get to the front. But then I got on the gas too hard and high-sided the bike. I broke my front screen and my helmet was full of gravel but I was otherwise okay.

“I crashed twice more after that, probably thanks to the fact I couldn’t see much through the scratched visor and because gravel was jammed between the tyre and the rim.”

After frantic repairs in the pits, he bounced back in style for the wet TT race later in the afternoon.

He hounded race leader David Hall (Suzuki), of Te Awamutu, and set him up for a daring last-lap pass, just two corners from the end, to secure the silverware.

“I worked out where I was faster and just left it until the last lap to make my move and it worked.”

Devereux is gaining a reputation as a maestro in the rain – Sunday’s victory was his second win in the rain this season, after having also won a similarly drenched race at round two in Timaru in January.

He had won the TT title twice previously, both times in the 250cc class, and now he’s claimed the trophy in the 600cc class, all three major wins coming in the wet.

What is perhaps even more remarkable this season is that it Devereux’s first year in the 600cc Supersport class – and now he’s won two of the eight races so far in the championship.

Devereux is fifth in the championship standings but, thanks to the weekend’s heroics, he is now a tantalising seven points behind the fourth-ranked rider, Katikati’s Rhys Holmes (Yamaha), and just 21 points behind the third-ranked Jake Lewis (Yamaha), of Rangiora.

Christchurch’s John Ross (Suzuki) still leads the series after Hampton Downs, 16 points clear of Auckland’s Jaden Hassan (Yamaha).

Just one round remains to wrap up the championship and that is scheduled for Taupo this coming weekend.

With another barnstorming performance, Devereux could well achieve a top-four finish on debut in this class, or perhaps even snatch a podium finish.

“I really want to thank (Isle of Man TT legend) Shaun Harris (from Taranaki) for all his help at the weekend and I want to thank God for keeping me safe.”

Devereux is supported by Spectro Oils, Kawasaki New Zealand, Dwain’s Service Centre, ICS Farm Machinery, Timaru Metal Recyclers, Man About Glass, Dynoworks, Leading Sign Design, RST, AGV, Falco, Supersprox, Tsubaki, EBC, Bullit Identity, Kustom Fitness, Red Devil Racing, West Auckland Massage, Race Supplies, Kiwi Suspension Services, BikesportNZ.com and Pirelli tyres.

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