THE PUBLIC streets of Whanganui will again echo with the sounds of top international motorcycle racing today, the fans this year hoping to witness a hometown hero step up or at least eager to see a fresh name engraved on the coveted Suzuki Series trophy.
Today's packed programme of racingis the third and final round of the Suzuki Series and it is doubly exciting that, especially in the premier Formula One Superbike class, nothing can be decided until the end of the day.
Racing will go down to the wire in the F1 class after a penalty was imposed on defending champion and series leader Horst Saiger at the previous round at Manfeild less than a fortnight ago, that decision throwing a lifeline to main challenger Sloan Frost.
Liechtenstein's Saiger (Kawasaki ZXR-10R) was adjudged to have jumped the start in the second of two F1 races at Manfeild and was penalised by 20 seconds, relegating him from first to sixth position and handing the race win instead to Wellington's Frost (Suzuki GSX-R1000).
The two have now arrived at Whanganui's famous Cemetery Circuit level on the points table and with everything to fight for in what is expected to be another scorching encounter.
The irony that a man named Frost, a refrigeration engineer by trade, could put the freeze on his rival is not lost on Saiger, who has nonetheless vowed to make things very hot indeed today.
"I'm looking forward to Whanganui and the Cemetery Circuit. It's better for the competition (that the racing is close). There will be no silly games ... I'll just ride as hard as I can," said Saiger.
And it will be more than just a two-horse race, with the man who is currently third in the F1 standings, Whakatane's Tony Rees (Honda CBR1000RR), also the same individual who won the day at Whanganui last December 26.
Hamilton's nine-time former national superbike champion Andrew Stroud (Suzuki GSX-R100) and Taupo's Scott Moir (Suzuki GSX-R100) fill out the top five in the rankings and could also spring a surprise on Boxing Day.
The 34-year-old Frost said he didn't like to win the race courtesy of his rival being penalised, but he said: "I'll take it."
"It has certainly closed up the championship and it's going to be all-on in Whanganui. I like racing at Whanganui, although I crashed pretty hard there in 2013, so I've been bitten by the track in the past. But if I'm going to beat Horst I'm going to need to push 100 per cent."
