Meanwhile, as one prominent Whanganui Super Motard racer dropped off the podium another newcomer has replaced him.
Tauranga's Duncan Hart (Yamaha) topped a capacity field with a second place in race one and a ride through the leading pack to win race two after a slow start.
Whanganui's Richard Dibben (Honda), a two-time series winner, was the first race winner and a race two retirement.
In the second race Dibben had the heartbreak of a broken front sprocket and losing his chain that put him out of the race when he had a 10 second break on the field.
Hart leads with 47 points from Ashton Hughes (Bulls) riding a KTM with 38 points while Whanganui's Ben Dowman slipped into third on 36. Dibben will need luck with just 26 points from round one.
Lead-swapping battles between BMW S1000RR riders Colin MacGregor (Tauranga) and Nick Southerwood (Auckland) in the Bears (British, European and American) racing saw MacGregor take two wins and lead the series with 51 points from Southerwood on 44.
This weekend's second round at Manfield will see 13-time Isle of Man TT winner Michael Dunlop (Northern Ireland) join the F1 Superbike action on a Suzuki GSX-R1000.
The third and final round is set for Boxing Day on Whanganui's Cemetery Circuit.
Class leaders after round one:
F1/Superbikes: 1. Tony Rees (Whakatane) 47 points; 2. Sloan Frost (Wellington) 46; 3= Horst Saiger (Liechtenstein) and Scott Moir (Taupo) 38.
F2/600 Supersport: 1. Damon Rees (Whakatane) 51 points; 2. Shane Richardson (Wainuiomata) 44; 3. Nathanael Diprose (Auckland) 40.
F3/Sport bikes: 1. Glen Skachill (Pukerua Bay) 26; 2. Leigh Tidman (Taumarunui) 22; 3. Gavin Veltmeyer (Auckland) 20.
Super Motard: 1. Duncan Hart (Tauranga) 47 points; 2. Ashton Hughes (Bulls) 38; 3. Ben Dowman (Whanganui) 36.
Bears (non-Japanese bikes) seniors: 1. Colin MacGregor (Tauranga) 51 points; 2. Nick Southerwood (Auckland) 44; 3. David Sharp (Auckland) 36.
Bears (non-Japanese bikes) juniors: 1. Ashton Hughes (Bulls) 51 points; 2. Jaden Galway (Masterton) 42; 3. Daniel McGovern (Wellington) 38.
Post Classic (Pre-89) senior: 1. Glen Skachill (Pukerua Bay) 51; 2. Eddie Kattenberg (Napier) 42; 3= Peter Smith (Rotorua) and Glen Eggleton (Rotorua) 36.
Post Classic (Pre-89) junior: 1. Scott Findlay (Auckland) 48 points; 2. Dean Bentley (Lower Hutt) 47; 3. Shayne Lawrey (Hamilton) 40.
Sidecars: 1. John Holden (UK) and Robbie Shorter (Tauranga) 51 points; 2. Barry Smith (Te Puke) and Tracey Bryan (Tauranga) 44; 3= Chris Lawrance and Richard Lawrance (Warkworth) and Peter Goodwin and Kendal Dunlop (Albany) 33.