HARD TO BEAT: Graham Wedlake was a dominant force at Makorori for Round 1 of Gisborne Motorcycle Sports Club’s beach racing series. File picture by Liam Clayton Picture by Liam Clayton
Hot weather and even hotter action made Round 1 of Gisborne Motorcycle Sports Club’s beach racing series a success.
The track was so fast, engines blew up left, right and centre.
In the senior open class, the sand flew as Graham Wedlake (Kawasaki KXF450) fought off a determined attack by Nick Wilkie (Honda CR500), who was determined to get a two-stroke first over the line.
Road warrior Greg Hall (Kawasaki ZXR750) had some impressive straight speeds but just could not get the big machine around the corners.
Sam Spencer’s CR500 cracked a piston in practice.
Results — Race 1: Wedlake 1, Wilkie 2, Hall 3. Race 2: Wedlake 1, Wilkie 2, Hall 3. Race 3: Wedlake 1, Wilkie 2.
In the 0-to-500cc class, Wedlake was again out in front, and Wilkie could not catch him.
Benny Fogarty was debuting his new beach racer (Kawasaki KX500) and was having a good day until his engine let go in Race 2.
Tom Claudatos (Suzuki RMZ450) and Jarrod Smith (Kawasaki KXF450) had a good battle.
Race 1: Wedlake 1, Wilkie 2, Fogarty 3. Race 2: Wedlake 1, Wilkie 2, Fogarty 3. Race 3: Wedlake 1, Wilkie 2.
In the ATV (quad) class, Burt Norman (Polaris Outlaw 450) was back and going strong, with two wins.
Chris McPherson had a good run on his big-engined Yamaha Raptor 750, and Liam Gill (Suzuki LTR400) had the hang of his machine by the end of the day.
Wedlake (Suzuki LTR450) and Rockie Ellmers (Polaris Outlaw 400) both destroyed their engines in the first race.
Race 1: Wedlake 1, Norman 2, Ellmers 3. Race 2: Norman 1, McPherson 2, Gill 3. Race 3: Norman 1, McPherson 2, Gill 3.
The hard and fast 0-250cc class had good numbers.
Jody Englebrecht (Yamaha YZF250), Bryce Norman (KTM250) and Ben Logan (Kawasaki KX250) battled it out all day.
Toby Fraser (Kawasaki KXF250) and Michael Fenwick (Yamaha YZF250) also had some great racing.
Race 1: Norman 1, Logan 2, Fraser 3. Race 2: Englebrecht 1, Logan 2, Fenwick 3. Race 3: Englebrecht 1, Norman 2, Logan 3.
In the classic class, Stu Heaps on his early Honda XR125 collected three wins. The beach was too much for Melissa Stanaway’s 1954 James 197 two-stroke as it gave up the ghost after Race 1.
However, Graham Stanaway’s1948 DMW 200 was able to go the distance for all three races.
Spark Cameron (Honda XR500) wasn’t running a transponder but it didn’t stop him having a lot of fun.
Race 1: Heaps 1, G Stanaway 2, M Stanaway 3. Race 2: Heaps 1, G Stanaway 2. Race 3: Heaps 1, G Stanaway 2.
Numbers were down in the women’s class, but they had some great racing. Sophie Peach (KTM250) took out all three races, with Fritha Rau (Husqvarna 125) collecting three seconds.
In the Junior A 125/250 class, Tate Williams (Kawasaki KXF250) and Saxon Sowerby (KTM125) had a terrific duel but Williams was out in front when the flag dropped, taking all three victories.
Some top cornering from Quinta McDiarmid brought him three wins in the Junior B 85cc class. Henry Watson (Kawasaki KX85) had a good start but mechanical issues ended his day, leaving Ben Candy (Honda CRF230) to have a free run.
Race 1: McDiarmid 1, Watson 2, Candy 3. Race 2: McDiarmid 1, Candy 2. Race 3: McDiarmid 1, Candy 2.
The Mini 65 class was a United Nations race as Claire Ellmers pitched her American-made Apex MXR machine against Corbin Spencer’s Austrian KTM 65 as he tried to hold off Jordan Fenwick on his Japanese-made Kawasaki KX65.
It was a fierce battle with the placings being well spread.
Race 1: Ellmers 1, Spencer 2, Fenwick 3. Race 2: Spencer 1, Fenwick 2, Ellmers 3. Race 3: Ellmers 1, Fenwick 2, Spencer 3.
Trails comprised the biggest class of the day. These young riders went all out and had a great time.
Tony Laing (KTM 110) was the dominant rider with three wins.
Newbie Cobe Donnelly (Honda CRF70) had lots of fun, while Abby Fenwick (Suzuki JR70) improved with every race.
Twins Gemma and Jade Ellmers (Polaris Outlaw 90s) enjoyed tearing up the sand trying to stay ahead of Lila Murphy (Honda CRF70).
Race 1: Laing 1, G Ellmers 2, Murphy 3. Race 2: Laing 1, J Ellmers 2, G Ellmers 3. Race 3: Laing 1, G Ellmers 2, J Ellmers 3.
In the Mini 50 water-cooled class, everyone was racing a KTM 50, little machines that hum along.
Hunter Saddlier, Jack Murphy and Travis Foss really put it on the line in racing that was impressive to watch.
Race 1: Saddlier 1, Murphy 2, Foss 3. Race 2: Saddlier 1, Murphy 2, Foss 3. Race 3: Saddlier 1, Murphy 2, Foss 3.
Competing in the Mini 50 air-cooled class, the rider of the day had to be four-year-old Ario Fenwick (Yamaha PW50), who didn’t stop smiling all day.
Charlie Thompson (Honda CRF50) was happy with his three wins, while Pippa Holden (Kawasaki 50) threw her ATV round the track.
Race 1: Thompson 1, Fenwick 2, Holden 3. Race 2: Thompson 1, Fenwick 2, Holden 3. Race 3: Thompson 1, Fenwick 2, Holden 3.
The next beach racing meeting — Round 2 — will be on June 23.