Motorcycles back on the sand

All set to go: Beach racing returns to Makorori Beach tomorrow. File picture by Liam Clayton

MOTORSPORT by Rockie Ellmers

Beach racing is back at Makorori Beach tomorrow after a year’s break.

Riders will be blowing the cobwebs off their machines for the Pit Stop (Gisborne) Pre Nationals meeting.

Making a return to the sand after a long break is Steve Allen, known to his fans as Zoomer. He will be blasting down the beach on his Honda CBR1000.

Daniel Fogarty (Yamaha YZF450) will be hoping to carry on his beach racing winning streak when he puts his MX bike up against the road bike warriors.

Hawke’s Bay racer Graham Wedlake will be back on his Kawasaki KXF450.

Wedlake will also be racing a 1977 Suzuki RM370 in the classic class.

Wedlake will have to keep the throttle open as Paul Arnott’s favourite pastime is eating up Japanese bikes on his British-made twin-cylinder Norton. Up against the Norton will be Warren Martin on his trusty Honda XL185.

Ian Newman will hit the sand with some impressive cornering on his Honda TRX450 ATV.

Keeping the two-stroke-versus-four-stroke battle alive in the 0-250 class is Brice Norman on his KTM SX250.

Claire Ellmers has gone from four wheels to two this season. She traded in her ATV for a Kawasaki KLX140 to mix it up in the Junior B class (85T/150F).

Gemma and Jade Ellmers have also traded in four wheels for two as they hit the trail class on their Kawasaki KLX110s.

All classes from 50cc up will be racing tomorrow.

Anyone wanting to have a go and not sure what class they’d be in can ask the organisers on the day and they’ll be accommodated.

Makorori Beach is about eight kilometres north of Gisborne on the Pacific Coast Highway (State Highway 35).

Sign-in is at 10am and racing starts at 11. New riders are welcome.

Racing goes ahead in nearly all weather conditions. The next meeting will be the beach racing nationals on August 8.