Double honours for Uncle Mike

October 14 won't be a date Michael Phillips and his Rotorua family are likely to forget.

The mud-caked 21-year-old took overall honours in the 250cc class at the second round of the Patterson O'Connor New Zealand Motocross Series yesterday.

At the same time in the Hawke's Bay, older sister Kerry was giving birth to Dennis and Barbara Phillips' first grandchild, a niece for "Uncle Mike".

"It's been a great day," said a proud new granddad as he offered Michael a "congratulations son" handshake.

The newest member of the Phillips clan came into the world shortly before the 250cc class lined up for the day's final race.

Michael Phillips, with a first and second in the previous two races, had one hand on the day's honours.

His other was on the family sweepstake after successfully tipping the date and sex of the newborn.

Phillips was the man to beat in the final race. He made a fast start on his Kawasaki and was quickly into the lead, a position he held for about four laps before a nasty rut and a lack of concentration conspired for him to lay his bike down. The split second delay allowed defending champion Damien King to flash by.

"I didn't even see Damien go by. Everyone is covered in mud - you don't know who is out there racing," said Phillips, who chased King for a little while before settling back for a clean finish.

"I knew the overall was at stake so I decided to stay on two wheels."

Phillips eventually finished second behind King. The result was good enough for the local to reward the tough Rotorua spectators who braved atrocious weather, with overall first.

Taupo's promising Brad Groombridge, fourth in Timaru in the opening round, backed that up by finishing in the same spot yesterday.

The day's racing pushed Phillips up 10 points in the 2007 series and he now sits just one behind leader Luke Burkhart who, like many, struggled with yesterday's muddy and demanding conditions.

New Zealand's Supercross star Ben Townley, who was trackside, said the riding conditions were world class and similar to what he'd encountered in Europe.

"It's terrible out there, out back there are some ruts like you get in Europe, we don't get much mud racing in the USA," the new Honda rider said.

Phillips agreed the conditions on the Rotorua track, cut from his parent's adjoining farm, were tricky and ever changing.

"Some sections you get to out there and you go 'where do you go'," said Phillips, who believed his own local knowledge and that of fellow Rotorua rider Cameron Negus, who rode the 125cc class, was crucial to his effort.

Negus would give Phillips quick tips on lines and conditions after his races, in which he performed well enough to finish second overall behind Damien King - a glutton for punishment, riding both the 250cc and 125cc classes.

There was a minor upset in the 500cc class where Taranaki's Daryl Hurley showed a liking for the mud, headed Cody Cooper in two races and took the day's honours.

Two-time world champion Katherine Prumm reinforced her class in the women's division, scoring a perfect three wins to head Nikki Scott and Kirsty Gillespie.

The next round of the national series is in a month but most riders will be in action at Taupo at the Labour Weekend Extravaganza.