No margin for errors in Suzuki series

Wellington's Sloan 'Choppa' Frost (Suzuki GSX-R1000), locked in a tight battle for 2016 Suzuki Series honours. Photo by Andy McGechan,

Sloan Frost and Tony Rees shared the winners spoils during perfect weather conditions at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park in Taupo on Sunday.

In the opening Suzuki Series race Rees rounded turn one first on his Honda Rider Insurance CBR1000RR and went on to lead all but the final half lap when Fujitsu TSS Red Baron Suzuki NZ GSXR1000 mounted Frost kept his cool, made his move, and held on to win.

Penny Homes Suzuki GSXR1000 rider Scott Moir, of Taupo, held second until the charging Frost made his way up the leader board. Moir took the final podium spot just ahead to Barnes Jenkins Insurance Kawasaki ZX-10R mounted Toby Summers and Horst Saiger on his Red Devil Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R.

The scene was set for a big race two as riders made suspension adjustments and tyre changes to lower their lap times for that all-important win. Tony Rees was one of them as the Whakatane-based racer easily lead from start to finish. His 23 year old son Mitch Rees crossed the line sixth on a similar machine to round out a good day at the races for the Rees family.

Pole sitter and defending Suzuki Series champion Frost held second for much of the race however the Wellington-based refrigeration engineer began dropping back as the laps wore on. At the same time, Liechtenstein resident Saiger began moving up through the field with a spirited ride into second position by flag fall. Despite Moir's efforts Frost ended the race third, with Summers rounding out the top five after passing Mitch Rees on the last lap.

The Suzuki Series is the richest international motorcycle series in NZ with $36,550 series prizemoney which rewards consistency as much as winning, with 25 points awarded for first place, 22 for second and 20 for third. With Frost's single point awarded for Pole position, the 35 year old heads into round two at Manfeild on Sunday just one point behind Tony Rees.

Tony Rees sums up his day, "In the first race I used a tyre that had done the end of qualifying so it was going 'off' near the end of the first race. Sloan found a gap on the corner onto the back straight that I didn't think I'd left - good on him." Rees says. "In race two Sloan got a better start but I thought 'I've got to have you now', otherwise it'd be hard work, and then I put my head down. My pit board was showing plus zero for the first six laps, then I got a one, a two, and then a three second lead, so I thought 'Right, I'm not getting jumped on the last lap this time'!"

Damon Rees owned the Suzuki Series F2 600 class all day on his Honda Rider Insurance CBR600RR after setting a stunning pole time which would have put him seventh on the F1 Superbike grid. The youngest Rees in the family lead both F2 600 heats from start to finish and was never challenged on his way to take his first national-level victories.

The next best-dressed rider was Wainui Joinery Kawasaki ZX-6R mounted Shane Richardson, of Wellingtonian, who was second on each occasion. Third position was locked up by Aucklander Nathanael Diprose on his RCM Suzuki GSXR600.

British-based Isle of Mann TT sidecar winner John Holden, with kiwi passenger Bobbie Shorter, won both legs of the F1 Sidecar races on his LCR Honda 600 powered machine ahead of the Barry Smith/Tracey Bryan combination. Third position was shared between the Pete 'Pirate' Goodwin/Kendal Dunlop pairing, and Chris Lawrance and Richard Lawrance who were third in race two.

Multi-Suzuki Series F1 Sidecar champions Adam Unsworth and Stu Dawe qualified second fastest however the Auckland pair suffered a nasty crash during qualifying and didn't make the startline due to machine damage. Both riders were uninjured.

The Suzuki Series continues this Sunday at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, where 13-time Isle of Man TT winner Michael Dunlop joins the series on a Suzuki GSXR1000 superbike.

2016 Suzuki Series schedule
Rnd 2: Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, Feilding, Sunday December 11
Rnd 3: Wanganui Cemetery Circuit, Monday December 26

2016 Suzuki Series results from Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo, Sunday December 4.
Formula 1 Superbike, race 1: Sloan Frost, (Wellington, Fujitsu TSS Red Baron Suzuki NZ GSXR1000), 2; Tony Rees (Whakatane, Honda Rider Insurance CBR1000RR), 2; Scott Moir (Taupo, Penny Homes Suzuki GSXR1000), 3; Toby Summers (Auckland, Barnes Jenkins Insurance GSXR1000), 4; Horst Saiger (Liechtenstein, Red Devil Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R), 5.
Formula 1 Superbike, race 2: Tony Rees, 1; Saiger, 2; Frost, 3; Moir, 4; Summers, 5.
F1 Superbike series points: Tony Rees, 47; Frost, 46; Saiger & Moir, 38; Summers, 34.

Formula 2, race 1: Damon Rees (Whakatane, Honda Rider Insurance CBR600RR), 1; Shane Richardson (Wainuiomata, Wainui Joinery Kawasaki ZX-6R), 2; Nathanael Diprose (Auckland, RCM Suzuki GSXR600), 3; James Hoogenboezem (Christchurch), 4; Aaron Hassan (Auckland, Suzuki NZ GSXR600), 5.
Formula 2, race 2: Damon Rees, 1; Richardson, 2; Diprose, 3; Hassan, 4; Hayden Fitzgerald, (New Plymouth, bLU cRU Yamaha R6), 5.
Formula 2 series points: Damon Rees, 51; Richardson, 44; Diprose, 40; Hassan, 34; Fitzgerald, 31.

F1 Sidecars race 1: John Holden/Robbie Shorter (UK/NZ, Barnes Racing LCR Honda 600), 1; Barry Smith/Tracey Bryan (Te Puke/Tauranga, Carl Cox Motorsport Suzuki F2), 2; Pete Goodwin/Kendal Dunlop (Albany, mc2xs LCR/Windle), 3; Chris Lawrance/Richard Lawrance (Warkworth, Shorai Anderson R1), 4; Ian Staples/James O'Donnell (Wanganui, Staples 1000), 5.
F1 Sidecars race 2: Holden/Shorter, 1; Smith/Bryan, 2; Chris Lawrance/Richard Lawrance, 3; Goodwin/Dunlop, 4; Spike Taylor/Astrid Hartnel (Masterton/Wanganui, Mobility Wairarapa LCR GSXR1000), 5.
F1 Sidecars final series points: Holden/Shorter, 51; Smith/Bryan, 44; Chris Lawrance/Richard Lawrance & Goodwin/Dunlop, 38; Staples/James O'Donnell, 31.