Pitstop: Kiwi rider will be tough to beat

Ten years after a bout with cancer, Bruce Anstey returns to the national Superbike championship at Ruapuna this weekend as one of the men to beat.

The 35-year-old former Wellingtonian, who now lives in London and rides for the Irish TAS Suzuki team, has had a phenomenally successful season in Europe.

He won the production 1000cc TT at the Isle of Man, setting a lap record, and also won the Superbike, production 600cc and Supersport 600cc races at the Ulster Grand Prix.

He was second in both the senior and junior TTs and the production 600cc TT, and third in the Formula One TT at the Isle of Man.

The TAS Suzuki team have built a GSXR1000 to New Zealand specifications for Anstey to ride here with the Museum Hotel Team.

Anstey has not ridden here for five years but compiled an impressive record before heading overseas. In 1992-93 he was Formula Two champion, winning the New Zealand TT and Grand Prix, and the following year won the King of the Streets title in that class.

His career was interrupted when he was diagnosed with cancer and he was still feeling the effects of chemotherapy when he won two races at the Boxing Day meeting in Wanganui in 1994.

He last competed in this country in 1998-99.

This season he will compete in one of the strongest fields for years. Defending champion Andrew Stroud is back on a Suzuki, Shaun Harris has switched from Honda to a 750cc Suzuki and Brian Bernard and Ray Clee will be on 1000cc machines.

The Honda challenge is headed by Dean Fulton and Jarod Love, Tony Rees returns on a new Yamaha, and former Formula Three champion Andy Bolwell will have a Kawasaki.

Harris will defend his 600cc title, with Stroud, Hayden Fitzgerald and Craig Shirriffs among his challengers. British teenager Midge Smart is back, hoping to continue his dominance of the 125cc class.

Murphy chases second

Greg Murphy hopes to say farewell to the Kmart team with at least another second place in the Australian V8 Supercar championship after the finale at Eastern Creek, Sydney, this weekend.

Murphy has been with the team since its formation in 2001. He has won six rounds with Kmart Racing, including 16 individual race wins.

He has finished runner-up in the series twice during his tenure with the team, in 2002 and last year.

The four-time Bathurst winner sits second in points behind Marcos Ambrose, but will have his work cut out at the 3.9km circuit.

Ambrose needs to finish only 15th or better in one race to seal the championship.

Murphy is more focused on defending second place from PWR driver Jason Bright, whom he leads by nine points and will replace in 2005.

Ambrose's record at the Sydney track is impressive: Two wins, a second place and three pole positions, all from five starts.

The format includes a 26-lap twilight race on Saturday, starting at 6.30pm local time. The final two 39-lap races will be held on Sunday.

Motorbike awards

World champion Ben Townley won the premier motocross award and Isle of Man TT winner Bruce Anstey won the premier road award at the Motorcycling New Zealand awards night in Auckland.

Other winners include: Classic, Ken McIntosh (Auckland); speedway, Sandra Perry (Huntly); club, NZ Classic Motorcycle Racing Register; promising newcomer (offroad), Cody Cooper (Whakatane); promising newcomer (road), Hayden Fitzgerald (New Plymouth); bike of the year, Triumph Rocket III.

Doran leads

V8 winner Wade Henshaw wasn't the only one to relish the home advantage in the national motor-racing meeting at Ruapuna at the weekend.

Marc Doran, who honed his skills at Ruapuna, won the first two Formula Ford races from Christchurch-based Andy Knight. Queenslander Shannon O'Brien won the third race and leads the championship with 398 points from Doran (346) and Knight (295).

Matt Halliday was awarded the first race, after winner Craig Baird was penalised for a premature start, and beat Baird in the second. Baird won the third. Halliday has a 28-point championship lead over Baird with Ross Rutherford 76 points further back.

The next round is at Timaru on January 8 and 9.