KEY POINTS:
Auckland will hope the skies are clear on Saturday, February 16, because the stars will certainly be out over the city that night.
The TelstraClear Events Centre in Manukau will host the Fox Supercross, the third of four rounds in the New Zealand Supercross Championships series, featuring a
galaxy of motorcycle stars from the United States, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand.
Significantly, it will be the first time in 18 years - not since Carlaw Park in 1989 - that New Zealand's largest city has hosted a supercross, an extreme version of motocross that has its roots in the huge stadiums of the United States but has since become hugely popular worldwide.
A New Zealander, Taupo's Ben Townley, raced his way to glory when winning the US East Coast Lites Supercross series on his Kawasaki last season.
And it will be an American Kawasaki rider, arriving just for this one event, who hopes to return the favour.
Connecticut rider Billy Ainsworth, a rising star on the AMA circuit in the US, will ride for the Auckland-based Kawasaki Team West Red Baron squad and he is entered in the open class, on a KX450F, and the Lites (small bike) class, on a KX250F.
However, with just this one of our rounds at which to make his mark, its impossible for the 22-year-old Ainsworth to win a title in New Zealand this season.
Those honours are likely to go to Kiwi riders in the Suzuki Team.
National 500cc motocross champion Daryl Hurley (Hawera) has been unbeaten in the open class, taking his Suzuki RM-Z450 to the top of the podium at both the earlier rounds, in Motueka and in Tokoroa last month.
Hurley's main rival is fellow Team Suzuki rider Scott Columb, but South Islander Columb is 18 points behind his team boss and will need a big effort to overtake the in-form Hurley.
Taupo's Nick Saunders (Kawasaki) is close behind in third and, although Australian Justin Carafa (KTM) and Scotsman Neil Flockhart (Yamaha) have raced just one of the series opening two rounds, they are placed fifth and sixth respectively in the open-class standings and are both likely to move up at the Manukau event.
Australian rising star Tye Symmonds (KTM) will also make a one-off appearance at Manukau. The 15-year-old will have his first race against senior riders at the Fox Supercross.
Queenstown's Columb may have better luck in the Lites class where he leads the points, albeit by just a solitary point from a third Team Suzuki rider, Hawera's Luke Burkhart.
Third in the Lites standings is Hamilton Kawasaki ace Jesse Wiki.
The supercross at Manukau will be on virgin territory, the course constructed for the one event, beside the TelstraClear Events Centre.
WIN TICKETS
* Two double passes to the Manukau supercross can be won by lucky New Zealand Herald readers. Simply write to Superwheels Contest, Box 3290, Auckland, and tell us the first three riders in the open class standings. Entries close February 13.
* Gates open at 10am for qualifying and practice with the evening's race programme kicking off at 4pm and running through to 10pm.
* More information is available at www.supercross.co.nz.
* The fourth and final round of the series is set for Wanganui's Cooks Gardens arena on March 1.
