Exciting racing expected on Boxing Day at Whanganui’s ‘Isle of Man’ circuit

Sloan ‘Choppa’ Frost will take the 1300cc sportbike, the Suzuki Hayabusa, for a spin on Boxing Day at the Cemetery Circuit. Photo / Paul Brooks

With the hope of good weather, a new major sponsor, some added prizes and a bucketful of renewed optimism, Whanganui’s Boxing Day racing at the Cemetery Circuit looks good for this year.

After the disappointment of the cancellation of the Taupo round of the Suzuki Series due to track safety concerns, and a great two days’ racing at Manfeild, Whanganui looks good to go. It looks like things are back on track.

“We’re back to normal and we’re going racing,” says co-organiser Allan “Flea” Willacy. Husband and wife team Flea and Julie Willacy have been organising the series fulltime since 2011.

“The biggest thing for us is that this year we’re having New Zealand TT [Tourist Trophy] titles here at Whanganui,” says Flea. “We’re bringing the TT titles back to the streets where they truly originated. Often Cemetery Circuit is referred to as the Southern Hemisphere’s Isle of Man, so we think it’s fitting the TT titles will be up for grabs again at Cemetery Circuit this year.”

He says they’ve brought in New Zealand TT titles for F1, F2, F3, Formula Sport / Bears - Junior and Senior, and Sidecars F1 and F2.

“Also, the Supermoto New Zealand Championship finishes here at Whanganui.”

The world-famous street circuit is in good repair and the Taupo Quay straight has been freshly sealed with hot mix, the preferred surface for motorcycle racing.

“That’s the [Whanganui District] council being very proactive for this event,” says Flea.

He says Mitch Rees is the man to look out for this year in the Superbikes. “But there’s going to be good racing in all classes.”

Two Irish racers are coming out from Western Australia just for the experience, taking a break from their work in the mines to learn on the Southern Hemisphere’s “Isle of Man” circuit in Whanganui. Stephen Blount (Honda CBR600) and Stephen Byrne (Kawasaki ZX6R) are racing in the F2/Supersport 600 class.

“They’ve been working on it for months to get their bikes here,” says Flea. Both riders have Kiwi girlfriends, one from Nelson and one from Whanganui.

“Because of Covid worldwide it’s very expensive and an issue to get people from Europe out here,” says Flea. “I don’t know when that will settle down.”

He is maintaining a positive outlook and hopes next year they will be able to see riders from Europe back at the Cemetery Circuit.

Flea and Julie say quite a few women are racing this year, particularly in the sidecars. Tracey Bryan and Jo Mickleson are driver and swinger in the F1 and F2 Sidecars, but there are also quite a few female swingers in that class.

A change this year is that there will be three big screens instead of two on the track. Along with one near the usual spot just past the railway lines before the Suzuki esses, there will also be one at Robert Holden Memorial Corner and another one on the start/finish straight.

A big attraction on the day is the Robert Holden Memorial Race, named in honour of Robert Holden, who raced many times at the Cemetery Circuit as well as major tracks around the world, including the Isle of Man. At the Cemetery Circuit he clocked up 47 wins, 22 second places and 22 thirds. Robert died after crashing at Glen Helen during practice week at the Isle of Man TT on May 31, 1996.

“We’ve got two Robert Holden trophies now,” says Flea. “A few years ago we were gifted the Super Mono World Championship that Robert Holden won, and we award that to the first small bike in.” The 600cc class fits the “small” category.

Racing starts at the Cemetery Circuit at about 12.05pm on Monday, December 26. First race is the Pre-89 Post Classics: watch out for Jeff Croot on his Kawasaki ZXR750H1.

Tickets are $35 for adult general admission, and $5 for those between 5 and 15 years.