Motorsport: Back-to-back titles for Hartnell

Spike Taylor and his Wanganui swinger, Astrid Hartnell, are all smiles after claiming their second national sidecar title at Manfeild last month. PHOTOS/JDAS PHOTO

Colourful Wanganui racer Astrid Hartnell won back-to-back national sidecar titles after a rocky final round at Manfeild on the last weekend of March.

The 34-year-old parts and service manager for Whitelock Suzuki in Wanganui claimed the New Zealand title as swinger for Masterton-based rider Stephen "Spike"Taylor. The pair won the title on their Stealth Electric Bikes-sponsored GSXR 1000-powered LCR Suzuki, a title they also won in 2013.

While they are not the first male/female combination to win the coveted title, their achievement is noteworthy in what is very much a male-dominated sport. Male/female combinations to have won the national title in the past include Tauranga-based rider Kevin Wendt and his passenger, Anne Kippen, a sister of three-time No1 Andy Kippen from Wellington, and Timaru's Doug Chivas and Margaret Halliday.

However, the Taylor/Hartnell combo are possibly the first male/female pair to win back-to-back titles.

The five-round series started in January at Ruapuna raceway in Christchurch before moving to Levels in Timaru. The series continued in Taupo in mid-March with the final two rounds at a double meeting at Manfeild in late March.

The national series came hard on the heels of the Suzuki New Zealand Series where Taylor and Hartnell finished fourth to former Wanganui duo Adam Unsworth and Stu Dawe. The final Suzuki Series round was on the Cemetery Circuit in Wanganui on Boxing Day.

"We crashed at the Hampton Downs round of the Suzuki Series and that put us out of winning contention, but we were really focused on winning the national series again this year and that didn't go all that smoothly either," Hartnell said yesterday.

"We had a few mechanical issues down south, but still managed to go into the final double round at Manfeild ahead on points. In the first three races, the bike was misfiring, which made life difficult. We did a motor swap on the Saturday night at Manfeild and that did the trick. We needed to finish second in the last two races and that's what we did. We didn't push it, though, preferring to play it safe and secure the title.

"Mind you, my arms were getting a bit tired and sore after trying to stay on while the bike was misfiring."

Hartnell said it was a real buzz to win the national title again.

"We'll definitely have a crack at winning a third national title next year. We probably have the quickest machine on the circuit at the moment and our technique has improved dramatically. The help we received through major sponsor Stealth Electric Bikes from Auckland has been amazing too. Through Stealth, we were able to use real good tyres and that's a key factor in our win,' she said.

Hartnell said they would also consider competing in the Suzuki Series again, depending on sponsorship.

"I'm due for wrist surgery soon, but that should be healed in time for the next big competitions," Hartnell said.

Hartnell grew up around motorcycle racers with her father, Robert, a handy sidecar passenger and uncle Dick Leppard from Wellington a former national titleholder.

Other sponsors of the Taylor/Hartnell combination are Hartnell's employers, Whitelock Suzuki, Taylor's own company, Mobility Wairarapa, Wanganui-based companies Jimyz Signs and Graphix and Colour Code Auto Painters and Aero Support from Feilding.

"My partner, Gavin Oxtoby, has also been a great help throughout the series," Hartnell said.