Champs look to back up win

Unbeaten in 2014, can Tracey Bryan and Aaron Lovell head off world sidecar champion Tim Reeves in the Suzuki Series? PHOTO/TERRY STEVENSON

Multi World sidecar champion Tim Reeves will be racing in the three round Suzuki Series which kicks off at Hampton Downs on Sunday and finishes at Wanganui's Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day.

Spread over three quick-fire rounds during December at Hampton Downs, Manfeild and Wanganui, the 2015 Suzuki Series is the richest international motorcycle series in New Zealand with a massive $36,550 series prizemoney.

Tim Reeves last won the world title in 2014 and will be partnered by Mark Wilkes for the Suzuki Series, both from the UK. Reeves is also an Isle of Man sidecar TT winner. The Reeves/Wilkes combo are bringing their world title winning LCR F1 sidecar to do battle with New Zealand's fastest riders on our home circuits.

Defending Suzuki Series champions Aaron Lovell (Hamilton) and former hometown girl Tracey Bryan, now from Tauranga, were unbeaten last year but don't plan to rest on their 2014 laurels after an off-season chassis rebuild, following a high-speed crash on their LCR Suzuki at Ruapuna back in January.

Despite fierce international opposition Lovell and Bryan were not headed at the recent Shorai Batteries International at Hampton Downs, and will prove tough to beat with a few new tricks up their sleeve. "I'm out there to prove we can win it again. Even though there's a world champion coming out we're going to give it our best shot to beat him. We want to win it again." Lovell said.

Current NZ champions and former Wanganui lads Adam Unsworth and Stu Dawe, now from Auckland, are very competitive on their ageing 1988 built Eni Windle F1 sidecar, especially at Wanganui, and you can guarantee they will be up with the best when the flag falls.

The Western Australian pairing of Des Harvey and Dirk Jeal may upset several teams around the slower tracks on their F1 'short' sidecar, while the likes of Masterton's Spike Taylor/Astrid Hartnell (LCR) combination, Auckland brothers Chris and Ritchie Lawrance (Windle F1) and the resurgent Pete Goodwin/Darren Prentice pairing will all be in the three wheeler mix.

Suzuki Series organiser Allan "Flea" Willacy said a special deal for entry to the Cemetery Circuit meeting on Boxing Day remained open for Wanganui people.

"The early bird ticket concession has ended even for online applications, but people can still buy tickets for Boxing Day at the i-Site office right up until it closes for Christmas, saving $10," Willacy said yesterday.

- 2015 Suzuki Series schedule:

Rnd 1: Hampton Downs, Sunday, December 6

Rnd 2: Manfeild, Sunday, December 13

Rnd 3: Wanganui Cemetery Circuit, Saturday, December 26