Racing returns to glory days

Last year's Suzuki Series F1 winner Dennis Charlett (15) is back for more in Wanganui on Boxing Day. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The countdown is on for what is being billed as the most competitive Cemetery Circuit motorcycling Boxing Day event Wanganui has seen since the 1970s.

Allan "Flea" Willacy, promoter of the Suzuki Series which culminates with the Wanganui street circuit, said only the Marlborough Series from the '70s could rival this year's Boxing Day event.

"We have one of the biggest and best contingents of top international riders arriving to compete against the cream of both New Zealand and Australia," Willacy said yesterday.

"There's already 30 registered to start on the F1 (Formula 1) grid, including last year's Suzuki Series winner Dennis Charlett and Nick Cole, who won both F1 races here last season. But they will have to contend with top German rider Steve Mizera who is bringing out his BMW. Mizera is a regular on street circuits in his homeland.

"Then there's the father and daughter combination of Phil and Sophie Lovett from Australia. As far as I know it will be the first time a woman has raced F1 at Wanganui and Sophie is no slug. I wouldn't mind betting there will be a few guys [who] give up after seeing her in action," Willacy said.

Guy Martin will be the star attraction of the Wanganui races. The British closed-road specialist is a truck mechanic by trade, although is better known for his UK television shows and his lead role in the 2011 movie, TT: Closer to the Edge.

With a huge $36,550 available in prize money, the Suzuki Series attracts New Zealand's top motorcycle racers.

The three-round Suzuki Series will be staged at Hampton Downs on Saturday, December 7; Manfeild on Sunday, December 15 and at Wanganui's famous Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day, where Martin will be racing a Suzuki New Zealand-supplied Suzuki GSXR1000.

The Cemetery Circuit recently made it into the top 10 street circuits in the world, rated by the top European motorcycling magazine.

Although Martin is yet to score an Isle of Man TT win, the outspoken 31-year-old has made the podium on 13 occasions since 2004.

Martin recently made the podium on a GSXR1000 in the prestigious Le Mans 24-hour race.

All eyes will focus on Martin when he takes to the Cemetery Circuit but he will not have it all his own way. Charlett has been training hard through the off-season to be sharp for the Suzuki Series, and this year he will be running Suzuki's traction control.

He plans to go fast from the start but knows he is not the only rider wanting to win.

"I think whoever grids up on a 1000 will be competition, but definitely Craig Shirriffs, Sloan Frost will be on a Suzuki, Nick Cole, Hayden Fitzgerald, all those top runners will be fast."

Hamiltonian Cole dominated both 2012 races at Wanganui on his Red Devil Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R, and seemed certain to win the prestigious Robert Holden Memorial feature - if it wasn't cancelled due to a heavy downpour. Martin will have his high-speed hands full if he has ideas about crossing the line in front of Cole this year.

"Our goal is to get in sync for the nationals, but because Guy Martin is coming over it would be awesome to show him a few lines around Wanganui. The main thing there is to get a good start, and hopefully it'll be hot, like it has been in the past," Cole said.

The support card is also shaping as a real clash of talent with 20 F1 sidecars booked to start, including last year's winners Adam Unsworth and passenger Stu Dawe. Unsworth and Dawe are former hometown racers now based in Auckland.