Rees family hunting double at the Cemetery

Damon Rees will be doing his part to make it a family double alongside father Tony on the Cemetery Circuit today.

In the race for today's Suzuki Series F2 600 title, the eyes fall on 20-year-old Daniel Mettam, who wrapped up his 2015 crown with a win at Whanganui last year.

The Aucklander rode very strongly at Manfeild on his Team RCM Suzuki GSXR1000 and may be another rider who could get between the leading F1 Superbike contenders to re-shuffle their own points.

Scott Moir (Penny Homes Suzuki GSXR1000), Ray Clee (Team RCM Suzuki GSXR1000), and bLU cRU Yamaha R1 rider Hayden Fitzgerald can never be discounted to make the podium.

Toby Summers and his 20-year-old UK-based Barnes Jenkins Insurance team-mate, James Flitcroft, are another pair of riders capable of winning if everything goes right on the day.

If Tony Rees wins the series' premier F1 Superbike class, then perhaps his 21-year-old son Damon Rees can lock up the F1 600 title to keep both trophies in the family.

Damon finished the 2015 series second in the F2 600 class and this year leads the undercard series on his Honda Rider Insurance CBR600RR by 12 points from Shane Richardson, on his Wainui Joinery Kawasaki ZX-6R.

"I'll go there and just see what happens because you don't know till you get there," said the younger Rees.

"I'll do the best that I can, if I can win then I will win, but if I can't then I'll settle for second, as second in both races is good enough to win the series.

"There's definitely a bit of weight off my shoulders going there but I'll do my best."

Fellow Wellingtonian Rogan Chandler is a distant third on his TSS Red Baron Triumph 675 and is riding remarkably well.

However, he'll need to watch his back around the Cemetery Circuit as the experienced Hayden Fitzgerald, of New Plymouth, is only one point behind. Rising Auckland star Nathanael Diprose (RCM Suzuki GSXR600) is just two points adrift of Fitzgerald, effectively leaving third place still up for grabs in the F2 600 championship.

Wellington racer Glen Skachill leads the Formula 3 class on his i-Tools NSR300.

However, if Leigh Tidman has repaired his Jilesen Contractors RS450 in time then the battles will be close.

Skachill is also leading the Post Classic Senior class on his Bimota YB8, although he'll have stiff competition around the tight street circuit from Jay Lawrence, Eddie Kattenburg, and Paul Pavletich - the latter making a one-off appearance on a Yamaha OW01 750.

Tauranga rider Colin MacGregor leads the Bears category on a BMW S1000RR, while Duncan Hart, also of Tauranga, enjoys a 12 point lead from Ashton Hughes in Supermoto.

However, Hart might struggle to claim the Supermoto title again this year because watch out for local boy Richard Dibben being at or near the front of the pack - trying to win both heats to make it five wins from six races following his Race 2 crash at Taupo.