Burt Munro Challenge
2019 Burt Munro Challenge • 13 February 2019 – Invercargill, New Zealand
Since the inaugural Burt Munro Challenge in 2006 it has evolved into a four-day international motorcycling festival and now is one of New Zealand’s major motorsport events. The laid back event, based around Invercargill, attracts an increasing number of competitors and spectators from Australia, Europe and America. Racing covers a wide range of classes from Pre 63s with Girder Forks to Formula 1, with half of the classes for Vintage, Classic and Lost Era machinery. The Classic and Post Classic classes attract a very diverse entry.
This year the organisers decided to fine tune the formula that worked so well last year, run in four glorious summer days. Possibly the only issue is the move to February has placed it right in the middle of a busy racing calendar. The Challenge kicked off on Thursday morning with the road hill climb at Bluff – a 1.4km blast up the side of “Bluff Hill” on a winding road with large drop offs and rock faces, with a few short straights and several challenging corners. With 70 entries in 7 classes, it was a packed programme. Seth Devereux set the fastest time of the day 42.85secs on his Triumph Daytona, Bruce Aitken won the pre 63 class, on his Triton T120, with a 52.42 sec. run and Vince Burrell winning the pre 72 class, on his 1972 Moto Guzzi V Sport, with a 50.72 sec. run.
Thursday evening’s 1/4mile Twilight Drag Racing was a runaway success last year, exceeding everybody’s expectations and attracting one of the largest crowds. This year, good marshalling in the pit lane and a more experienced crew led to a quicker turnaround between runs. The quickest run of the
evening, up the main straight of the Teretonga racing circuit, was Cole Scammell on his 2007 Suzuki Hayabusa achieving 9.536 seconds; a new event record. Two other riders achieved sub 10 second runs, Corey Turnbill attaining 9.639 secs on his 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa and Barry MacAskill managing 9.79 sec. on his 1984 Yamaha FJ 1314. A couple of machines topped 150mph through the speed trap.
Friday’s Beach racing started earlier than usual, low tide at Oreti beach was around midday so racing stared at 10:00. However it was a great event with 81 entries in 11 classes although crowd attendance was down due to the early start (local families flock to the racing when it is on after school). The older machines were out in some numbers as were the modern motocrossers, open class machines. The 1 mile course is marked out by two marshal’s posts ½ mile apart. The premier Burt Munro Trophy 50mile beach race was won by local lad Greg Baynes in just over 43 min. on his KTM 450 SX-F. The “Spirit of Munro” Indian Scout (that Lee Munro has taken to Bonneville twice) and one of the replica Indians from the film, did demonstration runs.
Wandering around each of the pits is an education in itself, the sheer diversity of the over 300 racing machines entered is surprising. The modified and home built machines always get this scribe’s attention, Eric Swinbourn’s 1971 Weston 500 (Weslake Engine and Featherbed frame) has been campaigned for some years but is always well turned out and performs well in its class and Bruce Aitken’s race winning, meticulously prepared, Triton T120 always attracts attention. The stars of the pits were the pair of beautifully prepared Brittens that put on demonstration laps at Terertonga and the Street races.
The third day of the Challenge was circuit racing at Teretonga, the international circuit is 2.62km long and roughly B shaped. A long main straight tests top speed and a series of long sweeping bends tests handling. Most races are four laps, covering 13 classes from Pre 63 girder-fork to Formula 1. The biggest grid was the BEARS F1 open, the hotly contested lead and diversity of machines was a real crowd pleaser, with Seth Devereux (Triumph Daytona) and Jonny Lewis (Ducati V4) sharing the honours. Chris Swallow on his 1959 Gold Star had a couple of tremendous dices with Vince Burrell on his 1972 Moto Guzzi V Sport. Bruce Aitken won all three Classic Pre 63 races on his Triton T120, with Bill Swallow on the 250cc Eldee Velocette snapping at his heals in all three races.
The Oreti Park speedway races started late Saturday afternoon as the Teretonga racing wound down. An incredibly popular event with the local crowd up to 10 deep at the fence. There are 9 different classes, including: Classics, Sidecars, Pee Wees and Juniors. Bradley Wilson-Dean took the Solo Trophy, Russell Stuart and Andrew Parker took the Sidecar Trophy and Kevin Ryan took the Classic Trophy.
The Street Racing circuit is on the roads of an industrial park near the Invercargill City centre, it is roughly rectangular with a kink on the back straight. The relatively short straights and tight bends put a premium on acceleration and brakes. There were a couple of incidents, mainly caused by riders clipping the straw bales lining the circuit. Stephen Briggs and Andrew Stroud on the Brittens put on demonstration laps that the crowd really appreciated. The older machines went out in combined classes which led to some interesting racing, Vince Burrell on his 1972 Moto Guzzi V Sport had another couple of tremendous dices with Chris Swallow on his 1959 Gold Star. Chris Swallow took the Pre 72 Junior title, while his father Bill Swallow took the Pre 63 up to 500cc title, both winning all three races, on the 250cc Eldee Velocette. Michael Wilson, Francie Winteringham and Rhys Wilson came first, second and third in the pre 63 Girder Fork class, all riding Rudges.
The social side of the event was its usual great success, the biggest event was the four day Rally at Oreti Park. The 1400 riders attending were entertained most nights; the band on Saturday night, doing 70s Rock covers, went down a storm. The Bill Richardson Trust’s Motorcycle Mecca, a collection of over 300 motorcycles, was packed the whole time as was Transport World, one of the world’s largest collection of Trucks and older vehicles. The E Hayes & Sons shop, home of Burt Munro’s “The World’s Fastest Indian” and the Hayes vehicle collection were also crammed full. The Indian motorcycle company had their latest models on display at Hayes.
The Burt Munro Family Trophy was awarded to Butch Woods from Alexandra at the prize giving at the Ascot Hotel. Larry Mouat picked up the E Hayes & Sons Burt Munro Trophy for his work in helping make the Burt Munro Challenge the event it is. Kevin Kinghan received the inaugural Wayne Affleck Maverick Trophy, awarded to a competitor who displayed a flair for the unconventional. This is presented in honour of the late Wayne Affleck, one of the founders and chairman of the Burt Munro Challenge, who died unexpectedly in August. The Burt Munro Challenge facebook page has some great videos and details of next year’s event.