Moir keeps lead
Taupo¯ superbike rider Scott Moir has managed to maintain his Formula One class lead after a fight to achieve a 4-3 scorecard at Manfeild last Sunday.
But with other riders nipping at Moir’s heels, expect an afternoon of highoctane bike action on Boxing Day at Whanganui’s famous Cemetery Circuit.
The Suzuki rider went head to head with teammates Daniel Mettam and Sloan Frost along with Honda’s Mitch Rees, Yamaha’s Hayden Fitzgerald and Kawasaki’s Glen Skachill in pursuit of Formula One class glory at the second round of three in the 2017 Suzuki Series at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding last Sunday.
There was virtually nothing between them at the end of the day, just 11 points to separate the top five F1 riders at Manfeild, and there is everything to fight for as they now head to the public streets of Whanganui for the third and final round of the Suzuki Series on Boxing Day.
Mettam, 21, has surged up the series standings and now lies second and just seven points adrift of Moir.
A third Team Suzuki rider, Wellington’s former national superbike champion Frost, qualified fastest in the F1 class early on Sunday, but he struck trouble in the opening F1 race, missing a gear change and running off the track. He managed to recover from last position to claim tenth at the chequered flag, but the slip-up was costly and the 2015 Suzuki Series winner now has only a remote chance of claiming the main trophy this year.
It was a “good solid weekend” for Moir, who was grateful to still be leading the title chase after a “scary moment” in race one.
“I was lucky to finish that first race,” said Moir.
“I was in the lead when I high-sided and got flicked high off the bike seat. I managed to save it and not crash, but I was dropped back to eighth. Then I overshot a corner while trying to catch up and lost three more places. These were simply mistakes and I had nobody to blame but myself.”
For Moir to fight his way back to eventually finish fourth in that race speaks volumes for the man’s talent.
The third and final round of the 2017 Suzuki Series is set for the public streets of Whanganui, the Cemetery Circuit, on Boxing Day.