Local high-flier ready to attack
Harry Parker is running third overall in the Supersport 300 class standings after round one of the New Zealand Superbike Championship, but the Timaru racer reckons home track advantage will boost him up the standings this weekend.
The 19-year-old won his class in Timaru in 2019 as he finished the series third overall on debut after qualifying fastest and then produced a 2-1-1 scorecard.
The Yamaha ace sees no reason why he can’t repeat tomorrow and Sunday at Levels Raceway in what is the second round of five in the championship and the final South Island round before three North Island rounds.
Parker finished third overall behind Hamilton’s Jacob Stroud and Auckland’s Nathanael Diprose in the 2019 series and he’s third in the standings again after the 2020 series opener at Christchurch on January 11-12 with Whangarei’s Jason Hearn and Opunake’s Campbell Grayling the early competition leaders.
‘‘I was pretty stoked to finish third at the weekend,’’ Parker said.
‘‘A lot of the riders have been racing this class longer than me and they’re very good riders. But I reckon I can beat them at Levels. It’s my home track and my favourite track too.
‘‘I was struggling for grip at Christchurch with the track getting so hot and the tyres becoming slippery,’’ said Parker, who managed third, fifth and fourth.
Parker is a relative novice, but he has certainly not wasted any time in getting to grips with the sport and could now be expected to feature among the leaders any time he races.
‘‘I spend most weekends on a bike and that helps,’’ laughed the bike mechanic.
Aside from what happens in the Supersport 300 class, the action is expected to be fierce in the other categories too, with the Superbike and Supersport 600 classes typically attracting the most attention, although the 650 Pro Twins, Sidecars, Gixxer Cup 150 and Supersport 150 classes should be also be closely-fought.
After Timaru, the remaining rounds of the championship are March 7-8, Hampton Downs; March 28-29, Manfeild; April 4-5, Taupo.