Biker White races with injury, wins, then goes for surgery
Motorcycle racing correspondent
The weekend’s SuperGP racing at Kyalami’s Bike Festival provided good spectacle.
It was a day of sheer bravery and close competition.
Defending champion Clint Seller (King Price Bikefin Yamaha R1) initially dominated in the top-billed SuperGP category.
Starting from pole position, he led Friday’s opening race, which was red-flagged after a lap when Michael White (Consortium Shipping Yamaha R1) and Morne Geldenhuis (NCA Plant Hire Yamaha R1) fell.
Both crashers rejoined at the restart which saw White, riding with a badly cut left hand, take second place behind Seller and ahead of Geldenhuis.
Beau Levey (Motos KTM Klerksdorp RC8) took the SuperMasters victory from championship leader Thomas Brown (REHAB Ducati) and James Haper (Moto Uno Ducati).
Seller led Saturday’s second race but fell off.
He got up and rejoined, but was far behind the front contenders.
That left White to win, before being rushed to hospital for surgery on his injured hand.
Bike racers are strange.
White led home Daryn Upton (Uncle Andy Suzuki GSXR 1000) and Geldenhuis.
Levey won the SuperMasters category from Brown again, with Marius Loekemoer (Ducati) taking the final podium place.
Blaze Baker (King Price Bikefin Yamaha R6) won the first Super600 race, marginally ahead of Adolf Boshoff (Uncle Andy Suzuki GSXR600) and Byron Bester (Hi-Tech Kawasaki ZX6).
Baker took the Super600 victory again, this time setting a category lap record at Kyalami in the process.
He was chased to the flag by Boshoff and Haden Jonas on his Samurai Yamaha R6.