American, British riders for Zim summer series
TWO American and three British motocross riders will add an international flavour to this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series which revs off at the home of motorsport in this country — Donnybrook Park Raceway in Harare — next Friday.
The Zimbabwe Summer Series is the season-ending motorcycling event which is traditionally held during the second weekend of December at Donnybrook where top junior and senior male and female dirt bike riders congregate for this exciting three-day competition.
This year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series will be held on December 9, 10 and 11 and it will open with two Super-cross (night racing) meetings on the first two days and they will be followed by a full day of some motocross action on the final day of the competition on December 11.
And Jamie Kerwin, the secretary of the Bogwheelers Club, who run motocross in this country under Motorsport Zimbabwe, yesterday told The Herald that this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series promises to be bigger and better after it has so far attracted 22 entries from top professional foreign riders from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Zambia.
More foreign entries are expected from Botswana and Eswatini.
Two of the United States’ prominent motocross riders, Tyler Hawk and Ramyller Alves, will headline the list of six riders from overseas who will be flying down to this part of the world next week to compete in the Zimbabwe Summer Series. Hawk and Alves, who compete in the seniors 125cc and MX1 classes respectively, will be joined at this event by four riders from the United Kingdom — Seth Moir (MX1 Class), Jason Moir (MX3/Veterans), Shalin Simpson (MX1 Class) and Bryn Reld (MX3/Veterans).
Motocross riders from neighbouring South Africa, who are a regular feature at the Zimbabwe Summer Series, will also be back at Donnybrook next weekend, battling for the top honours at the flagship event of Zimbabwean motorcyling competitions.
Eight top dirt bike riders from South Africa have already entered for this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series and they will be led by the irresistible MX1 biker Tristan Purdon, who calls the track at Donnybrook his ‘’second home’’ after having ‘’burnt the track’’ at the famous Harare venue on numerous occasions.
Two other talented South African riders, the Mlimi brothers — Joshua and Jonathan — will also be part of the foreign crew at next weekend’s event at Donnybrook. They both ride in the MX1 Class. Ryan Hunt (Masters), Reece Hunt (125cc Class), Tyler Tarantino, Karackel Edward and Louis Mostart (50cc/65cc Class) will complete the line-up of South African riders at this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series.
Not to be outdone by South Africa, Zambia will be bringing in eight of their top motocross riders for this event. They are Stewart Parkes (Mx3 Class), Caitlin Parkes (125cc Class), Shane Parkes (125cc Class), Rory Donaldson (125cc Class), Michael Struik (125 Class), Darren Gray (MX2 Class), Dale Holiday (Masters) and Leo Eastcourt (50cc/65cc Class).
“As you can see this is quite a large number of foreign entries for this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series and local motocross fans are guaranteed some non-stop action during the three days of this event,’’ said the secretary of the Bogwheelers Club, Kerwin. The Bogwheelers Club has just recently changed and built a new Supercross track, especially for this event. The track had not been changed for decades. This will prove to be very exciting for riders and the spectators alike.