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From - Shelley Dean:
Round 2 of the current Autumn Series was held on Sunday at the Tauranga Motorcycle Club’s home track at Rowe Road Ohauiti.
Both the Senior and Junior circuits had received a serious working over after the recent rain so riders started the day with smooth near perfect tracks that they could attack with a vengeance. And they did.
Spectacular racing in the senior group 2 category (250cc 2 stroke to 450cc 4 stroke) saw Dion Steiner and Robby Stewart battling for supremacy to the point of almost tandem jumping off the table top. Snapping at their heels came club stalwart Carl Williams, newly arrived Scottish rider Alasdair McGowan and Andrew Schmit from Whakatane. Steiner however maintained his edge and secured another perfect score and a commanding lead in the series.
Several of last year’s junior riders have now moved up into the senior Group 1 class (125cc 2 stroke to 300cc 4 stroke) where they pit their skills against more mature riders. Jason Ponder and James Hamlett, in particular, acquitted themselves admirably faced with the experience of the Eastern Bay contingent of Joel Byrne, Robert Carter and the Breingans.
Scott Barr-Smith on his CR80 remains the undisputed leader of the new pack of juniors who follow in his wake. He rode brilliantly especially when he had something to chase, which in this case was Rotorua rider Jordan Wiseman on a KX250F. However, there is a power of potential in the new young riders. Ryan Metz competed well against strong competition from Waikato riders Kieran Leigh and Mitchell Hilholst and is coming second overall.
Mini motocross riders on 65cc machines can opt to race in the A grade section on the main track or in the B grade section on the mini track. Most opted for the A grade. It is quite awesome to watch these small bikes launching themselves along the same lines as the much bigger wheeled machines of their elders. Chase Smith from Auckland dominated the day’s racing but was put under pressure by Dion Picard from Rotorua, Dylan Yearbury and Samuel Wiltshire from Cambridge and Tauranga’s Jarrod Saville.
Racing on the Junior Track is no less fiercely contested. Particularly competitive are the 50cc classes. In the Japanese bike section, Cameron Forlong made a clean sweep on the day with other local riders Ruben Mair, Reece Pudney, Tyler Steiner and Shannin Wagstaff close behind.
In the European 50cc class, Aaron Wiltshier has retained the series lead with one race win but was put under pressure by individual race winners Isaak Moore from Raglan and Aidan Kiff from Auckland.
Cameron Dodinski from Putaruru and Matt Price from Te Puke shared the day’s first placings in the 80cc Trail category while Matthew Riley and Troy van der Heyden fought it out for third and fourth.
Scott McIntyre dominated the 60cc class but was put under pressure by Hayden Shaw from Putaruru.
Sadly, there were very few quad bikes present on either track. We need more so we can organize separate races.
The closeness of the points table in all classes and grades promises more exciting racing in the final round of the series which will be held at the same venue at Rowe Road Ohauiti on Sunday June 13th. Spectators are always welcome.
Results: Points after Round 2
Senior 125cc 2 stroke to 300cc 4 stroke
1. Robert Carter Yamaha WR250 134
2. Brian Breingan Yamaha YZF250 117
3. John Breingnan Kawasaki KXF250 113
4. Grant Smith Honda XR250 79
5. Mike Fisher Suzuki RMZ 79
Senior 250cc 2 stroke to 450cc 4 stroke
1. Dion Steiner Honda CR250 160
2. Robby Stewart Honda CR250 119
3. Vaughn Griffen Honda CRF450 78
4. Carl Williams Honda CR250 73
5. Chris Groome Yamaha YZ426 56
Junior 125cc
1. Stephen Brough Honda CR125 80
2. Jordan Wiseman Kawasaki KX250F 20
Junior 85cc
1. Scott Barr-Smith Honda CR80 160
2. Ryan Metz Honda CR80 126
3. Roydon White Suzuki RM85 96
4. David Fisher KTM 79
5. Keiran Leigh CR85 68
Quads
1. Emma Goldstone Yamaha YFS 60
Minis 80cc
1. Cameron Dodunski Suzuki JR80 154
2. Troy van der Heyden Suzuki JR80 122
3. Matt Price Suzuki JR80 74
4. Matthew Reilly Suzuki JR80 58
Minis 65cc (A Grade)
1. Dylan Yearbury KTM 65 127
2. Jarrod Saville Kawasaki KX 65 110
3. Tyler Breingan Kawasaki KX 65 100
4. Amber Royal Kawasaki KX 65 100
5. Chase Smith KTM 77
6. Samuel Wiltshire KTM 51
7. Dion Picard Kawasaki KX 60 37
Minis 65cc (B Grade)
1. Kurt Langford 80
Minis 60cc
1. Scott McIntyre Kawasaki KX60 157
2. Jessie Waterhouse Kawasaki KX 60 127
3. Lee Ormsby Kawasaki KX 60 116
4. Hayden Shaw Kawasaki KX60 68
50cc Quad
1. Hamish Gimblett Suzuki LT50 100
Minis 50cc
1. Reece Pudney Yamaha PW80 144
2. Tyler Steiner Honda CRF50 118
3. Joshua van der Heyden CRF50 97
4. Scott Yearbury Honda 50 94
5. Cameron Forlong Honda XR50 80
6. Ruben Mair Honda CRF50 58
7. Shannin Wagstaff 49
Minis 50cc Japanese
1. Aaron Wiltshier KTM 50 149
2. Cameron Stewart KTM 50 124
3. Dylan Breingan KTM 50 94
4. Kerran Saville KTM 50 88
5. Logan Wise KTM 50 72
6. Isaak Moore KTM 50 69
7. Aidan Kiff Polini 50 50
8. Michael Blakesly KTM 50 43
