Race by Race Comments

Comments from Alan Henderson

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Race 1:

National 125: Ryan Metz (who? – from Tauranga) led out then crashed into Lap2 and emerged in 14th. Aaron Wiltshier had crashed solo in the mud of the first turn and emerged at Lap1 in 12th then worked his way forward improving one place each lap to come home 3rd, 33secs behind Cameron Vaughan who had 8.7secs over Logan Blackburn. Blackburn is planning to do the Australian Under 19s series. Jacob Kneebone was 4th and Kurtis Lilly 5th.

MX2: At the holeshot you could not see for ther dust. DK is leading and then there’s a big pile-up.At L1 it’s DK from Rhys Carter, Ethan Martens, Broxy and Scott Columb. Those five are real close. Next lap it’s Rhys with a 2sec lead over DK.Into L7 and DK is closing on Rhys. Columb is past Broxy around the holeshot corner again and they are bar to bar through the rollers and over the container jump. Busy trying to watch all the battles.DK leaves his run on Rhys too late and is only a bike length behind at the Finish line – 0.213 to be exact.7 secs back is Martens, 2.5secs to Columb and 3secs to Broxy. John Phillips was 10secs back and only just pipped Aussie Brock Winston. It was 27secs back to Kieran Leigh who was just ahead of Matt Hunt, Cam Dillon, Ryan Thompson, Broc Martens and another Aussie 15 year old Jay Wilson. In all the excitement of the commentary Neil Ritchie reminded us that Wilson won his class at the Junior Worlds in Taupo.Busy, busy race.

MX1: Of the 26 that lined up 14 were not wearing neck braces and most of them were the ‘named’ riders – found that interesting.Daryl Hurley had the very inside gate with 5 empty beside him. Starter Sharon Cox backed off when signalling the 30 second countdown. She had not sighted Hurley in the corner and was still inside his line and it was only an alert John Tootill who picked up the photographers shouts that pulled her out of harms way. Hurlz got a flying start but was squeezed at the corner by those further out. Cam Bailey surprised himself with a 4th at the holeshot ‘flour’ line – they took Puke’s lead from last year and were paying holeshot money. Aussie Todd Waters was out front but Cody Cooper (aka Coops) takes it just before the end of the first lap. Billy Mackenzie (3 times winner of the Japanese GP) crashes in Lap1 and clocks in at 18th. Brad Groombridge is down in 16th and chargingHe picks up 6 places in Lap2. Justin McDonald drops from 6th to 16th.Aussie Kirk Gibbs does the same, 10th down to 17th.Waters leads for 2 laps then Coops takes it back.Mike Phillips is looking very strong in 3rd – must be back to his ‘old self’ again. At Lap5 Coops leads by 6secs from Waters, Mike Phillips, Hurlz, Jared Guthrie and Damien King.Coops led Waters to the Finish by 3secs with 53secs back to Phillips. 4secs to Hurlz and 11 to Mackenzie.

Race 2:

125 Class: Kurtis Lilly had a BIG crash and was helicoptered out as they feared ‘severe trauma to his abdominal area’. 6 hours and a CT scan later, there’s no internal bleeding so he’s discharged with a bruised collarbone and broken base of his thumb - lucky. Blackburn leads for 3laps until Vaughan gets through into Lap4. Vaughan wins by 11secs from Blackburn who’s 31secs ahead of Jacob Kneebone.Cohne Chase is 2secs back and Ryan Metz another 4 secs.

MX2: Martens in the lead from Columb and Winston. Into Lap3 and it was Columb in front.Cam Dillon was in 4th but then dropped down and was inand out of 8th and 9th.DK was then in 4th but something was going on with his lower leg. At Lap8 he pulled out. I was told second-hand that he’d aggravated an old inquiry namely the plate in his lower leg. His brake side foot went numb and it was too risky to continue. White flag and it was Columb from Martens and Carter. Columb by 2.666 to Martens, Winston, Carter and John Phillips. Phillips had come up through the pack as had Jay Wilson. Broxy was 6th and Jay Wilson looking better in 7th. Kieran Leigh had already a crash in the opening lap and was down in 33rd.Then he had another coming into the flag – this one hurt – dropping 5 places.Keenly watching this MX2 race is Kayne Lamont.He had his right collarbone plated last Wednesday as it had 4-6 breaks.

MX1: It’s very hot and dusty now. Into Lap2 and it’s all over for Bjarne Frederiksen – he breaks his right leg. Waters leads from Mackenzie and Hurlz.Coops is down in 5th. Lap4 and Coops is into 2nd past Mackenzie. Lap6 he leads by 2.8secs and stays there to the flag to win by 4.4secs. Mackenzie is 22secs back and Hurlz 3secs. Gibbs was only a couple of bike lengths behind him. Then it was Groombridge, Phillips, McDonald, Saunders and Donnelly.

Race 3:

National 125: Blackburn lead all the way to win by 11secs from Vaughan with 32 secs back to Wiltshier. Sean O’Connor had another ripper start but dropped to the back of the field in Lap3. Wiltshier dropped it in Lap2 and went down to 8th but got back to a creditable 3rd.Vaughan had to come through from 10th to win. Aiden Kiff had DNFd the previous race into the 5th lap but this time it was into Lap3 - a painful broken right collarbone.

MX2: 10th around the start corner for Carter who then had a crash out the back. He was down at 23rd at Lap1. Martens was out front and John Phillips was challenging Winston. Columb was 4th throughout and Broxy 5th. Cam Dillon was at 10th then a lap later was in 14th then down to 22nd. Kieran Scheele was down at 25th at Lap1 but could only make up 10 places. At the flag it was Martens by 4.7 from Winston, less than a sec back to John Phillips, 5secs to Columb and less than 1 to Broxy. This was Martens first win and he was suitable excited.With DK out at the 2nd Moto the top 10 points were going to be interesting. Carter was peeved with his bad last Moto.

MX1: Mackenzie had a great start, the JCR Yamaha certainly sounds the goods. Hurlz was behind him for a lap and then dropped down to 5th. Lap3 and Mackenzie leads Coops, Waters and Hurlz. At Lap7 those front 3 were 27secs in front of Gibbs, Hurley and Groombridge. It was a tough 9 laps in the heat and dust. Mackenzie won it by 3.7 from Coops with Waters only a second back. It was then 36secs to Gibbs and just 2secs to Phillips, Groombridge and Hurlz. Good win for Coops on the day. Waters is impressive to watch and Mackenzie has hit his straps. Mike Phillips is obviously back to full fitness and should go well in the next two rounds.

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