After a six-year hiatus, the New Zealand Superbike Championship (NZSBK) returns to Teretonga Park this weekend.
With two rounds of racing already complete in the five-round series, round three in the deep south could prove pivotal to championship hopes.
Southland Motorcycle Club president Andy Underhay was eagerly anticipating a high level of race action.
“These are New Zealand’s best racing talents and you can guarantee the racing will be hotly-contested across all of the classes,” he said.
“Teretonga is a track unlike any other circuit in New Zealand and it will be exciting to see these guys and gals engage in battle here.
“As a club we’ve fought really hard to see Teretonga added back onto the NZSBK calendar so we’d love to see plenty of Southlanders trackside to watch it all unfold and cheer the racers on.”
Defending superbike champion Mitch Rees, of Whakatane, has dominated proceedings thus far but Yamaha Racing Team’s Alastair Hoogenboezem, of Christchurch, is no stranger to the southern circuit and will rate his chances after the pair’s epic tussles at Ruapuna last weekend. Auckland’s Dave Sharp, of KMD Racing, sits third overall in the championship standings.
In the 600 SuperSport ranks, Yamaha Racing Development Team riders Jake Lewis, of Rangiora, and Cormac Buchanan, of Invercargill, sit third and fourth respectively and will be looking to close the gap to front runners Ashton Hughes, of Palmerston North, and Rogan Chandler, of Upper Hutt.
Buchanan, who spent last year racing in Europe at the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and FIM Junior World Championship, will be determined to continue his strong form on home turf.
“In the four years I’ve been racing road bikes, I’ve never had the chance to race at national level here at home so I am really looking forward to this round. I get such amazing support from Southland when I race internationally so it will be unreal to finally race NZSBK at Teretonga,” he said.
“I’ve really been enjoying my time back in the kiwi racing paddock and the demands of dual classing in both the 600 SuperSport and 300 SuperSport classes. Riding the new Yamaha R6 is a completely different challenge and I’m hooked.”
Buchanan, 16, clinched his first NZ 600SS podium when placing second to team-mate Lewis at Ruapuna last weekend before adding the NZGP 300SS title and a trifecta of race wins to his achievements – smashing his previous lap record by nearly 2 seconds in the process.
“It was a really nice feeling crossing the line becoming the NZGP champion again,” he said.
However, he ranked his debut 600SS podium his “favourite race I’ve ever done in New Zealand to be honest”.
“Yamaha 1- 2! The first one of the year and hopefully not our last.”
Other classes include Pro Twins, 150 SuperSport and 250 Production. Saturday’s racing schedule starts at 9am with practice, qualifying and race one, while the action kicks off from 10 on Sunday with two races.
Tickets are $20 for adults with under-16 free and available from the gate.