The chequered flag has fallen, but we still don’t know who the winner is
The New Zealand Superbike Championship ended in confusion and controversy after the final round at Hampton Downs.
Officially at the end of the racing Sloan Frost has retained his championship – just half a point ahead of 49-year-old Tony Rees. But as Toby Summers said after emerging from a meeting with fellow racers and officials: “There are protests left, right and centre.”
The controversy erupted after the final race, which also carried the New Zealand TT (Tourist Trophy) title. It was run in two sections, after an early red flag. But then came a second red flag, when Alastair Hoogenboezem crashed at the fast turn 1, and officials declared the race. Half points were to be awarded for each section.
The race was supposed to be 20 laps but the total official laps added up to only 10 (four plus six). Critics reckoned that a race is not supposed to be declared unless at least 65 per cent of the stipulated laps have been run.
If Rees wins the series he will be part of a unique family double, as his son Damon won the Supersport championship.
Initially Frost was pleased that his great fightback from a near-insurmountable points deficit had enabled him to win the title with Suzuki for the second year running. But he was taking nothing for granted.
“I want to see it signed and sealed before I celebrate,” he said.
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- Tony Rees leads Sloan Frost and Daniel Mettam in another Superbike battle – Dallas Alexander
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- A crash in the final race cost Shane Richardson the Supersport title – Dallas Alexander
And both Frost and Rees were grumpy when they came out of the meeting with no final decision in sight. “We say the race did not go 65 per cent,” Rees said. He has lodged appeals with Motorcycling NZ.
A week Rees earlier had looked a certainty for the title but at Hampton Downs the veteran recorded two fourths and fifth, citing tyre problems.
Hoogenboezem won the first race fair and square and finished third in the series. Frost was second in that race and won Race 2.
Damon Rees, in a reversal of his father’s fortunes, won the Supersport championship from an apparently hopeless position. The young Honda rider won the first two races from season-long rival Shane Richardson, who was exercising a little caution as he had a comfortable points lead with his Kawasaki.
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- Alastair Hoogenboezem took the Race 1 Superbike victory – Dallas Alexander
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- Hayden Fitzgerald impressed aboard the Superstock 1000 – Dallas Alexander
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- Tony Rees claimed his fifth NZ Superbike title – MadLoveMedia
But in the final race, the Supersport TT, Richardson crashed at Turn 3. “I lost the rear and nearly high-sided,” he said. “I saved it but then I was in the gravel.”
Victory in the Supersport TT went to Aussie Alex Phillis on the Kiwi-owned MV Agusta triple, earning him an emotional hug from his father, WSBK legend Robbie. “We’ve done a lot of work developing the bike and now it’s good,” Alex said.
By BERNARD CARPINTER