to the big-bore category after winning last
years Suzuki Series F3 class, and before that the
Wellington rider posted three Suzuki Series wins
in F2 600 from 2009 to 2011. He is worth a good
side bet. BMW is represented by Christchurch
racer Alastair Hoegenboezem, this year on an M1
Motorsport BMW S1000RR, and he is contesting
all three rounds. Look for him at the front.
Wellington’s Jay Lawrence was stunning at
the Cemetery Circuit last year on a Suzuki
GSX-R600 and moves up to the F1 Superbike
category for the first time at this level, riding
a Carl Cox Motorsport GSX-R1000.
Three Rees will be lining up on the F1 Superbike
grid for the first time to make each round a fast
family day out. While dad Tony Rees won last
years premier class, youngest son Damon also
won the 2016 F2 600 category on his Honda
Rider Insurance CBR600RR. Mitchell and Damon
have competing in the Australian Supersport
championship, with some success. All three Rees will
be Honda Rider Insurance CBR1000RR mounted.
31-year-old Isle of Man resident Conor Cummins
has been a professional rider since 2006 specialising
on road circuits. He is a multiple Isle of Man TT
podium finisher and is remembered as the rider
who had a spectacular high speed crash off
the road and disappeared over a bank at the
Verandah during the 2010 Isle of Man Senior TT.
Lee Johnston hails from Northern Ireland and is a
successful pure road racing and short circuit racer.
The 28 year old has won the ultra-fast North West
200, finished on the Isle of Man TT podium, and has
previously been a British Superstock 600 champion
as well as a regular British Supersport rider.
In the smaller class Wainuiomata resident
Shane Richardson (Wainui Joinery Kawasaki
ZX-6R ) ended the 2016 F2 600 series just four
points adrift of Damon Rees. If the 23-year-old
remains consistent and on the bike Richardson
has to be favourite this time around. Richardson
performed very well at Daytona earlier this
year and is returning again next March.
2014 F2 600 winner Toby Summers (Auckland)
will be racing a Carl Cox Motorsport Kawasaki ZX-
6R and will be wanting to focus on consistent top
results this year, while rising star Rogan Chandler
(Wellington) is riding a Yamaha R6 this year and will
be a top contender throughout the three round
2017 Suzuki Series schedule
Rnd 1: Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, T
Rnd 2: Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, Feild
Rnd 3: Whanganui Cemetery Circuit, Mon
Sparks fly as Adam Unsworth and Stu Dawes
get sideways at Taupo in 2016
Suzuki Series. Add in the likes of international racer
Avalon Biddle, and 18 year old young guns Aaron
Hassan (Auckland) and Jacob Stroud (Hamilton),
and anything can and likely will happen.
UK-based multi-sidecar world champion Tim
Reeves with Mark Wilkes heads a massive field of
eight international sidecar drivers and passengers.
No one can throw a high-speed three wheeler
around like Reeves - he is a dream to watch in
motion on his Carl Cox Motorsport sponsored
sidecar, but can anyone get close enough to
challenge him during his third Suzuki Series visit?
An incredible 28 sidecar entries will line the grids
on race day, where current NZ champion Spike
Taylor and Astrid Hartnell will be going all-out to
keep the internationals in sight on their Mobility
Wairarapa LCR GSXR1000. However , it’s the brother
duo of Chris and Richard Lawrance who may be the
ones to watch this year. The pair will be racing the
powerful ex-Aaron Lovell Colemans Suzuki LCR1000
sidecar, so look for them at, or near, the front.