BAY OF
PLENTY’S MOIR
DEFENDS SUZUKI
SERIES CROWN
he 35-year-old father-of-one was
a breakthrough first-time winner
last year of both the Suzuki Series’
Formula One class outright and
the Robert Holden Memorial race, a
10-lapper that is the feature of the series’
final round on Whanganui’s Cemetery
Circuit each Boxing Day, and he came
agonisingly close to winning them both
again this time too.
He had arrived at Whanganui on Boxing
Day just three points off the lead in
the glamour Formula One Superbike
class – that advantage being enjoyed by
Wainuiomata’s Shane Richardson – and
eight points clear of third-ranked visiting
British rider Peter Hickman.
But then Moir clicked it up a notch,
taking his Suzuki GSX-R1000 to win
the first F1 race on Boxing Day, while
Richardson finished second, and
suddenly there was nothing in it, these
two riders level on points with just one
race to go.
Moir was ahead of Kawasaki man
Richardson in the deciding F1 race early
on and, when Richardson was forced
to withdraw with mechanical problems
on the third lap of 10, Moir knew a safe
and sensible approach was all that was
required for him to wrap up the crown.
WORDS & PHOTOS:
Andy McGechan,
bikesportnz.com
Scotty Moir has done
it again, taking the
premier class in
the three-round
Suzuki Series.
He managed a safe fifth placing in that
deciding race and this was enough for
him to successfully defend his F1 title.
But then came more drama in the 10-lap
Robert Holden Memorial feature race,
the signature race of the Boxing Day final
round.
Moir was quick off the mark in that
prestigious race and had quickly built
a massive lead over the chasing bunch,
setting a lap record in the process.
With Moir seemingly well in control,
spectator attention switched to 2018 Isle
of Man winner Hickman, the BMW rider
from Lincolnshire back in about seventh
position but on the charge and moving
up quickly.
Hickman’s progress was stunning and,
on the final lap he pounced on Moir,
catching the Bay of Plenty man unaware
and snatching the win just metres from
the end.
“I always knew it was a possibility to win
the Suzuki Series F1 class. I was good
last year and I knew it was going to be
tough this year, with such a stacked field,
but when I knew Shane (Richardson)
was out… I had the pit crew showing me
board signals… I knew I just needed to
finish where I was.
KIWI RIDER 23