Wellington ’ s Sloan Frost ( right ), with son Nixon , the youngster first to sign up to the GIXXER Cup challenge for 2023-24
Photo : Steve Caudwell , Whanganui Photography Ltd
$ 10,000 prizemoney pool for competitors in the reinvigorated GIXXER Cup segment of the contest and also the provision of a new shipment of Suzuki GS150R bikes at bargainbasement prices for those wishing to accept the GIXXER challenge . And the first to step forward and accept that challenge , which begins at Taupo in early December , is 12-year-old Nixon Frost , son of
Wellington ’ s two-time former New Zealand Superbike champion Sloan ‘ Choppa ’ Frost . “ We love this controlled bike class ... all bikes are the same and so it ’ s a level playing field ,” said Sloan Frost . “ Nixon has been racing in the Supersport 150 class , but this GIXXER Cup class is a better place to really learn your race craft . The GIXXER bikes travel at a relatively safe speed and , because all the bikes are identical and with no special after-market modifications , the racing between the contestants is tight . “ This is where young riders can develop their close-quarter skills . That ’ s something I never had when I started out on much biggercapacity bikes . A wide range of people are welcome to enter , but there are no ‘ burglars ’ in there , no champions from other bike classes . “ All the bikes are shod with the same rubber too , all using Bridgestone tyres , and these tyres operate from a really cool temperature , so tyre warmers are not an expense or hassle we need to bother with ,” he said . “ With the bikes all being so equal , it comes down to the small things the riders do on track that makes the difference .” The GIXXER Cup will again help to introduce fresh new talent into racing on the nation ’ s most famous and popular racing circuits . Some of those racers will go on to perform overseas and in Superbikes too , turn to page 58 to read about ex-Gixxer Cup racer Zak Fuller ’ s season aboard the M1 Motorsport S1000RR in NZSBK . Not only will the GIXXER Cup riders be an integral part of the three-round Suzuki International Series , including the spectacular Boxing Day finale on the public streets of Whanganui ’ s famous Cemetery Circuit , but these fledgeling “ stars of the future ” will also be in the race programme for the rest of the New Zealand Superbike Championship series , which runs on into March 2024 .
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