decisive race . Ahead of them , Oparau ’ s Hunter Scott ( Honda ) was in front , holding off a stern challenge from Westgate . So tight was the points situation that , if Westgate could have managed to pass Scott , it would have been Westgate accepting the 250cc crown instead of Brown , and if Brown had slipped any further than fourth in that race , this also would have handed the title to Westgate . But a fired-up Scott had taken the lead and he wasn ’ t going to give it back . The race was a nail-biter , but Westgate eventually settled for second , with Symon third , and Brown finished fourth in that finale , a result that rubber stamped Brown as the class champion for 2021 . Brown clinched the title by just three points from Westgate . “ This is my first New Zealand title . I ’ ve waited a long time for this . I won Woodville last week and now this , so it just feels really good to get it done ,” said Tyler Brown afterwards . “ I felt the pressure after finishing only fourth in my first race of the weekend . So I put my head down and won the next three . Then I had an ‘ off ’ in the last race . A bit of nerves got to me I guess . There was a soft spot on the track that I couldn ’ t
28 KIWI RIDER