resumed with round three in Christchurch in the first weekend of January . The PTS Logistics-sponsored NZSBK series carried on with round four at the Levels International Motor Raceway , near Timaru , on the weekend of January 13-14 and spectators were again treated to racing of the highest calibre .
ROUND FOUR - LEVELS RACEWAY Ups and downs are often all part of the excitement with motorcycle racing and there was plenty of that going on at round four at Levels . While a few of the leading riders at Timaru suffered unaccustomed crashes , there were drops of a different nature seen there too at this pivotal fourth round ... and that was falling lap records . Several riders managed to score remarkable hat-tricks at Timaru , winning all three of their races over the two days , and perhaps none was more impressive than the trio of wins enjoyed by West in the premier Superbike class . West was pipped in qualifying by Mitch Rees and he came under intense pressure too from
the Kiwi hero in all three of the 1000cc bike races at Timaru . The man from Queensland broke the Timaru lap record for Superbikes on his way to his first of three race wins that weekend . But that lap record pace was then surpassed twice by Rees the following day , with Rees snatching the lap record from him in race two and then going even faster again in the third and final race of the weekend . However , those lap records are really for bragging rights only , with no competition points on offer for those achievements , and Rees can perhaps now see his title slipping away as West ’ s race-winning momentum powered onward . Three of the Superbike class riders who had a disappointing weekend at Timaru were Taupo ’ s Scott Moir , who suffered mechanical issues before the start of race one , Rees ’ multi-time former champion father Tony Rees , who crashed out of race three , and Christchurch ’ s Alastair Hoogenboezem , who failed to start that third race due to mechanical issues . Other riders to enjoy a “ golden run ” and
Cormac Buchanan Mitch Rees
Jesse Stroud Ant West
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