Whakatane’s Damon Rees leads Australian Lachlan Epis and
Christchurch’s Alastair Hoogenboezem at Timaru. Photo by ASP
REES LEADS THRILLING SUPERBIKE
TUSSLE AT TIMARU
By Andy McGechan, bikesportnz.com
T
he treasured top spot could have gone
anywhere as a thrilling, multi-rider tussle for
the lead captivated those watching the race
action in the glamour superbikes class at Timaru.
It was edge-of-the-seat stuff for the riders and for the
spectators too as three or four riders cut and thrust
for an advantage on the race track in each of the three
superbike races held over the Saturday and Sunday,
Timaru’s Levels International Raceway the host venue
for this second round of five in the Yamaha-sponsored
2020 New Zealand Superbike Championships.
In the end, there was room only for three riders on
the podium and it was Whakatane’s Damon Rees,
visiting Australian rider Lachlan Epis and Christchurch’s
Alastair Hoogenboezem who claimed those coveted
top spots.
It was a similar story too in the other classes, with
multiple race leaders and constant positional changes
right through the racing in all categories, the two-
day affair at Timaru dishing up unrivalled
motorsports entertainment.
The series will almost certainly go right down to the
wire at the final round in April and there’s a lot that
could still could happen between now and then.
No rider can afford to rest on his or her laurels,
although there is a short break now before the series
resumes with round three at Hampton Downs on
March 7-8 and then the nationals continue on at
Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding, on March 28-29,
before wrapping up at Taupo on April 4-5.
Motorcycling New Zealand roadrace commissioner
Grant Ramage said it was “an absolutely awesome
weekend of racing” at Timaru.
“The conditions were perfect... the track surface was
good and there were no dramas,” he said.
“The points tallies in every class were given a bit of
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