December 13th, 2005
Mixed Weekend for Castrol Honda Red Riders
The Castrol Honda Red Riders road race squad had a very frustrating weekend at Round One of the SsangYong New Zealand Road Race Championships last weekend at Pukekohe Park, just south of Auckland
Hamilton’s Jared Love was forced to withdraw from race one of the Superbikes, when his CBR1000RR developed a small oil leak, but the team quickly overcame the problem and Love came out on the Sunday all fired up and took two fifths, leaving him 8th on the points table.
“ I was disappointed in my starts and with the calibre of this year’s field, you can’t afford to give them an inch. The bike is competitive, in fact our lap times are very similar to the top group, but we lose ground at the start,” said Love after the meeting.
“But next weekend is a different track and we will be right there,” Love added.
Nelson’s Dean Fulton on the second CBR1000RR picked up a fourth and a sixth in the two sprint races but dropped to twelfth in the TT when his rear tyre started to destroy itself, leaving him 6th on the points table.
“The bike is more than competitive, but like Jared, I am losing ground at the start and we have had difficulty with the set up this weekend. The bike handles excellently but we are just destroying rear tyres,” said Fulton after the races.
“Manfeild is a different track and I am sure we will be right there,” Fulton added.
Newest member of the squad Pukekohe’s Hayden Fitzgerald took his CBR600RR to a seventh and two eighths, finishing 7th overall on the points table.
The year’s Championship is a long one with five rounds instead of the old four. The Red Riders have started consistently and are confident of building on their results.
Prepared for Castrol Red Riders by Motorsport Network Ltd
For more information contact Jim Tuckerman on 021 725 614
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