Auckland Supermotard Computer Force Cup Race Report. (by Todd Sutherland)

The motard gang showed up for a typical 'Bucket day' at Mt Wellington. Relaxed. This was GP weekend for the Bucketeers but nothing gets these boys too wound up so the motarders set about putting their bikes together and generally soaking up the glorious sunshine as things got underway.

Numbers swelled at only Auckland’s second meeting with one of the previous month’s ‘virgins’ managing to borrow a set of trick motard wheels and tyres and one character turning up and doing well on knobblies! Lending tyres seemed to be the order of the day with no less than 4 entries on borrowed rubber (sounds unsavory I know).

Practice highlighted a couple of set-up problems , new recruit Nick Pavletich finding his rear wheel bearings were shot and me finding my face buried in mud courtesy of running a to soft, flash Harry, we tfront tyre. Pavletich was soon fitting a wheel volunteered from the last events winner John Faithful which gave the added benefit of actually having a road tyre mounted!

KTM rider Stephen Briggs shot out to an early lead with Faithful in hot pursuit. A little too hot as it turned out. Running out of turn 3 onto the short back straight, Faithful’s determined bid to get a good drive was thwarted when Brigg’s own drive was baulked by a lapped rider. Faithful was pitched to the tarmac in the ensuring collision. Mark Collier (WR400F) had already come unstuck, pushing for 4th place onto the front straight, sliding into the lush grass previously visited by me.

Faithful made good in the next race with the ever, present Bradford pushing the whole way on his Kawasaki KX500 to grab 2nd place. The mystery of how to get the best use of a 500cc two stroke in the confines of the Mt Wellington Kart track seems to be have been solved by Bradford.
Bradford went on to better his opening 2,2 scorecard in the remaining two races with a pair of wins, while Briggs went into demo hack mode, serving up some entertaining rear slide action.

Honda CRF mounted John Oliver was giving his own entertaining display. In race one an unsuccessful attempt to round up the 2 stroke of Bradford, Oliver found himself running off the track and up onto the banking on the outside of the sweeper. No problem for this motarder: on the gas, wall of death move on the banking and back into it…. Unfortunately it all came unstuck when the wet / dirty tyres that had been offering so much grip on the tarmac only moments before refused to join the upright party. Oops but never mind. No fairing damage to worry about. Up and off again.

The day progressed and everyone left with a grin; Bradford claiming the trophy, some fine performances from trail rider Pavletich, despite his loyalty to the knobbly front tyre, Faithful the entries prize draw, CD player (thanks again Computer Force) and Collier happy in the knowledge he’d had a bit of fun and was going to be picking up a heap of business, plug, plug. Huge thanks from all the Motarders to John Connor and the crew for doing all the work.

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