MOTORSPORT
Wairarapa sidecar racer Spike Taylor continues to lead the Formula One Sidecar National Championship after the fourth round raced at the Levels Raceway, Timaru, over the weekend.
Five-time national champion Taylor from Carterton and swinger Kendal Dunlop [Auckland] were second in all three races behind Barry Smith and Stu Dawe and head the championship with 222 points, a lead of 34 over Smith and Dawe.
Mike Wolland and Isaac Taylor completed the podium with three third places at Timaru, and remain third in the championship on 150 points.
Masterton’s Eva Wintle had two third placings and a second in the Gixxer 150 motorcycle class and tops the championship with 182 points, a lead of 29 over Nixon Frost.
The next round in the championship will be the Burt Munro series at Teretonga, Invercargill, from February 9 to 11.
CYCLING
Toby Evans took line honours in Tuesday’s first ACM WIZWireless race of 2024, a mass start road race from Double Bridges, Rangitūmau.
The course was only 26 km long with but a few modest undulations and was ridden full gas with no opportunity to recover or ease straining legs.
The pace was on after a brief neutralised start, and the peloton quickly split into three groups. The outward leg had an easterly headwind that made it hard for some riders, particularly over the first rolling undulations and along the straight leading to Kōpuaranga Hall.
Rounding the turning point at Mauriceville, the riders had a tailwind that increased the pace and encouraged a very high-speed return leg.
Evans was the strongest over the final stages, pulling away to win in 37 minutes 50 seconds, with a six-second gap back to runner-up Dominic Green, with Richard van Lent a distant third.
The next race on Tuesday is a handicap road race on the Y Loop at Wainuioru, with a start time of 6.00 pm.
