Hiscock ready for racing debut in Europe

Press, 26 February 1981, Page 13

Hiscock ready for racing debut in Europe

Dave Hisc'ck, of Wellington, leaves for Europe in a few weeks, for a sea-; son of road racing in Fofi snula One and 500 cu chi championship events. He has the backing of Mt: Rod Coleman, the managing director of South Pacific Suzuki, a man who has helped a great many New. Zealand riders break into European competition. Hiscock will take with him a new RGSOO Mark VI Suzuki, and .-two Formula One bikes fitted with New Zealand-made frames. He will ; ,be? as > Wellequipped as. any .New, Zealand rider previously leaving these shores. 'But his recent-.'successes 'in New Zealand and Australia leave no doubt, that he -deserves his big chance.. The engines of the Formula One bike will be full works’ models provided by the Suzuki factory. The frames will be manufactured by an Auckland craftsman, Ken Mclntosh, who is establishing an excellent reputation among New Zealand racers.

Hiscock also hopes to acquire a Suzuki GSXIIOO in Britain to compete in a national production competition introduced for the coming season. For Hiscock, the road to the top has consisted of making do with fairly ordinary machines, plerty of failures and some serious accidents.

He began competing inproduction events on a Norton Commando and Triumph Bonneville at the time when the local rider, Dale Wyllie, was setting the New Zealand road racing scene alight with some amazing rides on Nortons and Triumphs. He progressed to Yamaha RD35Os and 400 s, won several New Zealand championships, and then moved to Suzuki, riding

for the Wellington Motorcycle Centre. More New Zealand championships and a very successful season in Australia bring Hiscock’s career up to date; '■ The co-owner of the

Wellington Motor-cycle Centre, Steve Dundon, who is also a former New Zealand champion, is the main, strength behind Hiscock’s success. ' Hiscock says Dundon taught him a lot about

machinery preparation and the correct mental approach to road-racing. “I couldn’t have done a thing without him,” he says. He also pays tribute to the amount of time, effort and money Rod Coleman has put behind New Zea-

land riders. ‘‘He is a real patriot and obviously loves to see New Zealanders succeed overseas. It’s amazing, really, because South Pacific Suzuki are spending well over $50,000 for me and only a little in

the way of publicity for the brand they sell will come in return, because I will be competing out of he country’,” Hiscock ays. Hiscock will concentrate nainly on British events, le will compete at the isle of Man, on what is regarded as the most dangerous circuit in the world, and the British Formula One and 500 cu :m championships. His:ock will possibly enter V o r 1 d Championship rand prix events later in le season.

In New Zealand this immer Hiscock has been mcentrating mainly on

production, although he has also been competing in open racing events on a machine with a Mclntosh frame and Suzuki GSIOOO engine containing racing parts built by the Yoshimura company. This is similar to the machine he will use for British Formula One events.

Hiscock hopes to be as successful overseas as New Zealand riders who have preceded him. Keith Turner and Ginger Molloy both won runner-up positions in the World 500 cu cm championships, Hugh Anderson has won the world 50 cu cm and

125 cu cm titles and other riders have performed with distinction. Hiscock cannot understand why New Zealand produces such talent, especially as in most cases the local rider has had to use inferior machinery and had to make do with too few spare parts and not enough help. However, whatever the secret recipe is, Hiscock hopes to obtain some of it. He is a very determined rider and, if his efforts against inter-nationally-regarded competition in Australia is any indication, he should do very well.