Jones on form for NZ grand prix win

Press, 28 December 1988, Page 30

Jones on form for NZ grand prix win

Recent international experience is certain to have sharpened the skills of the talented Christchurch motor-cycle road racer, Brent Jones, who has set his" sights on a successful defence of his Formula 2 title in the twoday New Zealand grand prix meeting at Ruapuna Park on January 2 and 3.

Jones demonstrated he was capable of holding his own with some very seasoned internationals on first-class machinery on the Malaysian circuit. He will step astride a new Yamaha TZ-250W for the grand prix, and it will take a ride of exceptional quality to beat him to the chequered flag. The Yamaha is the type of machine many privateers will use in the next world 250 cu cm championship. It is the first off the production line and bears the number, 001, on the engine and frame as proof of this. A new frame and a parallel twin, twostroke engine, which is virtually half of the Vfour engine used by Eddie Lawson to win the world 500 cu cm championship this year, set it apart from the model it succeeds. The Formula 2 event, which will be decided over 15 laps (32 kilometres), is open to multicylinder two-strokes up to 350 cu cm, multi-cylinder four-strokes up to 600 cu cm, and single-cylinder four-strokes of any capacity. But in recent times, the two-strokes have held a slight edge, particularly in the handling department.

The New Zealand grand

prix race is expected to follow the same trend, with Jones as the man to beat. He will, however, not have everything his own way. A particularly strong challenge is expected from Simon Turner (Napier), who leads the national road championship series after two rounds on a competitive Honda two-stroke.

Snapping at their heels will be Mike Webb (Hamilton), John Reid (Glen Aftin, Huntly), Craig Brown (Christchurch) and Rob Lewis (Christchurch). Webb, Reid and Barron will all ride Yamaha TZ2SO racers, but Lewis will put his faith in a four-cylin-der, four-stroke, 600 cu cm Suzuki. He has already shown his capabilities on this with a worthy fifth placing in the junior production race at Auckland.

Barron is riding the same bike that Jones rode to victory last season. The Formula 2 race will take pride of place as the last race on the second day.

The Formula 1 race, also over 15 laps, usually the feature of any motorcycle meeting, will take second place to the Formula 2 event on this occasion. It is, nevertheless, building up for an entertaining battle. Aaron Slight (Masterton) is certain to be a front runner on his FZR 1000 Yamaha. He contested the world superbike round in Japan, and has raced with success in Australia and Malaysia, and must start among the

favourites. An entry is expected from Rodney Knapp (Wanganui), who leads the senior production class. He competed in England earlier this year, with good rides. He is planning to return for the next European season, and a good performance in the grand prix will help him obtain starts. He will ride a very fast GSXR 1100 Suzuki. Barron will lead the Christchurch entry on Trevor Kirby’s Suzuki 1100, regarded as one of the fastest bikes in the country. Robert Holden rode the bike in the grand prix last season and was beaten by a bike length by Bob Toomey. Holden and Toomey, unfortunately, have slipped into apparent retirement but Barron has the ability to get the best out of the racer.

Kirby is working to improve the reliability of the bike after some mechanical problems in recent northern races.

Cut-throat competition is expected in the production classes, with the junior (251-450 cu cm two-strokes and 251-650 cu cm four-strokes) likely to produce the most entertaining spectacle. Thirty-five riders have entered. The points leader (after two rounds) is Robert James (Auckland) on a CBR 600 Honda, but any one of a dozen riders could win- the Ruapuna race given the breaks.

The 250 cu cm production race promises to be almost as close with. Grant

Ramage, Mike McCutcheon and Paul Crafer battling to hold off a host of challengers. McCutcheon will ride one of the latest Suzuki RGV 250 machines, expected to threaten the TZR Yamahas which have dominated the class. McCutcheon, the winner of the Formula 3 grand prix last year, is not a starter this time. But his famous father, Noel McCutcheon (Dupedin), is making an unexpected return to serious racing on the Kawasaki 500 cu cm twin which Mike raced so well last season. Noel McCutcheon is a survivor from the Cust era. He represented New Zealand in the Isle of Man T.T. races in the early 19605, and there will be a lot of interest in how the rider from the past copes with the bikes of the present. The meeting has no sponsor, an indication of the tough economic times, but more than $12,500 will be at stake in prize money, making it the richest meeting in the South island this season. The grand prix is the fourth meeting of the national championship circuit, and will be followed by championship meetings at Levels (Timaru) and Teretonga (Invercargill) before the road racing focus moves back to the North Island.

Official practice will be held on Monday, along with preliminary races, and the grand prix titles will be decided on Tuesday.