American favoured in motocross

Press, 4 February 1989, Page 13

American favoured in motocross

After his stunning performance at Woodville last weekend, the American Willie Surratt is favourite to win the pro over 126 cc title in the 1989 New Zealand motocross championships which start in New Plymouth tomorrow. The visiting Californian is picked most likely to assume the crown won by New Plymouth’s Darryl King last season, particularly since King will not be defending the title and Surratt has not been beaten in major races in New Zealand. Surratt succumbed to the high-flying Kiwis during heat races at Woodville and during the inaugural supercross qualifiers in Tokoroa last week but when it really counted, in the lucrative finals, he was not headed. For 19-year-old Surratt, a former factory Suzuki rider in the United States, his "working holiday” could not have started off on a more healthy note. King rode to victory six times during the nine-race national series last year, robbed of a clean record only by fatigue, mechanical fail-

ure, and an Australian, Dave Armstrong, in the- other races. A horrific spill at a Swiss supercross meeting late in 1988 spoiled his plans of keeping the crown. The 19-year-old broke his leg and will not compete again until late in the year. Consistency paid off for Wellington’s Murray Anderson last year. The 30-year-old Yamaha stalwart settled for runner-up position in his division, ahead of international Armstrong, American Gary Semics and Switzerland’s Gaudenz Gisler. The Stokes Valley plumber now leads the Kiwi assault on -the pro over-126cc category with King’s younger brother Shayne (New Plymouth), Taupo’s John Penny, Tokoroa’s Vance Carson and New Plymouth’s Mitch Rowe to back him up. The pro under-125cc class again features Tokoroa’s Darryl Atkins. The Yamaha flyer was beaten only twice in the nine-race series last year but will be severely tested this season by Palmerston North's Leon Andrew, runner-up last year. He was guilty of lapses

in concentration at key moments, but has already shown he has the pace to match Atkins. ; Others expected to shine in this division include Pukekohe’s Martin Axtens, Huntly’s Jason Moorfield, Wellington's Peter Aldridge and Te Puke’s Mitchell Bell. Riders with less experience or smaller budgets are catered for in the intermediate class. Top intermediates from last year have since been promoted to the pro ranks, leaving this competition wide open. The most recent intermediate under-200cc front runners have included Martinborough’s Ronnie Towler, Kapiti’s Donald Clarke, Manawatu’s Peter Locke and Hawke’s Bay enduro specialist, Leslie Walsh. The over200cc action has featured Graeme Harris (Kapiti), and two Manawatu riders, Andrew Hughes and Michael Bron. The three-round national series continues in Porirua on February 12 and winds up in Rotorua a week later on February 19.