Superbike title safe
PA Palmerston North The defending champion, Fred Merkel, of the United Stated successfully defended his world superbike crown at the Manfeild circuit yesterday. 1 . Merkel, riding a Honda, finished third in both heats to amass another 30 points for a total of 272 but was effectively handed the title by arch-rival, Stephane Mertens, of Belgium, who crashed in a rain-soaked first heat.
Mertens, who led Merkel, 245242, before yesterday’s races -r--the last in the championship -£- fell on the twenty-first lap of the first heat after one of the front disc brakes on his Honda disintegrated going into the fast, banked Higgins corner before the back straight. The machine was a write-off but Mertens used his spare bike to win the second heat comfortably. ■' But it was not enough.
Indeed, the conditions in the second heat let riders like New Zealanders Aaron Slight (Kawasaki), who was second in the first heat, and Andrew Stroud (Yamaha), and Australians Malcolm Campbell (Honda), Rob Phillis (Kawasaki), Peter Goddard and Michael Dowson (both Yamaha), to come into their own
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Press, 20 November 1989, Page 48
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177Superbike title safe Press, 20 November 1989, Page 48
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