Rennie Scaysbrook | December 22, 2015
Saiger will be going all out to win his second consecutive Suzuki Series title.
The Wanganui Cemetery Circuit hosts the final round of the 2015 New Zealand Suzuki Series this Saturday and it may be one of the greatest showdowns in the circuit’s history.
Liechtenstein’s Horst Saiger (Kawasaki ZX-10R) and local rider Sloan Frost (Suzuki GSX-R1000) are tied on 91 points each, but if both riders take a win and a second place in the two points races (or remain equal on points by day’s end), then Saiger will take his second Suzuki Series championship back to Europe on account he would have more victories than Frost.
That makes it even more important Frost finishes ahead of Saiger in both legs if he wants to win the title, and the Wellington rider is going all-out for series victory on Boxing Day.
“Usually I don’t do a lot of preparation for Wanganui because I’m thinking about the nationals, but this year we are going to do the best we can so we’re going to Wanganui with the intention of winning,” Frost says. “On those tight streets it’s down to how you qualify. You don’t get much time on the track so I need to go fast straight up, and that’s what is difficult about it.”
The more experienced Saiger has raced at the Isle of Man TT, Macau Grand Prix, the North West 200, and the Ulster Grand Prix road circuits, and has other ideas where the title will go.
“It is perfect for the championship as we are equal with the points. It is also perfect for Wanganui, so there’s no silly game or anything, just full gas!” The defending champion says, who only recorded one top-five finish in the two championship heats last year.
“It is not too bad, I did the fastest lap of the whole meeting but I couldn’t manage to pass the other guys as I was a little bit over the limit of the tires. I preferred to sit on the bike (not crash), so I just didn’t win there.”
Honda Rider Insurance CBR1000RR mounted Tony Rees won the Robert Holden Memorial Feature race last year, his fifth since 1990, and he is currently riding better than ever. This is the race everyone wants to win to have their name engraved on one of the most treasured trophies in motorcycling.
“So long as the bike is good when we pull it out of the van we might be in the hunt. I’ve been there, done that; I’ve won it five times now (Robert Holden Memorial) and I’ll always have a go, but I’m only doing this because I like riding motorbikes,” he says.
If you’re reading this in the U.S. it’s pretty unlikely you’ll make it to the Cemetery Circuit for the race on Boxing Day, but you can still watch the event live by going to www.cemeterycircuit.co.nz and purchasing an HD streaming pass for the race.
New Zealand legend Tony Rees took his fifth win around the Wanganui streets last year – can he make it six in 2016?
