Last Sunday April 1, under brilliant sunshine, New Zealand’s crème de le crème of road racing, gathered at Manfeild Autocourse for round three of the Motorcycle Trader & News Championship.

The Superbike class saw a gigantic duel between Kawerau’s Tony Rees on his modified Yamaha R1 against Christchurch’s Andrew Stroud and New Plymouth’s Shaun Harris on their Suzuki GSXR1000 Superbikes.

Race one was taken out by Stroud from Harris, with Rees third.

Race two saw the battle resume, however while racing at close quarters Harris, who had led the points chase into the round, fell and left the way clear for Rees to take a 1.5 point lead over Stroud, into the final round at Pukekohe next weekend.

The other big bike class, Open Sports Production, saw Stroud and Rees shared a victory and a second each, with Aucklander Ray Clee rounding out the placings, with two thirds.

Harris on a Suzuki 600 was successful in taking the lead in the Formula Two championship from Denis Charlett in another Suzuki.

The current points leaders extended their points leads in all the other classes. 

Andy Bolwell (Oamaru) took his Kawasaki to a 23-point lead over Foxton’s Jason Easton on a Honda 125, in Formula Three.

Shaun Harris (New Plymouth) extend his 600 Sports Production class lead to 49 over Dennis Charlett (Palmerston North), both on Suzukis.

Foxton’s Jason Easton, now holds a 44-point lead over Brent Symes (Hastings) in the 125cc GP class.

Sidecars saw Colin Buckley (Auckland) and passenger Darren Abrahams (Gisborne) extended their lead over current Champions Aaron Lovell and Philip Duthrie (Hamilton) to 20 points.

Results and Points Standings.

Superbike 
Race one: Andrew Stroud (Christchurch) Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1; Shaun Harris (New Plymouth) Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2; Tony Rees (Kawerau) Yamaha R1, 3.
Race two: Stroud 1; Rees 2; Ray Clee (Auckland) Suzuki GSX-R1000, 3. 3. 
Points: Rees 113.5; Stroud 112; Harris 106.5; Dean Fulton (Mt Maunganui) Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 68. 

Formula Two 
Race one: Harris, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1; Dennis Charlett (Palmerston North) Suzuki GSX-R600, 2; Andrew Bretherton (New Plymouth) Suzuki GSX-R600, 3.
Race two: Harris 1; Charlett 2; Bretherton 3.
Points: Harris 125; Charlett 116; Brendon Gare (Oamaru), Paul Gee (Auckland) Yamaha R6, and Graeme Parr (Auckland) Kawasaki ZX-6R, all 58. 

Formula Three 
Race one: Terry Fitzgerald (New Plymouth) Suzuki GSX-R400, 1; Steve Bridge (Hamilton) Ducati TT2, 2; Andy Bolwell (Oamaru) Kawasaki ZXR400, 3.
Race two: Fitzgerald 1; Bolwell 1; Bridge 3.
Points: Bolwell 127; Jason Easton (Foxton) Honda RS125, 104; Brent Symes (Hastings) Honda RS125, 77; Fitzgerald 73. 

Open Sports Production
Race one: Rees, Yamaha R1, 1; Stroud, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2; Clee 3.
Race two: Stroud 1; Rees 2; Clee 3.
Points: Stroud 135; Rees 127; Dave Cole (Auckland) Ducati 996, 71. 

600cc Sports Production 
Race one: Harris, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1; Charlett, Suzuki GSX-R600, 2; Clee, Suzuki GSX-R600, 3.
Race two: Harris 1; Charlett 2; Clee 3. 
Points: Harris 150; Charlett 101; Corey Oxenham (Mt Maunganui) Suzuki GSX-R600, 99. 

125cc GP 
Race one: Easton, Honda RS125, 1; Bruce Godfrey (Napier) Honda RS125, 2; Glenn Hayward (Christchurch) Honda RS125, 3.
Race two: Easton 1; Godfrey2, Hayward 3. 
Points: Easton 150; Symes, Honda RS125, 106; Godfrey 101. 

Sidecars
Race one:Colin Buckley (Auckland)/Darren Abrahams (Gisborne) Yamaha 1000, 1; Aaron Lovell/Philip Duthie (Hamilton) Suzuki 1100, 2; John Blaymires/Nick Ives (Te Puke) Kawasaki 1000, 3.
Race two: Buckley/Abrahams 1; Lovell/Duthie 2; Blaymires/Ives 3. 
Points: Buckley/Abrahams 145; Lovell/Duthie 125; Spike Taylor/Dennis Simonsen (Masterton) F17 1100, 82.