Tight racing characterises opening meeting of Auckland Motorcycle Club Series

Despite a higher than usual number of stoppages for incidents, three full rounds of racing were completed at Round One of the 2018‐19 AMCC Club Series at Hampton Downs last Sunday.

Racing was characterised by healthy fields, and tight competition across all categories.

Current NZSBK Superbike champion Sloan Frost took a pair of wins in Superbike, with Connor London picking up the win in race three. With Daniel Mettam and Bailie Perriton also amongst the action, there was some spirited dicing at the head of the Senior field, and this extended back into the Supersport 600 and Superstock 1000 classes as well. Nathanael Diprose swept Supersport 600, but there was nothing between Regan Phibbs and Tarbon Walker for the other podium spots; whilst in Superstock 1000 Adam Chambers would have enjoyed the trip home to Clive, with a trio of wins under his belt.

As usual, Intermediate provides more than its share of action, and this season appears to be no exception.

Defending class champion Matt Dunlop battled all day with Michael Patchett in ProTwin 650, whilst in Superlite Nick Olson leads the points after Scott Findlay on the flying ZXR400 Kawasaki, was a DNS in race three. Chris Malcolm was best of the 125cc 2‐stroke GP class.

Junior comprised 250 ProLite, with Darrick Kattenberg on the podium in all three races; and Lightweight Production, where Nathanael Diprose took Gavin Veltmeyer’s KTM390 to a trio of wins, as Veltmeyer continues to recover from injuries sustained at Taupo earlier in the year.

The Hyosung Cup has this year expanded into a dual‐class competition, with the introduction of the EX400 Kawasaki ‐ to create the Carl Cox Motorsport Hyosung and Ninja Cup.

Running as a combined grid, there is a Cup up for grabs in each class – and the field was full.

Jacob Stroud stamped an early mark in the Kawasaki class, whilst over on the Hyosung’s, experienced Cup regulars Grant Cullen, Josh Augustine and Michael Patchett have made the early running.

Clubmans, Sidecars and Post Classic completed the entertaining 20 race programme for the day.