SMCC NEWSLETTER

22 March 2007

This newsletter is intended to be a brief `heads up' as we have not had a newsletter in a while. If there is some one who wishes to have a go at being newsletter editor, please get in touch with one of the committee members who are listed further on. We are also in need of a treasurer as when we have our AGM in August Grant will not be standing for this position again due to work commitments.

Recently our club had one of our members, Dean Robertson, loose his battle with cancer. Heart felt condolences go out to Megan, Zac, and Courtney and also to Dean's extended family and friends.

During the month of May we will have two members representing us, Dave Morris and Peter Ramage, at the MNZ AGM in Wellington. If you have any valid concerns you would like to have addressed by this meeting, make contact with Dave or Peter ASAP.

Our website has recently undergone a re-vamp and is well worth a visit. If any one has photos or articles they wish to have published, contact can be made with John Smart who is listed on the 'Contacts' page. This website will be used to publish newsletters, entry forms and other handy items.

Our club will again be hosting the Burt Munro Challenge Weekend this year on the November 23rd, 24th and 25th. Our format will be: Rally sign in at Oreti Park rugby grounds from Friday afternoon, beach racing with racing starting at 6.00pm Friday night, road racing at Teretonga from 10.00am Saturday morning, speedway at Oreti Park from 6.00pm Saturday night, Street racing at Wyndham from 10.00am Sunday morning. There will be live entertainment on both Friday night and Saturday night (after the speedway) at our rally site. Once again we are in need of volunteers to assist in the running and administration of this fantastic event. Please contact one of the committee members if you are able to help even if your contribution is a small one, lots of them get the job done. We are especially seeking someone who is willing and able to perform administration as a temporary full time job.

The Southland motorcycle club held the second round of their Sand Pit series Motocross on Saturday the 24 March, at its club track located at Sandy Point. Saturdays excellent weather, combined with mid week rain, and some track grooming by Bruce Dickens and Craig Hyde provided the perfect track conditions. 80 junior riders and 40 senior riders competed in the event. Our youngest rider Ashton Smith aged 4 made his debut ride on a Yamaha 50cc machine.

There was once again some close racing in the junior classes. In the 60cc class a last lap crash saw Leighton Bagrie (Kawasaki) drop from his round 1 points lead to third overall from Josh Andrews (KTM) and Kyle Hartley (Kawasaki). Clem Hutchinson (Yamaha) holds a clear lead in the 50cc class, with second being closely contested by William Mason (Yamaha), Meg Paterson, and Oliver Mouat (Honda). An unbeaten Josh May (KTM) has six wins from six starts leads the 8-11 year old 85cc class. The senior feature race for the Derek Robinson Memorial Trophy saw some of the best senior riders in the club race for 20minutes plus one lap. Cameron Laird (Honda) was a clear winner from second place getter and last year's winner Greg Baynes (Kawasaki).

Motocross organiser Sam Riwhi (Yamaha) had a successful day placing 7th, 8th and 9th in he MX 1 class. Race results from round 2. Minis 1st Clem Hutchinson, 2nd Thomas Mason, 3rd William Mason, 4th Meg Paterson. 60cc class 1st Equal Kyle Hartley and Josh Andrews, 3rd Ryan Hayston, 4th Tom Finne. 85cc, class 8-11 years, 1st Josh May, 2nd Zac Andrews, 3rd equal Conrad White and Shane MacLean. 85cc, class 12-16 years, 1st Kadin Wallace, 2nd Lockie Lott, 3rd Tim Garden and 4th Andrew Haldane. Junior 125 class 1st Kurt Van Baarlen, 2nd Ryan Armitage, 3rd equal Shane Sexton and Isaac Hay. MX2 1st Damien Thompson, 2nd Kurt Shearing 3rd equal Mark Howden and Derek Hazlett. MX l class 1st Cameron Laird, 2nd William How Johns, 3rd Brent Scammell, 4th Greg Baynes. Grant Meikle Southland Motorcycle Club Motocross organiser.

SOUTHLAND MX CHAMPS `07

The biggest, best yet, all action! Present NZ super-cross Champ Sott Columb (RMZ250) rode like a star, kids running from jump to jump, cheering him on! Ryan Armitage(KXF250) Otautau,12-14yrs Junior Lites, blew everyone away, leaping the uphill double , lap after lap, in a desperate attempt to hold off the roaring CRF150 of Craig Smith, Christchurch. Only Columb and Jay Nelson (CRF450) Alexandra had previously attempted it. Craig Hyde (KX250), rode processed for half the first lap, chewing roost, poised to kick Brent Scammell's butt, only to sail over the bars big time, end of story.

Lockie Lott (KTM85) Tuatapere, had a great weekend, for a really solid second behind Craig Smith, in the 13-16yrs 85cc class. Conrad White(CR85) Invercargill took six wins from six starts in the 8-10yrs 85's, but only finished a couple of metres ahead of a hard charging Cameron Finnie (KX85) Invercargill, in the last race, who had recovered from an off while in the lead. Travis McKenzie (KTM50) Invercargill had a perfect score in the unclutched minis and appears to really have the goods. Good luck to all the Juniors competing at the nationals near Mosgiel next month.

A big thank-you to everyone who took part or helped, especially Noel May, Kelvin and Jono, who put on all the water, Noel's tractor alone did 48 hours. Also Lynley Lott who took care of lap scoring, plus Ray and Vicky Harrington who organized and provided all 70 trophies and 50 sashes. Not forgetting Creation Signs who did the graphic and design work. This event is turning into some thing very special, if you haven't made it out there yet, you really are missing something - as the Chch guys said at prizegiving "We don't get tracks like this up our way." Cheers Larry