The popular New Zealand road-race Suzuki Series has confirmed dates for its 2020 campaign amid a period shrouded in uncertainty following the global coronavirus pandemic.
Suzuki New Zealand has confirmed its support of the three-round series which is slated to kick off on December 5 from Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park before featuring rounds from Manfeild and the streets of Whanganui.
This year’s Whanganui event will be the 68th iteration of the race which has seen the likes of New Zealand’s first Isle of Mann TT victor Rod Coleman and recent Motorbike NZ Hall of Fame inductee Tony Rees ink their name on a storied list of past winners.
With the season-opening event not scheduled till the latter stages of the year, series promoters are hopeful some large names in both New Zealand and Australian motorcycle racing can be announced over the coming months.
“It’s fantastic to have this continued support from Suzuki New Zealand for another two years, especially with the COVID-19 situation recently,” series organiser Alan Willacy told BikeSportNZ.
“Although the borders may be closed for the Northern Hemisphere, we have had plenty of interest from Australia and, with the talent we have in New Zealand, there will still be plenty of great racing to see.”
Suzuki New Zealand’s general manager of Motorcycle/ATV/Marine Marketing, Simon Meade, said he was thrilled to continue to stand right behind the series.
“Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, people needed to know they could go racing again and we are happy to provide a platform for that.
“The various bike classes that are offered by this series cater for all motorcycle owners out there and we know this leads to the high participation numbers that we see in the Suzuki Series each year.
“That’s what we’re all about, offering something for everyone.”
Last year’s Formula One class title was claimed by visiting ex-British Superbike rider Richard Cooper who repealed a late title challenge by Bay of Plenty rider Damon Rees.
2020 Suzuki Series calendar
| Round | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BMMP (Taupo) | Dec 5 |
| 2 | Manfeild | Dec 12 |
| 3 | Cemetery Circuit (Whanganui) | Dec 26 |
Main Image: Andy McGechan