Ryan Hampton dominates racing

JOHN HAWKINS/Southland Times

SPEED MACHINE: Christchurch's Ryan Hampton competes in the open class event of the Wyndham Street Race yesterday. Hampton took out the overall title to go with his wins in the Teretonga Sprint Races and Bluff Hill Climb.

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Not even a crash on the final heat of the Wyndham Street Race could ruin Ryan Hampton's dominance of the Burt Munro Challenge.

The rising star of New Zealand motorcycling has had a dream run in the challenge – setting a Bluff Hill Climb record of 46.21sec on Thursday and then winning Saturday's Formula One Teretonga Sprints.

Hampton looked like he was in for another easy afternoon at the Wyndham Street Race yesterday after winning the opening two open class heats. However, disaster struck on the final race of the day when he clipped a hay bale and came off his Honda CBR 1000 bike. The 21-year-old Christchurch rider managed to pick it up and restart it, though, before getting across the line in fourth place to clinch the overall title.

Speaking to The Southland Times after his final race of the day, Hampton was still trying to comprehend what had happened.

"I'll have to look at the footage." he laughed.

"There was a patch of hay, I must have hit. I went down and the bike was sliding along the ground. I watched half a dozen guys go by and thought `That's me gone for the day'."

He admitted that he thought his hold on the Wyndham Street Race title had disappeared when he came off his bike.

"All I could think about was `That's it'," he smiled.

"Once it fired up again, I thought I'll give it another shot."

Hampton, who will be one of the faces to watch out for in the New Zealand Superbike Series this summer, said he was delighted to win three open class titles at this year's challenge.

"It's good progress to go into the summer series. It's onwards and upwards from here."

Hampton has ventured south for the Burt Munro Challenge before, but this is the first time he has competed for the whole week. He said it had been an outstanding week of racing and was keen to return again next year.

"I've definitely enjoyed it. I love the atmosphere and the camaraderie of the riders. The whole community gets in behind it, too."

Christchurch's Lee Munro was second overall in the open class of the Wyndham Street Race after finishing second in each of the three heats.

Masterton's Jamie Galway was third.

Munro capped off a strong day of racing yesterday after also taking out the BEARS title.

Ashburton's Bryan Hill claimed the Formula Three title yesterday while New Windsor's Gavin Veltmeyer etched his name on the Super Motard Open title.

Winton's Brent Scammell was a popular winner in the Super Motard up to 450cc class with the Southlander celebrating his win with a huge wheelstand, which brought the crowd to their feet.

In the older bikes yesterday, Kevin Orr was victorious in the pre '89 class with Te Anau's Sid Chaloner winning all three heats in the pre '82s to clinch the title. Tony McQueen capped off an excellent Burt Munro Challenge by winning the pre '72 over 350cc class with Christchurch's Nick Fletcher victorious in the pre '72 under 350cc class.

Ngaio's Chris Swallow maintained his superiority in the pre '63 class with another title win yesterday while Australian Chris Frisken would have flown home with a happy face last evening after picking up the Girder Forks title in Wyndham.

STREET RACING RESULTSFormula Ford: Ryan Hampton (Christchurch) 68 points, 1; Lee Munro (Christchurch) 66, 2; Jamie Galway (Masterton) 58, 3.Formula Three: Bryan Hill (Ashburton) 72, 1; Robbie Stokes (Christchurch) 69, 2; Richard Newberry (Geraldine) 58, 3.BEARS: Lee Munro (Christchurch) 75, 1; Dan Ornsby (Oxford) 64, 2; Kane Bray (Dunedin) 52, 3.Super Motard Open: Gavin Veltmeyer (New Windsor) New Windsor) 72, 1; Chris Manson (Oamaru) 67, 2; Jason Feaver (Christchurch) 62, 3.Super Motard 450s: Brent Scammell (Winton) 75, 1; Heath Botica (Nelson) 62, 2; Dean Veitch (Dunedin) 60, 3.Pre '89: Kevin Orr (Christchurch) 75, 1; Anthony Stephens (Invercargill) 66, 2; Doug Wood (Australia) 60, 3. Pre '82: Sid Chaloner (Te Anau) 75, 1; Chris McMeeken (Invercargill) 66, 2; Terry Galway (Masterton) 58, 3. Pre '72 over 350cc: Tony McQueen (Lower Hutt) 75, 1; Mike McMurtry 64, 2; Tony Campbell (Hawera) 56, 3.Pre '72 under 350cc: Nick Fletcher (Christchurch) 75, 1.Pre '63: Chris Swallow (Ngaio) 75, 1; Sid Chaloner (Te Anau) 60, 2; Graham Peters (Pohangina) 58, 3.Girder Forks: Chris Frisken (Australia) 72, 1; Bill Veitch (Mosgiel) 69, 2; Cameron Jones (Christchurch) 58, 3.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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