Young Munro cousin gives favourite tough run

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Burt Munro Challenge

Talk about lucky Biker crashes on way to rally Burt Munro-style all the way Invercargill final leg of trip Crowds roar in to take up Munro challenge Southland rider secures solo Grand Prix win Rally campers arrive Pair to defend title during 'mini-Daytona' Rare beauties at motorcycle show The roar of the Burt Munro Challenge

Former Southland rider Lee Munro has definitely inherited the motorcycling genes of his famous relative Burt Munro.

Munro, whose grandfather was Burt Munro's cousin, flew around the Teretonga and Wyndham circuits at the weekend and gave open class favourite Ryan Hampton a real run for his money.

Munro said Burt Munro was his hero and as a youngster he wanted to follow in his footsteps.

"When I was a young fella, we'd go out to my granddad's farm in Mokotua and all I wanted to do was ride the three-wheeler farmbike.

"They always used to laugh and say `He's like that uncle of his'. I was a quirky young boy that always wanted to ride."

Munro had a Burt Munro Challenge to forget last year after suffering a major mechanical mishap at the Teretonga Sprints. That denied him the opportunity to defend his 2008 Wyndham Street Race open class title the following day.

He enjoyed a much happier time this weekend, winning the BEARS class at yesterday's Street Race and pushing New Zealand motorcycling wunderkind Ryan Hampton hard in the open class title before finishing second. Munro also had his moments at Teretonga on Saturday, placing second in the BEARS and fourth in the Formula one section.

The easygoing Munro, who now resides in Christchurch, said he was just pleased to be competing at the Burt Munro Challenge after he was nearly forced to stay home for this year's festival.

Munro's main sponsor was forced to withdraw when his house was damaged by the Christchurch earthquake.

The Southland Times came to the party, however, to be Munro's title sponsor and help pay for him to get to the start line.

"If it wasn't for The Southland Times stepping up, I'd be sitting at home twiddling my thumbs", Munro said.

"Essentially, I'm a racer. This is what I love doing; this is all I think about, mate."

Munro also saluted his mechanic Phil Sutton, who had been pivotal in helping getting his bike up to scratch.

He believed Burt would be blown away by popularity of the annual motorcycling event, which bore his name, and said he felt honoured to be competing in it.

"It does make you feel very, very proud. He was an engineer at heart and a motorcyclist. I'd rather be in the saddle, twisting the throttle ..."

SPRINT RESULTSFormula one: Ryan Hampton (Christchurch) 50 points, 1; John Ross (Christchurch) 44, 2; Mark Taylor (Christchurch) 40, 3. Formula two: Jeremy Holmes (Invercargill) 50, 1; Jamie Galway (Masterton) 42, 2; Eric Oliver-Maxwell (Christchurch) 42, 3. Formula three: Johnny Small (Timaru) 50, 1; Richard Newberry (Geraldine) 44, 2; Robbie Stokes (Christchurch) 40, 3. BEARS: John Ross (Christchurch) 50, 1; Lee Munro (Christchurch) 40, 2; Paul Blasby (Palmerston) 40, 3. Super Motard Open: Gavin Veltmeyer (New Windsor) 50, 1; Mark George (Dunedin) 44, 2; Trevor Chapman (Christchurch) 40, 3. Super Motard up to 450cc: John Crawford (Bluff) 50, 1; Leighton Selfe (Oamaru) 42, 2; Scott Baird (Mosgiel) 42, 3. Pre '89: Sid Chaloner (Te Anau) 50, 1; John Beck (Invercargill) 44, 2; Kevin Orr (Christchurch) 40, 3. Pre '82: John Beck (Invercargill) 50, 1; Sid Chaloner (Te Anau) 44, 2; Chris McMeeken (Invercargill) 40, 3. Pre '72: Tony McQueen (Lower Hutt) 50, 1; Mike McMurtry (Point Chevalier) 44, 2; Tim Mulligan (Invercargill) 40, 3. Pre '63: Tony McQueen (Lower Hutt) 47, 1; Chris Swallow (Ngaio) 47, 2; Graham Peters (Pohangina) 40, 3.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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