04-02-2014

Champ has more hunger than ever

(photos credit to Corey Varcoe Photography)

By Daryl Shuttleworth

The Russell Cunningham Properties Oreti Park Speedway will come alive this Saturday night as 20 of New Zealands top Solo riders go head to head in what will be an epic battle in the Southern Bolts And Fasteners New Zealand Solo Championship, and one rider in particular has more hunger to claim the title than anyone else.

Reigning New Zealand Champion Jason Bunyan wants this title as much as any of the 8 New Zealand titles he has won in the past, he knows if he manages to win that he also equals the record set by speedway royalty Larry Ross who currently has 9 titles to his name, Bunyan said he feels a little bit of pressure every time someone reminds him of this feat, but pressure is something the English born Kiwi thrives on.
Bunyan started racing motorbikes in the United Kingdom from the age of just 6, when he competed in grass track events, he decided there was no future in grass track so set his sights on speedway. At the tender age of just 16 Bunyan turned professional and raced on circuits around the UK against some of the worlds best riders before a serious accident saw him break his leg, wrist and nose and a lengthy recovery was on the cards.

Bunyan was taking on boxing training when he received a call from a friend in New Zealand asking him to consider doing his rehab in New Zealand, Bunyan thought it was a great idea and spent 6 months here before returning home to the UK but this was short lived as he returned and embarked on a professional racing career based out of Auckland. The 34 year old Bunyan now calls himself a Kiwi, and why not, he set himself a goal early in his career to win 5 New Zealand titles, he has achieved this now the new target is 10, that will be a National record.

He has represented New Zealand twice at the World Speedway Grand Prix at Western Springs in Auckland and says this is one of his proudest moments in his career, being able to score World Championship points against the top 15 riders in the world, while riding for his adopted country, he will do so again this year.

Bunyan races overseas between March and October where he competes in more than 50 races, then returns home to do another 15 meetings here, he is looking forward to visiting one of his favorite tracks, Oreti Park, Bunyan has tasted National success here before and he knows that it wont be easy this weekend if he wants to claim another title. Bunyan said "Oreti Park is one of my favorite tracks I've ever raced on, I'd love to race there a lot more, the crowd is so passionate, the locals are great and really look after me and the team, I can't wait to get back down there".

Bunyan says his toughest rival this weekend will be local rider Grant Tregoning, a former champion himself, he will be wanting to claim the championship on his home track, Bunyan says they are great mates off the track and he has the upmost respect for Tregoning but they are bitter rivals when the start tapes go up, Bunyan also rates Auckland youngster Bradley Wilson Dean, he says " Bradley is one of the best up and coming riders in New Zealand if not the world, he has an amazing style which is fast and smooth, he will be a real darkhorse in this championship".

The championship also features last years second and third place getters Dale Finch of Christchurch and Sean Mason of Auckland, both these riders will be pushing hard to better last years results. There will also be plenty of local talent on display, along with Tregoning, Paul Hayes, John Tuffley, Jack McRae, Conner Spriggs, Jeremy Godfrey and Jake Gillespie will all be competing for the title.

There will also be support classes of sidecars, Pee Wees, Junior and Classic solos, racing starts at 4pm.