Second win in a row for Otautau rider at Burt Munro Challenge
Sunday, 14 February 2021
After a tough’s night racing Johnny Racz said his arms were so sore it was tough to lift the Burt Munro Trophy he had won for a second time in a row.
Racz, from Otautau, a Southland Honda team member won the prestigious 50 Miles Open Class Burt Munro Trophy at Friday night's New Zealand Beach Racing Championships.
But he was back to work on the farm the very next day, despite a sore body.
The race was tough on the body, Racz said, and by the end of the night the beach was cut up while fading light made it difficult to tell where he needed to slow down for the corners.
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His arms were so sore, it was difficult to lift the notoriously heavy trophy, he said.
The win was his second in a row, and hard won after a coming in at second and third place in previous years.
“It's something we’ve been trying for a while,” Racz said, praising the efforts of his sponsors, and his dad, for helping him claim victory.
After the beach racing on Friday night, the next event was the E Hayes & Sons Teretonga Speed Races, followed by the Super Seller Shelley Speedway Spectacular on Saturday.
Southland Motorcycle Club president and organiser Andy Underhay likes to say the Burt Munro Challenge is for everyone.
Sidecar team Clare Hartnell and Charlotte Pring, both originally from England, call themselves the only all-girl team in the world.
The two came to New Zealand for what was supposed to be a temporary stay – 16 years ago for Hartnell and four years ago for Pring – but they stayed.
Busy work schedules meant Saturday was the first Challenge day they could enjoy.
“I love it, it’s always the best event,” Hartnell said.
They would love to see more women in motorsport.
The crowd heard from the commentator’s box that fellow sidecar racer Chris Booth was incredulously a wheelchair user.
Booth has been publicly battling a degenerative disease – Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome – for many years.
On the younger end of the spectrum, nine-year-old Slade Fordyce was looking forward to racing against his mates in the 125cc Junior Solo race.
Fordyce has been participating at the Burt Munro since he was four and dad Hayden Fordyce said he sometimes travelled to Christchurch to compete.
A member of Oreti Park, Fordyce trains at his home track every second week.
“It's great to see the kids out there doing it,” his dad said.