Karen Blade
11 Mar 2024
There was a modest group of 17 riders who lined up for the ACM Criterium Championship. The crit was held at the Masterton Motorplex on a course the riders were familiar with. The clockwise circuit is approximately 1.3kms in length and has the start/finish on the main drag strip. The riders then negotiate a fast, sweeping right hand bend that tightens into a sharp left hander. This leads onto the long back straight before a downhill right hander back onto the main strip and the start/finish line
The riders were split into the A/B and C/D Grades with the latter heading out first. A westerly breeze blowing across the drag strip meant the back straight was into a noticeable headwind and this blunted any potential attacks. Sweeping right onto the main strip and a tailwind meant this was the fastest section of the course especially as alternate laps were sprinted for points
The sprint laps were hotly contested and in both grades there was not much between first and second places. Well done to Ari Scott and Andrew Linton for winning their respective grades
Results A/B Grade
1st Ari Scott 29 pts
2nd Tom McCallum 25 pts
3rd Simon Butler 16 pts
Results C/D Grade
1st Andrew Linton 15 pts
2nd Ricky Blade 14 pts
3rd Steve Hannam 4 pts
Full results below.
Big thanks to Di Dowding for putting on the BBQ and Eastwoods Motor Group for the loan of said BBQ. Thanks again to the organisers and volunteers.
Next race, the 2UP TT Champs is on Tues 12 March