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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
THRILLS and spills were the order of the day when the Bokomo Weet-Bix Motorcycle Series recently returned to the home of Zimbabwean motorsport — Donnybrook — where the country’s top motorcyclists Gavin Randall and Phil Archenoul were involved in a “Battle Royale” for the top honours. In one of the most exciting motorcycling events to be witnessed at Donnybrook this year, Randall came out with all guns blazing as he upped his pace and had a full-on battle with veteran rider Archenoul who is well-known for helping former Zimbabwean motor rallying champion Jamie Whyte to win the African title twice in a row in 2009 and 2010.
Randall beat Archenoul in Race One and then in Race Two, the latter managed to pass the former on the finish line, making this latest round of the 2013 Bokomo Weet-Bix Motorcycle Series an exciting event throughout the whole day.
In the last race of the day, Rob Wallace tried to outbrake Graham Hill going into the last turn but he made a mistake and crashed, dislocating his thumb in the process.
Carl Olsen went on to win the race followed by Hill in second place and Warren Dutney was a close third.
One of the race’s organisers, Shaun Whyte, was pleased with the good turnout of competitors and spectators, saying this proved that motorcycle racing was steadily gaining in popularity in Zimbabwe. A total of 13 riders took part in this event.
“We had a main circuit race meeting a few weeks ago, which was a success, and we have just successfully staged a motorcycling event… This shows that racing is on the up and there was a very good spectator turnout at Donnybrook.
“In fact, this latest round of the Bokomo Weet-Bix Motorcycle Series went down very well with a lot of non-stop action.
“With the support of Bokomo Weet-Bix, (motorcycle) racing is sure to grow. Already after the last meeting, there are a few more riders wanting to take part in this series, as the Bokomo Weet-Bix sponsorship is spread among all the riders, thus the price of race tyres, riders entry fees and fuel has been hugely subsidised.
“We, as the riders, cannot thank Bokomo Weet-Bix enough,” said Whyte, a former South African superbikes champion, who is also part of the Bogwheelers Club who run the motorcycling sport of motocross in Zimbabwe.
Motorcycle road racing returned at Donnybrook in full force this year after a breakfast cereal manufacturing company – Bokomo Weet-Bix – came with a sponsorship package for the 2013 Megelli Championship.
The Bokomo Weet-Bix sponsorship covers each rider’s entry fees and fuel for each meeting and then the remainder is put into race tyres, and this subsidise the price for each rider.
All the riders who are taking part in this series compete in Megelli motorbikes, which were brought down here to Zimbabwe from China by Harare’s TT Motorcycles at the beginning of this year to get motorcycle road racing going in the country.
In fact, this has seen some serious and competitive motorcycle road racing returning to Zimbabwe and the man in the hot seat, Whyte, said the next race meeting will be staged at the end of this month at Donnybrook.
Whyte quit competing in the South African superbikes national championship series at the end of 2009 and joined hands with other Zimbabwean motorsport enthusiasts in promoting motocross in this country.
And this year, he decided to “spread his wings” to motorcycle road racing which is now back on its feet following the arrival of Bokomo Weet-Bix as the major sponsors of the sport in Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter