Round 1 Wrap
Race day: 16 Sep 2025
And We’re Off!
And so, our season is underway for the 15th time! Hampton Downs turned on a typical spring race day for us. Cold, windy and showers throughout the morning, usually just as the Cup riders formed up on the dummy grid. It could have been quite messy and we did have a few fallers but no one injured and there was some great riding in these conditions. Of the 40 registered racers we had 34 on the day with the Ninja field at 19 and 15 Hyosungs. I think the forecast kept a few in bed. Quite a di erent day for me with no rider to look after so watching the passes into the Porsche Dipper was almost a novelty.
We had two riders from years gone by back to compete which was so good. Robbie Whitlock raced in the first seasons of the Hyosung Cup, left to start his family, 3 children later he’s back on a Ninja 400! Justin “No seat” Reid is also back. Always fast and a No holding Back rider, Justin made a welcome return also under the Passmasters NZ banner.
Totally new to the Cup was Alyssa Boyd who is super-fast on her GT250R, Phil Gaskell on a Bliphr Ninja 400, and Young Gun Lucas Hyslop on the AVA Racing Ninja 400. Riley McGettigan on a GT250R is Jons son who raced many seasons ago also, multi-generational is the Cup now. Lachlan Stace and Amar Rajeev lined up for their first season on GT250R’s. Also good to have Cadel Finlay back one of two X4R’s and riding really well. We have 8 under 19 riders this season which is awesome to see and 5 women will compete for the Women’s Cup.
Practice/qualy was run on a cold but dryish track. Some riders got in 8 laps which was appreciated I’m sure especially if they hadn’t been to any track days recently. Benny stamped his name on the Ninja pole spot (1:19.003) from Joe Go Stroud, Riley Fowles (moved on from the 250’s) and Lozza May rounding out row 1. Bretty Butler got the better of team mate Had’s Thomson on their debut qualy in the Ninja Cup going P7 with Hads in P14. Good debut for Phil “the Pom” Gaskill in P12, an experienced track day rider and all-round lover of two wheels. Phils road bike is just shy of 200,000k’s!
Scotty Findlay put the Hyosung Cup field on notice with a sharp pole time chased by Nick Trigger, Troy Fowles and Cadel Finlay. Super good time by Trent “Too Tall” McDiarmid with a second row P6 just headed o Alyssa Boyd on her debut ride. This is our first season of Hyosung’s being able to run full race wets but they weren’t required this time out. I think the head wind was a bigger challenge for our 250’s.
Joe leads Justin, Tim and the charging pack into Turn 2. ASP Pic.
Race 1
It was dry when the lights went out and the drizzle started to fall on lap 4, as did some of our riders. No injuries but a bike in the middle of the track at the dipper brought out the red flag and just as well as the conditions were not ideal for the tyres fitted and track temps were way down. Joe crossed the line on lap 4 just 0.12 ahead of Tim Gray for the win with Benny Cook in 3rd and a great ride by Megz for 4th just ahead of Justin who battled race long with Chris Smith and Andy Ansell.
Scotty Findlay came home 3.9 seconds ahead of Cadel and Troy with Alyssa a fantastic 4th on debut. This was a tough race for so many new riders but fortunately no injuries to those who succumbed to the greasy surface. Vicky, Nick, Amar, Jarrod and Shelley all came back on the trailer. Lachlan had some technical issues preventing him from starting.
Alyssa Boyd was super-fast on her Cup Debut and took out P1 for the Women’s points. ASP pic.
Race 2 Le Mans start
Light rain was falling as we held the bikes for the running race. Not ideal as I was getting wet and just wanted Lozza to hurry up and get to his bike so I could get o and watch the race. For me this was one of the races of the day, not the least because we had a new Ninja Cup race winner in Riley Fowles. Riley had no fear of the slightly damp track and went o on his merry way to the win. However it was Lozza, who was chasing him down and was within 0.5 at the end after being 4 seconds behind with just 2 laps to go. Joe Go Stroud chose to start from pit lane and left Jesse with no bike to hold. This was another impressive ride through the entire field by Joe coming home in P3 and setting the fastest lap. Tim Gray was P4 and a great ride by Lucas Hyslop to P5 from the back of the Ninja grid. We lost Benny and Megs in a turn 4 tangle with Benny having to sit the rest of the day out after a head knock. Megs was ok and able to repair her bike and get back out there.
Scotty raced away with the Hyosung win although Cadel rode really well in the tricky conditions for P2 and the fastest lap. Nick got P3 by 0.09 from Troy and Alyssa showing great skills to come home P5 ahead of Jarrod Thompson and Trent.
Awesome shot by Aaron of Riley Fowles, Chris Smith, Justin Reid and? over turn 3
Race 3
The track was dry, the wind cold and strong as the Hyosung 250’s pushed through it up the hill at Hampton Downs. Scotty Findlay had more of a fight this time with Cadel Finlay, V Twin ‘V’ Super Single. P1 went to Scotty by 0.4 with Cadel taking the fastest lap point with a 1:25.224. A great battle. Nick Trigger had a lonely ride to P3 ahead of Troy and Alyssa. Jarrod Thompson and Trent had a good fight for P6.
GO Joe! Joe is the 5th member of the famous Stroud family to compete in the Cup. He also has those genes of his super fast dad and put them to good use in race 3. Joe took the win by 5.1 from Tim and Justin. Great to see past Ninja Cup Champion Chris Smith back in the fray and slotting into a nice P4 ahead of Lucas, Megan and Lozza. Our top ten was rounded out by Alex Le Comte P8, Andy Ansell and Bretty Butler who spanked his team mate Hads Thomson.
Round Ninja winner Tim Gray leads Benny, Megs and Lozza out of the Dipper. ASP Pic.
Race 4
Although Joe crossed the finish line first the win was taken away for a medical check infringement following a crash in another race. This sent 75 points the way of Tim Gray followed by the ever-improving Lucas Hyslop and the returning Justin in 3rd. The lap times were dropping as the track got some heat in it and riders shaking o the rust. The top 10 riders all going under 1:20. Great to see Phil Gaskill and Robbie Whitlock banking solid points in their Ninja Cup debut’s.
Scotty wasn’t playing in this race and headed Cadel home by 4.6s who in turn had a good margin over Nick in P3, Troy and Alyssa came in 4 and 5. This top 5 hardly changed positions all day. There were some good battles further down the field as Trent, Amar and Jarrod fought over P7. Riley McGettigan and Dylan McDermott also had solid debuts, dropping lap times all day.
Cadel leads the Hyosung’s on the run to turn 2. ASP Pic
Overall, a great start to our season. Massive thanks again to the excellent Team in the control room lead by Chris Costello with Jane, Nicole, AJ, Paul and Trevor all bringing huge experience to run a very e icient day. Awesome to have Brad Ritchie commentating and to all those corner workers who put up with the inclement weather a massive thanks also. Timo was nearly blown away holding that red flag before the start, nice work mate.
Finally, thank you to all the Cup sponsors below who have helped make our Cup so special.