Stroud Settles for Second

Team Stroud Suzuki
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Monday, March 26, 2012

Stroud Settles for Second

Andrew Stroud had to settle for second at the conclusion of Sunday’s hectic final round of the 2012 Castrol Power 1 NZ Superbike Championship at Taupo on Sunday.

The defending champion was unable to halt fellow Suzuki rider and points leader Robbie Budgen’s run of two dominant wins, which propelled the Australian to his fourth NZ Superbike title.

Stroud posted a sixth place finish on his David Reid Homes Waikato GSXR1000 in the opening race and was a very close fourth in the second leg.

Stroud said after the racing, “I struggled in practice and in race one I tried to a smaller rear tyre to make it more nimble, which it did, but the traction wasn’t as good. I put a hard compound big ‘200’ Pirelli tyre on for the second race and that was a lot better.”

The 44 year old from Hamilton looked set to make the podium in race two behind Bugden and Craig Shirriffs (Fielding) however, fellow Hamiltonian Nick Cole relegated the Suzuki star to fourth after a strong late-charge during the closing stages.

“I’m more than satisfied with the second race. I had a few close encounters with Nick Cole on the last lap, there can’t have been more than an inch between our bikes a few times! Nick was really determined to get third – well done to him.”

In a must-win situation Stroud was expecting tough competition at Taupo, which is exactly what he got. “Second overall is not so bad as there was a lot more depth this year. Nick’s (Cole) going faster, Sloan Frost is going fast, as is James Smith and Craig Shirriffs.

“It has been great racing for NZ riders, Robbie has been at the front in Australia lately and we are all pretty well hanging with him, except he got away a bit here.”

“Congratulations and well done to Robbie, he deserves it. He’s riding very fast and he’ll be in for a good season with the factory Suzuki team in Australia. He deserves the position and I’m sure he’ll show that this year.”

The winner of a fourth straight Suzuki Tri-Series, Stroud hasn’t gone home empty handed this summer, and he’ll be more determined than ever to achieve his tenth NZ Superbike title next year.

2012 Castrol Power 1 NZ Superbike Championship results from Taupo Motorsport Park, Sunday March 25.
Superbike race 1: Robbie Bugden (Suzuki GSXR1000, Australia), 1; Craig Shirriffs (Suzuki GSXR1000, Fielding), 2; Sloan Frost (Wellington, BMW S1000R), 3; Nick Cole (Hamilton, Kawasaki ZX-10R), 4; Daniel Stauffer (Yamaha YZF-R1, Australia), 5; Andrew Stroud (Hamilton, David Reid Homes Suzuki GSXR1000), 6.

Superbike race 2: Robbie Bugden, 1; Craig Shirriffs, 2; Nick Cole, 3; Andrew Stroud (Hamilton, David Reid Homes Suzuki GSXR1000), 4; Sloan Frost, 5; Dan Stauffer, 6.

Castrol Power 1 NZ Superbike Championship final points standings
Robbie Bugden, 182.5; Andrew Stroud (David Reid Homes Waikato Suzuki GSXR1000), 145; Sloan Frost, 124.5; Nick Cole, 120.5; Craig Shirriffs, 114; James Smith, 100.

ENDS

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