Whanganui rider Dibben unbeaten
Unbeaten in four super moto class races of the 2017 Suzuki Series, Richie Dibben (former WHS student) goes into the final round on his home track a red hot favourite to reclaim the title.
PHOTOS / Andy McGechan
Whanganui racer Richard Dibben has one hand back on the trophy he last held in 2014 with his unbeaten run in the 2017 Suzuki Series super moto class.
Dibben has just one round remaining in the series on his home track in Whanganui on
Boxing Day and looks a shoe in to reclaim the title from Tauranga's Duncan Hart who has won it for the last three years on end.
Dibben, however, has been unlucky finishing runner-up during that time after mechanical problems and a minor crash ruling him out of winning contention.
This season Dibben has gained maximum points in round 1 at Taupo a fortnight ago and again in round 2 last weekend at Manfield, including bonus points for being fastest qualifier at both venues.
He has his Honda CRF450 absolutely humming since taking it out of the shed a month before round 1 and in qualifying at Manfield at the weekend Dibben posted the fastest lap time in 36.279 seconds - not bad for an off-road machine with road tyres.
In each of the two races at Manfield Dibben was beating Hart ( Yamaha YZF450) by up to 9 seconds with fellow Whanganui rider Aiden Brown in third. The trio finished 1,2,3 in that order in both races.
Dibben goes into the final round at the Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day with 101 points, while Hart has 88 and Brown 76.
While he has a handy series lead, Dibben knows full well he can be caught, especially if he backs off the throttle or has a DFN (did not finish).
"I won't be doing that if I can help it," Dibben said.
It will handlebars down and catch him if you can, that's Dibben's style and what spectators expect of the Keown Honda motorcycle mechanic on his home track.
"The Whanganui street circuit is my favourite track and going to the front is the way I like to race. The old bike is still going well and I don't have any sticking plasters on it despite its age. I've raced this same machine for the past four seasons."
The Dowman Contracting, Tyre Shield-sponsored rider is not counting his chickens, but astute judges are backing the hometown racer to make it a clean sweep on Boxing Day before he heads to the street circuits at Nelson on January 2 and Paeroa in February where he has won the last two years running, breaking his own lap record last season.
By Iain Hyndman
Wanganui Chronicle 20/12/17
