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Collin Matiza

Sports Editor

SHAUN Simpson, the UK’s most successful off-road motorcycle racer in the premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship, will be the star attraction at this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series which gets underway at Donnybrook Park Raceway in Harare tomorrow afternoon.

The Zimbabwe Summer Series will this year be back at full throttle after it was disrupted by the Covid-19 restrictions in the past two years and both local and international foreign riders can’t wait to get back on the track to compete in this exciting three-day event which will be held tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday at Donnybrook.

Action will open with two Supercross (night racing) meetings which have been slated for tomorrow and Saturday afternoon; and will be followed by a full day of some high octane motocross racing on the last day of competition on Sunday.

This year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series has attracted more than 20 foreign riders from the United States, UK, South Africa and Zambia.

And leading this cast of the foreign dirt bike riders will be Simpson, who is set to compete in this event with two more riders from the UK – Seth and Jason Moir.

An MX1 Class rider, Simpson, won two British and a Belgian Championship; and represented Great Britain four times at the prestigious Motocross Des Nations.

Simpson will be in Harare for this weekend’s Zimbabwe Summer Series after he recently joined the Arenacross Tour!

The popular Scot will campaign the full six-round Arenacross Tour with the Gabriel KTM Motocross team next year.

Looking ahead to the 2023 Arenacross Tour, Simpson recently said: “It’s going to be a real buzz to race at Aberdeen, Scotland. I’m excited to get stuck in and I believe I can certainly get on the podium and even win some rounds. I did a lot of Arenacross and Supercross when I was younger and feel that it’s a great platform for youth riders as it’s something they’ll never experience in traditional schoolboy racing.’’

With Simpson now committed to Arenacross 2023, it will be interesting to see how he will perform at this weekend’s Zimbabwe Summer Series where he is expected to jostle for the top step on the podium with former Zimbabwe champion rider Ashley Thixton and the irresistible South African racer Tristan Purdon in the seniors main MX1 Class. At the age of 29 years, and as 30 looms in over Thixton, one would think it would start slowing him down!

Not Ash… According to the Bogwheelers Club, who organise the Zimbabwe Summer Series, he has big goals in the pipeline!

His journey has taken him more into the trails than on the track but he is up for the challenge at this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series where he will be in the good company of another talented Zimbabwean rider Jayden Ashwell in the MX1 Class.

Ashwell will be back riding at Donnybrook this weekend representing Zimbabwe with teenage sensation Emmanuel Bako (16), who has promised to produce ‘’some fireworks’’ in the 125cc and 250cc classes that he will be competing in during this weekend’s event at Donnybrook.

‘’As you know Emmanuel last month spent about 10 days training under one of South Africa’s top motocross mentors, Joe Tavares, as part of his preparations for this year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series and he is raring to go. Emmanuel is a winner and he just hates to lose and he will produce some fireworks at Donnybrook this weekend,” Bako’s father and manager, Brighton, told The Herald yesterday. ‘’In fact, he is itching to get on the track at the weekend and it is going to be a big surprise if he walks away empty-handed at the end of the three-day competition on Sunday… He will be firing on all cylinders,’’ Brighton Bako added.

Emmanuel will be joined on the track at the weekend by fellow talented young Zimbabwean riders Karl Van As and Emile Croisette. Making a comeback to motocross for this epic event are Regan Wasmuth, Tristan Grainger, Marc Thompson and Scott Fraser.

Supercross racing starts at 3pm tomorrow and Saturday’s meet gets underway at 12noon while motocross action will rev off at 9am on Sunday.  Registration is on today at Highlands Sports Club from 4pm.

There will be full catering and bar service at the three-day event. Tickets will be on sale on the day at the entrance of Donnybrook at US$5 per person with proceeds going to the elderly.