A family that plays together stays together, or so they say, and what better example of that than Bay of Plenty father-and-son racing team Tony and Mitch Rees?
The Honda Team-mates were tough to separate on the purpose-built tarmac race tracks in Taupo and at Manfeild, respective hosts for rounds one and two of the traditional Christmas-time Suzuki International Series over the first two weekends of December.
The dynamic duo from Whakatane then headed to the third and final round on the world-famous Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui on Boxing Day running first and second in the standings for the premier Formula One/Superbikes class.
The just-turned 32-year-old Mitch Rees was the defending champion in this series and his 57-year-old dad, Tony, also a multi-time former New Zealand champion, was able to join him on the podium at both round one and round two.
In fact, it was the “elder statesman” who finished the weekend top step of the podium at Manfeild, ahead of another former national champion in Canterbury’s Alastair Hoogenboezem, with Mitch Rees forced to settle for an unaccustomed third overall after he crashed out of the second of three F1 races at the Manawatu circuit.
British rider Peter Hickman, the Robert Holden Memorial feature race winner at Whanganui in 2018, had his work cut out in New Zealand this summer. The 2024 Isle of Man winning rider finished fourth overall in the F1/Superbikes class in this year’s Suzuki International Series that wrapped up on Boxing Day. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
But they headed to Whanganui’s grand street fight finale on Boxing Day with Mitch on top of the F1 standings, albeit by just four points from his father, with impressive 2024 Isle of Man champion Davey Todd, from the United Kingdom, in third position overall.
Each riding a brand-new Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade motorcycles, Tony Rees surprised when he qualified fastest at Whanganui, and then backed that up with a second and a third in the two points races that followed.
Mitch Rees, meanwhile, perhaps a little chastened at being bested by his “old man” in qualifying, proceeded to stamp his authority by winning both the F1 races at Whanganui.
These results were enough to see Mitch Rees finish the series on top of the F1 class, with Tony Rees settling for runner-up, while Todd, fellow 2024 Isle of Man champion Peter Hickman and Christchurch’s Hoogenboezem rounded out the top five.
It was Mitch Rees’ fourth F1 win in a row for this series.
Mitch Rees previously won the F1 class overall in the Suzuki International Series in 2020, 2022 and 2023 (the series was not run in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
But more was still to come from the Honda duo, with the fabled Robert Holden Memorial feature race coming up on the day’s programme and these two men in red the obvious favourites.
As it turned out, Tony Rees was quickest off the start line and led for the first few laps, until Mitch Rees flashed by, with Todd following his example to also nip past Tony Rees a short while later.
And that’s how the 10-lap feature finished, Mitch Rees again adding the coveted Robert Holden Memorial main prize to his trophy cabinet.
It also meant he had added the Robert Holden Memorial feature race win to the ones he had celebrated in 2022 and last year too, now making it three times in a row that Mitch Rees has won this prestigious trophy.
Mitch Rees also set a new lap record for F1/Superbikes at Whanganui – a startling 47.336 seconds.
Whanganui’s Alex Luff-Scott (No.622) and fellow Whanganui man Roger Bland (No.3) are in a spot of bother as two bikes try to go into a space only meant for one. Who is going to give way in this classic battle around the Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day? Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
The Robert Holden Memorial trophy probably holds a special place in the Rees family home, with Mitch Rees’ late younger brother Damon Rees having also won it in 2020 and it has been won by their father Tony Rees on seven occasions (between 1990 and 2016), the now 57-year-old showing that age truly is just a number.
“My target today was to come here are wrap up the F1 title and also to win the Robert Holden trophy for three times in a row too. It worked out for me,” said Mitch Rees afterwards.
“Team Rees in on the trophy 11 times now, which is pretty special. But it wasn’t as easy as it may have looked. At the start of the day in the wet I wasn’t comfortable at all. Davey (Todd) had been out already for few sessions in the other classes he was racing, so he had the jump on me there.
“But then it became dry and that suited me.
“Dad was on the pace too. He qualified on pole and that was the first pole I haven’t had in over 12 months.
“It’s been a busy time for me, actually. I got married to Mihi in November and married life is great. She is probably my biggest supporter and fan and she pushes me along, which is pretty special, which is what mum and dad have too I suppose.
“We are a real racing family. Dad has been racing from when he was younger than what I am now, and for him to be still doing it at the top level is pretty amazing.”
Team patriarch Tony Rees was also beaming ear-to-ear as he packed away his bike on Boxing Day afternoon.
“Second overall for the series and third in the Robert Holden Memorial race … I’m pretty pleased with that. Honda 1-2, father and son … that’s pretty cool too.
“I went the fastest I’ve ever gone around here, got a couple of holeshots, hung in there and got the points. I had food poisoning a week ago and lost a couple of kilograms and so I was a little low on the energy but I guess the power-to-weight ratio was increased eh?” he laughed.
“It was good to have Davey Todd and Peter Hickman here to push us along.
“I’m not thinking about quitting just yet, not while I still enjoy it. One day I just won’t turn up, eh?”
Class winners in the 2024 Suzuki International Series, which wrapped up in Whanganui on Boxing Day, are Whakatane’s Mitch Rees (formula one/superbikes class); Cambridge’s Morgan McLaren-Wood (formula two/Supersport 600); Auckland’s Tyler King (in both the formula three and Supersport 300 classes); Wellington’s Malcolm Beilski (Formula Sport, Senior); Whanganui’s Jeff Croot (Formula Sport, junior); Glen Eden’s Daniel Mettam (Post Classics, Pre 95, Senior); Tauranga’s Darrick Kattenberg (Post Classics, Pre 95, Junior); Hastings’ Gian Louie (Post Classics, Pre 89, Senior); Lower Hutt’s Dean Bentley (Post Classics, Pre 89, Junior); Panmure’s Adam Unsworth and Whanganui’s Bryce Rose (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan and Auckland’s Kendal Dunlop (F2 sidecars); Whanganui’s Richie Dibben (in both the Supermoto and Adventure Bike classes).
Robert Holden Memorial feature race top five: 1. Mitch Rees, 2. Davey Todd, 3. Tony Rees, 4. Morgan McLaren-Wood, 5. Wellington’s Rogan Chandler.
DATES FOR 2024 SUZUKI INTERNATIONAL SERIES:
- Round 1, Taupo, Dec 7th and 8th;
- Round 2, Manfeild, Feilding, Dec 14th and 15th;
- Round 3, Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit, Dec 26th.
Whakatane’s Tony Rees (Honda No.11) leads British riders Davey Todd (letter D) and Peter Hickman (letter P) at Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
© Words and photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here
Click HERE for full event and/or series results
Full story and more photos in your next issue of KIWI RIDER magazine.