Numbers might be down slightly on previous years, but that isn’t deterring Bay of Plenty Motorcycle Club track manager Symon Hall from expecting a superb couple of days at the Team Rees Summer Cross on December 28-29

It’s an event that is always popular among the Eastern Bay community and attracts a large number of visitors.

Every year, it’s held at the Bay of Plenty Motocross Club at Awakaponga and, as in the past, day one will feature the junior and mini riders, while day two sees the youth and adults take to the track.

Hall said all signs were leading towards another fabulous Summer Cross.

“Everything is looking good. It’s all coming together well. Numbers are slightly light, but I think that might be to do with the signs of the economic pressure at the moment.”

Josiah Natske and Dave Todd look set to be two of the main riders in the adult division with it unknown whether the likes of Hamish Harwood, Cody Cooper, James Scott, Tommy Watts, Brodie Connolly and Maximus Purvis are going to compete.

“The numbers are down, but I think the quality of the racing will be really really good.”

Hall said last year’s event went incredibly well and they were hoping for something similar in 2024.

“We had a torrential downpour on the first day, and we called in a lot of machinery and managed to turn the track around from an absolute mud pit to a fantastic racing track on the second day. It meant the juniors got the worst part of the straw, but man did the seniors cash in.”

Hall said some rain prior to Summer Cross would be nice.

“You can’t beat natural rain. We have irrigation set up, but it doesn’t get all the parts of the track like rain does. The tracks are in fantastic condition, but we’d just love a bit of rain beforehand. It’s going to be cool. We have made a couple of little changes. We only make subtle little changes and that is what makes us different.

“We’re really looking forward to the youth racing. It will be different to the juniors and some awesome close knit races. It’s a track that will be completely different to junior day.”

Expect the likes of Aydan Hall, Jack Ellingham, Hayden Draper, Max Parkes to abe fighting it out near the front.

“Everyone on the committee has done a lot of hard work. This event is planned months and months in advance and it costs a lot of money to put it on. The club can only survive with riders and spectators supporting the event,” Hall said.

Hall said if the riders came away happy, he knew it had been successful.

“We just want to see bums on seats, people coming off the track smiling, and spectators leaving happy. Without Team Rees and Honda NZ we wouldn’t be able to host Summer Cross. They are fantastic in what they do in sponsoring this event for us along with all the others that pitch in.”

Racing begins from about 9.30am on both days with plenty of action to keep spectators busy.