Beales out to bury the blokes

January 20, 2009

Adelaide mortician Mandy Beales is hoping to add her name to the Phillip Island lap record honour roll at the International Island Classic on January 23-25.

Beales became the first female to win an Australian road racing championship when she took victory in the 350cc Classic category at the 2008 Australian Historic Championship meeting at Perth's Wanneroo Raceway last November, and will race in both the 350cc and 500c classes at Phillip Island.

The 32-year-old will be chasing a 500 Classic lap record that has previously been held at the 4.45km circuit by 500 GP champions Barry Sheene and Wayne Gardner, with New Zealander Dave Cole the current incumbent at 1:49.030, set at 2008's event on his 1962 Matchless G50.

Beales provided one of the highlights of the 2008 Australian Historic Championships when she won the 350cc Classic title ahead of some of Australasia's top historic riders, including Cole.

Aboard the rapid 1962 Honda built by South Australian Jerry Koistra and previously ridden by Bill Horsman, Beales achieved a perfect score and new lap record across Sunday's two 350cc Junior races.

Beales, who has previously raced Superstock and 125 GP at national level, could well have made it two national titles if not for a cracked frame on her 500cc Classic Honda, which ruled her out of Sunday's championship races.

Beales had ridden the 1962 500 Honda to victory in Saturday's two non-championship 500cc Senior trophy races, claiming the scalps of multiple Australian 500 Classic champion Dave Cole and World Superstock Champion Brendan Roberts in the process.

"It feels unreal," said Beales of her championship win. "I really can't believe it. To win my first 500 race against Dave (Cole) was mind blowing. I battled with him for several lead changes, but couldn't believe I won it. We both went under the old lap record."

While Beales will be looking to add a Phillip Island lap record to her CV, 1987 World 500 GP champion Wayne Gardner will be out to maintain his. Gardner holds the outright lap record for a Historic motorcycle at the Victorian circuit at 1:42.451, set at the 2008 event on a 1978 Honda CB900F Superbike.

"A Honda CB900 Superbike is what kick-started my international career when I won the Unlimited race at Sandown in 1980, the first time a four-stroke had beaten the two-strokes," said Gardner.

"It was a great era in Australian racing, and that's reflected in the crowd interest in these sort of bikes."

Gardner's entry in the International Island Classic entry list boosts a record field that includes two-times Australian Superbike champion Malcolm Campbell on a Suzuki RG500 grand prix bike and Superbike legend Robbie Phillis on a Suzuki GSX1100 Superbike.

Former 1980s hard-charger Andrew Johnson could also be making a comeback on a Suzuki similar to Phillis's.

The International Challenge, a team event for the fastest 45 riders from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, has attracted many of the world's leading Historic racers, including Isle of Man TT winners Stan Woods (Suzuki RG500) and Geoff McMullan (Moriwaki Kawasaki F1), current British Superbike rider David Johnson (McIntosh Kawasaki), and leading New Zealand contender Vince Sharpe (1978 Honda CB900F).

The visitors will have their work cut out against the strongest Australian team yet assembled for the event, with Gardner (1980 Honda CB1100R), Campbell (1980 Suzuki RG500), Phillis (1980 Suzuki GSX1100), multiple Australian Historic champions Peter Guest and Karl Corpe (both 1978 Kawasaki Z1Rs), Scott Webster (1980 Moto Martin Kawasaki) and Formula Xtreme front-runner Michael Dibb (1978 Honda CBX1000/6) heading the local challenge.

The meeting will also host events for the other major Historic categories - including Classic, Post-classic and sidecar. Total entries for the meeting, Australia's premier historic event, are in excess of 200.

For more information on the event, click here.

Pic: Adelaide mortician Mandy Beales with her 1962 Honda 500.