By Three times New Zealand Superbike Champion, son of NZ street racing legend Tony Rees, Mitch Rees is the latest in a distinguished line of Southern Hemisphere, road racing talents.
Back on Tuesday, Road Racing News attained the Whakatane rider’s views on a range of topics, beginning with productive pre-roads ‘Majors’ preparations.
“It’s been good, came over a bit earlier this year, sacrificed the New Zealand Superbike Championship, saved some money and get over here, do a bit of extra testing in Spain.
Did nine days testing in Spain, that was just a good feeder into it, it was good to get some laps on the 600, had not ridden one of them since 2017 or raced one, raced one at the Northwest, now here for the TT.”
Earlier this month, a top six, top ten Northwest 200 finisher, Rees who back home in March, broke the existing Cliffhanger Hill Climb lap-record, stated about his latest coast roads, Triangle course odyssey.
“It was a tough Northwest obviously with the weather and the circumstances and even on Saturday race day was just howling with wind, bit of a tough day but results were decent, considering I started way back on the grid, because of the whole qualifying mix up.
I was stoked to get in the top ten on the big bike and get a sixth on the Supersport race, obviously there was a little bit of carnage but to be out there top ten was pretty-happy with that.”
Riding again for the legendary Padgetts Racing team in Milenco, My Coolman colours, the quickest solo TT newcomer of 2025, who plans to in December compete at his nations’ most famous road race, the Cemetery Circuit Races, possibly tackle the following month, the returning Port Nelson Street Races, feels he is in a good place with both, 600, 1000cc Honda berths.
“Comfortable with the stocker, Supersport bike is really nice, and I’ve been really enjoying riding the little bike to be fair which is a weird one because I’ve not ridden one a lot, went really well at the Northwest on it, just keep building on that.”
“I have to keep telling myself, the result actually does not matter, we are here to have fun and go and enjoy it and the results will come as you are enjoying it.”
When asked how roads events in New Zealand, compare to the TT, Northwest 200, Rees, fourteenth, nineteenth, twenty second respectively within this week’s Supersport, Superbike, Superstock qualifying leaderboards, said:
“Ours are street races not a roads race, is probably the best way to put it, ours is, race around the block effectively, a lot smaller, a lot shorter.
Second third gear, maybe fourth gear on a big bike, it’s a lot slower so you know you don’t that get sensation of speed the same.”
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
