By The UK based Obsession Engineering road racing team, are setting off soon to compete in New Zealand’s biggest motorcycle race series.
The three event Suzuki International Series kicks off on December 6th & 7th at the Taupo International Motorsports Park, before moving onto the Manfeild Circuit the following weekend of 13th & 14th and culminating at the world-famous road race in Whanganui around the Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day.
Team leader Dave Hewson will be making the trip along with teammate Eric Wilson, both having a wealth of road racing experience with over 100 race finishes between them around the Isle of Man Snaefell Mountain Course.
Dave & Eric are set to compete in the events F1 & F3 classes onboard their BMW S1000RR & Aprilia RS660 machines, respectively.
The guys are no stranger to overseas motorcycle racing adventures, in recent years both Dave & Eric have raced at Laguna Seca in California and competed successfully at two of the three Baja Tarmac Racing events in Baja California, Mexico with multiple visits to the San Pedro Martir Hill Climb & Baja International Tourist Cup races.
Dave has also tried his hand at endurance racing around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, whilst Eric has competed at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado and, also took his BMW S1000RR for a spin up in the legendary Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trails on the Salt Flats of Utah.
Completing the team line-up is friend and fellow Baja Tarmac Racing rider, Dave Thomas from Fremont in California who will be racing in New Zealand onboard his Kawasaki ZX6R (F2) & Aprilia RS660 (F3) machines.
Having first met Dave in Baja back in 2021, the Obsession Engineering guys have built up a great relationship with him and other North American racers, helping with their efforts to cross the Atlantic and experience our road racing scene.
To date, Dave has competed at the Cookstown 100 & Southern 100 and received a newcomer invitation for the 2024 Manx Grand Prix.
After the weather affected Manx in 2024, he returned to the MGP in 2025 and lapped at over 106mph onboard his Aprilia RS660.
Eric (Wilson) managed to give us a quick update ahead of the trip.
“The guys & I are busy putting together the final bits & pieces, with the container ship having just left Australia the bikes don’t have to far left to go.
They should be in New Zealand before we arrive on December 1st, all three of us are looking forward to this awesome experience and are incredibly grateful to the event organisers and lots of folks down there for all their help & support putting things together.
I’m sure the local boys & girls will have the home court advantage next month, but it will be a great honour to represent the team, sponsors, respective nations, and our friends at Baja Tarmac Racing that brought us together.
You will be able to follow the teams’ adventures in New Zealand here at Road Racing News & through the Obsession Engineering YouTube channel and the teams Facebook page.”
Photo courtesy of Eric Wilson
Words by Eric Wilson
