The Demolition Plus team of Gareth Jones, Craig Coxhell and Russell Holland. Image: Andrew Gosling.

The return of The 6 Hour, presented by Bel-Ray, at Oran Park last weekend was an event not to be missed, with world-class riders and dedicated teams doing their bit to farewell the soon-to-be demolished circuit in one of the country’s most iconic races.

At the close of the six hour marathon in searing heat and gusty winds it was the Demolition Plus team of Craig Coxhell, Russell Holland and Gareth Jones who came out on top, completing 277 laps on their way to the chequered flag and $10,000 in prize money.

MotoOnline.com.au spoke to all three riders from Richard Parry’s Demolition Plus outfit directly after the race and podium presentations wrapped up on Sunday afternoon.

CRAIG COXHELL

MotoOnline.com.au: Craig, congratulations on winning The 6 Hour today. How much does it mean to you to win the event with the Demolition Plus team?

Craig Coxhell: It means a lot actually, because it’s the last event here and it’s going down in history so we’re very happy. Russell and Gareth both rode very well and the whole Demolition Plus team worked good together. It was hot out there today, but we had good pit stops and we just tried to keep on our toes, keep pushing, and were trying to bring it home.

MO: You have a few guys from your CJC Racing Australian Superbike team, which you recently won the Privateer Cup with, but how exactly is your team made up this weekend?

CC: It’s only really Geoff Winzer and my old man, Rob, here this weekend from my regular team. CJC sponsored Demolition Plus for the weekend, so we provided the race trailer and bits and pieces. It was good to have Geoff and my old man here because we work well together and we all know how good of an engine builder Geoff Winzer is and how good he puts a bike together. The bike didn’t miss a beat all weekend even though we rode it for three days straight in 40-degree heat. It’s a big credit to the whole team.

MO: You’re a former ASBK champion and a rider who takes your racing very seriously, but just how tough was The 6 Hour in the heat at Oran Park?

CC: Well I’ve raced the Le Mans 24 Hour with the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team and I’d have to say this was just as hard because of the heat and because it’s such a tight track. There were so many riders out there and we’d be passing 10 or 15 guys every lap at some stages. It was definitely hard work and I haven’t trained for the last four or five weeks after my crash at the Phillip Island ASBK round. I received a call and was asked if I’d like to do it and I really only made a decision during the week that I’d ride – I was originally going to be a reserve rider. Hopefully if it runs again I’d like to do it and be 100 percent fit.

MO: It must be nice to get another win under your belt for the season after a solid year in the ASBK series so far…

CC: Yeah, it’s awesome. To pretty much take a clean sweep of the privateer championship and then to come and win the last 6 Hour at Oran Park is a really good feeling.

RUSSELL HOLLAND

MO: Russell, you must be pretty happy to win this last 6 Hour at Oran Park, well done.

Russell Holland: Yeah, absolutely. It’s certainly a historical track and is one of the first tracks that I rode on as a senior. When I heard that it was closing and that this race would be the last one I knew that it would be an awesome event. I started ringing around and seeing if there was anybody who would help me put something together. And then out of the blue I received a call from Richard Parry and then we got the team together, which was only about three weeks ago. It was cool, all last minute.

MO: So when did you get back from Europe?

RH: Only last Saturday, I brought some parts back with me for the weekend and my first ride on the bike was Friday, so this is a great result and achievement for the whole team.

MO: Have you done much endurance racing before?

RH: I’ve done the Suzuki 8 Hour in Japan and that experience helped quite a bit, but apart from that it’s just been that 4 Hour club race at Wakefield Park [laughs]. My experience at the 8 Hour gave me an idea of what we needed to achieve, and there were a couple of points that I knew from the 8 Hour that probably helped. I’m glad I could add something to the team. I’m really glad my teammates were Craig and Gareth – they were awesome throughout the race.

MO: You had the job of bringing it home in the last stint, so how were the nerves on those final laps?

RH: Oh yeah, I was nervous alright. I mean, I started thinking about how happy Richard and the whole team would be. The thing is that we have been struggling for grip the whole weekend and have had to nurse the bike around, so it’s easy to get distracted. We tried to maximise the stints with the fuel so we could get more mileage, so when I sat behind Dan Stauffer for much of the first stint that helped us out a lot. The team’s calls during the Safety Car periods were also something that helped us out. It was satisfying to get the job done and take the win for the Demolition Plus team.

MO: Now that you’ve got the 6 Hour win to add to your resume, is it something you’d like to return for in the future?

RH: It’s something that I’d be interested in, for sure. I always want to go racing, but this particular event was certainly inviting and an interesting event for me because it was the last race at Oran Park and because my friend Richard was running the team. We’re all friends and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a lot of fun because you’re sharing the experience with the other riders on the team, whereas sprint racing is a lot more interesting. It’s been the toughest year of my career after I lost my World Supersport ride, so I’m really happy to be here and winning.

MO: What’s next on your schedule?

RH: For next year I’ve made plans with some friends I’ve made in Italy to ride a KTM RC8 Superstock bike in the Italian championship, which won’t be easy but I’m really looking forward to it. It’s good to be back here and to have a break, seeing my family and friends, before heading back over to Europe in the new year.

Jones onboard the Demolition Plus during The 6 Hour weekend. Image: Andrew Gosling.

GARETH JONES

MO: Gareth, you guys have gone out and won The 6 Hour at Oran Park. That must be a great feeling for you…

Gareth Jones: I’m stoked to tell you the truth. The last time I rode here was in 2003 on a 400, so to come back here and ride a bike that I’ve never ridden before and do an endurance race, which I’ve never done before, has been a real pleasure. Riding with two great riders in Craig and Russell has been an honour this weekend.

MO: How’d it come about for you to do this event with the Demolition Plus team?

GJ: I got back from Europe about five weeks ago and called Richard to ask him if I could stay at his place for the Reece Bancell Memorial Association dinner. We got talking about The 6 Hour and he said it’d be good to enter a bike, so one thing lead to another and we were able to win. It was a perfect outcome for us.

MO: You’re based in Europe and are home for Christmas and the holiday season, so it must be a great bonus to win this event while you’re home?

GJ: Absolutely, it’s unreal. I’ve ridden non-stop and haven’t had a break for 21 months, but I haven’t ridden on this track since 2007. It was great to come and see all my friends who I used to ride with, great to compete in such a great event, and just awesome to win such a prestigious race. I’m so stoked about it.

MO: And what’s coming up for you in 2010?

GJ: Well I’ll have a few more months off and then go back to Europe to ride in the IDM championship with RT Motorsports next year on a Honda, so I’m looking forward to it. If The 6 Hour is on again I’d love to have a go at it again – it was by far the hardest race I’ve ever done.