The 31-year-old Kiwi international was too good for the cream of New Zealand’s stadium motocross riders and too tough too for the visiting riders from the United States, Australia and Scotland.

Taranaki’s Hurley (Suzuki RM-Z450) was unbeaten in nine races at Manukau -- three open class races, five dash-for-cash tussles and the all-capacities feature final that set off fireworks to end the night in Auckland. Australians Tye Symmonds (KTM) and Nathan Bochtrup (Honda) were second and third overall respectively on the night, while Queenstown’s Scotty Columb (Suzuki) and American Billy Ainsworth (Kawasaki) managed fourth and fifth overall in the elite open class.

“My goal this year is to win the supercross title and then head across the Tasman to win in Australia again,” said Hurley afterwards. “It’s going to be a long, hard season, but it seems to be starting off okay,” he shrugged modestly.

His Suzuki team-mate, Hawera’s Luke Burkhart, was also unbeaten in the Lites (250cc four-stroke) class and took over the series lead there from fellow Team Suzuki rider Columb. South Islander Columb had been one-point ahead of Burkhart before Lites class racing began at Manukau, but is now runner-up and 36 points behind Burkhart in the series standings.

Dual-class ironman Columb is also runner-up in the open class, 47 points behind Hurley. Taupo’s Nick Saunders (Kawasaki) remains third in the open class and Hamilton’s Jesse Wiki (Kawasaki) is still third in the Lites class after Saturday night’s action, under lights on the open-air circuit, built next to the TelstraClear Events Centre.

In the junior racing, Warkworth’s Hamish Dobbyn extended his lead in the 14-16 years’ 250cc class; Rotorua’s John Phillips snatched the advantage in the 12-16 years’ 125cc class; Tauranga’s Roydon White (Yamaha) pounced and took the lead in the 13-16 years’ 85cc class and Feilding’s Haki Waller stretched his lead in the 11-12 years’ 85cc division.

The fourth and final round of the series is set for Wanganui’s Cook’s Gardens arena on March 1.

Leading standings after the third of four rounds in the 2008 New Zealand Supercross Championships, held at Manukau on Saturday night:

Open class: 1. Daryl Hurley (Hawera, Suzuki) 225 points (maximum); 2. Scott Columb (Queenstown, Suzuki) 178; 3. Nick Saunders (Taupo, Kawasaki) 150.

Lites class: 1. Luke Burkhart (Hawera, Suzuki) 207 points; 2. Scott Columb (Queenstown, Suzuki) 171; 3. Jesse Wiki (Hamilton, Kawasaki) 164.

Junior 14-16 years’ 250cc class: 1. Hamish Dobbyn (Warkworth, Yamaha) 207 points; 2. Ethan Martens (Waitakere, Yamaha) 176; 3. Davi Fisher (Papamoa, Suzuki) 168.

Junior 12-16 years’ 125cc: 1. John Phillips (Rotorua, Kawasaki) 177 points; 2. Kieran Leigh (Cambridge, Yamaha) 152; 3. Mitchell Hilhorst (Atiamuri, Yamaha) 140.

Junior 13-16 years’ 85cc: 1. Roydon White (Tauranga, Yamaha) 208 points; 2. Campbell King (Dunedin, Honda) 136; 3. Mitchell Rees (Whakatane, Yamaha) 129.

Junior 11-12 years’ 85cc: 1. Haki Waller (Feilding, Kawasaki) 212 points; 2. Cody Murphy (Rangiora, Yamaha) 170; 3. Brendon Bond (Torbay, Honda) 143.