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November 16: This season’s New Zealand Motocross Championships are shaping into a battle royal with globe-trotting Hamilton rider Darryll King facing a challenge at home like never before.
The 31-year-old world 500cc No.5 returned from Europe in September and promptly put his name down for the two-round domestic series. A few eyebrows were raised when the open class specialist entered the 250cc class for the New Zealand championships.
The Husqvarna factory rider said he believed the 250cc class would be a refreshing change after six years on the 500cc bikes and, besides, he \"wanted a bit of a challenge\".
He certainly found it.
In six 250cc races at the opening round of the nationals, near Carterton last weekend, King found himself choking on the dust raised by visiting Swede Espen Blikstad, New Zealand No.2 Stacey Oldeman and, perhaps most surprising of all, the national champion from a parallel code, enduro ace Paul Whibley, from Pahiatua.
King won just two of the six races – Blikstad (Suzuki), Oldeman (Honda) and Whibley (Honda) taking the others -- but he still leads the class by 15 points heading into this weekend’s second and final round at Taupo.
Meanwhile, the runaway leader in the 125cc class, Masterton 16-year-old Luke Burkhart, has clicked into emergency mode after his highly-tuned Yamaha YZ125 was stolen in Palmerston North’s Main Street, in broad daylight on Tuesday afternoon.
In addition to his race-winning bike, the stolen trailer also contained spare parts, riding apparel and valuable hand-made tools.
Burkhart won five of six 125cc races at Carterton and had been looking forward to the possibility wrapping up his first senior title at Taupo this weekend.
His biggest threat is Taupo rider Ben Townley (Kawasaki), only 23 points behind and sure to be hot on his home track.
The New Zealand Yamaha importers have come to Burkhart’s rescue with a replacement bike, tools and spares but few would doubt that the teenager’s campaign has suffered a serious setback.
So close is racing in the 125cc class, that less than 20 points separate the next four riders – Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme (Honda), Napier Ben Harding (KTM), Opotiki’s Cody Cooper (Honda) and Drury’s Damon Smith (Kawasaki).
The 500cc class is virtually cut and dried with defending champion Corrie Sargent (Masterton) unbeaten at Carterton. The Yamaha rider won all his races by a third of a lap and was never threatened.
Second best was Rotorua’s Bryan Patterston (KTM 520), the 37-year-old former national 500cc champion making a comeback to top-level racing after an absence of almost 11 years.
Leading overall standings after the opening round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships near Carterton last weekend:
500cc: Corrie Sargent (Masterton, Yamaha) 120 points; Bryan Patterson (Rotorua, KTM) 80; Bryan Heaphy (Nelson, Suzuki) 77; Jason Satchwell (Husaberg, Taupo) 69; Richard Adamson (New Plymouth, Honda) 68.
250cc: Darryll King (Hamilton, Husqvarna) 106 points; Espen Blikstad (Sweden, Suzuki) and Paul Whibley (Pahiatua, Honda) 91; Stacey Oldeman (Te Puke, Honda) 79; Cameron Negus (Rotorua, Yamaha) 72.
125cc: Luke Burkhart (Masterton, Yamaha) 115 points; Ben Townley (Taupo, Kawasaki) 92; Peter Broxholme (Tauranga, Honda) 83; Ben Harding (Napier, KTM) 75; Cody Cooper (Opotiki, Honda) 65.
