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January 15:It was a case of while the cat’s away, the mice play at round two of the New Zealand Supercross Championships at Taupiri on Saturday evening.
Globe-trotting Kiwi professional and world motocross No.4 Josh Coppins ran away with both senior classes at the series’ opening round in Nelson a week earlier and looked on course to continue the supercross dominance he has enjoyed in New Zealand for the past four consecutive seasons.
However, with contractual obligations to his Belgian-based factory Suzuki team, Motueka’s Coppins was unable to remain in the country and complete the three-round national series which he has made his own since 1997.
Instead, it was left to fellow Suzuki riders Daryl Hurley (Hawera) and Niki Urwin (Tauranga) to pick up where Coppins left off in Nelson, dominating the 250cc and 125cc classes respectively at Taupiri, north of Hamilton on Saturday.
Runner-up to Coppins in each of the 250cc races in Nelson, 24-year-old Hurley was untroubled to sweep all three races at Taupiri. He was followed on each occasion by a cluster of riders, led by fellow professional Damien King (New Plymouth, Honda), Stacey Oldeman (Te Puke, Honda), Jonathan Burkhart (Masterton, Suzuki) and Tokoroa’s Andrew Hardisty (Yamaha).
Likewise in the 125cc class, Urwin, the rider second-best at Nelson, stepped forward to claim the top honours at Taupiri. Urwin headed home Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme (Honda), Stratford’s Cameron Laird (Yamaha) and Te Awamutu’s Mark Penny (Suzuki).
\"I am just starting to get myself back on track,\" said Hurley, who broke a finger after colliding with a visiting Australia rider at the Mystery Creek International Supercross, near Hamilton, in December.
\"My finger is still a little swollen. I only had the metal wire removed from my hand the Friday before Nelson and rode very conservatively there. I managed to collect some good points at Nelson and now I’m just getting faster and faster.\"
Hurley hopes to wrap up the national 250cc title at the series’ third and final round in Tokoroa this Saturday night, before he again heads overseas to take up his position as No.1 rider for Suzuki Australia.
Hurley’s first international assignment this season is the Brisbane Supercross, round one of the Australian nationals, in a fortnight.
Leading overall standings after round two of the New Zealand Supercross Championships at Taupiri on Saturday:
250cc class: Daryl Hurley (Hawera, Suzuki) 109 points; Jonathan Burkhart (Masterton, Suzuki) 84; Andrew Hardisty (Tokoroa, Yamaha) 78; Stacey Oldeman (Te Puke, Honda) 73; Damien King (New Plymouth, Honda) 43.
125cc class: Niki Urwin (Tauranga, Suzuki) 104; Peter Broxholme (Tauranga, Honda) 94; Cameron Laird (Stratford, Yamaha) 74; Cody Cooper (Opotiki, Honda) 70; Scott Columb (Queenstown, Suzuki) 59.
Junior 125cc (15-16 years): Matt Kadel (Brisbane, Australia, Yamaha) 106; Mason Phillips (Te Puke, Yamaha) 100; Kane Wright (Auckland, Suzuki) 95.
Junior 125c (12-14 years): Tannant Herrick (Masterton, Yamaha) 111; Tim Curr (Blenheim, Yamaha) 109; Kurtis Brandy (Nelson, Yamaha) 80.
Junior 85cc (13-16 years): Jaden Gray (Otorohanga, Honda) 107; Tim Curr (Blenheim, Yamaha) 100; Jake Boyd (Waipu, Honda) 90.
Junior 85cc (11-12 years): Kurtis Brandy (Nelson, Yamaha) 106; Nathan Loveridge (Morrinsville, Suzuki) 95; Aaron Mudgway (Matamata, Yamaha) 52.
