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Motocross ace Josh Coppins continues his climb in the world rankings with a fighting fifth in today’s Swedish Grand Prix placing him fourth overall.
In drying mud, the expat Kiwi threw his factory Suzuki RM250 around the tricky Uddevalla circuit and narrowly missed fourth place with a last-lap dash.
“That was a very tough race, one of the hardest for a long time,” said the 24-year-old from Motueka in New Zealand’s South Island.
“Really it was won and lost at the start,” he explained. “Most of us had trouble getting away with the back wheel just spinning.
“A couple of guys took off and we never saw them again.”
Coppins was disappointed not to haul in the Yamaha of Claudio Federici who he chased for most of the gruelling 45 minutes.
The Italian is positioned just ahead of Coppins on the points table as the championship reaches midpoint.
“But I’ve got a tiny break on the others I was fighting with … really I just need to keep collecting the points,” said the Kiwi whose early season was dogged by misfortune with machinery and other problems.
Coppins is now just six points adrift of Federici and the third place he needs this season to continue his career record of consistently bettering the previous season’s position.
In today’s GP he finished one place ahead of reigning two-time world champion Fred Bolley (France), an important psychological advantage as the pair were locked on points going to Sweden.
The day belonged to Irishman Gordon Crockard who took a holeshot on his Honda and was never headed.
That consolidates his second place in the title chase behind the crowd favourite and runaway points leader, Coppins’ Suzuki Corona teammate Mickael Pichon who charged all race but couldn’t quite catch Crockard.
Another early starter, Kawasaki’s Chad Reed of Australia, took third spot in the natural amphitheatre where thousands of fans lined the rock quarry hillside cheering the Swedish and other European racers.
Coppins’ highly rated Suzuki team heads the Manufacturers standing with 165 points to Honda’s 139 and Yamaha’s 109.
The Swedish event, 90km north of Gothenberg, proved a tough day for Coppins’ young Kiwi protégé Ben Townley whose 125 grand prix was over soon after it started.
The 16-year-old from Taupo, who again impressed observers with a fine qualifying ride yesterday, was crashed out of the race on the third turn.
I came over a jump and two guys crashed in front of me,” said the mature youngster. “One of them was already on the ground by the time I arrived and I went down hard.
“I got up and going again but I had no front brake, it was smashed in the pile-up.
“I didn’t find out till I hit the next corner … I crashed again twice before I had to give up, you just can’t ride with no brake,” said the Kiwi expat who went straight from school to the hurly-burly of world motocross and has already scored points in his first season.
World 250 Championship points after seven events: Pichon 165, Crockard 111, Federici 73, Coppins 67, Bolley and Reed 66, Pit Beirer (Germany) Yamaha 56, Yves Demaria (France) Yamaha 54.
