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Top motocross racer Josh Coppins has fought back from a lowly 14th place on the grid to take eighth place at the Italian 250 Grand Prix.
The placing has lifted the expat Kiwi to fifth in the world championship with one round remaining.
Coppins has been fighting back from a season of ill-fortune on his Corona Suzuki and says that played on his mind today.
“I haven’t been riding well all weekend and in the race I was just too stiff to get into a good flow,” said the 24-year-old from Motueka.
“I think I was just trying too hard … slow down and go faster, but that’s easy to say afterwards.
“I knew I had to get a good start and I managed that, which helped.
“I’m happy to pick up a placing but at the start of the year we targeted the top three, and I think that was within my grasp if lady luck had cooperated,” Coppins smiled.
His latest points lift him past the 1999 and 2000 champion Fred Bolley (France).
The grand prix was won by Coppins’ French teammate Mickael Pichon who has already secured the 2001 title.
Meanwhile Coppins\' young protégé Ben Townley again impressed with a steady ride for 24th in a 125 Grand Prix made treacherous by heavy watering of the circuit.
While some big reputations were shattered, Townley worked his way through the heavy mud on his Big Five Vangani KTM.
But the Taupo-born 16-year-old, in just his second event back from a broken shoulder, declared himself unhappy.
“I wasn’t riding well in the first couple of laps when the traffic was thick and the mud was flying everywhere,” he said.
“Then I had a bit of a crash, just washed out the front wheel, and that ripped off my front number plate.
“I spent the rest of the race with it hanging from my front brake cable,” Townley added. “I thought it would fall into the wheel any moment and flick me over the front.”
Flags of all nations flew at half-mast and the large crowd stood in a minute’s silence in recognition of the US terrorist tragedy, at this hillside circuit just outside the small town of Castiglione del Lago near the famous Assisi in Umbria, just south of Tuscany and 150 km north of Rome.
The final round of the championship is held next weekend in Austria.
World 250 championship points after 13 of 14 rounds:
Mickael Pichon (France) Suzuki 293 Champion, Gordon Crockard (Ireland) Honda 177, Chad Reed (Australia) Kawasaki 174, Claudio Federici (Italy) Yamaha 157, Coppins 126, Fred Bolley (France) Honda 120, Pit Beirer (Germany) Yamaha 120.
