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Young racer Ben Townley has stunned the motocross world with a stellar second place at the 125 Grand Prix of The Netherlands.
Townley’s unbelievable showing at the opening round of the world champs saw the likeable 17-year-old surrounded by a scrum of television cameras and international media.
“It’s the most unbelievable feeling,” said the young man who was placed 33rd in the world last year and who only a year ago was just out of school and struggling to come to terms with living and racing on the far side of the globe from his native New Zealand.
“This is just awesome,” quipped the KTM rider as his Big Five Vangani team went into celebration mode when Townley mounted the podium for the first time in his world championship career.
“Last year I scored points only a couple of times: still I was quite confident coming into this GP, but I never expected a podium.”
In fact the cool-headed former New Zealand, Australian and Oceania junior champion looked every inch a front-runner throughout the gruelling 40-minute race in the deep black sand of the Eurocircuit at Valkenswaard, south-east Netherlands.
“I got a pretty average start but I was quickly up to about sixth on the first lap,” commented Taupo-born Townley.
“From there it was just a matter of concentrating and picking off the riders.
“The track was hard to ride but I’ve been doing a lot of training and racing in the sand in the past couple of months, so really I’m lucky that the first grand prix suited me.”
Townley was bettered on a fine, cool day only by seasoned veteran Steve Ramon, a full factory KTM rider from Belgium who was runner-up last season.
Immediately behind the expat Kiwi was last year’s number three finisher Erik Eggens of The Netherlands, also on a factory KTM.
Assisted by that Austrian factory, Townley’s team grabbed unprecedented limelight to boost its endeavours on the world stage and in its home nation South Africa.
“Tinus Nel, the team owner and our manager Glen Dempsey deserve so much credit for this,” Townley stated after the podium ceremony.
“They and the KTM factory put real faith in me last year when I was looking for a break … I’m so pleased to reward them.”
The youngest New Zealander ever to sign for world championship motocross, accepting a contract while still 15 and completing his School Certificate year, Townley has adapted well to the huge demands of competition, training and living a nomadic lifestyle.
“I also have Josh Coppins to thank for this,” he said, alluding to the New Zealand’s established 250 class star who has helped Townley adapt to world class racing.
Earlier in the day fellow expat Coppins rode through the pain barrier with a back injury to claim fifth spot in his grand prix on his Berni Honda CR250R.
