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Contributor: Ian Miles.
COPPINS & TOWNLEY SCORE STATESIDE
New Zealand motocross heroes, Josh Coppins and Ben Townley have shown they can foot it with the best in America, as well as their usual world champ rivals in Europe, with top rides at a USA national today (Sunday US time).
Coppins took sixth place in 250, the top class, while young Townley scored tenth in the 125 at the Unadilla outdoor circuit near New Berlin in upstate New York.
With fine, warm weather it was a racing holiday for the expat Kiwi pair, enjoying a month break in the world championships.
Coppins clashed handlebars with some of America’s best to record 5th and 8th places in his two events on a Shark Plano Honda.
Ezra Lusk and Steve Lamson were among the big US names to eat the dust of the 25-year-old New Zealander, who showed the same fighting qualities which see him holding runnerup place in the glamour 250 class of the world champs.
Meanwhile 17-year-old Townley took 9th and 13th placings in his rides on the Redbull KTM factory bike.
Left in his wake were top American names Travis Preston, Damon Huffman and Brock Sellards.
Townley claimed 7th overall at the Budds Creek national event in the US last month. After competing in just two of the eight rounds to date, he holds 25th place in the AMA Chevy Trucks national championship with 48 points.
Runaway points leaders Ricky Carmichael (250 Honda) and Bubba Stewart (125 Kawasaki) easily won their classes at today's round.
Coppins and Townley, close friends off the circuit, now return to Europe to prepare for the ninth of 12 rounds in the world champs, the Grand Prix of Belgium in a fortnight.
Coppins will be looking to extend his remarkable run of six straight podium placings before turning his attention the very next day to the motorcycle courts on a heavyweight doping charge after he took a lightweight hay fever tablet.
For Townley the objective in Belgium will be to capitalise on the stinging blow he dealt to the European veterans when he grabbed his first grand prix victory in Sweden earlier this month.
Also the first GP win for his Big Five Vangani KTM team, Townley’s result hinted at a late run for this year’s title by the young sensation in just his second year of world championship racing.
