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Mon 12 August 2002 - By Ian Miles:
COPPINS & TOWNLEY TO GERMANY
The Kiwis are back in business for this weekend's tenth of 12 rounds in the world motocross champs.
Josh Coppins, cleared last week of a doping charge, is gunning for the 250 crown while young Ben Townley seeks to put the heat back on the leaders in the 125 class.
The pressure is on everyone as the championship enters its final quarter at Gaildorf near Stuttgart in south-eastern Germany.
In Coppins' 250 class, the recognised premier category, defending champion Mickael Pichon received a boost when the expat New Zealander was docked 20 points by a sport court in Switzerland.
Although found not guilty of doping, Coppins lost the points he won for third at the Austrian Grand Prix as he was considered negligent in taking the wrong hay fever tablet.
But the 25-year-old on the red Vismara Honda is still the only 250 rider to stand on the podium of the last seven events and he has his sights set firmly on his former teammate Pichon.
"Mickael is now 53 points ahead of me and technically he could wrap up the title this weekend. But it's my job to make sure he doesn't," commented the professional Honda racer. "My loss of points is certainly a setback but if I can win this Sunday the title is still alive, even if he gets second.
"I feel as if I've had a huge weight lifted off me with the doping charge dismissed and now I just want to get back to winning races.
First task for the likable man from Motueka is overtaking his teammate Pit Beirer. The German, beaten by Coppins in all recent events, squeezed through to second in the title chase by one point when the Kiwi's points were deducted.
"It's been a good battle between Pit and me all year," Coppins said. "Being on the same bikes gives the tussle a bit of an edge and it certainly motivates me. "This week of course Pit will be all out to win at his home GP, but I like Gaildorf and I've had some good rides there so I'm pretty confident. "It's no secret there have been problems within the administration of my team and I'm very grateful to Honda Europe for standing by me through the past couple of months.
"A win this weekend would be the ultimate payback."
Meanwhile 17-year-old Townley is bouncing back from a knee operation and a miserable result last time out.
"Belgium was just one of those races that wasn't meant to be," said the mature KTM rider who is being haled as the find of 2002. "It was just a week or so after my operation and maybe I was hoping for too much to be on the podium . but even so I was gutted to come away with just one point. "Now I have three races to make up some ground and a win in Germany would be the best possible start."
Townley, already the winner of one grand prix this year, says his knee is now fully recovered and the Big Five Vangani team has prepared his orange KTM race machine to its optimum.
"Craig Behl, my mechanic, has been improving the bike by small amounts all year and now it's just a joy to ride," explained the Taupo tornado.
Currently sixth in the championship, the young expatriate is still within reach of the tightest-fought title in years.
"Every weekend the championship takes a new twist, with one or other of the guys grabbing a lead and looking like he'll go all the way. "But I think this one will go to the wire and I aim to be there with them. "I've been stuck down in sixth place for too long and it's time to make a move."
The riders qualify on Saturday at the lush green circuit of Gaildorf, with Coppins' 250 German Grand Prix held 11am Sunday local time and Townley's 125 event four hours later.
The final two rounds of the championship are in the Czech Republic and Russia next month.
Revised world 250 championship points after nine of 12 rounds: 1 Mickael Pichon (France) Suzuki 213 points; 2 Pit Beirer (Germany) Honda 161, 3 Josh Coppins (NZ) Honda 160; 4 equal Jamie Dobb (England) KTM 126 and Fred Bolley (France) Yamaha 126; 6 Kenneth Gundersen (Norway) Kawasaki 122; 7 Gordon Crockard (Ireland) KTM 119.
125 championship points: Patrick Caps (Belgium) KTM 159 points; 2 Mickael Maschio (France) Kawasaki 157; 3 Steve Ramon (Belgium) KTM 154; 4 Philippe Dupasquier (Switzerland) KTM 142; 5 Alex Puzar (Italy) Husqvarna 140; 6 Ben Townley (NZ) Big Five Vangani KTM 125; Tyla Rattray (South Africa) Big Five Vangani KTM 99.
[You may have already read that the scuttlebutt has it that Vismara won`t be around next year? - Bill W.]
