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From - Ian Miles:
TOWNLEY & COPPINS to the USA:
Teenage sensation Ben Townley heads to the USA today to prepare for the next step in his spectacular motocross career.
The expat New Zealander who turns 18 next month is to fly the flag for his KTM backers in the tough American championship in January.
Sixth in the 125 world championship in just his second year out of school . his first full year on the world circuit . Townley now faces the rigours of spectacular stadium supercross on the west coast of the USA.
\"I\'ll be riding just the first four or five rounds of the championship, in and around California,\" commented the rider now dubbed the baby-faced assassin. \"The supercross continues until May but I have to head back to Europe to prepare for the world champs. \"I may be back for the occasional US round but most likely not until the American outdoor championship starts in mid-year,\" said Townley.
The mighty KTM factory, the largest maker of off-road bikes in the world, has shown big faith in Townley by selecting him for its official US 125 race team, Red Bull KTM. That\'s in addition to his spot in the factory\'s world championship squad, Champ KTM based in the Netherlands.
\"I\'ll be doing promo work for the Red Bull team right from the time I arrive,\" Townley explained. \"The first photo shoot starts the very next day. \"But also I\'ll be fitting into the culture of the team and getting back into supercross which I really haven\'t ridden for quite a while. \"The US supercross scene is huge, easily the biggest in the world and a whole sporting icon. \"I\'ve always wanted to race there and I\'ll probably go fulltime in the future. \"But it\'s a huge challenge for me just to handle the change of pace and scene, then get up to the speed of the local riders . they\'re very tough on their home ground.\"
For the first time in his life Townley will face Saturday night racing before crowds of up to 80,000 screaming fans, plus massive TV audiences, in venues like Edison International Field at Anaheim, home of the Angels baseball team.
Townley will have his world championship mechanic, fellow New Zealander Craig Behl, to work on the KTM 125. And joining him at events will be his good friend and mentor Josh Coppins, world number two in the top-ranked 250 class for Honda.
\"It\'s just as well Josh is racing the 250 in the States, I\'d probably beat him if he was in my class,\" quipped Townley. \"But don\'t tell him I said that.\"
Coppins, 25, jets into California next month to start his preparation for his second January in the supercross series before heading back to Europe to build towards a 2003 world title challenge.
Townley and Coppins each enjoyed a brief visit to family and friends in New Zealand during the southern springtime, resting after a year-long campaign which saw two Kiwis at the top of world motocross.
While clinching world runner-up spot this season, his highest ever placing in the championship, Coppins found time to guide Townley to a stellar year which included victory in the Swedish Grand Prix, three second placings and a third.
Both expats are tipped as front-runners for their respective world titles next year.
