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Photo - Jesse Wiki, Honda CRF250:
By TERRY STEVENSON
Exciting New Zealand Motocross Season Kicks of on Sunday
The 2004 SsangYong New Zealand Senior Motocross championship kicks off near Timaru on Sunday. This year is shaping up to be the biggest ever with several top-name Australian riders and returning Kiwi’s entered to compete in the four-round series. This is the final year three premier classes will be run, as next year the championship will sensibly be aligned with the Australian Mr Motocross series by holding Pro Lite and Pro Open classes.
Series Dates; Timaru, August 8: Rotorua, August 29: Trentham Race Course, September 26: Pukekohe, October 31.
Mellow Yellow?
In the yellow Suzuki corner Mark Penny (Te Awamutu) will be joined by top Australian factory racer Danny Ham, both riding Suzuki RM250s in the National 250 class. Penny is recovering from an operation to mend a troublesome broken scaphoid (wrist). Suzuki also have a strong field to clinch the 125 title with three top-runners. Scott Columb (Queenstown) on an RM125, has just returned from a season in the UK. Luke Burkhart (Masterton) returns from a season of European racing, including competing in world championship races, and is looking forward to his switch to Suzuki. He will ride an RMZ250 four-stroke.
But Suzuki’s trump card comes in the form of Daryl Hurley, who has just flown in from racing at Washougal, after a long season of top-level US Supercross and Motocross racing with Motoworld Suzuki. The Hawera rider won a World Supercross race in Spain last December, and will field an RMZ250 in the competitive 125 class. Hurley has signed a three year deal with both Suzuki NZ and Suzuki Australia, beginning from next year.
Red Shed
In the red corner Honda will be fielding Shayne King (New Plymouth), who will be defending his 2003 250 and Open titles on CR250 and CRF450 Hondas. “Hopefully I can defend my titles. In the last two years DK (brother Darryll) has really put it all together,” Shayne King said. “Its going to be really tight.” Team-mate Cody Cooper (Opotiki) will ride a CRF250 to defend his 125 title (narrowly won from Darryll King in the final race last year). Cooper, 20, is totally dominating the Pro Lites class in the current Australian Mr Motocross series. Shayne King said, “If he carries that speed into New Zealand, no one will touch him.”
Peter Broxholme (Tauranga) fields a CR250 and Corrie Sargent (Upper Hutt) will again ride a CRF450 in the Open class. Jaden Gray (Otorohanga) has been working on his fitness and steps up a class to ride a CR250. The 19 year old hopes to finish in the top seven of the 250 class.
The Blues brothers:
In the Yamaha blue corner Darryll King’s Team Subway Yamaha will be out to put an end to Honda’s title domination, and helping them will be Australian imports Troy Carroll (YZ450F) and Cameron Taylor (YZ250F). Subway regulars Nigel Smith (Auckland) will race the just released 2005 YZ250, while Mason Phillips (Te Puke) and Darryll King (Hamilton) will both compete in the 125 and Open classes, on YZ250F and YZ450F Yamahas. Darryll King said, “It’s getting better every year, especially with the juniors coming through. I’ve been riding the best in four years. It’ll be one of the best championships yet.”
Damien King, 28, (Cambridge) has switched sides and races a Waikato Yamaha YZ250F, preferring to race a smaller bike only this year. “I prefer the hard-out style of 125 racing. My goal is to finish in the top three in the champs and to win as many races as I can,” Damien King said.
Team Green
Team Green again fields Mike Cotter (Cambridge), who put in some great rides for Kawasaki last season. This year Cotter will be hoping to take the next step riding his KX250 two-stroke. “I’m hoping for a good start at Timaru this coming weekend, with at least a top three overall finish again,” Cotter said.
Team-mate Kyle Smith (Pukekohe) steps up to the same class, on a similar machine. Michael Phillips (Rotorua) and Jessie Wiki (Hamilton) race KX250F four-stroke bikes, with Wiki fresh out of the Junior ranks.
Kawasaki also hope to field a pair of “Old Boys”, in former 125 champ Graeme Allan (Christchurch) and Craig Brown (Pukekohe), although both KX250F riders are under an injury cloud.
