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Photo - Darryl King (#2) in the first corner battle.
Courtesy Andy McGechan:
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He may be considered an “old man” in MotoCross, but you don’t dare mention retirement homes to Darryll King. In fact, the 35-year-old is pretty quick to put you in your place if you start mentioning the R word. Retirement is the last thing on the New Zealander’s mind and, judging by his run of results lately, you’d even be tempted to offer him a spot on a Grand Prix team again.
But the two-time former World No 2 says, “No, I’ve done my thing in Europe,” “I’m happy to race closer to home now, in Australia and New Zealand. But, to tell the truth I feel as fast now as I ever have and I still love the sport dearly.”
With Australia’s prestigious 2004 Mister Motocross title in his bulging treasure chest, King was hoping to add at least one New Zealand motocross title to his swag this season, but it wasn’t to be. Instead, the Subway Yamaha team’s lead rider settled for fourth in the Kiwi 125cc class and a close runner-up in the 500cc class, behind his old foe, friend and sibling rival Shayne King.
His 125cc campaign never really got off the ground when he opted out of racing the class at round one in Timaru but, with just three of the four rounds under his wheels, he still came remarkably close to the podium steps, in the end just nine points adrift of 20-year-old Suzuki star Scott Columb.
“It was still a satisfying series for me,“ said Darryll King. “At 35 years of age, I’m still able to compete at the highest level. I felt so at home of the new Yamahas, I was able to crank it up at any stage and go fast at will. It was effortless. “Perhaps I should be winding down my career but I’m going as fast as ever, so why would I quit? “If I had not run out of fuel (while leading) in one race in Rotorua (round two of the New Zealand championships), I could have won the 500cc title. “The racing was hard and fast and my mechanic just misjudged how much fuel I’d burn. I’m disappointed, naturally, but I‘m over it now.” (The Rotorua fuel botch-up cost King 25 points - he finished the series just nine points behind his Honda riding brother Shayne.) Daryll says, “I’m focused on winning in Australia again now.”
King is having a long overdue holiday from racing now and, aside from a few select meetings in New Zealand, including the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville in late January, he’ll devote himself to preparation for the defence of his Australian Mister Motocross title, starting in March.
