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Yamaha Press Release
Photo: Barry Morris
A great pic taken by NZ's top MX scribe.
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Morris hungry for more success
Yamaha ace Barry Morris surprised even himself with his podium finish at the opening round of the Ssangyong-sponsored 2005 New Zealand Motocross Championships in Taupo just over a week ago.
Spurred on by that success, the talented 26-year-old has a new lease on life and is brimming with confidence. He now sees no reason why he can't finish his campaign the way he’s started it, on the podium.
Dubbed the ‘Flying Scotsman’, the man who is originally from Perth, in Scotland, but who now calls New Zealand's capital city of Wellington his home, is determined to remain on the podium throughout the following three rounds.
Round two is this weekend in Timaru (September 11).
“I will have been in New Zealand for three years this November. I love the place. I don't want to go home to Scotland now. There are lots of places here to go riding and lots of friends to go riding with. The riders here are very good and the friendly atmosphere is great too. It’s just such a great place to be.
“To be honest, I never expected to finish as high as I did (at round one of the nationals). I've been injured the past two months and only ridden the bike three times since I raced in Australia (in the Mister Motocross series in July).
“I crashed and crushed a disc in my spine. It is still pretty sore when I ride. I've been riding my mountainbike to do training because it's easier on my back. It's low-impact training for me at the moment,” said Morris, sponsored again this season by Upper Hutt Yamaha dealer Maidstone Yamaha and a boss, Mike McLeod, who generously gives him time off to train.
“I don't know about being able to catch (series leader) Cody Cooper but I'm going about the same speed as Scotty (Columb), so I reckon the battle is on between me and him (for the No.2 spot).”
The battle for a podium spot could be a little unfair though with Morris in possession of an unfair advantage, a couple of not-so-secret weapons -- super fast reflexes and the very fast Yamaha YZF250.
“The Yamaha is very good out of the gate,” he said. “How can I fail with a bike like this? It's stock standard, except for a Doctor Dubach exhaust system. But that's all. Other than that, it's a standard 2005-model bike.”
After Timaru, the national motocross series heads to New Plymouth on October 16 and wraps up at Rotorua on November 20.
