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The two day Auckland Motocross Championships, will be hosted by the Pukekohe Motorcycle Club, at their 48 acre track at Harrisville on 3 to 4 March.
Rated by riders as one of the best tracks in the Southern Hemisphere entries are coming in from all over New Zealand according to the Club. In anticipation of the volume of entries sign-on starts at 7am in readiness for practice at 9am.
On the Saturday it is Juniors and Vets that will be racing as well as eight classes of Mini 4-strokes on their own Mini track at the complex. Senior MX1, MX2, Women plus the Support classes will be on the Sunday. The MX classes will be scored separately into 2-stroke and 4-stroke capacities.
Saturday.
Starting with Juniors 8 to 11 years on 65cc machines be assured they will take your breath away on some of the jumps in the Supercross section of the challenging Harrisville track. Their lap-times are not much slower than some of their peers.
Then by age groups there are three classes of 85cc, two of 125cc and a 14 to 16 250 4-stroke class.
Vets are for those 35 years plus and this is a very competitive class. Expect the likes of Darryl King (Hamilton-Yamaha) to be a front runner in this class as well as Mitch Rowe (New Plymouth-Yamaha), Darren Capill (Whakatane-Yamaha), Tony Cooksley (Ramarama-Yamaha) and Dave Wallace (Auckland-Suzuki).
In the Junior ranks all eyes will be Warkworth's 14 year old Hamish Dobbyn (Yamaha) who won an astonishing three classes at the Whakatane Summercross. Three weeks later he won the 85cc Championship at the Supercross Nationals at the final round at Tokoroa and was also 2nd in the 125cc Championship. All that despite riding with broken bones in each hand.
At Woodville's NZ Grand Prix two weeks ago Dobbyn cleaned up the 12-14 years 125cc class. He would have also won the 13-16 years' 85cc class but for a suspension collapse in the last race. He then won the Champion-of-Champions 85cc race by 29 seconds from Kieran Leigh (Cambridge-Yamaha) and then, surprise ,surprise, went straight out and won the 125cc class by 9 seconds from Dillon (Mangakino-Honda).
Despite those credentials Dobbyn will not have it all his own way. In his 85cc class he will again be pushed hard by Leigh, Kieiran Scheele (Otane-KTM) and the class's youngest rider Kayne Lamont (Mangakino-Yamaha). At Whakatane and Woodville, Leigh also won the 15-16 years' 125cc class.
In the Junior 250cc four-stroke class expect Henry Madams (Wellington-KTM), Luke Temple (Ngatea-Yamaha), Matthew Prumm (Bombay-KTM), Ricoh Flavell (Taupo-Honda) and Adam Rutten (Waikanae-Suzuki) to be contenders for the title.
In the 8-10 years' 85cc and the 11-12 years' 85cc classes, the top riders from each class have entered or are going to.
In the new 150 4-stroke class the Honda CRF150R is the only make available at present with Sukuki and Yamaha versions 'rumoured' to be not far away. Cameron Dillon (Mangakino) is the fastest in this class. They will run with the 125cc classes.
Sunday.
Women's World Champion Katherine Prumm (Bombay-Kawasaki) is back from injury and won the class outright at Woodville. Expect pressure from the likes of Emma Davis (Taupo-Yamaha), Nikki Scott (Palmerston North-Honda) and Danielle Jack (Kaukapakapa-Suzuki). Junior Women entries will also be very strong as they were at Whakatane and Woodville. Great to see this class growing and being more and more competitive.
MX1. Too early to predict until the names finalise but what we do know is Daryl Hurley (Hawera-Suzuki) will be racing both MX1 and MX2. Hurley was back from a knee reconstruction at Woodville and won the 125 NZGP. Whilst happy to win he said he needs to find a little more speed before his assault on Australia's Nokia MX Nationals which start in Victoria on 18 April.
Darryll King (Hamilton-Subway Yamaha) will also be there. DK had 'considered' retirement from the international scene but why ?, when he is still well on the pace and winning, so he too will return to the Australian Nationals. 17 year old Jesse Donnelly (Paraparaumu-Yamaha) was a revelation at Woodville and will be a front runner. Add to that mix will be 1996 World 500 Champion Shayne King (New Plymouth-Honda Racing) and Mason Phillips (Mt Maunganui-Honda).
Cody Cooper (Castrol Honda Racing) will already be in Australia according to Honda Racing's Team Co-ordinator Paul Stewart.
New to the MX1 ranks are Nick Saunders (Taupo-Kawasaki) and Seadon Baker (Picton- ilabb Racing Honda).
The 250cc 2-stroke class will run with MX1 but scored separately. Expect strong performances from Barry Morris (Upper Hutt-Yamaha), Cam Negus (Rotorua-Yamaha), Tim Curr (Blenheim-Yamaha) and Tony Cooksley (Ramarama-Yamaha)
MX2. Again too early to predict but the top ten is a lottery between Hurley, Scott Columb (Queenstown-Suzuki), Damian King (Hamilton-Yamaha), Michael Phillips (Rotorua-Kawasaki), Mason Phillips (Mt Maunganui -Honda), Jesse Wiki (Hamilton-Kawasaki), Mason Wilkie (Masterton-Honda), Rhys Carter (Galatea-Kawasaki), Jayden Jessup (Upper Hutt-Yamaha) and Justin McDonald (Christchurch-Honda).
Blake Gillard (Beachlands-KTM) will not be there as he will be in Germany preparing to ride for a KTM satellite team in the German 125 Championship plus other European events.
Brad Groombridge (Taupo-Kawasaki) and Matt Hunt (Gisborne-Suzuki) are both currently out with shoulder injuries but Groombridge should be back.
Whoever the top ten are it is guaranteed that they will be riding in freight train formation as there is very little difference between them and it simply depends on the day.
There is a new starting gate layout at Harrisville and the huge number one and one and a half superjumps will be used - adrenalin stuff indeed ! The actual address of the track is Geraghty-Maber Road, Harrisville. Simply type in the street into www.smaps.co.nz
