    |
 |
|
|
|
Kiwi-born motocrosser Josh Coppins races the most far-flung grand prix in his world 250 championship this weekend, at the Belo Horizonte circuit in Brazil.
This 11th of 16 rounds scheduled in the gruelling title chase takes the world\'s premier class to the south-east of the South American country, near Rio de Janiero, to a 1920-metre track which will test their technical riding.
\"It\'s not an easy circuit, there\'s no such thing in this championship,\" said the Motueka-bred 23-year-old star of the Corona Suzuki factory squad.
\"It\'s a case of getting in and learning the track quickly, to get out of there with as many points as possible in the two races on Sunday.\"
\"I wasn\'t happy with my ride at the last GP; we had problems all weekend and it\'s time to catch up a few points,\" said Coppins who currently holds fourth in the championship.
It\'s a lofty position for a young man in his first year as a factory rider but the multi New Zealand champion is eager to improve it.
\"I\'d like to close up on (Pit) Beirer, we were having a good tussle for third spot in the middle of the season,\" Coppins stated. \"And it\'s important I stretch the lead over fifth just to give me that breathing space.\"
The crack Suzuki team goes to Brazil with some tension in the pit: its top rider, Frenchman Mickael Pichon who has led the points since the start of the season, is coming under strong attack from his countryman Fred Bolley (Honda).
Last year Bolley came from behind to win the title in the second half of the season and looks to be mounting the same charge again.
Coppins\' improvement during the 2000 year now sees him regularly dicing with these top fliers in the toughest championship in the world and he could yet prove kingmaker at the business end of the season.
World championship points:
1 Mickael Pichon (France) Corona- Suzuki 294 points,
2 Frédéric Bolley (France) Honda 270,
3 Pit Beirer (Germany) Kawasaki 221,
4 Joshua Coppins (NZ) Corona- Suzuki 190,
5 Claudio Federici (Italy) Yamaha 180,
6 Gordon Crockard (Britain) Honda 145
