LAMONT STEPS IT UP | Bikesportnz

Mangakino’s Kayne Lamont is hot property at the moment on both sides of the Tasman.

The CMR Red Bull KTM rider was the dominant rider in the MX2 (250cc) class at Taupo’s recent Battle of the Clubs Motocross, a fundraiser for New Zealand’s three-rider entry into the upcoming Motocross of Nations event in Belgium.

Lamont won the MX2/veterans’ combined race and finished third overall – behind MX1 riders Cody Cooper (Suzuki) and Daryl Hurley (Suzuki) – in the MX1/MX2 race that wrapped up the day.

But that only tells half the story.

Sponsored by BikesportNZ.com, Lamont has been kicking dust in the faces of the established stars for much of this season, particularly now that’s he’s getting to grips with his new 250cc two-stroke bike.

“I only picked up the bike two days before the racing at Taupo,” said the 18-year-old.

“We had only run-in the engine … and nothing had been done to get the suspension set up.”

It didn’t all go Lamont’s way in his MX2 battles at Taupo with the former New Zealand junior champion coming unstuck during his qualifying race, that excursion won instead by fellow Bay of Plenty rider Rhys Carter (Suzuki).

“I clipped a track marker peg and that jammed the front brakes on. I crashed and Rhys got past me,” he explained.

“I still managed to finish second an d that just meant I didn’t have the best pick on the start gate for the main races. But that was okay.”

It was actually not just ‘okay’, it wasn’t an issue at all, because Lamont was easily the top MX2 rider in both points races later in the day.

“In the first (MX2/veterans’ class) race I got the holeshot and just pulled away. In the second (MX2/MX1 class) race I was in second spot at the start, behind Cooper, and stayed with him for quite a while.

“Hurley got past me with four laps to go, but then I passed him back. He got by me again on the last lap when we came up on lappers. But it was a brilliant day all the same.”

Lamont will spend a few weeks practising at home while he prepares for the Australian Motocross Championships to resume after a mid-season break.

After four of nine rounds thus far, Lamont is second overall in the highly-competitive under-19 class in Australia.

He dominated the most recent two rounds, rocketing to within just nine points of series leader Dylan Long, the 2009 junior world No.3.

Lamont’s Australian campaign resumes with the next round set for Hervey Bay, in Queensland, on July 1.

In addition to CMR Red Bull KTM and BikesportNZ.com, Lamont is also sponsored by and Shift race wear and Dragon goggles.

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