Watch this space because Bay of Plenty’s Scotty Canham reckons it won’t be long before he fills it.

The just-turned 21-year-old Rotorua sign-writer has put together two back-to-back weekends of top-flight motocross racing and on both occasions the Kawasaki ace was banging handlebars with the sport’s elite.

He finished fourth overall in the MX2 (250cc) class at the season-opening MX Fest in Taupo at Labour Weekend, missing out by just one point on earning a podium spot to none other than Altherm JCR Yamaha team boss and former world No.2 Josh Coppins, of Motueka.

Canham (Kawasaki KX250F) then followed up that performance with another scorcher at the annual two-day Waikato Motocross Championships, on the outskirts of Te Kuiti at the weekend, again finishing fourth overall and this time falling just two points shy of a podium position.

On this occasion it was two-time former national MX2 class champion and fellow Rotorua rider Michael Phillips (The Honda Shop Racing Team CRF250) who denied Canham a step on the podium, but at least the Patterson O’Connor BikesportNZ.com-supported rider was once more in very good company.

Hamilton’s Josiah Natzke (CMR Red Bull KTM 250F) won the class ahead of Otorohanga man Hayden Kanters (Bike Torque MX Antix BikesportNZ.com Yamaha YZ250), followed by Phillips and Canham.

Canham’s best result on Sunday was a runner-up finish in one race and it’s probably just a matter of time before Canham cracks a top-three ranking – that’s certainly something he’s been working at very hard to achieve.

“I want to win, so, although fourth overall is pretty good, it’s still not the result I’m looking for,” he said.

“In the end the day, it was a good result at the Waikato champs and I felt I rode pretty well considering my fitness is still not up to standard. I was only two points off the podium. Now the days are longer, I need to get more riding in after work so that I can get those two extra points that I need.”

“My build-up for the nationals is going very well. I’ve still got a lot of work to do but I should be able to get up there.”

The four-round 2015 New Zealand Motocross Championships kick off in New Plymouth on February 8 and arrive at his home track of Rotorua for round three on March 8.

“I’ve still got a few months up my sleeve to work on my fitness,” he said.

Canham is supported by Patterson-O’Connor Motorcycles Kawasaki, Carters Tyre Service, BikesportNZ.com, Rothbury Insurance Brokerage, Fly Racing, Shopzone, Babbit Bearings and Trevor Robson Signs.

© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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