Auckland’s Liam Draper has come a long way in a very short time and now he has grand plans to go even further.

Following a solid junior career as a moto trials rider in New Zealand, the young man from Howick became Australian junior moto trials champion in 2012 and soon after that he switched motorcycling sports codes, becoming an exponent of the enduro and cross-country disciplines.

He tasted success almost immediately and earlier this year he very nearly capped off his “nursery years” in the two similar but separate sports by winning New Zealand senior titles, the 20-year-old instead forced to settle for runner-up spot in both the 2016 enduro nationals and the 2016 cross-country nationals.

Now the Husqvarna rider is branching  out and heading off-shore again, this time to tackle four rounds of the Grand National Cross-country Championships in the United States.

He will race the first four rounds of the 13-event series, starting in South Carolina on March 5.

“I’m really excited about this American adventure,” said Draper. “But I’ll still need additional financial support.”

He said it could cost between $15-20,000 for this abbreviated US campaign on the east coast of the country.

Draper will race a local state event near Atlanta, “just to get used to everything over there, on the weekend he first arrives, as he gets settled in with the KR4 Arrive-N-Ride Husqvarna Team.

After the GNCC opener in South Carolina, Draper will head to Florida for round two on March 12, Georgia for round three on March 26 and then North Carolina for round four on April 9.

He will have his boss, plumbing company owner Richard Sutton – a cross-country and enduro enthusiast and a talented rider in his own right – travelling with him to lend support.

“It’s fantastic to have this support from Richard and I guess the plumbing van just gets locked up at home for a couple of months while we’re away,” he laughed.

“His racing knowledge and help in the pits at the races will be very much appreciated.”

Draper will be joined at the first two rounds by fellow Kiwis Ashton Grey (from Cambridge) and Rachael Archer (from Te Awamutu), also heading to the US for the first time to “dip toes into the water” of the GNCC competition.

Husqvarna rider Archer is the current national junior women’s enduro champion.

Because Draper will be in the US until mid April, this means he will not be back in New Zealand in time to mount full nationals campaigns in either of the enduro or cross-country series at home next season, although the value of his GNCC experience will no doubt still be felt.

Draper is supported by Husqvarna New Zealand, Workshop Graphics, BikesportNZ.com, Alpinestars, Bell helmets, Sparrow’s Plumbing, Oakley goggles, Motorex, Renthal handlebars, Pirelli tyres, Demack Engineering, Kiwi Rider magazine, Ryno Power and Sevenee Suspension.

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

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