Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

In another two weeks, March 18, Taupo will be hosting the final round of the New Zealand Motocross Champs. It’s all coming down to this round to decide the MX2 class title, between Hamilton’s Darryll King and Queenstown’s Scotty Columb.

“There is just one point separating us going into this event and I can’t wait,” says Columb.

“Pukekohe hosted round three at the weekend and the club did a fantastic job preparing the track. The last time I had ridden at Pukekohe was in 2003 when I rode a one-dinger (125cc 2-stroke).

“In qualifying, I was fourth fastest with only around one second separating 1st to 4th. It took a little time to warm into the track as it had been heavily watered the day before and throughout the morning it was drying out and changing shape. As the day went on it dried out a lot. By the end of the day it was very hard and slightly dusty.

“Race one was okay. My start out of the gate was good but wet dirt slowed me mid-way down the start straight. In the first few turns I moved forward quickly. The argy-bargy beginning and having to push hard meant I suffered from arm pump and paid the price when I lost the lead on the last lap to DK (Darryll King).

“Race two and I do not know what went wrong with this start … if I got wheel spin or what … but I got pinched off on both sides and I rounded the first corner in around 14th place. I went to town and was at the pointy end of the field. Chaos was going on in front of me. Six riders were trying to win this race and, while I slipped into fourth, I was pressuring DK when he made a big mistake and went down hard in front of me.

“Avoiding DK and his bike, I had a few remaining laps and finished 3rd, behind Shaun Fogarty and Peter Broxholme (the winner).

“Race three, final moto for the day. I was fully focused and ready to roll and I pulled a holeshot.

“I was out of the first turn clean but just after the second corner my race was almost over when an excited John Phillips jumped across from the inside into the middle, almost collecting me mid-air. He hit me hard mid air with his front wheel straight into my elbow. Not hitting my funny bone and not funny at all, he hit some nerve and I lost feeling in my hand.

“Carrying on, I set to work. I turned out some solid laps with some really good lines, riding confidently. I pulled out an 8-second lead and when the two-lap board came out I started to ease up and just slow down a bit, crossing the line easily in first place.

“However, I watched out the corner of my eye a cool battle between Fog-dog (Fogarty) and DK, with DK just getting the better of Fogarty in the final lap.

“So after the final moto had finished I had to do a drug test. After racing all day in the heat it’s not the easiest thing to do, pissing into a container till full. Here I go knocking a 750ml powerade and 750ml water. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock tock. Oi lets go, so I’m standing in a cubicle with a random bloke and he’s like “oh, your pants have to go down to at ya knees”.

“I’m like ‘are you for real or just peeping?’ so I drop my pants like a 2-year-old standing awkwardly trying to pee. Finally after watery thoughts, I got the container filled.

“So yea, there it is ladies and gents. With the final round in two weeks in Taupo I’m trailing DK by one point and feeling fine for the final.”

© Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com