READY TO GO HARD AGAIN
In just a few days’ time the Australian Motocross Championships resume after a mid-season interval and Kiwi Josh Coppins is one rider who can’t wait to get back into gear.
The former motocross Grand Prix star – currently in the United Kingdom on a sabbatical – is leading the Pro Open Class across the Tasman after five of 10 rounds, happy to have a 21-point advantage at the halfway stage when the series shut down for a mid-calendar respite.
The CDR Yamaha Team rider has been “Mister Consistency” throughout the first half of his Australian campaign – finishing inside the top 10 in every single race thus far – and he heads to round six at Hervey Bay, in Queensland, on Sunday (July 1) in a confident mood.
Motueka-based Coppins said he “didn’t feel good” at the last round – at Murray Bridge, South Australia, on May 20 – but he has been hard at work over the intervening weeks and says he will again be strong at Hervey Bay this weekend.
“I had a coming together on the track with (Australian rival) Jake Moss in the third race at Murray Bridge and my bike was damaged. I managed to salvage some points by nursing it home for an eighth place finish.”
That was enough for Coppins to maintain his stranglehold on the series lead, although he lost some ground. He had been 42 points in front after round four and he is thankful at least that he remains comfortably in charge with five rounds to go.
“I think I got the jump on my rivals in Australia because I was able to continue my good form after the New Zealand nationals (which had wrapped up at Taupo just two weeks before his Australian campaign launched on April 1).
“But 21 points is not really too much of an advantage. That can disappear very quickly. I can take nothing for granted.”
Coppins knows he can expect a hot time in Hervey Bay with a tight bunch of very talented riders all nipping at his heels.
Australian stars Todd Waters, Lawson Bopping and Tye Simmonds, British ace Brad Anderson and Kiwi hero Cody Cooper, of Mount Maunganui, are all within strike range for Coppins, although the Yamaha man’s nearly 20 years of Grand Prix experience give him a distinct edge.
Rotorua’s Michael Phillips is another rider among the Pro Open Class points in Australia, although he finds himself down in 19th spot overall after picking up an injury.
Other Kiwis racing across the Tasman this season include Christchurch’s Justin McDonald and Queenstown’s Scotty Columb, currently eighth and 11th respectively in the MX2 (250cc) class standings, while BikesportNZ.com rider Kayne Lamont, of Mangakino, is lighting up the Under-19s class, second in the series rankings after dominating the previous two rounds.
Rotorua’s John Phillips is 12th and Atiamuri’s Dion Picard 13th in the U19 standings.
Australian MX1 Championship standings (after 5 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 301
2. Todd Waters 280
3. Brad Anderson 274
4. Lawson Bopping 255
5. Tye Simmonds 234
6. Cody Cooper 232
7. Jay Marmont 207
8. Jake Moss 171
9. Daniel McCoy 164
10. Daniel Reardon 147
11. Dean Porter 139
12. Calle Aspegren 112
13. Dylan Peterson 96
14. Ben Townley 75
15. Craig Anderson 64
16. Tim Vare 61
17. Gordon Crockard 59
18. Beau Ralston 58
19. Mike Phillips 50
20. Billy Mackenzie 44
MX2 Championship standings (after 5 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 306
2. Ford Dale 274
3. Cheyne Boyd 258
4. Josh Cachia 258
5. Kade Mosig 233
6. Kirk Gibbs 229
7. Adam Monea 215
8. Justin McDonald 192
9. Lewis Woods 173
10. Errol Willis 168
11. Scott Columb 168
12. Luke Arbon 121
13. Nick Murray 119
14. Brock Winston 99
15. Ryan Marmont 91
16. Geran Stapleton 84
17. Corey Lucas 45
18. Peter Boyle 35
19. Richard Egerton 34
20. David Birch 19
MXD (Under-19) Championship standings (after 4 of 9 rounds):
1. Dylan Long 226
2. Kayne Lamont 217
3. Dylan Leary 209
4. Samual Martin 204
5. Jay Wilson 177
6. Joel Milesevic 176
7. Kale Makeham 171
8. Mitch Norris 123
9. Mitch Budd 116
10. Dylan Wills 103
11. Jarrad Davis 102
12. John Phillips 88
13. Dion Picard 87
14. Wade Hunter 81
15. Joe Gillespie 68
16. Ben George 63
17. Michael Crugnale 60
18. Josh Melis 49
19. Rhys Hobson 43
20. Billy Jackson 43
© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com