NOW FURTHER IN FRONT | Bikesportnz

Kiwi internationals Cody Cooper and Scotty Columb have consolidated their rankings as the New Zealand Motocross Championships reached the halfway point in the Thames Valley on Sunday.

Mount Maunganui’s Cooper (Moto City Suzuki) and Queenstown’s Columb (JCR Yamaha Racing) are now further in front in the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively after the second of four rounds in this season’s Backflips Clothing-sponsored series at Patetonga, near Morrinsville, on Sunday.

Cooper has stretched his lead in the MX1 class out to 20 points over Scottish former Grand Prix star Billy MacKenzie (JCR Yamaha Racing), while Columb now enjoys a 16-point advantage over the new No.2 man in the MX2 class, Australian visitor Brock Winston (CMR Red Bull KTM).

The biggest mover on the day was Waitakere’s Ethan Martens (Yamaha YZ250). Martens (pictured above) finished 3-2-1 in his three MX2 races and rocketed up eight spots from a lowly 12th overall after round one to now be a solid fourth in the championship rankings.

MX1 class defending champion Ben Townley (Carlton Dry Honda), of Tauranga, crashed to the sidelines at round one of the series at Timaru a fortnight earlier and he was at the Patetonga race track as a spectator only on Sunday.

Meanwhile, in the other championship division, the 125cc class, a change at the top was always expected.

Round one winner Courtney Duncan (Backflips Yamaha) was absent on Sunday as overseas duty beckoned to her, leaving the way clear for Rotorua’s Cameron Vaughan (JCR Yamaha Racing) to dominate.

The 16-year-old Vaughan was second overall in the class after round one at Timaru a fortnight earlier – with an unlucky crash in one race there followed by two impressive wins – and this hinted that he truly is champion material.

And so it proved as Vaughan secured 1-1-2 results on Sunday, enough to edge out Bayride BikesportNZ.com Yamaha rider Logan Blackburn, of Te Puke.

Another rider to impress on Sunday was Tauranga’s Aaron Wiltshier (KTM 125). He finished 3-6-3 on the day and elevated himself three positions, from fifth equal to third in the overall 125cc championship standings.

The series now heads to Pukekohe on March 10 and it finally wraps up in Taupo on March 31.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Leading championship standings after the second of four rounds of the New Zealand Motocross Championships at Patetonga, near Morrinsville, on Sunday:

MX1 class:

1. Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui, Suzuki) 139 points;

2. Billy MacKenzie (Scotland, Yamaha) 119;

3. Todd Waters (KTM, Australia) 109;

4. Kirk Gibbs (KTM, Australia) 102;

5. Daryl Hurley (Suzuki, Hawera) 93.

MX2 class:

1. Scott Columb (Queenstown, Yamaha) 133;

2. Brock Winston (Australia, KTM) 117;

3. Rhys Carter (Mount Maunganui, Suzuki) 102;

4. Ethan Martens (Waitakere, Yamaha) 96;

5. John Phillips (Rotorua, Honda) 89.

125cc class:

1. Cameron Vaughan (Rotorua, Yamaha) 136;

2. Logan Blackburn (Te Puke, Yamaha) 131;

3. Aaron Wiltshier (Tauranga, KTM) 100;

4= Cameron Negus (Rotorua, Husqvarna) and Cohen Chase (Taupo, KTM) 89.

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