New Zealand’s Brodie Connolly is all primed and ready to race the full national motocross championship season in the United States in 2026.
As preparation, he lined up to race the last three rounds of Pro Motocross in the US this year, at Ironman, Unadilla and Budd’s Creek.
“Even if I wasn’t going for these last three rounds, I want to be there next year. It was cool to see where I stack up … at least I got a taste of the speed, and yeah, it’s where I want to be next year,” said the 21-year-old Connolly, from the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand’s North Island.
Connolly, from the town of Matamata, had already made it clear that he wanted to pursue a career in America next year, off the back of securing two consecutive ProMX MX2 titles in Australia and with the intent to graduate from Yarrive Konsky’s Australian-based factory Honda Racing operation.
It’s understood that the highly-rated New Zealander has already inked a deal that will see him arrive in SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) competition next season.
During the opening part of his three-race cameo in the 250MX category of Pro Motocross at the tail end of this year’s series in the US, brutal temperatures had an impact on Connolly’s results.
Despite this, he ran as high as sixth for the first half of the opening moto at Unadilla – eventually carding 16-21 scores for 20th overall.
It may be a huge step up for him to run among the top five in the US next season, but if the example currently being set by fellow Kiwi Cole Davies is anything to go by, positive improvements are possible and Connolly will certainly be encouraged by what’s been achieved already by Waitoiki man Davies.
Konsky noted the differences in temperature in Australia versus the conditions faced in Indiana: “We can’t prepare for this … that’s just the reality,” he said. “We weren’t ready for this heat,” he continued. “And the only way we can start is by jumping in at the deep end.
“We didn’t have time to come here (to the US) for a month and prepare, so we only had the opportunity to do the last three rounds.”
© Photo courtesy Honda
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here