Racing became something of a lottery at Toowoomba at the weekend, the fifth round of nine in the Australian Motocross Championships.

The riders spent most of his weekend spitting mud from their mouths as overnight rain on Saturday turned the steep, red clay surface of the Echo Valley circuit into a slippery and treacherous mess.

The rider who finished the day with the widest grin was perhaps Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper, the Rockstar Motul Suzuki star topping the podium thanks to his 1-2-1-3 results.

Fellow New Zealanders, former world No.2 Josh Coppins (CDR Rockstar Yamaha YZ450F), of Motueka, and Rotorua’s Michael Phillips (Carlton Dry Honda CRF450), both had difficult days.

Coppins had led the series after round three and had been ranked second overall, and just nine points off the lead, at the start of the weekend’s racing at Toowoomba, Queensland.

But luck did not favour the Kiwi hero on Sunday.

Coppins snatched the holeshot in the day’s first 20-minute open class race but was then shunted by another rider, which sent him tumbling into the glue-like mud.

From last position, Coppins began his fight-back, getting very creative with his selection of lines. He was often forced to leave the favoured one dry line and pop out sideways to churn through deep slop instead as he managed to pick off rider after rider before eventually settling for ninth spot at the chequered flag.

In all, Coppins passed more than 20 riders during his incredible charge through the field.

With traction nearly impossible to find, Coppins struggled in the three races that followed and finished fifth each time.

“I was really only ever going to be a fifth-placed rider today,” Coppins shrugged.

“I know I can win these races in the dry but I don’t really feel comfortable in the wet.”

It was a similar story for Phillips, the Bay of Plenty rider finishing 6-8-7-7, good enough for seventh overall on Sunday, and he remains sixth in the series standings.

Coppins’ CDR Rockstar Yamaha team-mate, defending champion Jay Marmont, finished 5-6-6-8 as he too suffered in the treacherous conditions.

Coppins is now third in the series standings, 20 points behind the second-ranked rider, Scottish international Billy Mackenzie (Monster Energy Kawasaki), and 29 points behind the series leader, Australian international Dean Ferris (Monster Energy Kawasaki).

An injury suffered at round two had forced Cooper to skip round three and he therefore finds himself down at eighth overall in the championship standings.

With four rounds still to come, all the riders have their fingers crossed that the sun will shine and they can show their true speed.

Marmont is fifth overall, just four points adrift of fourth-ranked fellow Australian Cheyne Boyd.

The series at it now heads to round six in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, on June 19.

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

2011 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals

Round 5 Results:

 

Rockstar Energy Drink Pro Open

1. Cody Cooper (Rockstar Motul Suzuki) 92

2. Billy Mackenzie (Monster Energy Kawasaki) 88

3. Dean Ferris (Monster Energy Kawasaki) 80

4. Cheyne Boyd (Carlton Dry Honda Racing) 73

5. Josh Coppins (CDR Rockstar Energy Yamaha) 60

6. Jay Marmont (CDR Rockstar Energy Yamaha) 59

7. Michael Phillips (Carlton Dry Honda Racing) 56

8. Matthew Phillips (Yamaha) 51

9. Louis Calvin (Herb Watson Racing KTM) 37

10. Beau Ralston (Chris Watson Motorcycles Yamaha) 37

 

Motul Pro Lites

1. Daniel McCoy (Rockstar Motul Suzuki) 64

2. Jake Moss (Serco Yoshimura Yamaha) 59

3. Josh Cachia (JDR Motorex KTM) 51

4. Phil Nicoletti (Monster Energy Kawasaki) 47

5. Luke Styke (Yamaha) 49

6. Brenden Harrison (JDR Motorex KTM) 44

7. Kade Mosig (Berry Sweet Strawberries/Lucas Oil Honda) 42

8. Alex Morris (Morwell Kawasaki) 36

9. Keiron Hall (Team 07 Axis Motorsports Honda) 32

10. Justin McDonald (Team 07 Axis Motorsports Honda) 31

 

Pirelli Under 19s

1. Jay Wilson (Coastal KTM) 65

2. Errol Willis (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki) 62

3. Kyle McKeddie (Mornington Kawasaki) 56

4. Shaun Redhead (GYTR Rockstar Energy Yamaha) 54

5. Kale Makeham (JDR Moss Institute Suzuki) 45

6. Brad Skoric (Team West Racing Kawasaki) 45

7. Luke Arbon (GYTR Rockstar Energy Yamaha) 40

8. Sam Martin (Byrners Suzuki) 39

9. Ben George (Yamaha) 35

10. Dan Banks (Eco-Pest Control KTM) 33

 

Championship Standings (after 5 of 9 rounds):

Rockstar Energy Drink Pro Open

1. Dean Ferris     379

2. Billy Mackenzie     370

3. Josh Coppins     350

4. Cheyne Boyd     328

5. Jay Marmont     324

6. Michael Phillips     291

7. Lawson Bopping     251

8. Cody Cooper     213

9. Ryan Marmont     206

10. Louis Calvin     193

 

Motul Pro Lites

1. Matt Moss 347

2. Kirk Gibbs 320

3. Daniel McCoy 295

4. Brenden Harrison 283

5. Josh Cachia 266

6. Phil Nicoletti 244

7. Keiron Hall 244

8. Cody Mackie 238

9. Justin McDonald 235

10. Luke Styke 230

 

Pirelli Under 19s

1. Errol Willis 407

2. Luke Arbon 356

3. Shaun Redhead 307

4. Dylan Peterson 272

5. Jake Emanuelli 249

6. Kyle McKeddie 241

7. Jay Wilson 208

8. Kale Makeham 159

9. Dylan Long 159

10. Jacob Mcleod 153