WITH A GREEN TINGE | Bikesportnz

Everything is looking very green on so many of the world’s motocross fronts at the moment.

Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto won the day at the latest round of the United States Motocross Championships in High Point Raceway, Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, at the weekend, moving himself up to second in the standings and within just 15 points of championship leader Chad Reed (Honda).

Villopoto wrapped up the American supercross championship just a few weeks ago and now looks like a favourite to repeat the dose in the outdoor arena as well.

Also of note at Mount Morris was the impressive performance of Blake Baggett in the 250cc class, winning the day to move up the rankings there and making it a Kawasaki 1-2-3 at the top of the championship standings.

The leader in the 250cc motocross class in America is South African former world champion Tyla Rattray, with Kawasaki team-mates Dean Wilson, of Scotland, and American rising star Baggett close behind in the No.2 and No.3 spots respectively.

Just 11 points separate the Kawasaki trio.

It is also a Kawasaki 1-2 across the Tasman when local rider Dean Ferris leads the open class points from flying Scotsman Billy Mackenzie, the two men on identical Kawasaki KX450F bikes.

Ferris leads the open class with 379 points, nine more than his Monster Energy Kawasaki team-mate Mackenzie, while Kiwi former world No.2 Josh Coppins (Yamaha), of Motueka, is currently third overall, a further 20 points behind Mackenzie.

That competition resumes this weekend with round six at Coonabarabran, in New South Wales and the Monster Energy Kawasaki men will be seeking to further consolidate their stranglehold on the top two spots.

Consistency has been the key for Ferris who has been on the podium at each of the four previous rounds, but he’s well aware that he’ll have Mackenzie, Coppins and his fellow Kiwis, Rotorua’s Michael Phillips (Honda) and Cody Cooper (Suzuki) chasing him hard.

Round seven follows at Wodonga, Victoria, on July 3; round eight is at Moree, New South Wales, on July 24 and, finally, it all wraps up at Coolum, in Queensland, on August 31.

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