News Release

Mate versus mate in dash for cash

01 February 2011
It was almost a case of take the money and run for Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper at the weekend.
Racing at the 50th annual edition of the country’s biggest stand-alone motocross event on Sunday, the Woodville GP, Cooper was keen for the race to be more than just another build-up before the start of the New Zealand Motocross Championships in just under three weeks’ time.
Putting a little pocket money into his wallet would be a nice boost ahead of the four-round national series and so he stepped forward to enter the eight-rider dash-for-cash series of races.
The other riders were Motueka’s Josh Coppins, Taupo’s Cameron Dillon, Christchurch’s Justin McDonald, Belgium’s Jeff Cloots, England’s Jake Nicholls, Hawera’s Daryl Hurley, and Mangakino’s Kayne Lamont.
Two at a time the riders were set off on a one-lap sprint, the winner surviving to race again and the loser eliminated, until just two men remained for the final money-winning dash – Cooper and his younger Power Balance MotoGB team-mate Lamont.
In the end, the 17-year-old Lamont (Suzuki RM-Z 250) had to bow to the experience and superior horsepower of Cooper (Suzuki RM-Z 450).
But the day’s successes didn’t end there for Cooper, with the Bay of Plenty rider also running with the leaders in the prestigious MX1 class.
Motueka’s Josh Coppins won the class but Cooper finished runner-up, just six points behind.
“It was very rocky out there. I should have had my hand guards on,” Cooper dryly remarked afterwards. “I’m pretty gutted not to win actually. At least I know I have the pace to win and we’ll look ahead now to the start of the nationals (near Timaru on February 20).”
And it was a busy weekend for Atiamuri’s Dion Picard at Woodville too.
Picard was the big winner during Saturday’s junior race programme, the Suzuki star winning both the 14-16 years’ 250cc four-stroke class title and the 15-16 years’ 125cc title, as well as going on to win the Champion-of-Champions crown for 125-250cc riders.
He then rolled out his RM125 to race again the following day, this time in the under-21 years’ 125 GP class.
Waitakere teenager Ethan Martens won the 125cc class ahead of Tauranga’s Scott Barr-Smith, with Picard and fellow Suzuki rider Tom Managh, of Wanganui, sharing third overall and Kaukapakapa’s Josh Jack bringing his RM125 home in fifth spot overall.

For Further Information Contact
Simon Meade
Motorcycle Sales Manager
e simon@suzuki.co.nz