Few riders had an answer for the strength and raw speed of Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper on Sunday.
This season’s New Zealand Motocross Championships edged past the halfway stage with the second round of four in the series at Patetonga, just outside Morrinsville, on Sunday with Power Balance MotoGB Suzuki’s Cooper racing to 2-1-1 results in the glamour MX1 class.
Former world championship rider Josh Coppins, of Motueka, finished 3-2-2 and was runner-up for the day and he retains the series lead.
However, Coppins now has Cooper to worry about as the Bay of Plenty man creeps closer to peak condition as he prepares for his national championship assault in Australia in a few weeks’ time.
“It was an awesome day and I can’t thank the team enough for having everything right for me,” said Cooper (Power Balance MotoGB Suzuki RM-Z450) afterwards.
“It’s great that (Australian Suzuki team manager) Jay Foreman came over. And that’s where I’m focussed too … being strong for the Australian nationals. I don’t want to peak too soon for that and I think I’m getting stronger each time I ride, which is good. The first round of the Australian nationals is just a week away.”
Meanwhile, Australian visitor Daniel McCoy (Power Balance MotoGB Suzuki RM-Z250) maintained is challenge for the MX2 title with another solid performance on Sunday.
McCoy finished the day runner-up to Hamilton’s Darryll King and he remains third in the overall championship standings but now just two points behind third-ranked fellow Australian visitor Cody Mackie.
“I’m not happy with the result, to be honest,” said McCoy.
“This New Zealand series is all about me testing ahead of the Australian nationals but I still want to win here. I know how good king is … he may be in his 40s but he’s an all-out racer and he knows what it takes to win.”
In the battle for under-21 honours, it’s a three-way Suzuki battle for third spot.
There is virtually nothing to separate Kaukapakapa’s Josh Jack, from Atiamuri’s Dion Picard, with Wanganui’s Tom Managh very close behind in fifth spot overall.
Credit: Words and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
For further information contact
Simon Meade
Motorcycle Sales Manager
simon@suzuki.co.nz
