News Release
NZ Suzuki Riders Conquer America
28 August 2008
Kiwi riders are making a huge impact in the United States this season.
There seems to be no stopping Pahiatua's Paul Whibley (Suzuki RM-Z450) as he notched up yet two more major victories on the American cross-country bike racing scene.
Whibley won round five of the Kentucky Off Road Harescramble Series (KORHS) near Louisville a week ago and then backed that up by also winning the CRA Cross-country Race at Lightning Raceway, in Ohio, on Sunday.
"I raced the KORHS series a lot last year and I ran into Rick Hollenkamp at an OMA (Off-road Motorcycle and ATV) race a few weeks back. He asked if I could come back and do some of the KORHS events this year," said Whibley.
"It was cool to get invited back and know my efforts racing were appreciated there."
Though he ended up winning the day easily, it was the Kiwi's first showing in the Kentucky series this season and he therefore finds himself down at fifth in the series standings.
Whibley suffered a rare bad start at Louisville but was soon up to speed and on the tail of the men in front.
"I caught up to the leaders and Allan Westerfeild was up front on his little KTM and being chased hard by Nathan Alering (Yamaha). I tried a different line to try get around Nathan and got up beside him only to be covered in muddy water as he splashed through a small mud hole. I grabbed a tear-off and my vision was restored to perfect again through my goggles.
"I made a pass stick on Nathan and zeroed in on Allan. On a tricky rocky hill climb I cranked the RM-Z450 up and passed Allan and took the lead. I put the hammer down the rest of the lap and built a comfortable lead.
"Time for the pit stop. Somehow I had set my gas up on part of the track that was used in the morning race and was not being used for the afternoon event. I had been making laps trying to work out where my gas was then I saw my pit crew at trackside, holding up my gas can. They had carried it over to the proper track ready to gas me up.
"I completed the two hours safely and took the win."
Whibley leads another of America's big cross-country championships, the OMA series and is running second overall in the prestigious Grand National Cross-Country Series as well.
Meanwhile, fellow New Zealander Cody Cooper also put himself on the podium in the US on Sunday, the second time he has done that in America since switching to Suzuki earlier this year.
Cooper took his Suzuki RM-Z450 to finish 7th and 2nd in his two open class races at Sunday's penultimate round of the AMA Motocross Championships at Southwick, Massachusetts, good enough to finish the day ranked second overall, just behind all-conquering American factory Kawasaki star James Stewart.
Another American factory rider, Tim Ferry, went 4-4 to take the third step on the podium.
Cooper's result cemented him at fifth in the series standings.
However, he is 75 points behind fellow Suzuki rider Michael Byrne (of Australia) and, with just a maximum 50 points available at the final round this weekend, the Kiwi rider has no chance of improving his series ranking.
Even so, it has been a remarkable season for Cooper, riding a privateer Suzuki against the factory stars.
