MOTOPINION: ROTORUA MX PREVIEW
Round 2 of the FOX New Zealand Motocross Nationals is hitting Rotorua tomorrow (Feb 17) and with it NZ’s best moto racers from around the country as well as a few from Australia. The Dirt was at Barrett Road for Round 1 and has a few predictions, comments and opinions coming into Phillips Farm. Take a squiz with the latest Story By Pictures.
Kirk Gibbs is the reigning NZ MX1 champion and pretty keen on keeping that NZ #1 plate for 2018. Switching from a KTM to Yamaha for 2019, Gibbs went back to Australia to do more testing with the CDR Yamaha team, hoping to shave off some more seconds per lap coming into Round 2.
Daniel Newman, this year’s Privateer Hero wont make Round 2 due to injury. Mountain bikes are clearly not Dan’s forte as a small spill has lead to hand damage. He is planning to line up for Round 3 in Taupo in a weeks time. Also spoiler alert - hes taken… Sorry ladies and gents.
Seeing the #98 on a Kawasaki still takes some getting used to. Ethan was in the hunt for a top five overall before a DQ in Race 3 in Taranaki put paid to that. Unsure around the circumstances there, Ethan will be looking to make amends to that at Phillips Farm.
Terrible news from the Husqvarna camp sees Brodie, ridding the #88 TC125 out for the season due to injury. That leaves the young lad to reflect on what might have been for 2019. He was probably the only other rider in the 125 class that looked like he could have taken a win away from current points leader Hamish Harwood.
Speaking of Harwood, the Aucklander currently leads both the 125 class and MX2 after an impressive showing in Rotorua. Even though he only won one race in the MX2 class, Harwood looked like the rider to beat, with consistency playing a big part of the day at Round 1. Look for more of the same tomorrow.
We don’t really push news out the door here at thedirt.co.nz. We are more about features and testing, while adding podcasts to our repertoire. Super snapper Andy McGechan runs bikesportnz.com and it’s a great place to get press releases and news for both dirt and road. Plus he is always at the races like us.
Maximus Purvis is the raw talent of the MX2 class. Not too talkative when getting interviewed, he clearly prefers to do his talking on the track on board his Yamaha. His Race 1 win in Taranaki showed that he has the speed to take this title. But his loss of concentration in Race 2 and possible lack of fitness in Race 3 held him back. Keen to see what he can do in Rotorua with two more weeks of training.
Brad Groombridge is an animal. Again competing in both the MX1 and MX2 class, the Taupo native seems to be a sucker for punishment, no matter what he is riding. We here would love to see what Brad is capable of doing should he focus on just one class. A tittle maybe? But until then we will just have to deal with him being a podium threat in both of them.
Probably the quickest rider on the track, Kayne Lamont hasn’t come into the season firing on all cylinders. Even though his YZ450F only has one cylinder, Kayne is only just back from injury and it showed on the track. Race 1 he had no speed for the front guys. Race 2 he showed his speed out front but also the lack of bike time, succumbing to Cooper and Gibbs. Race 3 it was his lack of fitness. It is amazing what a couple of weeks can do though, and you know he is only going to get better and better as the series rolls on. If he’s not vying for the title come Round 4 in Taupo we will be a little surprised.
Australia rider Wilson Todd showed amazing speed in the mud at Round 1 and backed it up in the final race of the day. Good starts equals good results for Wilson. Conversely bad starts seems to derail the Husqvarna rider. Lets see what he can do in Rotorua.
As Scott Wilkins said on the Review Podcast, “it’s like bringing a knife to gun show.” Blake Gillard is the only 250cc 2-stroke rider in the class - heck in whole field across all national classes. The new rule change that outlawed 250 2-strokes to run with the 250 4-strokes has seen the MX2 class diminish in numbers. It also meant Gillard had to race in MX1 against the 450s. He still managed 7th overall but podium hopes for the Tauranga man are a long shot.
Cody Cooper is pictured here getting the holeshot in Race 3 and checking out from the rest of the field. He holds a 3-point lead over Gibbs coming into Round 2 at Phillips Farm. The Honda rider, who now doubles as team manager was pretty happy with his results after the opening round. He also eluding that some sponsors that had left the team for 2019, was due to their worry the manager role might affect Cody’s riding. Spoiler alert - it didn’t.
The last post must go to Josh Tredinnick. The KTM mounted MX2 rider is clearly living that privateer life. Although he is head-to-tow in Crown Kiwi gear so maybe not as privateer as some. Never the less, Race 2 of the MX2 class was a true mudder. For better or worse (depending on who you talk to), the track was heavily watered to help last the day, as the sun was beginning to really bake the track. Goggles were getting throw off left, right and centre and as early as the second lap. Josh ain’t got no time (or money) to be be buying new goggles so had the film following him all race. Choice!
Not Dan though - him and his salmon Seven gear went back to get his SPY goggles he threw after the race. True Privateer Hero.