Monster Energy MX Nationals titles to be decided at Coolum

All three national titles will go down to the wire at Coolum Pines Motocross Track on Sunday, with the premier MX1 title chase to be battled out between retiring Josh Coppins (CDR Yamaha) and 21-year-old Gold Coast resident Todd Waters (Motul Pirelli Suzuki).

Coppins will enter his final professional race on Australian soil as the series leader, holding down a 14-point advantage over Waters after taking his fourth round win of the season last weekend at Moree. Despite his margin, experience proves that the 35-year-old can’t cruise to the title by any means.

"Last year I had an 18-point lead and it went away, so you can never be too comfortable,” Coppins reflected. "I’m going to Coolum to win and I’m not going to alter my situation for anything. Even if the first two races go well, I’m still going there to win.

"I’m riding well and I’m happy. Looking back, I’m a little disappointed in the middle section of the year, just because I let a big lead slide away through lack of focus. I made it hard for myself, but it was my fault and I have nobody to blame apart from myself. I’m happy to be back to my best form.”

Waters has proven a revelation in 2012 since signing for Suzuki, and selection for Team Australia in next month’s Motocross of Nations event in Belgium will serve as an additional confidence boost before the weekend’s action.

Already claiming multiple wins in the Sunshine State earlier this year, Waters knows he has form at Coolum, and intends to keep things "interesting” at the season finale if he’s to pressure Coppins home in the race for the title.

"I’m going to go home now, keep training and get ready for Coolum,” Waters said following Moree. "I’m just going to go there and have some fun, do the best that I can and hopefully end up as close to the championship as I can – the plan is to make things interesting up there.”

The battle for third in the MX1 title chase will be another tight one, with Coppins’ CDR Yamaha teammate Lawson Bopping entering the round just six points clear of two-time reigning British champion Brad Anderson (Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing). Second Motul Pirelli Suzuki rider Cody Cooper completes the top five.

Along with Waters, Bopping has also been selected for the Australian team in the ‘Olympics’ of motocross. Both Coppins and Cooper will represent New Zealand in the iconic event that pits the ANZACs against the best motocross countries on the planet.

Defending four-time champion Jay Marmont will hand over his number one plate at the conclusion of Coolum, the Monster Energy Kawasaki contender suffering an injury-plagued campaign. Marmont will be aiming for his first and only win of 2012 come Sunday.


Josh Coppins ahead of Todd Waters. 

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MX2: Sunshine Coast’s own Ford Dale (Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing) is in the hot seat to pick up his first career professional championship, leading the Motul MX2 series into Coolum by 21 points after scoring a clean-sweep at Moree’s penultimate round.

Dale had been trailing longtime leader Luke Styke (Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing) in the standings until the penultimate round, setting up the battle of the season at the finale on Sunday.

(Editor: Let's not forget Styke had a 31 point lead going into Moree.  Alan H.)

"I’m just trying to do the same thing I do every week this week and follow my usual structure,” Dale explained. "Same as on the weekend, the way I’ve been going into the last couple rounds has been good.

"So I’m just going to go into it the same and just take it one race at a time, and just to win races. I think if I just do that and ride the way I know that I can, it should be all good.”

Styke will be Team Australia’s MX2 entrant at the MXoN event. Behind Dale and Styke, JDR/KTM Factory Racing’s Josh Cachia comfortably sits third in the standings, within string distance of the title himself at 28 points behind the leader.

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MXD: Kiwi Kayne Lamont is on track to deliver KTM the Pirelli MX Development (MXD) title for Under 19s riders this weekend, entering Coolum with a 32-point buffer over Choice Motorsports KTM’s Dylan Long. Axis Motorsports Kawasaki’s Dylan Leary is third. Last week saw series debutant Luke Clout (MX Factory Honda) shock the regulars with a win first time out.

(Editor:  Lamont has New Zealand's MX2 ride at Lommel's MXoN.  Alan H.)

Coolum will also see the addition of two first class support categories, with the Veterans and KTM 2 Stroke National events taking centre-stage on Saturday before wrapping up on Sunday morning.