2012 Elf Auckland Motocross Champs

Saturday: Minis and Juniors

• I acknowledge that the MR Motorcycles Raceway was inadvertently left off this advert in the Franklin County News.
• Light rain arrived at 7am, as I trudged the track pulling the mid track sprinklers off.
• Just as well Tony Cooksley had already taken the bigger hills out for the Juniors.
• Set hay-bales on the more predictable corners to create lines.  It worked well for the racing.
• Rode the entire track in the KX Mule with Tony and remarkable how the track has held up.  Mulched corners looking great.  Just as well the forecast was reliable as no deep ripping.  
• Sad to hear that Paul Wheeler at North Harbour Yamaha has closed his doors.  
• 87 Minis and they ran out of pit space.
• Shayne King there with sons Curtis and Rian. Curtis was riding an 85 for the first time and his first time on Harrisville.  Rian was on the Mini track in the 50MX Class.
• That meant there was 3 FIM Motocross World Champions present.  Shayne was 1996 World 500 Champion.  Tony Cooksley 2007 World 50+ Vet Champion and Darryll King the recent crowned 2012 World Vet Champion.
• The Coffee Guys were busy – only Jackie today as her sister Heather stepped away from a ladder whilst still one rung up -  fell and broke her arm – ouch, soo easy to happen.
• Hell Pizza trailer is a new addition.
• Lots of Movember evidence about the place.
• Wash bays were extremely busy.
• New caterers seemed to be doing a good job.  They will also come to Mercer next year.
• First time at a big event that the Club were running the timing themselves.  A monetary move with the decision to revert to Club Day pricing the entry revenue would be down but boosted by an extra 96 entries between Monday and Thursday.  Well done to that timing crew especially with the monitors at the Clubhouse.
• As Minis finished Round 2, the Juniors were into Round 3 and the rain really came down.  Minis called it a day and some were not happy about it.  Juniors carried on.  Even the 65s were doing okay in the slippery, sloppy conditions. 
• I asked every rider if they were happy as I helped remove the transponders – 100% were buzzing – great to see some were just soo excited.
• Also well done to the starters, flaggies (Auckland Rowing Club) as it was miserable out there for that last round.
• New trophies, by Workshop Graphics were well received – nice and bold.  
• Darryl also supplied the Club with check helmets strap/30 second board and a 10/5second board.
• Club President, Stuart McCulloch, is a builder in his other life and built a very smart new podium.   
  
• All results: www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=856920

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Sunday: Seniors

 

• Heavy rain overnight and then a massive deluge at 6am.  When we got there to setup sign-on Stuart McCulloch and Graeme McNeil were down digging drains in the water filled rollers.
• Sign-on sheets had transponders pre-allocated and Virginia could not find Support’s.  I did a mad-dash home only to turn in the drive when she txt to say "Sorry, found!”.
• Much more Movember evidence about the place. 
• Practice was under way at 9am and the sun was shining.  However by the last session of MX1 there was mud everywhere – mostly on the bikes which I can attest to as son Scott had many kgs of it on his bike.  We have a KTM mud-scraper with a handle grip on it for several years and it’s just soo good.  Thankfully Tony Cooksley had his high powered water blaster there.
• Racing was delayed 45 minutes whilst Scott Willis dealt to the mud.  Even the track down to the pits had to be cleared.  Out the back he had a huge job but no trouble to that big bulldozer.  The soft stuff off the track down from the step-up would fill a 40ft container – mountains of it.    
• Good to see some familiar faces back watching the motocross. 
• Vet rider Brandon Austin has been off the bike for 8 months after extensive shoulder surgery – it kept dislocating.  He was there supporting Vet mate Dave Atkins.  Dave is on a Doeksen Space Frame KTM which suits his tall frame. He had Japanese visitors to pick up at 4pm, so with the day running late he only got one round in.
• Another Vet, Dave Wallace arrived. Scott Willis yelled to him "Is Ardmore closed?” - to much laughter. 
• A former Vet front runner Brandon Stephens also with wife/partner Natasha Peyman and 3yr old son. Brandon had extensive knee surgery from memory.  Petite Natasha rode Women’s Class, always with her blond pony-tail streaming out the back. 
• Despite the smaller fields the quality was still there. 
• Cody Cooper no-showed?  Postcript:  Since told Neil Ritchie made an announcement as MX1 went out for practice:
  "Regrettable, Cody Cooper is not able to make today - we all look forward to see Coops RM450 race at SummerX in December."
• Annoying to hear about some people objecting at having to pay $10 at the gate - shame on you, some of them Club Members, you know who you are !!!  The ones that whinge are the ones that do nothing for the Club.
  
• Good to see Bjarne Frederiksen and Kieran Scheele there.  Both have ridden in England and Europe with Rex Michau’s Dirt-Bike GYM MX Team.  Bjarne was fastest in the mud of the MX1 practice and finished 5th overall.  Kieran was in MX2 and finished 7th overall.  Caught up with Kieran’s dad John who I noticed was moving ‘stiff necked’.  He had been in a car accident and broken his neck in four places.  Two of them at the base of his skull - lucky not to be a tetrapalegic, let alone dead!
• They were going to run Vets and Women separate but because of the lost time combined the classes.
• Mike Phillips (aka Mikey P) was riding MX2 as the Bel-Ray Honda team’s 450 bikes have not arrived as yet - first shipment was all pre-sold. They will all have them in time for the big Honda Summercross though.
• Mikey P will be riding for Rotorua's Rowlinson Honda this year – it was Bay Honda last year but they're gone now.
• The Bel-Ray Honda team are Mikey P. and Justin McDonald on MX1 and Cam Dillon and ......(drum roll).... Micah McGoldrick on MX2.
• Broxy will be in MX2 running his own ‘team’ with the same support he's always had from Honda.
• Finally, of course, Ben Townley will be back riding for Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing.
• KTM gossip.  For the Nationals, they are bringing over Australians Todd Waters (ex Factory Suzuki) and Kirk Gibbs. They will be running Kayne Lamont MX2 on the SXF (4-stroke) and a yet-to-be-named 125 rider.
• Yamaha gossip.  The ‘factory team’ will now be run by Josh Coppins and the ‘rumour’ is they are bringing over both Aussies Lawson Bopping and Luke Styke.  Gossip is Josh has also signed long time Suzuki man Scott Columb and that he is bringing out an un-named European who he will train at Motueka.
• Darryll King will do his own thing in MX2 and concentrate on MXDK his training schools. He and girlfriend Courtney are opening a shop in Cambridge selling gear like DC shoes etc.
• Team Green Kawasaki NZ are running Nick Saunders in MX1 (who had a good run today) and Kieran Leigh in MX2.  Kieran is also back from injury and just back from a trip to the USA.  Shaun Fogarty is also on a KX deal but doing his own thing.  Scott Wilkins says he's bringing over an Aussie Junior for Summercross - but his name escapes me! (Postscript: Jesse Dobson)
  

• Riders were loving jump #1.5  Kayne Lamont was coming over it dead flat as can be seen above.  I took this pic from the other side of the gully, next to the step-up.
  
• Kayne Lamont’s 350 SXF was way too soft and Kayne was lucky to survive a big flat landing on Champion Straight after taking the holeshot in Moto 3.  I winced as went down hard on the bars and almost high-sided - very lucky to survive it.  He was very sore afterwards.  It was a late decision to ride MX1 and Martin Collins told me yesterday it was a practice bike and dead stock.
• Tauranga’s Roydon White also had a biggie in that same race.  Going down #7 he got loose and left the track and went head first into the Elf sign on the left hand side. 12mm marine ply supported on wharatahs and he broke it away.  
• Scott Wilkins raced downhill to his rescue and being ‘wound up’ by Neil Ritchie about his age and speed. Scott could hear him and without turning thrust an index finger into the air as he ran. Roydon was lucky to survive with just a cut tongue and a sore back. He said he broke his neck-brace.
  
• National 125 went right to the wire with Hadleigh Knight 69, Aiden Kiff 68, Sean O'Connor 60 and Kurtis Lilly 58.  Hadleigh had blown a gearbox seal and the puffs of blue smoke worsened through the race.  Both Kiff and O'Connor were both on Husqvarnas.
  
• MX2 was also very exciting racing.  Neil Ritchie certainly adds to the excitement.  DK had obviously worked out he only had to get 4th in the last race as riding two classes (also Vets) in those conditions was tough for him as it was for Kayne Lamont.   The first 4 were close and then the second group were all freight-training.  Darryll King 68, Kayne Lamont 67, Ethan Martens 62, Michael Phillips 58, Shaun Fogarty 43, Blake Gillard 42, Kieran Scheele 41, Broc Martens 38, Scott Canham 35, Kieran Leigh 33 and Brandon Tipene 31
• Brandon Tipene could have been further up as was running as he was riding very well with the first group but an off track excursion in Moto2 resulted in a DNF.  At 16 he elected not to ride Juniors on Saturday and 'save' himself.
  
• I noticed that Broc Martens has gone back to Yamaha.
  
• Good to see Mikey P. back running strongly. 
  
• Also good to see Blake Gillard back.  He has had little time on his immaculately presented YZ 2-stroker and his hands paid a blistered price.
• Late finish for obvious reasons but a good days racing.
  
• Well done pukemx.com
  
• Full results: www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=857247             

Alan Henderson
Moto- Media