It's all about Broadford Firstly, good luck to the 6 Kiwis riding. MX1 #10 Cody Cooper - Penrite Honda Racing MX1 #12 Rhys Carter - Team Motul Suzuki MX1 #79 Brad Groombridge - Performance Factory Suzuki MX2 #52 Hamish Dobbyn - CMR Red Bull KTM (note KTM reference at the bottom of the page) MX2 #53 Hamish Harwood - CMR Red Bull KTM MX2 #94 Kayne Lamont - Husqvarna Red Bull WIL Sport NZ Racing gets underway this Sunday at 10.30am NZ Time. Check out the live feed of practice/ qualifying and the final motos via www.mysportlive.com.au
Ryan Marmont and Geran Stapleton - Raceline Pirelli Suzuki - MX2: Marmont: "My pre-season has been going great, I have done a few local races and I feel my preparation is where it needs to be heading into round one. I’m not feeling any pressure at the moment. We have done a lot of work in the off-season to get the bike to where it needs to be, they have come a long way. I think with this bike, we should have a really good chance this year. I like to think my experience gives me some advantage, I have been racing for a lot of years now and I know what to expect, so if I can keep it on two wheels, I should have a good chance at winning this championship.” Stapleton: "My lead up has been pretty good actually. I have just been trying to get as much riding in as possible before round one. My shoulder is feeling 100% so I’m getting there with things. I’m hoping to get out of the first round with solid results and build from there. Broadford isn’t my favorite track so I just want to get a good result and keep moving forward. This is my second year with Raceline this year. I have spent some time with them in New South Wales last week which was really good, so looking forward to getting to round one with the team.” Jay Marmont and Billy Mackenzie - CDR Yamaha - MX1 Marmont returns to the team that was part of his greatest success and it has left him feeling revitalised with his return to CDR Yamaha. The former four time champion is refocused and ready for battle after putting in a huge off season. Marmont: "I’m feeling good. My preparation has been better than it’s been in the past couple of years. I’m feeling really fit on the bike and I’m liking where I’m at with my team at the moment. My expectations for this weekend are to go out there and just see where we are at and hopefully build from there. I know I’ve been training enough to fight for my position so I’m going to go out there and just do what I can on my CDR Yamaha.” Mackenzie hasn’t been sitting idle as he has been contesting the NZ Motocross Championships over the summer months. He came home in second place after the four round championship wrapped up last weekend and said it was the perfect preparation for the MX Nationals. Mackenzie: ""I’m really looking forward to this weekend. We always wait for so long
for the championship to begin again, so I’m really excited about riding
the bike. I’m having a lot of fun on the bike at the moment so I’m
really excited to just get out and race it." Craig Dack -Team Owner: "It has been a busy off season but the team are ready to go racing. Testing has gone well and both the riders are determined to make 2014 a great season for themselves and CDR Yamaha. It’s nice to have a break over the Christmas period, but it doesn’t take long to want to get back to the track and get some racing underway.”
Luke Clout and Jay Wilson - Serco Yamaha – MX2 Clout headlines the Serco Yamaha team after impressing many in his first year in the MX2 class in 2013. He was the only other rider to win a round of the MX Nats last year, outside of his former team mate, Luke Styke. Clout is now back to full fitness after a broken leg sustained during the 20133 season and is jumping out of skin for the championship to begin. Wilson stepped up to the MX2 class after a successful season in the MXD division with the GYTR Yamaha team. Like Mackenzie, Wilson has also competed in NZ with the JCR Yamaha team and finished the championship in third place, showing good speed and fitness. Michael Marty - Team Manager: "I’m really looking forward to the 2014 season. We have a much improved bike in the new YZ250F and we have two riders that are dedicated, hardworking and excited to get the season happening. We can’t get to Broadford fast enough.”
Jed Beaton and Wilson Todd - GYTR Yamaha – MXD Yamaha’s development team will continue to field a two rider team despite the horrific injury sustained to Joel Dinsdale in a recent car accident. Dinsdale is recovering well in Hospital and continues to make daily progress and has wished the team continued success for the coming season. Victoria’s Beaton will be joined by Todd in a youthful team in 2014. Both riders show plenty of promise and display the dedication and determination needed to make it in professional racing. Beaton has made stepped up his training program and had success at pre-season events, while Todd got the call up after the Dinsdale injury but wants to race in honour for his injured friend. Scott Bishop - Team Manager: "It’s been a tough couple of weeks for everyone in the team as we are a pretty tightknit group. The news of Joel’s injury was tough to take but we are pleased that his recovery is going well and I’m sure we will see him back at the track in the future. I also feel pretty good that both Jed and Wilson are up to the job and we will watch these exciting young riders develop in 2014.” Matt Moss and Rhys Carter - Team Motul Suzuki - MX1 Moss will commence his MX Nationals title
defence this weekend alongside incoming Kiwi teammate Rhys Carter who rode MX2 last year in Astralia for Raceline Pirelli Suzuki. Moss: "I’m feeling really healthy, strong and fit. The best I’ve ever felt leading into a series, I’m really going into this series wanting to win the first round. I used to take different steps up to a win, and aim for top fives, but I’m looking forward to getting a win under my belt straight away.” An excellent video on the pair practicing can be found on http://www.moto-media.net/?id=2983 The above Raceline Pirelli Suzuki, Yamaha and Team Motul Suzuki info and quotes courtesy of Andrew Weiss from Eskimo Media Group for MX Nationals.
Kirk Gibbs - KTM Motocross Racing Team: Kirk has confirmed that he will face the starter this weekend despite chipping the knuckle of his right pinky finger after qualifying fastest (0.007 to Cody Cooper) for the final round of the New Zealand motocross Championships at Taupo last Saturday. The Queensland-based, South Australian, is now #5 immediately withdrew from the round and x-rays confirmed the fracture, however a week of rest has seen the swelling subside certain that he will not miss Round One. The news comes as a big relief for KTM fans, after team rider Ford Dale was ruled out of the opening rounds just a week earlier, having broken his arm in a practice accident. Rob Twyerould - Team Manager: "I think obviously it's never great going in with an injury, but Kirk's been able to keep up his physical training this week so his fitness will still be high. The old saying says you can't win the championship at Race One but you can lose it there, so we'll go in and score good points there and begin building it. There's another two weeks break before round two and that will help us, and so on and so on.I'm expecting good things this weekend and for him to be competitive.But also really like to thank the mechanics Danny, Kyle and Jordan for all work they’ve put in, getting the bikes ready for this round. We've been in New Zealand every second weekend for last two months and now only had a week between the final in New Zealand and MX nationals so I really appreciate everything they've done. They are as important as the riders, to give Kirk the opportunity to perform at his best, and they’ve got the bikes looking amazing this year.” Gibbs: "It's been a pretty relaxing week for me not doing too much, some off the bike training but other than that just trying to rest my hand. I got another set of x-rays done when I got back from New Zealand, and I spoke to the doc about it. There is a fracture their like we thought, but it doesn't look too bad or feel too bad and the doctor understands what position I'm in so he doesn't really have a problem with it and RaceSafe can't see why I shouldn't race. It'll just be the matter of dealing with a little bit of pain that I'm going to get. Obviously I still want to do well, I felt like I was in really good shape on the bike and I hope this doesn't put a damper on things too much. I'll just keep an open mind and keep going in there like I always do, to ride my best and be at the pointy end.” In the MX2 class,
KTM factory supported riders are among the favourites vying for glory
in arguably the most competitive of championship classes. Last year's
MX2 runner-up Kale Makeham will be back with KTM to try to go one
better, again with the support of Tune Tech Racing. He and come back
hero Brenden Harrison (Instant Security/Twe12e Clothing KTM) will both
campaign the meat-eating two-stroke KTM 250 SX machines. They'll be joined by Dylan Long (KTM 250 SX-F), riding for the BBS Motorsports KTM, as well as New Zealander Hamish Dobbyn, fresh from his runner-up finish in the New Zealand MX2 Championships a week ago. In the MXD category, Jack Simpson will chase championship glory on a KTM 250 SX under the Bolton’s KTM Kyeton banner. West Australians Louis Calvin (MX1) and injured Dean Porter (MX2) will both be absent from the opening rounds. Courtesy of John Pinnell, KTM Australia
The Craig Anderson-managed Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team is the newest factory team on the block, and despite minimal preparation time, utilises some of the most competitive racing platforms, and exciting up-and-comers, in the sport today. Anderson, one of the most decorated combatants in Australian motocross history, has worked feverishly to ensure that, his team, his bikes, and his young charges will be ready to fight on Sunday, and Anderson is confident that all three riders have the potential to make their mark. Last year’s MX2 #3, Brock Winston, will ride a Husqvarna FC 450 in MX1, while last year's Two-Stroke Cup winner, MX2 competitor Nick Sutherland and MXD rider Egan Mastin both wielding the two-stroke TC 250. The famous ‘crowned H’ logo will also be carried with vigour by support riders Kayne Lamont (Red Bull Husqvarna) and Nathan Crawford (Husqvarna Australia), riding in the MX2 and MXD classes respectively. Anderson: "Well, after a late start, it's all coming together for us now. The boys are happy with their bikes and real focused. We've been working closely with Ross McWatters at MCD for the last few days chasing the perfect suspension and engine setting for Brock, and we’ve found a setting he’s real comfortable with. Nick was always happy with his and Egan’s suspension is dialled so we’re set. For Egan it’s his first big race as a pro and I'm confident in him to do really well, if he doesn't over think stuff. Nick's a hard-working country boy and he’s been getting good starts and solid results lately. Brock's been training a lot and should go well, so we'll just focus on keeping it simple and looking after all the little one percenters that bring results.” Brock Winston (FC 450 - MX1): "I'm looking
alright, it's been a rushed setup as everyone knows but we've got a
start point for this weekend. Hopefully I can get some good points and
stay in it for 10 rounds. I went pretty good at Broadford last year but
it's always a different track and it can be real difficult to ride, so
we’ll just go as hard as we can and see what the result is. Nick Sutherland (TC 250 - MX2): "I feel good; a little bit nervous and excited to see where everyone is up to, and I hope to do well. I’ll work on getting good starts and go from there, that’s the plan anyway. I’ve been training pretty damn hard both off the bike and on, so if I get worn out I can't explain why. My bike I couldn't be happier with, I'm real comfortable on it and so I'm excited to race it. I've had two races on it so far and can't seem to get a bad start which is positive for the weekend. I've only been to Broadford once before but I'm looking forward to it.” Egan Mastin (TC 250 - MXD): "I've been riding at our track with Brock and that's been great. He's pretty motivated, so it's awesome to train with someone who's up there and it's definitely been helping me - I've had to be really consistent throughout a moto to try to hang on to him. I’ve never been to Broadford before but I can’t wait to step up and begin in seniors. Hopefully I'll be in the title hunt, that's what I'm aiming for and for top three most rounds. My bike is awesome, it's pretty much just got a pipe on it and my suspension pretty sorted.” Nathan Crawford (TC 250 - MXD): "I've been doing
a fair bit of State level racing and fared pretty well against some of
the fastest pro Lites race is on the weekend. I'm probably prepared as
well as I can be for this round.
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