NZ SX 2012

THE WAR HEATS UP!
New Zealand supercross
championship points leader Cody Cooper may not have it all his own way at round
two this weekend.
The Bay of Plenty Suzuki rider emerged from the opening round of the 2012
series near Timaru last weekend with a narrow three-point advantage in the open
class over last year’s runner-up, Christchurch Honda rider Justin McDonald, but
it won’t just be McDonald who Cooper should fear at round two near Motueka this
Sunday afternoon.
Defending national supercross champion Josh Coppins was a surprise no-show at
the opening round of the 2012 series near Timaru last weekend but he’ll
definitely be in action at round two near his hometown this weekend.
“I am still coming back from injury and I simply wasn’t ready to race
supercross last weekend,” said the 34-year-old Coppins, the lead rider for the
MXDK Rockstar Yamaha team.
“I’ve been practising on my own supercross track this week and I feel I’m ready
to go now.”
And, with Cooper (Moto City Suzuki RM-Z450) watching over his shoulder for
Coppins this weekend, it could just as easily be McDonald (Timaru Honda CRF450)
who takes the advantage and fires through on the blindside.
McDonald won the national MX1 motocross title in 2009 and finished runner-up in
the supercross nationals last season – it could again be his time to take the
limelight.
The action is sure to be hot in the other classes too, with the respective
points leaders – Queenstown’s Scott Columb (senior lites), Timaru’s Josh May
(junior 250) and Hamilton’s Josiah Natzke (junior lites) – also expecting tough
challenges from their rivals
Whatever transpires, it’s sure to be a frantic afternoon of racing at Motueka’s
Rat Track.
The third and final round of the series is set for Taupo on January 14.






