Motocross Titles Decided for 2015

The 2015 JT Racing NZ Motocross Championships

Motocross Titles Decided for 2015

MARCH 15, 2015: The 2015 New Zealand Motocross Championships wrapped up near Pukekohe today with plenty of excitement but few surprises.

Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper (The Honda Shop Racing Team CRF450) won the MX1 title, Australia's Jay Wilson (Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team YZ250F) collected the MX2 class crown and Hamilton's Josiah Natzke (CMR Red Bull KTM 125) took the 125cc class title in the JT Racing-sponsored series.

These results really raised no eyebrows, with the scene set for this outcome at the previous round of the series near Rotorua a week earlier, Cooper, Wilson and Natzke all needing just safe and solid rides at Sunday's fourth and final round to secure their respective titles.

What was eagerly anticipated at Pukekohe on Sunday was to learn how the rest of the podium positions would form up, with the competition incredibly close behind the runaway class leaders.

Australian KTM rider Kirk Gibbs came on strong at the final round, registering a 7-1-1 score-card in the day's three races and strengthening his position at second in the series standings, with Rotorua's John Phillips (The Honda Shop Racing Team CRF450) settling for third overall.

Cooper rode conservatively and wrapped up the title after winning the first MX1 race of the day and finishing runner-up in his next two outings at Pukekohe.

"I was quite relaxed today. I knew I didn't have to do much to win the title. I'd really set myself up with the results from the earlier rounds," said the 31-year-old Cooper afterwards, his 1-2-2 score-card at Pukekohe more than enough to seal the title.

In the MX2 class, Wilson scored a hat-trick of wins to again dominate, but Takaka's Hamish Harwood (CMR Red Bull, KTM) managed to defend his spot at No.2 in the class thanks to his 2-3-3 results at Pukekohe. Amberley's Micah McGoldrick (Timaru Honda CRF250) was again solid with 8-4-4 results at Pukekohe and so held on to his position at third overall in the class.

In the 125cc class, Waikato's Natzke was in sublime form, scoring another hat-trick and making it 11 wins from 12 race in the series, on Sunday.

Positions changed behind him with Taupo's Cohen Chase (Total BikesportNZ.com Yamaha YZ125) doing enough with his 3-5-3 results to leapfrog Ngatea's Ben Broad (CMR Red Bull BikesportNZ.com KTM) and snatch back the No.2 spot, Broad finishing 8-3-4 and forced to settle for the third step on the national championship podium.

JT Racing NZ Motocross Championships leading final standings:

MX1 (450cc): 1. Cody Cooper (Mount Maunganui) Honda, 263 points; 2. Kirk Gibbs (Australia) KTM, 239; 3. John Phillips (Rotorua) Honda, 216; 4. Kade Mosig (Australia) Yamaha, 211; 5. Brad Groombridge (Taupo) Suzuki, 182; 6. Scott Columb (Queenstown) Yamaha, 165

MX2 (250cc): 1. Jay Wilson (Australia) Yamaha, 290 points; 2. Hamish Harwood (Takaka) KTM, 240; 3. Micah McGoldrick (Amberley) Honda, 206; 4. Scotty Canham (Rotorua) Kawasaki, 172; 5. Hadleigh Knight (Atiamuri) Husqvarna, 164; 6. Logan Blackburn (Te Puke) Suzuki, 150.

125cc 2-stroke: 1. Josiah Natzke (Hamilton) KTM, 288 points; 2. Cohen Chase (Taupo) Yamaha, 231; 3. Benjamin Broad (Ngatea) KTM, 227; 4. Courtney Duncan (Palmerston, Otago) Yamaha, 225; 5. Kurtis Lilly (Pukekohe) Husqvarna, 200; 6. Liam Draper (Auckland) Husqvarna, 167.

by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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