Yamaha’s King in “Ideal Position”

Yamaha’s King in “Ideal Position”

February 13, 2012 - Darryll King opened off his national motocross title defence in the best possible way, winning the first race of the 2012 series.

The 43-year-old sent a loud warning to his MX2 (250cc) class rivals that he will again be a force this season as the New Zealand Motocross Championships kicked off with the first of four rounds near Timaru on Sunday.

The MXDK Rockstar Yamaha Team boss finished third and second in the two races that followed at the Pleasant Point circuit, placing him second overall at the conclusion of the day’s action, and he said that he was “very satisfied” with that.

Queenstown 28-year-old Scotty Columb won the day in the MX2 class, recording 2-2-1 results, but King is just two points behind and, with nine races still to come, he believes he is ideally placed to reclaim the top spot for 2012.

“Scotty (Columb) was faster than me on the day and he deserved the win today,” said a magnanimous King afterwards. “But that was his home turf and my tracks are coming up,” he warned.

Round two of the series is set for Patetonga, near Morrinsville, in a fortnight’s time, a track where King ruled last season.

King’s team-mates Josh Coppins, of Motueka, Ethan Martens, of Waitakere, and Rotorua’s Cameron Vaughan also finished the day solidly.

Coppins finished runner-up to fellow Kiwi international Ben Townley in the MX1 class.

Meanwhile, Martens claimed fifth place overall in the same MX2 class as King, making it two MXDK Rockstar Yamaha men in the top five.

The 125cc/under-21 class was won by Amberley’s Micah McGoldrick but MXDK Rockstar Yamaha rider Vaughan ended the day just 13 points behind in second spot, while fellow Yamaha man Logan Blackburn, of Tauranga, rounded out the top three.

“Championships are not won in one day,” said King. “As a team, we are holding on to second spot in all three classes. We will rebound and be strong at the rounds to follow.”

by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

ENDS