The trio of riders endured a variety of fortunes yesterday, in this sport that can be as cruel as it is kind.
In the positive corner was Mangakino’s MX1 master Maximus Purvis continuing to deliver his powerhouse performances and extending his lead in the championship’s top division.
Going 1-1-2 gave him the overall win and also a healthy 19-point lead - with 147 points - over his closest rival, runner-up Josiah Natzke (128 points). Defending MX1 champion Hamish Harwood is a close third in the championship on 123 points.
Altherm JCR Yamaha Team Manager Josh Coppins was at the track and witnessed the hot, dry weather turn the track “super gnarly by the end of the day and resulted in very tricky conditions.”
“Maximus made a mistake in moto 3 and just decided the track was very technical and to bring it home and settle for second and extend the championship lead,” he says.
For Purvis it was another successful hit-out.
“It was another good weekend for me coming away with the overall and I’m feeling good for the next round. I definitely need to do some more work on my starts before Pukekohe,” he promises.
Rising star Levi Townley won the MX125cc class again for the round with a 1-1-4 scorecard. His story is a case of being so good it’s almost a tough pill to swallow, Coppins explains.
“He’s had an extremely successful time with Altherm JCR Yamaha. Yesterday was a bittersweet day because it's his last ride for us. He moves on to Europe this Monday and starts the EMX Championship in a few weeks, around the same time we are back at Rotorua for round 4.”
“In his situation, Levi has almost been too successful in our Yamaha pathway programme. He did around four races for the Altherm JCR Yamaha team and although it’s a good problem to have, it’s also sad not to see him wrap up the 125 championship for us. As we have witnessed, he is certainly more than capable but he has bigger fish to fry and we are proud but also a little bit sad.”
Tauranga’s Townley showed his grit after crashing at the start of moto 3, which left him dead last. Undeterred, the young charger weaved his way back up through the field to finish fourth. It was the only 125cc moto out of the six he rode in the motocross championship that he did not win.
Townely describes it as an “up and down day for me. My starts weren’t very good which put me in some bad situations.”
He had an eventful series of motos, with a last corner pass for the win in moto 2 and a “really big crash” in moto 3, which damaged his clutch lever so badly he couldn’t use it.
Townley offered a “big thanks to Altherm JCR Yamaha for all their support through the years. They gave me so many opportunities and I wouldn't be able to go to Europe without them. Also a big thanks to my mechanic Luke for all the help over the past two weekends.”
Oparau MX2 rider James Scott is undoubtedly the rider the team’s hearts go out to. His day started well, swapping wins with Madoc Dixon to finish 2-1. But then Coppins explains how the smallest of incidents, can have the largest of consequences.
“In the third moto he was leading and tied for the championship lead, when he had a small tip over and hurt his knee. James was unable to ride on and recorded a DNF. We believe he has suffered quite a serious knee injury but we will know more after an MRI. At this stage, it is looking unlikely we will have him back for the remainder of the season.”
“We are all really disappointed for James and disappointed to not have him in the championship hunt as he was certainly right there. He's put a lot into this season and was riding well yesterday. This is his first injury with us and we are hoping for the best outcome for him,” Coppins says.
Scott says it was “a bit of a rough day.”
“Although, it started off pretty good and I got second in the first moto after a good battle with Madoc. Then in the second moto, I managed to win that. The last moto when I hurt my knee, I was in the lead, which makes it even more of a bummer because I could have left there with the points lead but that’s how racing goes sometimes I suppose.”
One silver lining in the MX2 category was Yamaha Japan rider Souya Nakajima (YZ250F), who has been training and riding with the Altherm JCR Yamaha team, achieved his first overall podium result in the NZ Championship with a third place.
His compatriot Junya Tanaka also had a successful day, recording his highest finishing position of 10th overall, in his New Zealand campaign to date.
Coppins says the Altherm JCR Yamaha team will regroup over the next couple of weeks and come out firing for Pukekohe.
“We wish the Townley family all the best as they head off for their European adventure and we look forward to watching Levi’s progress over there throughout the coming EMX Championship.”
The Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Championship takes a two week break now before the Pukekohe Motorcycle Club-hosted penultimate round on Saturday March 8. The final event is a week later, back at the Rotorua Motocross Track on Saturday March 15.
NZMX CHAMPIONSHIP (ROUND TWO) RESULTS:
MX125
1st Levi Townley (YZ125) – 68
2nd Hayden Draper – 65
3rd Delton Manson – 62
4th Jack Ellingham (YZ125) – 60
MX1
1st Maximus Purvis (YZ450) – 72
2nd Hamish Harwood – 65
3rd Josiah Natzke – 62
MX2
1st Madoc Dixon – 67
2nd Cobie Bourke – 63
3rd Souya Nakajima (YZ250F) – 54
5th James Scott (YZ250F) – 47
10th Junya Tanaka (YZ250F) – 29
14th Wills Harvey (YZ250F) – 23
Women’s
1st Taylah McCutcheon – 72
2nd Karaitiana Horne – 69
3rd Mikayla Griffiths – 58
5th Amie Roberts – 56
MX3
1st Travis Taylor – 75
2nd Mitchel Gleeson – 58
3rd Mokey Vining – 58
*Words by Catherine Pattison