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Motocross ace Josh Coppins has cruised to an easy qualifying berth for Sunday’s opening round of the world motocross championships in The Netherlands.
In a dramatic timed qualifying session more reminiscent of Formula One cars, the Honda star slotted into a comfortable fourth spot in a star-studded field.
“I could have picked up the pace a little more,” said the New Zealand-born pro racer. “But I’m still carrying a little niggle in my back from an earlier injury and I could feel it starting to strain … tomorrow is more important so I left it at that.”
Coppins, who turned 25 last week, staked a claim for his Berni Honda world championship team of Italy. He lines up the powerful CR250R in a handy grid position for tomorrow morning’s race.
The soils are sandy for this first of 12 rounds in the world title chase across three classes, 125, 250 and 500, and although Coppins is not known as a sand specialist he had no trouble handling the conditions.
The pace was set by two-time world champ Fred Bolley ahead of reigning champion Mickael Pichon both of France.
The Grand Prix of the Netherlands is being held at the Eurocircuit near Valkenswaard in the south-east of the country just inside the Belgian border.
This is the year when expat New Zealander Coppins seeks to restore his climb to the top, after a season dogged by bad luck in 2001.
Still finishing sixth outright in the glamour 250 class, the plucky professional rider was disappointed after flying to fourth the previous year.
Coppins was recruited by the mighty Honda team to bolster its ranks for 2002, the 40th anniversary of the world 250 title, and he has shown impressive pre-season form.
Today the Berni Honda team unveiled its new major sponsor for the season: Vismara, an historically important food company in Italy where the team is based.
Earlier, New Zealand’s new rising star Ben Townley also showed a stamp of Kiwi class with a top qualifying position in the 125 class, where races determine positions.
The 17-year-old expat blasted his Big Five Vangani KTM to a classy second in his heat.
Still the impressive youngster was self-critical.
“I didn’t quite catch the start properly,” said Taupo-born Townley.
“I was third into the first turn and although I got one of them the other guy got away.”
Riding his factory-backed KTM, the young man turned heads in his rookie season 2001 with a final placing of 33rd in the world.
Now he has started 2002 impressively, notching up big results in sand races around Belgium where his team is based and which remains a centre of world motocross despite hosting just one grand prix this year.
Tomorrow’s 250 grand prix starts at 11am local time and the 125 GP at 3pm.
