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Photo - Michael Phillips:
Photo courtesy of Andy McGechan:
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KAWASAKI TEAM GREEN - Press Release:
ROTORUA’S Michael Phillips is prying open a few eyes in Australia this season. It might be only his second campaign across the Tasman but it is one that already promises much after the 18-year-old raced his stock-standard Kawasaki KX250F into prominence at round one of Australia’s Mister Motocross national championships in Victoria.
The Kiwi amateur raced handlebar-to-handlebar with some of Australasia's most high profile and highly-paid professionals at the opening round of Australia's national championships. The Rotorua teenager is 11th in the Pro Lites standings after the opening event of the eight-round series, in Wonthaggi, Victoria.
The second round is just days away, on April 10, at Horsham, also in Victoria, and Phillips can't wait to get back among the action. “It's pretty intense. What I can say about Australia is that there's so much more depth to the talent than at home. But I'm definitely up to it. “I went over there for the first time last season and that means I'm no stranger to what it's all about this time,” said Phillips, whose passion for racing means he has to take time off his “real” job, as an agricultural contractor, driving tractors.
“I travelled to Australia with (Taupo's) Nick Saunders and we bought a van together,” said Phillips, the pair of them content just to be there, even though they're a long way short of the elite factory teams and their big-rig pit set-ups. “It has definitely been harder than I expected, especially at Wonthaggi where the track was very rough and the bumps huge. I was running eighth in the day's last race at Wonthaggi but my fitness let me down. I've been working on that since then. “I have a great bike. It's the same as the one I race in New Zealand, an unmodified Kawasaki KX250F. I've just freighted over my own forks and suspension, to have the settings just right. “I just need to work on my starts now. If I can get into the first turn among the leaders, I know I can stay there. Watch out Australia, I'm coming back for more.”
