Image: Simon Makker.

TM Racing Australia’s Daniel McCoy will compete with the added support of a hometown advantage when the Monster Energy MX Nationals resume for the second round at Appin on Sunday.

The 29-year-old from Camden has long been one of the region’s leading professional riders, coming off a promising opening round of the 2014 season at Broadford last month where he finished 11th overall including a fourth in moto one.

McCoy’s step across to the MX2 category aboard a TM MX 250 has been a notable one this season in a category filled with rising talent; a move that he’s so far rated as a positive one after a number of seasons in MX1.

“I always look forward to riding at home,” McCoy commented. “I have a lot of family and friends coming out to support me this weekend. I know the venue, I ride at Appin all the time – not this track in particular – but I know what way it goes and I know what the dirt is like on that side of the hill. It should be a good weekend.”

After struggling to source dry tracks to train on due to rain in the area in recent weeks, McCoy isn’t ruling out a mud race come Sunday.

“It has been a battle to find dry tracks up here between Broadford and this weekend, which has made it difficult to find time to ride and test,” McCoy continued. “I think we can expect a bit of a wet track this Sunday. I have been keeping an eye on the track and it is looking pretty wet already.”

McCoy was absent from the Appin round last season after splitting with the factory Honda team mid-season.