Image: Jeff Crow.

CDR Yamaha’s Jacob Wright will depart for New Zealand today as he prepares to complete a 10-week pre-season program with Josh Coppins’ JCR Yamaha outfit in the lead-up to the Australian MX Nationals.

Wright will contest this weekend’s Woodville GP before campaigning the entire four-round New Zealand Motocross Championship, while teammate Kade Mosig will also line up at the final two rounds of the NZ nationals.

The relationship between the factory Yamaha teams will see Australia’s CDR Yamaha team provide extra technical support in New Zealand, with Coppins due to work closely with Wright and Mosig on their technique throughout the season.

“CDR Yamaha and JCR Yamaha have formed a very tight relationship over the past two seasons that has been a huge benefit to both teams,” commented CDR Yamaha’s Craig Dack. “Josh has aligned a lot of his team sponsors with ours and as a result, we can share a lot of information and technology on the bikes as well as allow them to gain experience racing in the NZ championships.

“We have stepped it up even more for 2015 with both riders and staff going over and we hope that the knowledge and valuable time spend with Josh and racing in New Zealand is a benefit for us when the MX Nationals rolls around.”

Australia’s Jay Wilson will also be racing in New Zealand, hand-picked by Josh Coppins to represent his Altherm JCR Yamaha team in the MX2 division. Wilson has just returned from injury, but is feeling fresh on the bike and excited to again be working with Coppins.

YJR’s Hunter Lawrence was also scheduled to race this weekend in New Zealand on a YZ125 but was forced to withdraw after a fall in training on Tuesday. Lawrence is still expecting to head back to New Zealand for the final two rounds of their motocross championship in March.