Image: Andy McGechan (BikesportNZ.com).

Newly-signed Yamalube Yamaha Racing youngster, Cody Dyce, showed promising pace at the 2017 Woodville Grand Prix in New Zealand as he prepares for his rookie Motul MX Nationals MXD season.

The rising star from Maffra, in Victoria, kicked off his first appearance at the prestigious event by blitzing Saturday’s 14-16 years 250cc program before moving on to Sunday’s MX2 and invitational feature race action.

Mixing it up with 2016 New Zealand Motocross of Nations representatives, Josiah Natzke and Hamish Harwood, along with former MXD champion, Wilson Todd, Dyce raced to an impressive fifth overall finish in the MX2 category thanks to a 4-5-5 moto scorecard.

“I came over just so that I could get a jump-start on my Australian motocross championship campaign,” said Dyce. “I’ll be racing in the under 19 class in Australia for the first time this year and this racing at Woodville was a very good build up for that.

“I really enjoyed racing here. The club did a really awesome job with the track and it’s a good way to celebrate my first trip to New Zealand.”

Claiming a top five MX2 finish and backing it up with a sixth in the feature race, topping Harwood, Todd, Luke Styke and Kayne Lamont in the process, Dyce credits much of his success to Josh Coppins and his Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team.

“Josh Coppins and his guys in the Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team were fantastic and helped me so much all weekend,” he explained. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Dyce has now returned to Australia and will not contest any further New Zealand-based events during his pre-season preparations ahead of the Motul MX Nationals season opener on 2 April in Wonthaggi.