Cooper and Wilson wrap up 2015 New Zealand titles
Australians strong in lead-up to MX Nationals season.
Image: Mad Max Photography.
The Honda Shop’s Cody Cooper wrapped up a third-career New Zealand Motocross Championship in the premier MX1 ranks on Sunday, winning the final round overall on board his CRF450R.
Cooper, who will ride for Penrite Honda Racing in the Australian MX Nationals again this year, won the final round from Australian duo Kirk Gibbs (KTM Motocross Racing Team) and Kade Mosig (Altherm JCR Yamaha).
In the standings it was Cooper the champion overall from Gibbs, while Kiwi talent John Phillips (Honda) completed the podium positions, edging out Mosig in the process.
Gibbs’ KTM teammate Luke Styke was ninth at both the final round and overall in the series as he builds up to his first MX1 season in Australia.
Australia’s Wilson scored another clean-sweep near Pukekohe in the MX2 ranks – his third in succession – to clinch the championship in style for Altherm JCR Yamaha.
Wilson’s title win was only the second time in the history of the sport in New Zealand that an Australian rider has won a national title; the other being CDR Yamaha team owner Craig Dack with the 250cc crown in 1986.
“I am so pumped to win this,” said Wilson. “I’ve won two New Zealand supercross titles, but this is my first motocross title win here. To learn that it’s only the second time an Australian has won and that the previous winner was Craig is pretty awesome too.
“I love coming to New Zealand and it is a great confidence-booster for me as I was using this campaign to build up for the Australian Motocross Championships. A lot of my rivals have been training and testing back home, but there’s nothing quite like actual racing to get sharpened up.
“I hoped to be back next year to defend the title, but I’ll really just have to see what happens. I may come back and race the MX1 class. Who knows? Having Josh Coppins there to guide me has been great. He’ll be behind me when I race in Australia this year too. You couldn’t ask for a better manager.”
Wilson won the final round overall from Hamish Harwood (CMR Red Bull KTM) and Geran Stapleton (Honda), while it was Micah McGoldrick (Honda) who was third in the standings behind Wilson and Harwood.
2015 New Zealand Motocross Championship
Round four – Harrisville, NZ
MX1 overall results:
1. Cody Cooper 69
2. Kirk Gibbs (AUS) 64
3. Kade Mosig (AUS) 58
4. John Phillips 48
5. Rhys Carter 47
6. Scott Columb 44
7. Brad Groombridge 44
8. Ethan Martens 40
9. Luke Styke (AUS) 38
10. Shaun Fogarty 35
MX1 championship standings:
1. Cody Cooper 263
2. Kirk Gibbs (AUS) 239
3. John Phillips 216
4. Kade Mosig (AUS) 211
5. Brad Groombridge 182
6. Scott Columb 165
7. Ethan Martens 163
8. Rhys Carter 161
9. Luke Styke (AUS) 155
10. Jesse Donnelly 106
MX2 overall results:
1. Jay Wilson (AUS) 75
2. Hamish Harwood 62
3. Geran Stapleton (AUS) 54
4. Micah McGoldrick 49
5. Logan Blackburn 47
6. Scotty Canham 44
7. Kieran Scheele 42
8. Hadleigh Knight 40
9. Aaron Wiltshier 38
10. Joel Meikle 31
MX2 championship standings:
1. Jay Wilson (AUS) 290
2. Hamish Harwood 240
3. Micah McGoldrick 206
4. Scotty Canham 172
5. Hadleigh Knight 164
6. Logan Blackburn 150
7. Kieran Scheele 143
8. Joel Meikle 125
9. Cam Dillon 125
10. Nick Saunders 116
11. Geran Stapleton (AUS) 114
Recent
