Top of one class and second and third in two others -- that's the situation for Team Green after round three of the New Zealand Supercross Championships in Tokoroa on Saturday night.
Tauranga's Ben Townley, still on the comeback from a shoulder injury suffered in 2007, remains on target to take the title after another scintillating display on the race track, this time at a Tokoroa track made treacherous by persistent drizzle. The 25-year-old former world motocross champion and American supercross champion crashed heavily while leading the night’s first of three open class races.
He picked himself up to limp home in ninth place and then, with a rapid-fire format in place for the Tokoroa event, he had no time to rest as he was obliged to head straight back to the starting grid for race two.
Despite showing signs of wear from the crash, Townley took his Penny Homes Kawasaki KX450F to the lead from the start and never looked back, clocking up an impressive win.
He repeated the dose for the third and final race that followed immediately after that.
Townley’s 9-1-1 results meant the former world and United States champion extended his lead in the championship chase to 26 points over his nearest threat, Christchurch's Justin McDonald.
“I was feeling awesome on the bike. It just gets better and better every time I ride,” said Townley.
“Considering the circumstances (with the crash happening), I am happy to still finish the night on the podium. In damp and slippery conditions like this, you just have to take what you can."
Mount Maunganui's Mason Phillips (Fly Team Green Kawasaki KX450F) remains third in the standings and he is now just one point behind McDonald, with one round remaining, in Auckland this Saturday night.
Dual-class campaigner Phillips took his smaller Kawasaki KX250F to 1-2-2 finishes in the Lites (250cc) class. He remains second in the standings in that class, just nine points behind the defending champion, Queenstown's Scott Columb.
“I’m pretty happy with how things are going … on the podium in two classes," Phillips smiled.
"I wasn’t really taking the 450 class too seriously. I am concentrating on the 250cc class and just doing the 450cc class for fun. But it’s going well for me. When other riders have slipped up, I’ve been there to pocket a few points,” he said, modestly understating his own superb skills.
The make-up of the Junior Lites (85cc) class podium changed at Tokoroa with Pahiatua's Scott Sowry stepping up to the No.3 position, although he is a distant 21 points behind fellow Kawasaki rider Haki Waller, of Feilding. Rangiora's Micah McGoldrick continues to lead the Junior Lites championship.
The racing is expected to go down to the wire with the fourth and final round set for Manukau City this coming Saturday night, the land beside the TelstraClear Events Centre turned into a floodlit moonscape for a thrilling climax to the championship.
Credit: Words and photo by Andy McGechan
