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Motocross ace Josh Coppins has sloshed through rain and mud to qualify his Honda fastest for the latest round of the Italian championship.
With a flying lap time of 2min 22.3sec the expat Kiwi was a full 1.6sec quicker than his nearest rival at the northern Italian event.
“The weather’s the pits,” commented Coppins. “There are pools of gloopy mud all over the track … in some places it’s almost unrideable, to be frank.
“But I found it wasn’t too bad once I got a clear bit of track without other riders throwing mud at me.
“Even then visibility is pretty poor plus you get mud in your brakes which cuts their effectiveness.”
Effectively the second round after an earlier event was cancelled, tomorrow’s race at Bosisio Parini near Como in the Italian Alps offers Coppins an outright lead in the prestigious title.
“It’s sure to be very slippery and I’ll need full concentration tomorrow to make sure I stay upright and collect the points,” said the 24-year-old star of the Honda world championship team.
“In some ways it’s more important to finish than to win, but I’ll be trying to do both.
“This contest is very important to my team, Berni Honda which is based not far from here,” Coppins said.
“And I’m looking for a good result to build up to the world champs starting later this month.”
The European-based New Zealander’s biggest competition tomorrow is expected to come from his Berni Honda teammate Andrea Bartolini, riding a four-stroke CR450 in his home championship.
Both riders topped their qualifying group and Sunday’s weather and track conditions may decide the toss between the thumper and Coppins’ 250 two-stroke.
Saturday’s qualifying session was in doubt as officials arrived to find the tight, twisting circuit under water.
“The problem was the track cutting up so bad today that tomorrow’s races would be ruined,” said Coppins who in his early racing days saw plenty of mud in New Zealand.
“But after the last round was called off there was a lot of determination to get going here.
“As well as the mud there are small stones and rocks around the circuit … it’s the first time I’ve been here and the place is a challenge, that’s for sure.”
After this, two rounds remain in the Italian Asoluta championship in which Coppins is now rated a warm favourite on the factory-backed Berni Honda CR250.
The world championship starts at Valkenswaard in The Netherlands on 24 March and continues over 12 rounds to September.
