    |
 |
|
|
|
Can you imagine the Tall Blacks winning the NBA finals? Or how about Waitakere City winning the English Premier League?
That’s what Taupo’s Ben Townley has just done in the motocross world with the 22-year-old Kiwi winning an American supercross championship on Saturday night (Sunday NZ time).
In just his first full season in America -- he missed most of 2006 because of injury – the Kawasaki rider has won an American Supercross championship.
Townley was world MX2 champion in 2004 and world No.3 in the MX1 class in Europe the following season, before switching his focus to winning in the United States.
Sidelined with injury through most of 2006, Townley had been unable to begin making his dream come true, but all changed this season.
Minnesota’s Ryan Dungey won the main event at the Detroit Supercross, leading all 15 laps, but Townley’s runner-up finish was enough for the Kiwi to clinch the crown.
He had been back in only fourth place as the riders rounded turn one but was into second place by lap eight and well in the hunt.
“This is a dream come true,” said Townley afterwards.
“It’s great to have a season under my belt, and I have really enjoyed working with my team, Pro Circuit Kawasaki.”
Townley now goes head-to-head with the West Cost Supercross Champion, Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, in a winner-takes-all national grand final at the Las Vegas Supercross in a fortnight.
The New Zealand hero’s supercross season wasn’t without a few bumps along the way.
Townley scored no points at the opening round in Atlanta but, since then, he put his Kawasaki KXF250 on the podium at five of the following six rounds, including outright wins at the St Louis, Daytona and Dallas Supercross events.
