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JANUARY 2, 2008: The supermen of motorsport will be flying high this weekend.
The New Zealand Supercross Championships blast off near Motueka on Sunday with an all-star cast of riders.
Just as its name suggests, supercross is a super version of motocross and there will possibly be no action more super than this year’s national series, with world motocross No.3 Josh Coppins (Yamaha), national open class champion Daryl Hurley (Hawera, Suzuki), national open class No.2 Peter Broxholme (Tauranga, Honda) and defending supercross champions Luke Burkhart (Hawera, Suzuki) and Scotty Columb (Queenstown, Suzuki) sharing top bill on the programme.
Like BMX racing on steroids, supercross is to motocross what one-day cricket is to the test match variety and, at four very different but equally outstanding venues, the action promises to be very hot indeed this summer.
The national series has been expanded from three rounds to four this season as demand for the sport increases and it is still likely to be packed to overflowing at each of the venues.
The riders warm up for the national series with the South Island Supercross Championships at the same Motueka circuit on Saturday night, with round one of the New Zealand Championships the following afternoon.
Round two is set for Tokoroa a fortnight later, on January 19, with round three at a new venue, right in the hub of New Zealand’s biggest city, at the TelstraClear Events Centre, Manukau, on February 16. The series wraps up inside the Cook’s Gardens arena on March 1.
Motorcycling New Zealand motocross commissioner Mike McLeod, of Wellington, said he was thrilled to announce that the sport is expanding.
“Increasing with an extra round, and one in the big city of Auckland, will bring the sport to a much wider audience. It’s the first time ever we’ve had a supercross in Manukau. It’s great that a promoter stepped forward to assist MNZ with this.
“We also return to Wanganui’s Cook’s Gardens for a round this season. Wanganui showed, when they hosted a supercross there two seasons ago, that can really know how to run an event, so that’s a positive move too.
“Overall, I’m extremely excited to see supercross get a higher profile and more participants,” he said.
