Townley Bolsters SX Points Lead
January 11, 2010, 7:03pm
January 11, 2010:
Kawasaki's Ben Townley was in a class all his own at round two of the New Zealand Supercross Championships in Motueka on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Townley was simply unbeatable in the open class, winning all three races as he dominated the evening right from the start.
Townley -- who won the 2004 motocross world championship before heading to the United States to win the East Coast Lites Supercross crown in America in 2007 -- is fast heading towards full fitness again after an enforced layoff due to a shoulder injury he suffered late in 2007.
In his first comeback ride Townley won the big annual Whakatane Summercross motocross just after Christmas and he has now made it back-to-back wins in the New Zealand Supercross Championships as well.
With the supercross series now at the halfway point -- with just two more rounds remaining, in Tokoroa and Auckland -- the Kawasaki ace enjoys a solid 20-point advantage over national MX1 motocross champion Justin McDonald, of Christchurch.
Tauranga-based Townley (Penny Homes Kawasaki KX450F) battled Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper, McDonald and Phillips early in each race at Motueka before clearing away and winning each one comfortably.
"I hadn't raced at Motueka since I was about 14, so it was nice to come back here and win," said Townley afterwards.
"I managed good starts and that was important because it's something I've been working on. I was second, behind Cody, at the start of race one but got past him on turn two. He holeshot the second moto as well but I got him right away and I was riding well and pushed hard. It was the best I have felt on a bike in about two years.
"It started to drizzle and the track got quite muddy and slippery for race three. I'd never raced a muddy supercross before.
"I'm really happy with my riding. Everything with my recovery is going to plan and my speed is coming back nicely."
Townley will next race at round three of the New Zealand Supercross Championships series, in Tokoroa this Saturday night, before taking his Kawasaki KX450F to race the annual Woodville Motocross GP at the end of January. The he heads back to the United States to race the American motocross championships.
Townley rode a Kawasaki KX250F to take the East Coast Lites Supercross crown in the US in 2007 but had been unable to compete at the top level since the end of that season.
His wins at Whakatane and now Timaru and Motueka show that Townley is well on the way back to full fitness.
www.bentownleymx.com
Kawasaki's Ben Townley was in a class all his own at round two of the New Zealand Supercross Championships in Motueka on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Townley was simply unbeatable in the open class, winning all three races as he dominated the evening right from the start.
Townley -- who won the 2004 motocross world championship before heading to the United States to win the East Coast Lites Supercross crown in America in 2007 -- is fast heading towards full fitness again after an enforced layoff due to a shoulder injury he suffered late in 2007.
In his first comeback ride Townley won the big annual Whakatane Summercross motocross just after Christmas and he has now made it back-to-back wins in the New Zealand Supercross Championships as well.
With the supercross series now at the halfway point -- with just two more rounds remaining, in Tokoroa and Auckland -- the Kawasaki ace enjoys a solid 20-point advantage over national MX1 motocross champion Justin McDonald, of Christchurch.
Tauranga-based Townley (Penny Homes Kawasaki KX450F) battled Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper, McDonald and Phillips early in each race at Motueka before clearing away and winning each one comfortably.
"I hadn't raced at Motueka since I was about 14, so it was nice to come back here and win," said Townley afterwards.
"I managed good starts and that was important because it's something I've been working on. I was second, behind Cody, at the start of race one but got past him on turn two. He holeshot the second moto as well but I got him right away and I was riding well and pushed hard. It was the best I have felt on a bike in about two years.
"It started to drizzle and the track got quite muddy and slippery for race three. I'd never raced a muddy supercross before.
"I'm really happy with my riding. Everything with my recovery is going to plan and my speed is coming back nicely."
Townley will next race at round three of the New Zealand Supercross Championships series, in Tokoroa this Saturday night, before taking his Kawasaki KX450F to race the annual Woodville Motocross GP at the end of January. The he heads back to the United States to race the American motocross championships.
Townley rode a Kawasaki KX250F to take the East Coast Lites Supercross crown in the US in 2007 but had been unable to compete at the top level since the end of that season.
His wins at Whakatane and now Timaru and Motueka show that Townley is well on the way back to full fitness.
www.bentownleymx.com
