With Joshua Coppins’ injury, the New Zealand squad has lost one of their major players,
who will be replaced by Daryl Hurley (9). The rest of the team, which last year repeated
their best results of third from 2001, will be made of Ben Townley (8) and Cody Cooper
(7).
Cody Cooper, who debuted in the MXoN at Ernée 2005, made his name well known in
2003, when he beat Darryll King in the National MX2 Championship and conquered his
maiden crown. After that, he won several National titles, but he injured himself at the
beginning of this season, finishing fourth overall in the National Championship -Open
class, and third overall at the Australian Championship. As a warm up for the Red Bull
FIM Motocross of Nations, he raced the final two rounds of AMA Motocross –Open class,
finishing inside the top ten in three of the four heats –one dnf at Glen Helen.
This year Benjamin Townley has finally made up for the unlucky beginning to his career
in the AMA Motocross and Supercross racing. Former MX2 World Champion Townley, who
injured himself several times since he moved to Tallahassee (Florida) at the end of 2005,
has won this year’s AMA Supercross Lites East Championship and finished runner up in
the AMA Motocross Lites Championship.
Daryl Hurley has won several National titles, and has a broad racing experience in
Australasia, US and Europe. He was the 125cc rider of Team New Zealand when the
squad finished third at the 2001 Motocross of Nations, but missed several calls because
of injuries. Hurley was injured both in 2005 and 2006, allowing the position to open up to
Cody Cooper. Recently the 31 year old Kiwi won the Australian Motocross Title in 2005,
but failed to defend it in the two following years because of injuries.
Team head Russell Burling has a strong passion for Motocross, which was the reason
why he moved to Europe in the 70s, working as a GP motocross mechanic for the Suzuki
factory team. Burling is currently the managing director of SsangYong New Zealand.
Last year’s result and team (MX1/MX2/Open): 3rd; Joshua Coppins, Ben Townley, Cody
Cooper. pic from bentownleymx.com