NZ Insider #59: TOWNLEY’S CAMEO RETURN

Transmoto’s weekly web-exclusive column, the NZ Insider, penned by Chris Ritchie.

Ben Townley’s Australian MX Nationals cameo return was curtailed early in his MX1 practice/qualifying session at Round 8, Nowra, NSW on Sunday morning. He went in to a corner rut, and lent in too low, with his handlebars scraping the embankment. This ripped his right hand back grabbing a handful of throttle, throwing him off his bike. The impact left him in considerable pain, forcing him to sit out the remainder of the day’s proceedings. Thankfully the suspected shoulder injury is not as serious as first suspected, the Tauranga, based rider is still planning on competing at the final two rounds at Toowoomba and Coolum later this month. Fellow Penrite Honda rider Cody Cooper showed glimpses of the rider we know, with tenth in the opening MX1 moto, then claimed the holeshot and led early in race two before dropping back to finish seventh, and eighth overall for the day. The Penrite Honda rider sits ninth overall in the championship on 358 points, with two rounds remaining.

“Thankfully Townley’s suspected shoulder injury is not as serious as first suspected, the Tauranga based rider is still planning on competing at the final two MX Nationals rounds at Toowoomba and Coolum later this month”

Josiah Natzke was in action at the penultimate round of his European EMX125 championship series at the notorious Lommel sandtrack in southern Belgium. 6-3 from his two motos put him fourth overall for the weekend. More importantly, with championship leader Yamaha’s Maxime Renaux ruled out due to breaking his collarbone during the week, the title will now be fought out between the KTM Factory Junior teammates Prado and Natzke. Only a single point separates the pair with their final series round to be held at Assen, Netherlands in less than four weeks. It was a vast improvement for the Waikato teenager, after being lapped at the same event one year ago. Many days and countless laps at Lommel during the past few months proved the difference, keeping his EMX125 championship hopes alive.

Natzke is in the first year of his five year deal with KTM Racing, and his future progression has yet to be determined. He has a number of options, which will be carefully considered over the coming months. These include remaining on a 125 with another crack at the EMX125 championship, moving to a 250F and competing in the European EMX250 championship, or a fast track to the MX2 class. Personally I feel EMX250 is the most likely outcome at this stage.

Kayne Lamont began his belated English motocross campaign with the Pirelli British Masters series at Foxhill playing it safe in his first outing with the MX Zone Yamaha team. He finished with fifth and third from his two MX2 motos for fourth overall. His next outing is this coming weekend – August 8 and 9 with the British MX Nationals series at the ex-GP circuit Hawkstone Park.