The momentum is beginning to build for Taupo’s Brad Groombridge as the New Zealand Motocross Championships reached the halfway stage at the weekend.
The Bel Ray Pro Rider Suzuki Team rider turned up at the second round of four in the championships in Tokoroa on Sunday keen to pick a fight and stake his claim for the MX1 crown.
Groombridge had a difficult day at the series opener near Timaru a fortnight ago, but he found fresh impetus on the pumice and sand at Tokoroa to finish runner-up on the day to move up from fifth to third equal in the class standings, now level with Australian professionals Ford Dale and Kirk Gibbs, a handful of points behind series leader Cody Cooper, of Mount Maunganui, and Scottish professional and former Grand Prix winner Billy MacKenzie.
Cooper rode a Suzuki RM-Z450 to win the New Zealand MX1 crown last season, before switching across to Honda, and he still seems to be the man to beat.
Although Cooper swept to a hat-trick of wins at Tokoroa on Sunday, he certainly felt the heat come on from Groombridge, the man who replaced him in the Suzuki squad earlier this season.
Groombridge finished 2-2-3 in the three MX1 races on Sunday and even managed to get a nose in front of Cooper during the racing.
“I got three good starts today and I felt comfortable on the bike,” said the 23-year-old refrigeration engineer.
“Because I work fulltime, I don’t get much time to do all the bike testing and training needed to match the fulltime professional racers like Cooper, Dale, Gibbs and MacKenzie,” he lamented.
The series is now at the halfway stage and there is still plenty left to ride for, especially with Groombridge’s favourite tracks coming up.
The series continues with round three at Pukekohe on March 9, with the fourth and final round set for Taupo on March 22.
“I won the Auckland Motocross Championships at Tokoroa (in November) and won the Labour Weekend Motocross Extravaganza at Taupo, so I think I’ll go okay at those tracks,” Groombridge smiled.
Bel-Ray Pro Rider Suzuki team boss Andrew Hardisty, of Mount Maunganui, was also impressed with Groombridge’s performance on Sunday.