Phillips and Dillon earn podium spots

Indeed, it was a day of mixed fortunes for Team Honda at the third round of four

in this year’s Demon Energy New Zealand Motocross Championships near Rotorua

on Sunday, with Rotorua’s Michael Phillips and Taupo’s Cameron Dillon turning up a

few wild cards in their respective title bids.

Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper won the MX1 (open class) on Sunday and Motueka’s

former Grand Prix star Josh Coppins finished runner-up, but it was the brave

performances of home town heroes Phillips and Dillon that had many race fans buzzing.

Phillips (Honda Hamilton CRF450) dispelled the myth that racing at home is any

advantage as he twice crashed, forced to start last in the day’s first two MX1 races.

But it was indeed an impressive sight to see Phillips power his way back to finish fourth

both times.He then crossed the line runner-up to Cooper in the last race of the day, good

enough to see him take the day’s third spot on the podium. He remains third in the series

standings, but an almost impossible-to-overcome 22 points behind the on-form Cooper.

“A home track advantage doesn’t exist in motocross,” said the 24-year-old Phillips. “It’s the same

track I practise on but it’s a very different place on race day.

“I won two national titles in New Plymouth,” said the reigning MX2 class champion … “and I lost one

there too, so I have mixed feelings about the final round there next weekend. I just need to stay on the bike and out of trouble.” 

Honda team-mate Justin McDonald, the defending MX1 champion, had a solid day, finishing 3-3-4, but the Christchurch rider has perhaps already

admitted that the crown will slip from his head this season. He is still fourth in the series standings, but a massive 30 points behind Phillips.

In the MX2 class, it was the opportunity for Dillon to shrug off the bad luck that had dogged his 2011 campaign in the early stages and finally show

what everyone knew he was capable of.

Taupo’s Dillon (Huka Honda CRF250) shook off the bad memories from his abortive efforts at rounds one and two as he finished 1-6-5 at Rotorua

and sensationally moved up from 14th to eighth in the championship rankings.

Dillon finished the day on the second step of the podium and was thrilled to be able to banish his demons.

“I’ve got my mojo back,” he smiled. “I’ve got that monkey off my back and have been able to show people what I can do.

“Jimmy McArtney did a fantastic job getting me on the track today. My bike was wrecked after I seized it at the previous round but Jimmy worked long

and hard to get things right again for me.”

Tauranga’s Peter Broxholme (Botany Honda CRF250) improved as the day wore on at Rotorua, finishing 6-4-2 in the MX2 class on Sunday and he

remains fifth in the championship standings.

Credit: Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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