Altherm JCR Yamaha’s senior motocross team had a slightly different look at the annual 2023 Honda Summercross event but still managed to finish high up the pecking order on Saturday, scoring a win and a podium.

“We are a bit lean on riders, after a couple of injuries for our MX1 team, with Maximus Purvis and more recently Tommy Watts both out for the season," says Team Manager Josh Coppins.

"So, we drafted in [former professional motocross and supercross racer and Yamaha ambassador] Ben Townley for this event.”

The Tauranga-based 39-year-old has officially retired and although he was busy with his son racing in the Junior category on Friday and also putting his bulldozing skills to good use fixing the mud-laden Awakaponga MX track, after the first day’s heavy downpours, he was keen to race the Yamaha YZ450.

“Ben did an amazing job. I very much appreciate him stepping up to help out and represent the brand," says Josh.

"It was great to get his opinion, not only on the racing but also about our Yamaha MX1 bike - how that’s coming along and the improvements we can make.

"Ben has got so much experience and it’s very rare that you can call on someone as good as him to fill in for the Altherm JCR Yamaha team’s top spot."

Ben finished a credible third for the Whakatane-based event.

“It was a great day at Summercross. I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun. The team gave me a great bike to ride and we were able to do quite a lot of testing throughout the day,” says Ben.

He worked on perfecting the settings for the Yamaha YZ450 in what was a successful, productive day for both Ben and the Altherm JCR Yamaha team.

“I like doing the odd race, so it was nice to get out there and do some racing."

Josh was pleased with the team’s MX2 rider Oparau’s James Scott, who had a positive day of racing, winning his class with a 1-2-3 set of results.

“Normally this is a tough track for James so I’m really happy for him. To start the season off with two wins, firstly at the Taupo MX Fest in October, then here at Summercross is really good for him.

James was debuting the new model Yamaha YZ250F for the 2023/2024 season, which he gelled with over the three motos. After starting off slowly in qualifying where he took some time getting the feel of the track and finding his flow, James came out firing in the opening race.

“In the first moto, I got the holeshot. A few riders went down so I just controlled it and managed to run away with it,” says James.

A holeshot in the second moto didn’t produce the same end result with a one rider passing him for the win. While in the third moto, a tougher start saw James work his way back up into third courtesy of a joker lane.

His points tally was enough to give him the MX2 class victory for the weekend and a desire for more of that winning feeling when the Woodville GP rolls around in January, closely followed by the four-round Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Championships in February and March.

Josh says it was a “huge weekend” all round for the Yamaha brand with Cam Negus winning the Vets class on a Yamaha YZ250 and Jack Ellingham (Yamaha YZ125) claiming the top spot in the YMX - Youth category.

“We had our juniors racing on the Friday, Japanese guests visiting and my son Nixon over from the United Kingdom. Ben [Townley]’s son Jaggar rode too and had a great day out winning the 8-11 Years, 85cc class.”

While rain rendered Friday’s junior race day “super muddy”, the Bay of Plenty Motorcycle Club and Townley on the bulldozer - coupled with a hot, sunny Saturday - meant the “track turned around, dried right out and we had a great day of racing,” says Josh.

"The Altherm JCR Yamaha team wishes everyone a safe and happy New Year and we look forward to returning to racing at the Woodville GP on January 27 and 28, 2024."

Results:

MX1

1st Josiah Natzke – 146  

2nd Brodie Connolly – 136  

3rd Ben Townley (YZ450) – 132

MX2

1st James Scott (YZ250F) – 139

2nd Madoc Dixon – 138

3rd Flynn Watts (YZ250F) – 130

YMX – Youth

1st Jack Ellingham (YZ125) – 143

2nd Hayden Draper – 142

3rd Maz Parkes – 121

Vets 45 years +

1st Cam Negus (YZ250) – 143

2nd Barry Morris – 142

3rd Darren Capill (YZ450) – 132

2023/24 ALTHERM JCR YAMAHA CONTRACTED RACING CALENDAR

21st & 22nd October 2023 – MX Fest (Taupo)

29th & 30th December 2023 – Summercross (Whakatane)
27th & 28th January 2024 – Woodville GP (Woodville)
3rd February 2024 – R1 NZMX Nationals (Rotorua)

25th February 2024 – R2 NZMX Nationals (Balclutha)

23rd March 2024 – R3 NZMX Nationals (Pukekohe)

13th April 2024 – R4 NZMX Nationals (Taranaki)

2023/24 ALTHERM JCR YAMAHA ACTIVATIONS CALENDAR

27th to 29th October 2023 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Rotorua)

11th November 2023 – Yamaha Women’s Off-Road Ride Day (Rotorua)

17th to 19th November 2023 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Glen Murray)

12th to 14th January 2024 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Oparau)

2nd to 4th February 2024 – bLUcRU Kids Camp (Gore)

3rd to 7th February 2024 – Yamaha Adventure Ride (Picton to Invercargill)