Kiwi Teenager Shows His Class Against America

For immediate release
4th March 2009

Kiwi Teenager Shows His Class Against America's Best Riders

New Zealand teenager Cam Dillon has produced impressive results in his first motocross races in America.

Taupo's Dillon flew to America last week courtesy of 'The Jim Hall Memorial Scholarship' which has been funded by former MX2 World Champion Ben Townley and the Taupo Motorcycle Club to give talented junior Kiwi motocross riders a unique opportunity to start their international career.

Under the watchful eye of Townley, 16 year old Dillon competed in three different classes in last weekend's regional qualifier for America's premiere amateur race, the AMA Air Nautiques Amateur National Motocross Championships which known as the 'Loretta Lynn's' after the track the race is held at.

"Cam has been full of enthusiasm since he arrived so he's been on his bike 6 of the 7 days on new tracks and against some pretty fast competitors," said Townley, who won the 2004 FIM MX2 World Championship, the 2007 AMA Supercross Lites East championship and twelve New Zealand titles.

"Due to my injured shoulder, I've got some spare time on my hands and have been able to spend some time with Cam at the track refining his riding technique - he is really eager to learn and improve and he's taken a lot of constructive criticism from me so far," continued Townley who is currently seeking medical opinions for his shoulder.

"It has been pretty amazing so far - Ben has been helping me work on my riding style and I feel like I've improved in my turns already," said an excited Dillon.

"I'm blown away with how it all works over here - the kids I compete against spend all day riding and living at the tracks in motorhomes so they can just concentrate on riding," said Dillon who balances his riding with working on his family farm in Mangakino.

Battling nerves on a new bike at a track he hadn't previously raced at, Dillon was impressive in finishing equal 3rd in the Schoolboy class and equal 6th in the B Modified class, securing him a place in the next round of regional qualifying for "Loretta Lynn's."

"In the B Modified class I was racing against some of the fastest amateur racers in America - in the first moto (race) I came out of the line in third place and held on for a 3rd place finish which I was really stoked with," said Dillon.

Nerves struck in the second B Modified moto as Dillon was trying to ensure his results would be sufficient to make it through to the next stage of the arduous Loretta Lynn's qualifying circuit - he was in fifth place after turn one and finished in a conservative 9th place.

"The other highlight of the weekend was holding my nerve to finish second in the first Schoolboy race."

"It was really important to have some race practice before the two major National rounds that I'm here to race in so I can gauge what I have to work on," said Dillon.

Dillon will compete in the American 'Spring National' races in Texas, which are held on 9-13th March (Lake Whitney) and 16-20th March (Oakhill), and are the first national championships of season for amateur racers in America.

"Working with Cam this week has reminded me how tough it is to break into the international motocross scene and I'm really pleased to be able to help him and give something back to the sport I love," said Townley, who has provided Dillon with accommodation, transport and race entries and assistance with race selection and bike preparation since his arrival in America.

Townley and the Taupo Motorcycle Club intend for this scholarship to be instrumental in developing New Zealand's next motocross world champion.

"The Taupo Motorcycle Club is pleased to have provided airfares for Cam and his mechanic to America - this scholarship fits with our vision of developing New Zealand's next World Champion," said Geoff Hall, President of the Taupo Motorcycle Club, which will host the Junior World Championships on August 15-16 2009, the first time the event has left European shores.

"With riders such as Townley, Josh Coppins, Daryl Hurley, Cody Cooper, Darryl & Shane King and Katherine Prumm succeeding on the international stage, this scholarship has the potential to help even young riders more reach the top level," concluded Hall.

ends

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