Lamont Slams Down Five Wins to Wrap It Up

Lamont Slams Down Five Wins to Wrap It Up

With five wins out of six starts, the second half of the New Zealand Motocross Championships could not have gone much better for Mangakino's Kayne Lamont.

Unfortunately, those results followed a two-race period on the sideline and so the Altherm JCR Racing Yamaha Team rider could probably consider himself a little fortunate that he ended the 2016 season on the podium at all.

But, even so, third overall in the nationals after 12 races over four rounds is still more than many riders could achieve when everything goes perfectly for them.

When the dust cleared after racing at the fourth and final round at Taupo on Sunday, Takaka's Hamish Harwood (KTM) had won the title ahead of Australian Jed Beaton (Triple B Valley Fresh Yamaha), with Lamont third and fellow Altherm JCR Yamaha rider Ethan Martens rounding out the top four.

Lamont scored five wins over the series, two more wins than any other rider in the class, and he would rue the lost opportunity to wear again the MX2 crown he last owned in 2014.

He can trace his misfortune back to round two, held at Himatangi, near Palmerston North, three weeks earlier.

Waitakere's Martens, riding the Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke, had qualified fastest at round two, with Lamont taking his four-stroke YZ250F to qualify second fastest that day.

Lamont then finished runner-up to Harwood in the first race in the Manawatu. But then Lamont's championship bid fell to pieces when he crashed, banged his head and failed to finish race two.

That was the end of his day – he did not line up for race three in the Manawatu – and it resulted in him recording two non-scoring races, a tragedy when the entire season comprises just 12 races.

"I won two out of three races today (at Taupo) ... I wasn't too worried about winning the last one because I wasn't in a 'do or die' position," said Lamont, explaining why he "let Beaton go" for the final race glory.

"I couldn't gain anything more by winning the last race, plus I'd tweaked my knee. I'd win the day (with a 1-1-2 score-line) and moved myself up to third in the series, so that was enough."

Meanwhile, it was certainly an impressive performance from the Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team's MX1 class rider, Australian Dean Ferris, the 25-year-old a first-timer in New Zealand this season.

He won three out of four rounds and eight out of 12 races in the MX1 class, although a tumble at round three cost him dearly and the chance of a title win on debut slipped away.

Ferris eventually finished the series runner-up by just two points to Mount Maunganui's defending New Zealand MX1 champion Cody Cooper.

The Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team boss, Motueka's former GP star Josh Coppins, said that, despite the misfortunes, he was "extremely proud" of what his riders had achieved.

"A couple of mistakes cost us but it's hard to come away with the most race wins and no titles to show for it.

"I'm extremely proud of all my riders. We'll take a bit of time now to work out some plans for moving forward from here."

The Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing team is supported by Altherm Window Systems, Yamaha, JCR, CRC, Ados, GYTR, Yamalube, Fox Racing, Hollands Collision Centre, Star Moving, Ward Demolition, Fulton Hogan, Pirelli, FMF, DID, NGK, Matrix, Renthal, Motomuck, Workshop Graphics, Motoseat, Hammerhead, SKF, Vertex Pistons, Rtech Plastics, Etnies, Biketranz and Fulton Hogan.

ENDS

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