Grey Sinks His Teeth into USA Competition

GREY SINKS HIS TEETH INTO USA COMPETITION

MARCH 9, 2017: Cambridge teenager Ashton Grey is living the dream.

In his first major overseas experience, the 17-year-old Yamaha rider is taking on some of the best cross-country racers in the world, competing for the first time at the Grand National Cross-country Championships (GNCC) in the United States.

New Zealand has a fine history in this event, fellow Kiwi Yamaha ace Paul Whibley having won the GNCC outright in 2009 and again in 2012, but now it's the turn for the younger brigade to step forward and be counted, with Grey taking his Yamaha YZ250X to race at the opening round of 13 in the 2017 series near Union, in South Carolina, at the weekend.

He crossed the finish line 71st overall, and 10th overall in his class, a staggering result on debut at this level

"I had a really good race and crossed the line in eighth overall in 250A class, but it turns out there was a penalty, which put me back in 10th.

"At the start I was really nervous as there is nothing like it back in New Zealand, as there are hundreds of people at the start line watching. The number of riders in my race was pretty crazy, being at around 400.

"In the race before me there was near 700 people and the youth race before that had around 400 also.

"Off the start I was third around the first corner and then went on to a flat motocross track without jumps before we went into the bush where I was about fifth. On the first lap I was riding at a comfortable pace so that I wasn't making any mistakes but ran into a bit of trouble when another rider from the row ahead.

"As I passed them, they didn't back off and rode into the side of me pushing me off the main track and a vine caught my neck pulling me off my bike and onto my back where I lost a few places getting back up and onto my bike.

"After that I made sure I was watching for vines and anything that could get caught on me or my bike. The track was well suited to my style of riding as it was quite flowing within the trees and had some more technical parts like a small rock garden on an off camber hill, a hill climb and also a creek jump.

"Being here I have met some really awesome people and the pro riders of our sport, being able to spend my time here with (Manawatu's) Paul Whibley and the team at AmPro Yamaha has been an amazing experience being able to live the life of a pro rider.

"I would like the thank everyone who has helped me get here. Those people being my parents, Deirdre and Tony, and my two brothers Taylor and Carter. Also to all my sponsors back at home Yamaha NZ, Blackwood Yamaha, Fox NZ, Dunlop Tyres and BikesportNZ – without you guys and everyone else who has helped me out in the past, I wouldn't be here living my dream so thank you to those people."

Meanwhile, Whibley, who is in the US only as a mentor and trainer for the AmPro Yamaha team, also decided to race this event and he finished 36th overall, good for third in his XC3 (125cc) class.

Grey, and possibly Whibley also, will race again next weekend, at round two of the GNCC series at Palatka, in Florida.

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

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