Excitement is high among Yamaha Racing's factory supported motocross teams as they prepare for round six of the 2011 Rockstar MX Nationals to be held at Gonna Tracks, Coonabarabran.
The Gonna Tracks circuit is new to the national motocross tour for 2011 and it's the first time the majority of competitors have raced at this venue. With lap times over three minutes and long, fast sections of track, the Coonabarabran track is sure to become a favourite among the riders.
CDR Rockstar Yamaha's Josh Coppins and Jay Marmont enter the round sitting in third and fifth place respectively and still well and truly in the championship hunt. New Zealand based Coppins has been back to Australia since the previous round and completed a few test sessions with the team where the focus has been on getting himself and Marmont to the front of the pack and clawing back points in the title chase.
Both riders left testing with all issues answered and now realise the responsibility is on them as the CDR Rockstar Yamaha team has delivered the bike exactly to their requests.
"Since the Toowoomba round we have been able to continue testing with the team and feel we have made good gains. My lap times certainly improved during those sessions and now it's up to me to do it on the race track," Coppins explains.
But maybe the biggest hurdle facing Coppins is in the sky as the volcanic ash cloud continues to float around Australia and New Zealand causing flight delays and cancellations. But Coppins will do whatever it takes to make the start line on Sunday.
There has been no rest for Jay Marmont as he has competed and won in two high profile events since the Toowoomba round. He headed west to race the prestigious Manjimup 15,000 event and beat a top shelf international field before heading back to Queensland to compete in their state championships and race to another victory.
Marmont has long been the hunted in Australian motocross after winning three straight national championships, but he now becomes the hunter and is out to make his presence felt.
"A month is a long time between national rounds, so instead of just sitting at home or riding on a burnt out practice track, I decided to get some racing in and try and keep some momentum in my riding. Both events had good riders attending so it was good to get some wins under my belt and carry that confidence into Coonabarabran," Marmont said.
