Motocross: Bay's Watts relishes "Tommy Gun" nickname

Wairoa's Tommy Watts (Husqvarna TC125) was unstoppable at the junior motocross nationals near Mosgiel at the weekend. Photo/Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

Teammates of Hawke's Bay motocross rider Tommy Watts gave him the nickname "Tommy Gun" at the weekend.

The HLR Husqvarna Racing Team member from Wairoa responded by out-gunning his rivals at the New Zealand Junior Championships in Mosgiel. He won the 15-16 years 125cc class by scoring five wins from five starts and finished the weekend 21 points ahead of his nearest challenger, Dunedin's Grason Veitch.

"This was my fourth attempt to win a title at the junior nationals, since my first campaign in 2014. On that occasion I was riding in the 85cc class and getting lapped by the top riders. Now it's me doing the lapping," Watts said with a laugh.

"A lot has changed for me since 2014. I'm now more experienced, bigger, stronger and in a bigger bike class. I love the Husqvarna and I'm really clicking with it.

"At the start of the year I set a few goals for myself ... to finish top five in the senior nationals and to earn a podium spot in the junior nationals. I've exceeded all my expectations."

It has been an incredible season for the 16-year-old Napier Boys' High School year 12 boarder. Watts has risen up the national motocross rankings in recent months and his many successes on the race track have certainly gained him widespread recognition.

Last November Watts collected the 2017 Wairoa Junior Sportsperson of the Year award and was then called back to the stage to also collect the night's top honour, overall Sportsperson of the Year.

Last month he finished second overall in the 125cc class at the senior nationals behind Mangakino's New Zealand representative Maximus Purvis.

The weekend's junior nationals were his last however he plans to contest the August world junior championships in Australia before becoming a fulltime senior rider.

The modest Watts was quick to praise those working for him behind the scenes – his parents, Bronnie and Graeme, his mechanic Jimmy Ashton, suspension guru Craig Guy, HLR Husqvarna Racing Team manager Howard Lilly and Patrick Stafford, of Husqvarna New Zealand.

Dual-class rider Veitch had the ideal form of consolation for finishing second to Watts when he won the 14-16 years' 250cc title at the weekend. Other class winners were: Tauranga's Brodie Connolly (12-14 years' 125cc class); Rangiora's Cobie Bourke (13-16 years' 85cc class); Darfield's Tyler Wiremu (11-12 years' 85cc class); Leeston's Kobe Thoms (8-10 years' 85cc class) and Invercargill's Charlie Baynes (8-11 years' 65cc, support class).