Motocross: Cody Cooper holds sizeable lead

Cody Cooper powers through the mud.

Expect the heavyweights to come out swinging at Pukekohe this weekend.

The nation's elite motocross racers head to Harrisville, on the outskirts of Pukekohe on Sunday to continue their battle for glory at the third round of four in this season's New Zealand Motocross Championships.

Round one of the Backflips Clothing-sponsored senior nationals near Timaru early last month was a brutal test of character and it was no less strenuous at round two, on the outskirts of Tokoroa just over a week ago.

As the series edges towards a conclusion in Taupo on March 22, the fighting is becoming ever more frantic, with time rapidly running out for challengers to make an impact, so racing this weekend at Pukekohe is pivotal.

Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper (Honda) leads the premier MX1 class by a comfortable 21 points from Australian-domiciled Scotsman Billy MacKenzie (Yamaha), while Taupo's Brad Groombridge (Suzuki) and Australian KTM riders Ford Dale and Kirk Gibbs are also scrapping for a podium finish.

Groombridge won the MX1 class at the Auckland Motocross Championships, at the same track, back in November and he could be expected to come on strong on Sunday.

In the MX2 (250cc) class, Mangakino's Kayne Lamont (Husqvarna) has so far proven himself the man to beat.

The 20-year-old Kiwi international enjoys a solid 27-point advantage over his nearest challenger, Dargaville's Hamish Dobbyn (KTM), with defending MX2 champion Scott Columb (Yamaha), of Queenstown, in third spot overall.

Momentum is on Lamont's side - he has won three of the six races in this class so far, and finished runner-up in the other three, so, if his pace and consistency can continue on Sunday, he will be very hard to beat.

In the 125cc class, Te Puke's pre-season favourite Logan Blackburn (Yamaha) suffered a nightmare run at Tokoroa, but will be looking to bounce back at Pukekohe on Sunday.

Misfortune at Tokoroa dropped Blackburn from first to third in the 125cc standings, while Hamilton's Josiah Natzke (KTM) and Atiamuri's Hadleigh Knight (KTM) shared wins at Tokoroa to move up to the No1 and No2 positions respectively.

Though only 15 years old, Natzke has shown maturity beyond his years and he is a respectable 20 points ahead of Knight. Blackburn is 15 points further back and will need a miracle ride at Pukekohe on Sunday if he is to burst back into one of the top two positions.

Tauranga's Aaron Wiltshier (KTM) will also be worth watching for.

Wiltshier had been second in the 125cc standings after round one and had finished runner-up to Natzke in the day's first race at Tokoroa, but, unfortunately, he crashed in the next race and did not return to the track. The BikesportNZ.com rider vows to be on the starting line again at Pukekohe.

The championships wind up with the fourth and final round set for Taupo on March 22.