Motocross: Season comes good at the end

Mangakino's Kayne Lamont (Altherm JCR Yamaha YZ250F), in sizzling form in Rotorua and Taupo. Photo / Andy McGechan/Bikesportnz.com

With five wins from 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 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 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 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.

"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."