Townley in Tarawera debut

The fabled Tarawera 100 requires an equal dose of speed, courage and stamina if riders are to conquer the race.

The 100 mile (160km) race is a test of doggedness and determination as much as it is a battle of pace and power.

Riders know they will be pushed to the extreme when a shotgun blast signals the start of this iconic race near Kawerau on July 13.

One man who should feature near the front of this year's Honda Tarawera 100 is Tauranga's Ben Townley, despite it being his first time competing at the race.

Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper became a four-time winner of the race when he won there last year, in front of Hamilton's Darryll King, Mount Maunganui's Rhys Carter and Whakatane hero Mitch Rees.

Overseas duties mean both Cooper and Carter cannot race the Tarawera 100 this season and Rees is injured.

The Tarawera 100 has typically clashed with Townley's international responsibilities but since he announced his retirement from full-time professional motocross earlier this year he is free to make his debut at the iconic event.

Townley is no stranger to top-level motocross, having won the 2004 MX2 World Championships and the New Zealand MX1 Championships in 2012.

However, as a Tarawera 100 novice he was hesitant to make any bold predictions.

"I've done a bit of cross-country racing over the years but I've never been able to race the Tarawera 100 because I've been overseas at that time," he said. "This will be my first crack at it and I'm really looking forward to it.

"I know it's going to be pretty gruelling, so I've been prompted to get off the couch and do a bit of training."

The father of two will also race a desert race in Australia the weekend before the Tarawera 100.

"It's the same type of event so that will be great preparation."

The venue is expected to be the same as last season, on bush and farmland near Te Teko. However, 30 per cent of the course will be on freshly-cut track and many sections have also been bulldozed to create a different course.