Motorsport: Youngster off to Spanish racing nursery'

Photo / Alan Gibson

Daniel Mettam has been making waves all season and now he's going to have the chance to send out a few ripples overseas.

The Glen Eden 14-year-old is the latest in a line of talented Kiwis who have been invited in recent years to try out for the high-profile Red Bull Rookies competition in Europe, a "nursery" class to groom future MotoGP and Superbike World Championship stars.

Mettam has been riding a Kawasaki KR150 in the streetstock class in New Zealand for the past six or seven months, racing under the Taupo-based Wolf Pack Racing team colours, and he has used this bike to set lap records at the new Hampton Downs circuit near Meremere and also at the Taupo track this year.

The Kawasaki ace has now been selected to attend a two-day trial in Spain next week, at the Monte Blanco circuit near Sevilla, in the south of the country.

"The successful riders at this trial will be chosen to ride in Europe in 2011 in the Red Bull Rookies Cup - for 13 to 17-year-olds - as the curtain-raiser to the 10 European rounds of the MotoGP events," said Daniel's father, Glenn. "Daniel is pretty excited but doesn't show it much. He's a pretty cool character and takes things in his stride ... but he definitely comes to life on a bike."

The Mettams head to Spain this week.

"This is a massive opportunity for a Kiwi kid and, as a family, we are very excited for him and, no matter what, we know he will go there and give it his best attempt.

"He has worked so hard in this sport over the past 15 months and was accepted as one of the final 40 riders on his overall application, chosen from hundreds and possibly thousands of others from around the world.

"In whittling down the applicants, a lot of significant attention was given to results over this year."

Daniel Mettam's rise through the ranks has been nothing short of sensational. He finished last in his first race on tarseal, at Taupo in May last year. By October he won both races ahead of the same field of about 20 riders at the final round of the Victoria Motorcycle Club's Winter Series at Manfeild - going from zero to hero in just five months.