Part of the hold-up has been selecting New Zealand's top three riders.
The ones who were in Germany last year - Cody Cooper, Rhys Carter and Kayne Lamont - are all out with injuries.
"We are, at the very latest, five weeks away from having to leave for Latvia and we are still going through the application process," said Townley.
"To me it makes an absolute mockery of getting a team together.
"It's the pinnacle of racing and is by far and away the biggest event on the calendar and we have a great record for such a small country. As a very, very proud Kiwi, to win a race and be on the podium as a team was fantastic.
"In the past when Josh and I competed it was a bit disorganised getting a team together, but this year it's sunk to the lowest ever from an organisation point of view.
"I acknowledge there are a number of top riders out injured, but we've known about that for a while.
Rhys Carter
"Flights haven't been booked, neither have hotels, and the riders don't take their own bikes so all the equipment has to be sorted yet.
"There are a number of aspects that are just so wrong. We get funding from the FIM to go to the event and the Taupo Motorcycle Club also raises money.
"When Josh managed it last year, it was the most well organised event in a while and he'd organised factory support, which takes a while to put in place.
"This year the process and standard of organisation is nowhere what our sport deserves."
Coppins stood down as manager this year, saying he found it too hard to prepare when no organisation or information was available.
As well, he says, he presented a debrief after last year's event and didn't hear anything back.
"It's disappointing and frustrating having represented New Zealand in the past and seeing what's happening now," said Coppins.
"The sport needs to more professionally organised, as we are no longer running races for our mates and factories are getting involved now. Everything needs to lift its game and it hasn't and that's one of the reasons I left managing the team."
Driven contacted Motorcycling New Zealand, and president Jim Tuckerman said it was implementing a more "robust" selection procedure.
"The cut-off date for riders to register their expressions of interest for selection closed yesterday. If we can't get a competitive team selected we probably won't be going to this year's event," said Tuckerman.
"We have funding from the FIM and as such we have had to make our selection process more robust and put better systems in place. It hasn't helped matters at all that out best riders are all out with injury."
Big names on the roads
Bathurst winners
More than 500 V8 Supercars fans have helped decide the names for the 22 internal roads at the Mount Panorama circuit. Among the Bathurst superstars with their names on road signs are Peter Brock, Mark Skaife and Craig Lowndes as well Kiwis Jim Richards and Greg Murphy. Three motorcycle racers made it - Mick Doohan, Barry Sheene and Rob Tombs.
Andre's future
Kiwi V8 Development Series driver Andre Heimgartner has been part of a five-day aero test in the original V8 Supercars Car of the Future. The test was prompted by research done by the new aerodynamic working group for the category set up in March this year and was overseen by new technical and sporting director Dave Stuart. He was recently team manager at Erebus and was at Stone Brothers Racing before that.
F1 big bucks
A lot of drivers in Formula One have to come with large cheques before they get to the starting grid. Even if you're one of the lucky ones who gets paid, the gulf in who gets what is huge. For example, at Red Bull Racing Sebastien Vettel gets $34.7 million; teammate Daniel Ricciardo gets $1.2 million.
Follow Driven on Facebook and Twitter for the latest motoring news.
