Taihape boy wins 125cc title

Taihape's Hayden Smith (KTM), who wrapped up the national 125cc motocross title in Taupo on Saturday. Photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

It was as white-knuckle racing as Taihape's Hayden Smith has experienced throughout the NZ Motorcross Championship with his great Karaka rival Kurtis Lilly, but when the dust settled in Taupo, Smith had both hands on the prize.

The 16-year-old former Wanganui Collegiate student claimed the national 125cc class title by a small five-point margin at the end of the fourth round on Saturday.

Smith, who now works as an apprentice builder in Takapuna while racing for the CML KTM team, came into the round with an eight point advantage over Lilly on his HLR Husqvarna.

The teenager didn't win the day at Taupo - Lilly edging him out with a 2-1-3 scorecard from the three races - but Smith kept a cool head and did just what he needed to do to get the job done, posting a 3-2-2 scorecard to stay out of catching distance on the table.

Mangakino's Maximus Purvis (Yamaha) was actually the Taupo winner in the 125cc class - finishing 1-3-1 in the three races - but this was also his only appearance in the series, because of an injury, and so he had no chance of winning the title.

"This is my first ever national motocross title," said an elated Smith afterwards.

"I've been runner-up a couple of times in the junior ranks and was also No2 in the minis before that, but now I'm No1 and it feels great."

It was a winner-take-all final race and Smith knew he simply had to finish ahead of Lilly to wrap it all up.

"I was crazy nervous going into the final race.

"I got the holeshot and then let Max [Purvis] pass because I knew he wasn't a threat for the title and I didn't want to tangle with him.

"I could see that Kurtis was quite a way back and so, in the end, I didn't have to take any risks and I could just cruise to the finish."

Smith enjoys a drinks break at Taupo on his way to winning the title.

To emphasise how dominant Smith and Lilly have been over the rest of the field, Nelson's Hayden Wilkinson (Yamaha) finished the campaign in clear third overall, but over 70 points behind.

It made for a happy double as Smith's CML Racing team mate and building workmate Hamish Harwood of Takaka successfully defended his MX2 250cc title.

Harwood came into Taupo with an 11-point lead and extended it with two wins and a runnerup placing against Yamaha riders Dylan Walsh (Christchurch) and Ethan Martens (Waitakere).

In the feature class, Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper took his Honda CRF450 to win all three MX1 battles at Taupo and clinch his sixth national MX1 crown.

Smith and Lilly established themselves as the riders to beat in 125cc during the opening round in Timaru at the start of February, especially with Ngatea's Ben Broard not defending his 2016 title.

On the day, Smith claimed two wins and a runnerup placing, with Lilly getting the other win and finishing right behind the Taihape rider in the other races.

Smith's three point lead was washed away at a drenched Rotorua track two weeks later, as Lilly flipped the Timaru results by getting two wins and a runnerup placing, again sharing all the 1-2 finishes with Smith.

The decisive moments which decided the title came during the third round on March 12 at Flipp's Motocross Park in Himatangi, a familiar course for Smith.

He finished runnerup in the first race to newly-arrived Australian Mason Semmens, with Lilly third, and then won the next two races to build up an eight point buffer from which he didn't look back.

Final points
125cc class: 1. Hayden Smith (Taihape, KTM) 277 points; 2. Kurtis Lilly (Karaka, Husqvarna) 272; 3. Hayden Wilkinson (Nelson, Yamaha) 201; 4. Dan Bell (Levin, KTM) 181; 5. Jordan Milsom (Te Puke, Husqvarna) 146.