Yamaha Monster racer, Josh Coppins, has taken a stellar victory at the 8th round of the FIM Motocross championship in Teutschenthal, Germany. The New Zealander powered his factory YZ450FM to two impressive race wins and has closed to within 4 points of the MX1 championship lead at the halfway mark.

With 34.000 spectators turning out at the ‘Talkessel’ circuit under perfect weather conditions, Coppins lined up 3rd on the starting line for the first moto. The Kiwi exploded out the gate and seemed to have the hole-shot but German, Maxi Nagl, unexpectedly came around the outside of Coppins which allowed Billy MacKenzie to take the lead on lap 1. Coppins quickly moved past Nagl and then put MacKenzie under pressure for the lead. The Scotsman made a mistake a few laps later with Coppins capitalizing and taking control of the race. He rode consistently to the checkered flag to gain his first moto win of the season.

The second moto would see fitness play a big role for the riders as the track conditions had deteriorated, making the circuit rough and demanding. Coppins once again had a great jump out the gate but lost out in the second turn to MacKenzie and Pourcel. The Frenchman would go missing on lap 3 and Coppins soon moved past MacKenzie to gain the lead. He rode a faultless race to take a double victory and his first GP overall of the season.

“I just want to thank all the people who have supported me. Obviously the results at the start of the season were not what I expected or what the team expected but we knuckled down and worked even harder and knew that the results would come. The step for me never came in the races but in my training, working with my mechanic, riding on the right tracks and working on the bike. Even though the result in Mallory Park was not good on paper, I felt there that my riding was improving and that with the hard work we were putting in that it would bring us to the top step of the podium.” commented a delighted Coppins.

The double victory has rocketed Coppins to second in the championship, a mere four points behind fellow Yamaha Monster team-mate, David Philippaerts. The 9th of 15 rounds will take Coppins to the picturesque circuit of Uddevalla in Sweden next week.

Race results:

MX1 Race 1
1 Coppins, Joshua NZL Yamaha
2 Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki
3 Philippaerts, David ITA Yamaha
4 de Dycker, Ken BEL Suzuki
5 Bill, Julien SUI Honda
6 Leok, Tanel EST Kawasaki
7 Pourcel, Sebastien FRA Kawasaki
8 Priem, Manuel BEL Kawasaki
9 Leok, Aigar EST Yamaha
10 Desalle, Clement BEL Suzuki
11 Nemeth, Kornel HUN KTM
12 Salvini, Alex ITA Suzuki
13 Correira, Luis POR Yamaha
14 Barragan, Jonathan ESP KTM
15 Mackenzie, Billy GBR Honda

Mx1 Race 2
1 Coppins, Joshua NZL Yamaha
2 de Dycker, Ken BEL Suzuki
3 Leok, Tanel EST Kawasaki
4 Nagl, Maximilian GER KTM
5 Pourcel, Sebastien FRA Kawasaki
6 Philippaerts, David ITA Yamaha
7 Bill, Julien SUI Honda
8 Leok, Aigar EST Yamaha
9 Priem, Manuel BEL Kawasaki
10 Mackenzie, Billy GBR Honda
11 Campano, Carlos ESP Yamaha
12 Salvini, Alex ITA Suzuki
13 Desalle, Clement BEL Suzuki
14 Anderson, Bradley GBR Suzuki
15 Schiffer, Marcus GER KTM

MX1 World championship standings:
1 Philippaerts, D. ITA 266
2 Coppins, J. NZL 262
3 Ramon, Steve BEL 250
4 de Dycker, Ken BEL 240
5 Pourcel, S. FRA 231
6 Barragan, J. ESP 192
7 Leok, Tanel EST 186
8 Nagl, M. GER 179
9 Mackenzie, B. GBR 176
10 de Reuver, M. NED 156
11 Desalle, C. BEL 134
12 Priem, Manuel BEL 129
13 Brown, Mike USA 107
14 Bill, J. SUI 106
15 Nemeth, Kornel HUN 106
16 Leok, Aigar EST 85