Colin Smith
Taking a few weeks break is important even when you're living your dream at full throttle.
Motocross high-flyer CodyCooper is back at home in Papamoa enjoying some downtime from his successful campaign in the United States.
Fresh from finishing fifth in the US Nationals and signing a new contract with one of the powerhouse operations in motorsport, the 24-year-old came home to attend friend Ben Townley'swedding in Taupo last weekend and to relax.
It's been a year in which Cooper put his name on the motocross map. After racing as a privateer at two US rounds in late 07, Cooper contested the full 2008 schedule with the Biloxi, Mississippi-based Suzuki City team this year.
He twice finished on the podium and completed the season in fifth in the championship.
"I achieved everything I set to do," says Cooper.
"I wanted to be in the top five and I got fifth and I achieved my long-term goal to race on a factory team."
Those performances caught the eye of fans, media and team owners in the US. From several options for 09, Cooper has signed to ride both AMA Supercross and Motocross for the Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha team, fulfilling his goal of becoming a factory professional motocross racer.
Gibbs is a Hall of Fame NFL coach who took the Washington Red Skins to three Superbowltitles. His main motorsports interest is NASCAR and he has been a title-winning car owner with Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte.
The new motocross team run by his son Coy has just completed its first season. The team runs from alongside the NASCAR shop in Huntersville near Charlotte, North Carolina, and Cooper says the scale and resources of the team's Toyota NASCAR operation will help the motocross team.
It's a contrast to the small Suzuki City team which Cooper says was an ideal environment for a new rider learning the series.
"It was a good team with good bikes. They helped me a lot and I think I helped them as well."
It was about three races into the series that Cooper started to attract the attention of the US media.
"I had some good races and my confidence built up. After about three races people we're getting quite interested in what I was doing."
This past year Cooper has lived with fellow Kiwi and former MX2 world champion Townley in Tallahasse, Florida. Townley has provided plenty of help and advice, although the original plan for the two Kiwi riders to be training partners didn't quite work out.
"I only got a month of riding and training with Ben because he was injured when I got there and then injured again later on. But he pushed me each day and he came to most of the races."
While most Kiwi riders have pursued the European route to a motocross career Cooper always wanted to be professional in the US.
"I really like America. There's no language difference and I like the lifestyle. It's easy to just hang out with friends.
"And I like the atmosphere at the races. You don't think about it when you're racing but the crowds and fireworks and the Americans singing the national anthem is something quite amazing."
Cooper's plans for the next fortnight is some cycling and gym work plus some practice rides on a Suzuki loaned from Mount Maunganui dealer Moto GB.
He heads away again on September 24 for London to join Josh Coppins and Daryl Hurley in a strong Kiwi team for the Motocross of Nations at Donington Park.
Then it's to his new North Carolina base when his Joe Gibbs Racing contract activates onOctober 1 and he begins supercross testing.
He says there is the possibility of some Australian supercross races later this year but an appearance in New Zealand seems unlikely in the near future.
"I wanted to do Taupo (the international event on November 1-2) but it's a bad time for me because we're busy testing for Supercross."
The 16-round 2009 AMA Supercross season begins at Anaheim Stadium in Los Angeles on January 3, with the 12-round outdoor nationals running from May until late-August.
"I'm living my dream," says Cooper.
"Next year is everything I've always wanted to do."
Cody achieves his American dream
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