Jarman looks to continue his winning ways from last year

Take your marks. Get set. Go! Whangarei's James Jarman will be going for it this weekend as the National Roadracing Motorcycle Championships take off.

Jarman will be attacking all over the track as he looks to continue his winning ways from last year.

"The plan is to go there and go as hard as I can and have some fun," said Jarman. "I need to go quicker than last year."

The Whangarei racer struggled with bike set-up last year and finished a disappointing sixth in the national championships.

"This year we are doing a lot more bike preparation and working on set-up so we are ready before we go south," said Jarman.

The 22-year-old has also been fine tuning his body with 5.30am gym sessions and a personal trainer.

Jarman works in the family business at Tamaterau Engineering, which helps defray the costs, but hopes to find a major sponsor for the championship.

In December, Jarman won the two-stroke class at round two of the Auckland Motorcycle Club Championship at Hampton Downs racetrack. He got a first and a second onboard his Honda RS125 to take first overall.

Fellow Whangarei racer Duncan Coutts also had a successful weekend at the Auckland races in December, winning both his races in the pre-89 post classic class.

He is coming second in his class after two rounds of the championship.

"I had some bike issues at round one and missed qualifying and a race," said Coutts. "But I've managed to close the gap from 35 points difference down to 21 and, with three rounds remaining, I hope to chip away at it."

This weekend's nationals include three rounds in the South Island which will be followed by two in the North Island in March.