Darryll King eyes Woodville

The annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville is a lot of things to a lot of people.
But this year's 46th annual edition probably means more to double national champion Darryll King than any of the more than 700 riders expected to arrive at the northern end of the Manawatu Gorge this weekend.
King, 37, from Hamilton, picked up the New Zealand 250cc and 500cc titles in November, a sparkling twist to the tale of a season that had started out so disappointingly for the many-times national champ.
It was a clean sweep for the Subway Yamaha team that King heads, with his younger brother Damien, 30, riding his YZF250 four-stroke to victory in the MX2 (125cc two-stroke and 250cc four-stroke) class at the nationals.
Darryll, also a former world championship contender and twice a runner-up at this ultimate level of the sport, spent the first half of the 2006 season sidelined, on crutches. But, once back on the saddle of his booming Yamaha YF450, he unleashed a series of wins that soon had him back at the top.
Even so, he said midway through last year that 2006 would be his last season of international racing.
But forget the pipe, slippers and cup of cocoa ... Darryll may be coaxed back out of international retirement before the kettle's even boiled.
Depending on how the Woodville weekend goes for him, the No 1 man for Yamaha may be bouncing back for another crack at the Australian title he has won twice in recent years.
"Yes, a lot hinges on Woodville. I need to do well there to be satisfied I'll be on the pace in Australia. If I ride well at Woodville, I'll head across the Tasman once again."
But first for Woodville.
Though he holds two national titles, his biggest hurdle at Woodville will be the man who has won there more times than anyone else ? King's younger brother, former world champion Shayne King, 36.
Shayne, of New Plymouth, is a nine-time winner at Woodville. Darryl has won there on five occasions.
"You've really got to be on the pace to beat Shayne at Woodville," Darryll said. "Afterall, he didn't become a world champion by not being one of the best in the business and he is the king of Woodville."
Meanwhile, it could so easily be a King family trifecta at Woodville.
Damien, the youngest of the King siblings, also has high hopes of winning the big event.
"I'm gunning for victory at Woodville too but getting past my two brothers is easier said than done," the national MX2 champion said.
"I picked up the new 2007-model Yamaha YZF250 on Tuesday and I love it already. I think I'm ready to win at Woodville."