It was an 'almost perfect' performance from Mount Maunganui's defending MX1 class champion Cody Cooper at the second round of four in the New Zealand Motocross Championships in Tokoroa on Sunday.
Riding for The Honda Shop Racing Team, Cooper started the day as he meant to go on by qualifying his fire-engine red Honda CRF450 at the top of the talent-laden, international-calibre field on Sunday morning.
He then proceeded to blitz the competition in the three MX1 races that followed, the hat-trick of wins boosting his advantage at the top of the standings to an awesome 21 points over the man who is emerging as his nearest rival, Scottish former Grand Prix racer Billy MacKenzie.
Cooper had led the MX1 class after a scintillating display of riding at round one near Timaru a fort night ago, edging out Australian star Ford Dale on that occasion, but now it's MacKenzie who has the No.2 spot in the pecking order.
Neither Dale, MacKenzie, nor any of the other heavyweight 450cc riders could match the Honda star on Sunday, with Cooper simply running away with all three MX1 races.