Motocross: Smith notches up another win

It seems every post is a winning post for Taranaki's Adrian Smith.

 

The 27-year-old Yamaha ace ticked off another box on his "things to do" list when he won round two of the popular Dirt Guide Cross-country Championships at The Pylons, near Atiamuri, on Saturday.

 

His success at the weekend comes fresh in the wheel tracks of other major wins recently, including his wrapping up the New Zealand Cross-country Championships at Cheviot a week earlier.

 

Smith has also been in winning form in the Yamaha New Zealand Enduro Championships. He leads that series outright with just the fifth and final round remaining, set for Taupo on July 21.

 

His win at the second round of the Dirt Guide series on Saturday was particularly impressive, the farmer from Mokau so far in front of the chasing field that he was forced to complete one lap more than the other competitors because there was time still left on the two-hour race clock when he came through the timing zone.

 

"I grabbed the holeshot at the start and just rode steadily away," said Smith, who had been on the injured list and a spectator only at the first round of the series last month.

 

"I sat out the series opener because I wanted to heal properly and be fit and ready to go in the cross-country nationals, but I'm 100% again now.

 

"The course on Saturday was quite rough and challenging in places but it flowed very well and that's the sort of course I like, weaving through the trees."

 

Runner-up was Aucklander Mike Skinner, while another Aucklander, Callan May brought his tiny Yamaha YZ125 home in third spot.

 

"Callan did really well," said Smith. "With a smaller bike tank, he had to make one more fuel stop that the rest of us and that would have cost him a bit of time."