Like father , like son – winning national motorcycling titles became a family affair at the 2023 edition of the New Zealand Motocross TT Nationals at Taupiri on May 13-14 .
Like father , like son – winning national motorcycling titles became a family affair at the 2023 edition of the New Zealand Motocross TT Nationals at Taupiri on May 13-14 .
Throttles were twisted to the stops on the mostly-flat grassland course at Taupiri , north of Hamilton and riding skill , bravery , bike reliability and a perhaps a small element of luck were the key ingredients in determining the eventual title winners .
Hosted by the Patetonga Motorcycle Club , this year ’ s RAM-sponsored New Zealand Motocross TT Championships had it all , with riders from all corners of the country arriving to battle the elements and one another over the two days . The entry list included the stars of motocross , cross-country , enduro and even a few roadracing heroes , and it was Kawasaki father and son pair Craig and Tyler Brown who stole a large portion of the limelight . The 18-year-old Tyler Brown , a former national junior motocross champion now racing in the senior ranks , was the outstanding individual of the weekend , winning two of the premier bike categories , while his 49-year-old father Craig Brown captured the veterans ’ over-45 years ’ age group title . Tyler Brown sealed up both the MX1 ( open class ) and MX2 ( 250cc ) class titles with dominant displays over the two days . Racing a MR Motorcycles Kawasaki KX450F that he ’ d only collected the week before the event , Tyler Brown finished with a 1-2-1- 2-2 score-card in the MX1 class and took his Kawasaki KX250F to lodge a 1-1-2-1-2 scorecard in winning the MX2 class title . He never finished worse than runner-up in any of the 10 races he started at the event . The teenager finished ahead of Rotorua pair
Callum Dudson and Hunter Steens in the MX1 class and Waihi ’ s Luke Maitland and Pukekawa ’ s Adam Hodge completed the podium in the MX2 class . His dad , Craig , was similarly dominant , taking his Kawasaki KX450F to register 1-1-1-3-2 results in his veterans ’ class races , enough to edge out former national TT and motocross champion Mitch Rowe , of New Plymouth , and Te Awamutu ’ s former national cross-country and motocross frontrunner Mark Penny . “ This was only Tyler ’ s second time of racing a 450cc bike ,” explained Craig Brown . “ But he looked really comfortable on the bike and he soon got the hang of switching over from a 450cc to the 250cc and then back again throughout the weekend . “ We both knew what we had to do to win the titles and we each built up good points leads early on . This allowed us to relax and cruise a bit later in the weekend . That was the strategy anyway ,” he laughed .
“ I had a bit of a crash in my fourth race , but I didn ’ t need to go too hard in that race anyway ,” said Craig Brown , a racer who is no stranger to winning national motocross and TT titles . Also keeping it all in the family , a father and daughter combination also featured at the weekend , with Rowe ’ s daughter , Mikayla Rowe , from Gordonton , backing up her dad ’ s separate winning of the classic bike class by herself winning the senior women ’ s class title .
WINNERS Other class winners were Kumeu ’ s Logan Maddren ( 125cc ); Beachlands ’ Blake Gillard ( veterans ’ 35-44 years ); Tuakau ’ s Cody Sheppard ( junior 14-16 years , 250cc ); Otorohanga ’ s Cooper Phillips ( junior 12-16 years , 125cc ); Karapiro ’ s Jack Hazelden ( 8- 12 years , 85cc ); Cooper Phillips ( 12-16 years , 85cc ); Hamilton ’ s Ella Mackie ( junior women , 85cc ); Waimauku ’ s Ruby Leech ( junior women , 125 / 250cc ); Dudson ( enduro bikes ); Mitch Rowe ( classic bikes ); Stratford ’ s Rex Rooney ( mini 50cc ); Coatesville ’ s Sebastian Bassett ( mini 65cc trail bikes ); Stratford ’ s Camo Keegan ( ATV support ).
32 KIWI RIDER