The second round of the National Motocross Championship took Husqvarna Racing to Thunder Valley, Pietermaritzburg, this weekend. With rain expected, most riders had prepared for a muddy Thunder Valley. When the rain didn’t arrive, however, riders had to adapt to the unexpected conditions.
The event was off to a solid start for MX2 rider who qualified in sixth place. While Cocker initially found the track challenging, once he found his rhythm he put on one of his best performances of the season.
The rider had a spectacular start to the first moto and held an impressive pace to finish the heat in third. The second moto saw another blistering start, but an unfortunate crash sent him to the back of the pack. With a “never say die” attitude the rider chased down his competitors to secure ninth place and seventh overall.
“We’re very impressed with Davin’s performance. His first race consisted of a great start and stunning speed throughout what was the hottest class of the day. The second heat was off to another great start, but an unfortunate tumble because of the dust set him back. What the moto did show, however, was great heart to fight back from stone last to get back in the top ten!” said Husqvarna South Africa’s Brand Manager Fred Fensham.
“I’m still settling into the feeling of racing motocross again, but this weekend just showed me that I have the pace to battle it out with the frontrunners. It was such an exciting weekend,” said Cocker.
Also snatching up some valuable championship points was Husqvarna Racing’s Neil van der Vyver. The young gun was off to a solid start when he qualified in third. Like most riders, Van der Vyver had hoped for rain and had to adapt to a dry, dusty track instead.
An unfortunate crash in the first moto set the rider back momentarily, but he wasted no time in getting back on the bike to regain his composure and finish the heat in third.
“I hurt my leg after the crash, so I played it safe in the second moto to finish with another third place and third overall. I’m happy to have secured the championship points even though it was a tough day of racing. I can’t wait for the next round in Bloemfontein – it’s one of my favourite tracks and I really want to go for the win!” explained Van der Vyver.
In what was a bittersweet weekend of racing, the team was left disappointed when guest rider Micheal Docherty was unable to race to his full potential. The team commented: “It was a disastrous weekend filled with gremlins, hampering the hopes of Docherty showcasing his true potential. While flashes of brilliance and speed were evident, there are no results to show for his brilliant riding.”
After the recent injury and retirement of David Goosen, the team is under current negotiations with various parties to pair up with a suitable MX1 rider for the remainder of the season.
