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Commanding rides through diabolical mud have seen high profile motocross Kiwis Josh Coppins and Ben Townley qualify impressively for (Sunday\'s) Belgian Grand Prix.
After Friday qualifying was washed out the two Suzuki-riding expat New Zealanders came through the mud with clean slates and high grid positions for the fourth round of the world champs at Genk in eastern Belgium.
Coppins played the fox impeccably, coasting around between 8th and 12th fastest during the 40-minute qualifying session for 250 bikes while his Suzuki factory teammate Mickael Pichon set the pace - then in the very final lap Coppins calmly clocked fourth fastest time.
\"That\'s plenty good enough for tomorrow,\" said the Motueka-born 24-year-old.
\"I wasn\'t interested in going any harder in these conditions, there was just too much risk of a crash.
\"I\'m looking to get points on the board and climb in the overall standings. Bike trouble cost me a bit in Australia and I\'m fourth in the championship, not far off second,\" said the man who took fourth position in last year\'s title.
His French teammate Pichon from the top-rated Suzuki Corona squad, who has won all three grands prix this year, dominated qualifying again today - but only narrowly pipped his arch-rival and countryman Fred Bolley.
The Honda rider, champion the past two years, is looking to right his season after a wretched start with problems in the red camp and gave it everything to shut down Coppins and third-quickest Claudio Federici (Italy, Yamaha).
Also overcoming off-track dramas in his team was young Townley, the 16-year-old facing an even tougher ride in the 125s with qualifying organised in race format.
Avoiding multi-bike pile-ups including a first-corner melee which decimated the field, the Phase Suzuki teamster flew to fifth in his heat and an easy start in tomorrow\'s GP.
He has now qualified for all four events so far, a pipedream when he left school to join the race circus this year and a bonus for his German-based team which has had trouble with other Kiwis over the past month.
\"That was really tough riding but it was one of those times when you just had to keep your nose clean and out of trouble,\" said the worldly rider from Taupo.
