Another Kiwi to race stateside in 08
American Suzuki announced today that Australian and New Zealand Motocross Lites Champion Cody Cooper will join its Biloxi, Mississippi-based Suzuki City/OTSFF/Rockstar team for the 2008 AMA Motocross season.
Cooper, 24, will race the Suzuki RM-Z450 in the AMA Motocross class, starting with the season-opening round at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, this weekend.
“Suzuki contacted me about Cody,” said Team Owner/Manager Michael Nasakaitis.
“I knew a little bit about him but not a lot because he was new to the States. But I went out to Tallahassee and saw him ride and I knew that taking a chance on him had been a good choice. Cody has an awesome personality, a great outlook, and he’s real positive and great to work with. He has already shown a lot of speed on the Suzuki RM-Z450 and he looks real promising.”
Originally from New Zealand, Cooper began racing seriously at age 16 and competed in both Australia and New Zealand. Cooper won the New Zealand Motocross Lites Championships in 2003 and 2005, and the Australian Motocross Lites title in 2004. Stateside, Cooper raced at the 2007 Freestone and Glen Helen rounds of AMA Motocross and picked up an impressive fifth-place finish at the Texas event. He has also participated in three Motocross des Nations on the New Zealand team.
“I’m really happy to be racing with this team,” said Cooper. “Michael has put a lot into helping me and had a Suzuki RM-Z450 ready for me straight-away. Everything is coming together right on the bike — it feels great and I’m looking forward to racing it. I’ve done a bit of testing so far, and the more tracks that we test on, the better the bike feels. I’m looking forward to having my first race on the RM-Z and seeing how it goes.”
Currently, Cooper lives in Tallahassee, Florida, where he trains with friend and fellow countryman Ben Townley. #
