Maximus Purvis swept MX1 at Taupō while Hayden Draper, James Scott and Nixon Coppins all claimed podium finishes ahead of the New Zealand Motocross Championship opener.
- Purvis wins every MX1 race at Taupō
- Draper and Scott finish second and third in MX2
- Nixon Coppins takes second in junior 125cc
Monster Energy JCR Yamaha has opened its 2026/27 motocross campaign with four podium finishes at the Huka Honda MX Fest in Taupō, led by another commanding performance from Maximus Purvis in MX1.
The Labour Weekend meeting at Digger McEwen MX Park offered an early look at the form of New Zealand’s leading riders ahead of the national championship, which gets underway at Tokoroa on 14 November. It was also the first outing for the Yamaha squad in its new black, green and white colours.
Purvis makes his intentions clear
Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis was the standout, winning every MX1 race, including the feature, to finish on a maximum 100 points ahead of Josiah Natzke and Jet Alsop.
Team manager Josh Coppins was impressed, particularly given Purvis has had limited time on the bike because of work commitments.
“He had a clean sweep of wins in MX1, including the feature race, which was really really good considering he hasn’t had a lot of bike time due to work commitments,” Coppins said. “He will only get better from here but we are already off to an impressive start.”
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“He will only get better from here but we are already off to an impressive start.” — Josh Coppins
Purvis was pleased with his speed but knows there is more to find before the nationals. “Felt good on the bike all day but still have some work to do for the nationals and looking forward to it,” he said.
Draper and Scott put new YZ250F on the MX2 podium
The team also had plenty to celebrate in MX2, where Hayden Draper finished second overall and James Scott took third aboard the new 2027 Yamaha YZ250F.
Draper had only just returned from supercross testing in Australia, but quickly adapted to motocross again, winning the opening moto before adding second and fourth places in the following races. He finished the day six points behind class winner Phoenix van Dusschoten.
“It was good to be back with the Monster Energy JCR Yamaha team in New Zealand and warming back into some motocross racing after supercross training for the last few weeks,” Draper said. “I was P2 on the day, with a few mistakes to learn from but overall I’m happy with the bike and the team.”
Scott’s third place was an encouraging result given he is still recovering from a wrist ligament injury suffered in a trail-riding crash over winter. The Oparau rider admitted the dry, fast Taupō circuit did not particularly suit him, although he found more confidence as conditions became rougher.
Coppins said Scott faces a demanding three weeks to be fully ready for the opening championship round, but believes there were plenty of positives to take from the weekend.
Nixon Coppins adds junior podium
The fourth podium came courtesy of Nixon Coppins, who finished second in the 12–14 years 125cc junior class on Saturday. Riding a Yamaha YZ125 in New Zealand competition for the first time, he recorded 1-2-1 race results.
Hot, dry conditions made track preparation a challenge across the weekend, with the Taupō Motorcycle Club regularly watering the circuit to keep the dust under control.
Despite the strong results, Josh Coppins was not suggesting the team could relax. “There is a lot to think about but considering we have an all new YZ250F, we are in a pretty good place,” he said.
“Considering we have an all new YZ250F, we are in a pretty good place.” — Josh Coppins
The New Zealand Motocross Championship begins at Tokoroa on 14 November, followed by round two at Patetonga on 28 November.
Photography: CD Photography
MONSTER ENERGY JCR YAMAHA IS SUPPORTED BY:
Monster Energy, Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Josh Coppins Racing, Hughes Transport, CVH Limited, Yamalube, GYTR, bLU cRU, YMF, YMI, Akrapovic, Holland Collision Centre, Ward Demolition, KT Trailers, Burger Fuel, Fox, Workshop Graphics, Dunlop, DID, Renthal, Motomuck, Vertex, Twin Air, Strike Seat, Acerbis, POD Knee Braces, Motorcycle Performance NZ, GET, Tsuyoshi Hashimoto & Zeta.
