NZ’s Ben Townley won AMA Supercross Esat Coast Lites Championship in 2007. Townley made the transition from racing in Europe to America following goals set and delivered on winning his first MX2 Championship in 2004. The following year, Ben stepped to race MX1 – nailing double moto wins in Italy and France – and finishing the 17 Round season in P3 overall.
The decision to move and race in America’s SX and MX Championships was a long-held vision to achieve success racing both disciplines. Most certainly, the attraction of racing on tracks built inside stadiums against America’s talented SX 250 rider’s was founded in his early years watching racing on TV back in NZ, along with his love of racing America’s MX Pro Outdoors, fully supported by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Team.
As BT stated back in ’07: ”when I was six my grandparents would videotape the supercross for me and I would spend hours watching them and analyzing what they did. This has been on my mind for a while and to achieve it is amazing. When you watch it on TV it looks tight, when you stand on the track it looks even tighter, and when you ride it, it is even tighter, again. Racing SX is an amazing adrenalin rush and something all rider’s love. But it doesn’t come close to the feeling of winning”. Reference NZ Herald 2007.
BT’s victory, winning AMA Supercross East Coast Lites Championship in 2007 at Detroit, not only catapulted his career success from racing in Europe to America, but also historical precedent that at 21 years of age, calculated and courageous decisions can change the course of professional racing careers. Certainly, BT could have remained content and focused on developing his MX1 standings and experiences racing future World Motocross Champions of Stefan Everts, and Joel Smets, yet instead chose to push the goal-posts out that much further and pursue his racing career in America.
BT speaking in ’05: ”I want to get another year of experience racing in Europe against the likes of Stefan Everts and Joel Smets before I go to America in 2006. I will still be only 21 years old, and even though many people have said I will never make it over there, I know I will prove them wrong”. Such strength of conviction has undoubtedly been Ben’s grounding force for success, as well serve as inspiration for like-minded Pro rider’s to emulate.
Since, Germany’s Ken Roczen aspired to race in America, making the move in 2011 and winning his first AMA Supercross West Coast Lites Championship in 2013, followed by French rider Marvin Musquin who raced in Europe – winning MX2 Championship in 2009 and 2010 – to winning AMA Supercross East Coast Lites Championship in 2015. Current rider’s in America’s SX and MX Championships – Jett and Hunter Lawrence – founded their International racing careers in Europe prior to the move to America. Jett holds AMA Supercross East Coast and West Coast Titles – 2022 and 2023, and SX 450 Title in 2024, AMA Pro Motocross 250 Titles in 2021 and 2022, and AMA Pro Motocross 450 Title in 2023. Hunter has won AMA Supercross East Coast Lites in 2023 along with AMA Pro Motocross 250 Title the same year.
All of which sends a clear message, that Ben Townley’s relentless pursuit of achieving success racing World Motocross Championships in Europe to America’s Supercross and Motocross Championships has provided the necessary motivations for others to follow suit.
Header photo: Ben Townley racing AMA Supercross Lites Championship in 2007 Image: Racer X.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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