Moto-X Riders for South Africa

Tristan Grainger, Gavin Cocker, Daiyaan Manuel and Big “BJ” Chitima (Junior) — for this big regional event in South Africa.
“We have been invited to send our top riders to the Northern Region Championships in Polokwane, South Africa, on April 13. It’s a big regional meet in South Africa and we are going to be represented there by Tristan Grainger, Davin Cocker, Daiyaan Manuel and Big ‘BJ’ Chitima (Junior).

“We are also trying to encourage more local competitors to join these four talented young riders at this one-day event where they will be competing against some of South Africa’s top motocross riders,” Gary Grainger said.

This means the likes of the country’s other promising young riders such as Tanya Muzinda, Ryan Masimo, Ricky Whyte, Cory Versfeld, Kuda Mhene and Mudiwa Chigumba are also free to join Tristan Grainger, Cocker, Manuel and Chitima (Junior) at the South African Northern Region Championships in Polokwane.

In Polokwane, Tristan Grainger and Cocker will compete in the 65cc Class while Manuel and Chitima (Junior) will be carrying the country’s flag in the 50cc Class.
Gary Grainger said they were sending Tristain Grainger, Cocker, Manuel and Chitima (Junior) to the Northern Region Championships as part of their junior development programme.

“This (sending the young riders to the Northern Region Championships in Polokwane) is all part of our efforts to build and develop these youngsters so that they become worldclass riders.

“They are going to compete in a number of other motocross events in South Africa this year, including the South African national championship series. In fact, we are waiting for the confirmation of the next date of the second event of this year’s South African national championship series, which is likely to be staged in Johannesburg,” Gary Grainger said.

Tristain Grainger, Cocker and Manuel have already been to South Africa where they took part in the opening round of that country’s national championships in Durban towards the end of February and they made their presence felt there.

Cocker was the most outstanding Zimbabwean rider at the Durban meet where he came third in the 65cc Class while Tristan Grainger, who moved up from 50cc to 65cc Class this year, came fourth in this section.

In Durban, Manuel competed in the 50cc Class and was placed third.
And now Tristan Grainger, Cocker and Manuel are now preparing to compete in their second big event in South Africa this year when they take their motorbikes to Polokwane next month to compete in the South African Northern Region Championships where they will be joined by Chitima (Junior).

Seven-year-old Chitima (Junior) will be making his first plunge in a major international motocross event outside Zimbabwe and it will be interesting to see how this talented young rider will handle the pressure when he comes up against some of South Africa’s top riders in the 50cc Class during the South African Northern Region Championships in Polokwane on April 13.

Chitima (Junior) is currently on a high as he has come first in all local races so far this year and is leading in the 50cc A Class in both club and national championship series standings. His father, Big “Bigs” Chitima, confirmed yesterday that his son is “definitely” going to compete in next month’s South African Northern Region Championships in Polokwane and he said this will give him the much-needed international exposure.

“I think this is going to be an exciting era for ‘BJ’ since he took up motocross a couple of years ago as this will see him competing against some of the best young riders in South Africa. This is going to test his skills and abilities as a motocross rider.

“But the most important thing is that competing in Polokwane will give him some international exposure which will come in handy when he competes in other major international events outside Zimbabwe in the future,” said Big “Bigs” Chitima who himself is one of the country’s top motor rally drivers.

In fact, Big “Bigs” Chitima and Gary Grainger have been behind the recent changes in motocross which has seen more players coming into the sport, especially youngsters, since they became part of the executive of the Bogwheelers Club at the beginning of last year.

Motocross race meetings are now attracting big crowds at Donnybrook as the sport places itself among the most popular motorsport events in this country, thanks to Gary Grainger and his hardworking team at Bogwheelers Club which includes Shaun Whyte (vice-chairman), Big “Bigs” Chitima, Kuda Mhene, Junior Manuel, Brian Cocker, Belinda “Bindi” Grainger, Jo Cocker and Laura Evans.

The Bogwheelers Club executive has been working tirelessly together with the likes of Innocent Masimo and Tawanda Muzinda in their efforts to promote the sport of motocross in this country.