Despite supercross racing not featuring on his schedule and his focus being firmly on next year's national motocross championships, Scott Columb will ride in today's supercross event in Winton.
The Queenstown rider ''had a little skid'' around the Cooper-Vetsouth track on Monday and is ready to race.
A multiple supercross title-holder, Columb last won the national event in 2012. He has been concentrating on motocross since then and was a last-minute entry in the supercross event this week.
He would have liked more time on the course to prepare for the intense form of riding.
''Your heart rate is up around 90% to 95% of its maximum and it's just jump after jump.''
While he will ride his usual mount - a Yamaha YZF 450 - Columb will change the gearing and make sure the suspension is ''very, very stiff'' to absorb the size of the larger jumps, which send riders higher into the air than on a motocross course.
The other aspect of the racing he expected to be stiff was the competition from the man who was the 2013 open class runner-up, Australian Sam Duncansen.
Last year's champion, Mt Maunganui's Cody Cooper, will not compete because he is injured.
However, Rotorua's John Phillips will be joining Columb's campaign to ensure a New Zealand title does not head back across the Tasman.
Returning to defend his senior lites (250cc MX2) title is another Australian rider, Jay Wilson.
Oamaru's Joel Meikle (Honda), Brighton's Campbell King (Suzuki) and Ashburton's Matt Sutherland (Kawasaki) will be trying to prevent Wilson gaining a repeat victory.
Patea's Ryan Gwynn (KTM) and Dunedin's Grason Veitch (KTM) should be headline acts in the junior ranks.
The Southland Motorcycle Club will host the event, which is held on the second day of the Burt Munro Challenge week.
