With Hamish Harwood in the form to produce 11 wins from 12 race starts , there really was no stopping the KTM man this season . To say the West Auckland-based former Takaka man was successful in defending his New Zealand MX2 ( 250cc ) title would be a massive simplification of the feat , not to mention it being a huge understatement of just how truly good Harwood was this season . He took two different versions of his CML KTM Racing Team two-stroke bike – one a regular KTM250SX and the other a KTM250SX with a 300cc kit fitted – and impressed in both of the separate MX2 and MX1 classes . Harwood was totally untroubled in defending his 2017 MX2 crown and also in making it three national MX2 title wins in a row – his only “ failure ” was finishing runner-up to fellow KTM rider Wyatt Chase , of Taupo , in the first of the day ’ s three MX2 races – and he wrapped up the 2018 crown with two races to spare . MX2 class runner-up was Taupo ’ s Brad Groombridge ( Kea Trailers Suzuki ), who finished the series 70 points behind Harwood . “ It doesn ’ t really matter how many races you win . It ’ s all about winning the championships and I got that done with two races to spare ,” said Harwood . “ You ’ ve got to have a good team and good bike and that ’ s what I have had . There can ’ t be any missing pieces to the puzzle or it just wouldn ’ t happen .” Harwood will be racing in Australia later this season , again entered in the MX2 class . “ I ’ ve been heading over to race in Australia since 2013 and I won the Under-19 class on debut there that year ,” said Harwood . “ I have been over every year since , although one year I didn ’ t complete a full season and then I did only some races in MX2 and some in MX1 . This year I ’ m going back to race in the MX2 class only and I ’ ll give that 100 percent . “ I don ’ t know what we ’ ve decided to do next season in New Zealand , but most likely I ’ ll defend the MX2 class on a four-stroke bike . I might also get the opportunity to race the odd race in the United States or in Europe later this year , but that all depends upon me getting a few things worked out .”