A host of the top Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, contenders will contest this weekend’s opening round of the New Zealand Motocross Championship at Pleasant Point, just outside Timaru on Sunday.

The Rockstar Motul Suzuki team of Kiwi Cody Cooper and Lites class teammate Daniel McCoy will make their 2011 debut as teammates, marking McCoy’s first official event for the factory Suzuki outfit.

Cooper will go head-to-head in the MX1 category with former Motocross World Championship runner-up Josh Coppins, who has signed for the CDR Rockstar Energy Yamaha team to partner Jay Marmont in the MX Nationals this season.

Just last month Coppins wrapped up the New Zealand Supercross Championship in his return to domestic competition for Yamaha.

Meanwhile, in the MX2 class we’ll see McCoy joined by fellow Australian Cody Mackie, who is making his official race debut on a Honda after recently signing for the Team 07 Axis Motorsports Honda squad in Australia.

Familiar local names in the MX2 class include Darryll King, Daryl Hurley and Luke Burkhart, both who have spent a number of seasons racing in Australia during their careers.

The 2011 running of the MX Nationals will commence at Broadford in Victoria on 13 March.