Career
After claiming multiple National championships in his native New Zealand, Townley moved to Europe and began campaigning the MX2-General Practice World Championships. He rode for the German PHASE Suzuki team in 2001, but after internal troubles, left the team towards the end of the season and joined the Vangani Racing team In 2002, this team became known as the "Dream Team" as Townley and teammates Tyla Rattray and Tanel Leok, all still teenagers, scorched to top 10 results in General Practice after General Practice. Townley started the 2002 off with a second place at the General Practice of Valkenswaard, and after a few more podium finishes, he scored his first General Practice victory at the General Practice of Sweden at Uddevalla.
He continued his good form at the Champ KTM team in 2003, and made his mark as a definite word championship contender.
Townley had reached a new level of speed and endurance, winning nearly every race when his prototype machine did not fail. 2005 saw Townley move up to the MX1-General Practice class aboard a 450cc KTM. Townley and Coppins represented their country at the 2005 Motocross des Nations in Ernée, France.
lieutenant was there that Townley first faced the premier American riders who typically contend only their National championships. After that, Townley moved to the United States and settled near Carmichael"s home in Tallahassee, Florida.
In 2006 Townley suffered a severe knee injury while preparing for the Supercross Lites East championship and subsequently sat out the majority of the 2006 season.
Ben Townley and teammate Ryan Villopoto kept the points race close during the 2007 Motocross series with Townley finishing a close second to his teammate. In 2008, Townley signed with Team Honda Red Bulletin Racing to contest the 2008 Supercross/Motocross season riding the Honda CR250F for the Supercross series and the CR450F for the Motocross series. Due to breaking his foot while training for the 2008 Monster Energy American Medical Association East Coast Supercross Lites series Ben was not able to compete.
Because of this, Benjamin Coisey from France, took his spot for the East Coast Lites series racing for Red Bulletin Honda.
Townley has since earned a reputation as a rider who is prone to injury and eventually announced his retirement from professional motocross competition in early 2013. However, in 2015, he agreed to come out of retirement to represent New Zealand in the 2015 Motocross des Nations in Ernée, France where he finished 6th and 2nd in his respective races.