Inside Dirt - Issue 22

DOYLE DOES IT SPEEDWAY GP pg. 98

TOP 5 MOMENTS OF SUPERCROSS pg. 38

2017 AJMX RECAP

JUSTIN BRAYTON DEBRIEF

pg. 114

pg. 52

2-STROKE SHOWDOWN RONNIE MAC VS. RICKY CARMICHAEL PAGE 16

DYLAN LONG CDR YAMAHA #117 WE SPEAK WITH DYLAN ABOUT CDR YAMAHA AND HIS FUTURE PLANS. PAGE 28 ISSUE 22

7.11.2017

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POWER SHOT

JUSTIN BRAYTON 3 from 3 wins for defending SX1 champion Justin Brayton, who has lead nearly every lap of this years series. CDR Yamaha team mates Dean Ferris and Dylan Long have looked the best chance to take the American down but are yet to track him down in the main event.

FLIP YOUR PHONE HORIZONTAL TO VIEW THE FULL IMAGE

POWER SHOT

SX2 CHAMPIONSHIP After championship contenders, Haden Mellross and Gavin Faith exit the series with injuries it leaves the door open for Australia’s best to take home the crown. Defending champion Jackson Richardson (1), and Wilson Todd (2) are now the favourites after showing they have the speed to win.

FLIP YOUR PHONE HORIZONTAL TO VIEW THE FULL IMAGE

Welcome back to Inside Dirt, your one stop mag for Australian dirt bike content.

WHATS INSIDE 12

What’s Trending

It’s been a little while between issues, but lucky for you guys, our readers, we are three rounds deep into a Supercross Championship and we have plenty to cover.

16

2- Stroke Showdown: AUS-X OPEN

23

AUS-X Million

28

Dylan Long: Serious about racing

38

Top 5 Moments of Supercross

52

Justin Brayton - Debrief

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Riders Tips - Supercross

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Supercross: Season so far

90

KTM Adventure Rallye

98

Speedway: Doyle does it

In this edition of Inside Dirt we’ll be looking at everything from the Aussie Speedway Grand Prix to the Australian Junior Motocross Championships and of course Supercross.

We’ll delve into Supercross coaching tips, give you another epic rider interview and we’ll also recap on the life of one of our recently passed legends of racing.

So get clicking and flicking.

106 Remembering Peter Melton 114 AJMX Event Recap 132 Supercross Team PR

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ID ISSUE #22

DOYLE DOES IT Jason Doyle wins his the Speedway GP Championship on home soil

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Page 98

2 STROKE SHOWDOWN Ronnie Mac and Ricky Carmichael are set to face off at the AUS-X Open Page 16

114 TOP 5 MOMENTS OF SUPERCROSS Our top 5 moments of Supercross thus far Page 38

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I’M SERIOUS ABOUT RACING Dylan Long talks about working with CDR, Racing and his future plans.

PAGE 28

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SUPERCROSS - SEASON SO FAR We recap the first 3 rounds of the Australian Supercross Championship.

Page 70

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TRENDING

AUS SUPERCROSS TITLE THREATS AT HALFWAY Looking at the SX1 and SX2 championship contenders following round three.

Source: motoonline.com.au

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HAMPSHIRE REPLACES GRANT IN LATE AUS-X OPEN REVISION Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Grant to focus on 2018 testing program.

Source: http://motoonline.com.au

GAVIN FAITH WITHDRAWS FROM AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP American, Gavin Faith forced to withdraw series to undergo wrist surgery Source: racerxonline.com DIRT SHARK | THE GOAT FARM TWO-STROKE RC & Monster Energy Source: motocross.transworld.net

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KUBERG ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES LAND IN AUS Kuberg enters the market with their brand new electric motorcycle range.

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ADDED IMPORTANCE FOR SHANNONS SHORTCUT AT AUS-X OPEN This year’s single-lap shortcut will bypass the whoop section in Sydney.

Source: motoonline.com.au

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NOVEMBER 11th & 12th GET TICKETS NOW 16

TWO-STROKE SHOWDOWN Ronnie Mac Vs Ricky Carmichael Fans are gearing up for the third installment of one of the world’s largest Supercross, Motocross and action sports events, the 2017 Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on November 11 and 12.

The event incorporates rounds four and five of the Australian Supercross Championship and is sure to be the highlight of the AUS SX calendar.

This year’s competition includes the KNOBBY Holeshot competition, the Morris Finance Superpole, and of course the return of the Shannons Shortcut, as well as infamous FMX ‘Best Trick’ and ‘Best Whip’ competitions, plus heaps of other exciting features at this year’s event.

But undoubtedly, the most anticipated contest occurring at this year’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney is the all-new ‘Two-Stroke Showdown’ feature race, taking place on both Saturday and Sunday.

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Ronnie Mac “I do what feels right... You can love me or hate me... You can talk shit or praise me. Just remember... Either way I’m still in ur mouth”

NOVEMBER 11th & 12th GET TICKETS NOW 18

THE ULTIMATE CLASH BETWEEN THE TWO SUPERCROSS TITANS The Two-Stroke Showdown race will feature one of the most talked about riders in the world of Supercross at the moment - Ronnie Mac, and will go head to head against 4 x times World Supercross Champion, the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) - Ricky Carmichael.

The ultimate clash between the two Supercross titans, is without doubt going to go down in Supercross history as one of the most talked about duals, in modern times.

Carmichael will bring his famous 2005 World Supercross Championship winning RM250 machine to Sydney, the first time the bike has been seen in competition in over a decade.

Mac will bring not only his blisteringly fast speed, but his raw character and sometimes controversial methods used to psych out and intimidate his rivals.

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Ricky Carmichael With more championships than any other rider, the GOAT needs no introduction. Ronnie Mac if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best!

THE SOCIAL RACE BEGINS Following the announcement of the rivaled showdown, both Mac and Carmichael have been quick to jump on social media to poke fun at one another, with many a crude comment and image posted between the two.

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DON’T MISS OUT AUS-X MILLION IS OPEN TO ALL TICKET HOLDERS FOR BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY’S EVENT

PICK THE TOP 12 FINISHERS IN THE CORRECT ORDER IN THE SX1 FINAL RACES ON NOVEMBER 11 & 12 AT AUS-X OPEN TO WIN YOUR SHARE OF $1 MILLION!

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THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION

WHO WILL YOU PICK? Entries to the much anticipated AUS-X Million competition are open to all ticket holders of both the Saturday and Sunday of the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney. $500,000 is up for grabs for individual day ticket holders who pick the Top-12 place getters in the correct order, in the main Supercross (SX1) Final on either Saturday OR Sunday nights.

The prize pool is shared should there be multiple winners on either or both nights, OR, if a ticket holder attending both nights can correctly select both nights SX1 Final in the correct order, they will walk away with the AUS-X $1Million.

NOTE: Individual tickets purchased for both days are still valid.

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Dylan Long

IM SERIOUS about racing

Dylan Long has been around for a long time on the Australian racing scene, but it’s worldwide he’s begun to turn heads thanks to his next level videography skills and his style on a dirt bike.

But free riding and videoing is only a small part of what Dylan Long is all about. The kid from country Victoria is currently

racing for CDR Yamaha and collected his first Supercross podium for the team at Round 3.

We sat down with ‘Longy’ for a proper chat to find out exactly what it’s like to race for the best in the business, and whether it’s racing that has his heart, or is his goal to be the next Axel Hodges!

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D L 1 17 You broke through to take your first ever SX1 podium in South Australia, what did that feel like for you?

I’ve missed Supercross the past two years, so this is my first year on the 450 pretty much. It was awesome to finally get that podium that I’ve been searching for. I have been training so hard to get into that top three, and you know I want to start making some money but I also just want to be there. That’s where I want to be, that top three and winning races so it was sick.

How hard did you work to be able to achieve that result?

Oh, I have been putting in a lot of effort – not just me but my family and the team.

We get up every morning and train our arses off, we work on the track flat out, I water the track on my own. It’s sort of hard where I live because I’m doing it by myself, but it makes you want it even more I guess.

You were obviously injured for a good portion of this year, did you ever doubt that you were capable of getting back to where you are now?

For a bit there it was really hard. The wrist injury that I had, it was a real pain actually and it just didn’t want to come good. I just never gave up though and I kept pushing and it’s all sort of paid off now. I’ve had to train twice as hard because on the bike I couldn’t do certain things that I used to 30

be able to, so I had to try and get even fitter off the bike to counteract all that. But now I feel like it’s worked out well.

You’re racing for what is known as one of, if not the most professional race teams in the country CDR Yamaha. What is it like riding for the best in the business?

It’s been awesome, and it’s been exactly what I’ve needed, to ride for a team like CDR Yamaha. They just open your eyes to so many different aspects of the sport that you just don’t know even exsists, and even just the way to go about doing things, from race day to training, so it’s been a real eye opener. I feel as if I’m starting to fit in with the team really well and we’re all gelling well.

“THEY JUST OPEN YOUR EYES TO SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE SPORT”

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Having now raced for CDR Yamaha, would it be more difficult to go back to being a privateer now that you’ve seen how it works at the top?

Yeah (laughs) it would be pretty hard. But they’ve also taught me a lot of things and I guess if I was ever in the position where I had to go privateer I could use that knowledge a bit.

But it would be impossible to replicate what CDR Yamaha do, they do an amazing job.

Away from racing you have a number of other hobbies that has earned you one hell of a social media following, how did you get in to filming and free riding?

Filming, I used to go to the skate park when I was younger and because of where I live which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, we just hung out there and I saw what everyone was doing on Youtube with videos and stuff, so we started videoing each other riding BMX, scooters and skateboarding.

I liked doing that, and then a lot of the guys I looked up to who were riding BMX were making cool videos of themselves and I just thought I might try and make something just for fun of me riding my motorbike. After that it just sort of took off. I started buy expensive gear and expensive cameras – it’s not a cheap hobby but it’s a lot of fun.

You’ve been compared to guys like Axel Hodges, is that the dream for you? To end up doing what he does? Or is racing where it’s at for you?

Na racing is the number one thing. You’re never going to get paid to free ride in Australia but I will always do it for fun.

People always comment and say ‘Oh he’s trying to be like Axel Hodges’ but I just like having fun on a motorbike when I’m not racing. We all do it, and we all enjoy it, I just post it and share it with other people. People like seeing it, and I do too (laughs). I go back and watch some of the stuff I’ve done too.

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“I’D LOVE TO HELP THE YOUNGER GENERATION COMING THROUGH”

If you weren’t racing what would you be doing?

That’s a hard one, I don’t even know because racing is all I’ve been doing since I was six years old. Say if I had an injury where I wasn’t able to race I think I’d definitely be filming motorbikes and stuff anyway. But even coaching I enjoy. I’d love to help the younger generation coming through and teach them the things that I had to learn the hard way.

but if you’re going to race Motocross then you need to go to Europe at the moment – they have the faster guys I think.

What are your plans for next year at this stage?

At the moment I can’t really say what the plan is for next year because it’s not 100% yet, but there is some interest so hopefully we can follow through with that.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.

I’m actually a massive nerd. I read books, I play a lot of games. Oh and I eat salmon and veggies for lunch and dinner every day and bacon and eggs for breakfast (laughs).

Supercross or Motocross?

Well seeing as though I hadn’t been racing Supercross, I didn’t even really know how much I enjoyed it, but this year’s reminded me and helped me to remember that I really like Supercross. I’d probably say Supercross at the moment but it’s pretty Awesome, thanks for the chat Longy and even. I like the disciplines for different good luck at AUS-X Open. reasons. One is fast and aggressive and No problems, thank you. the other is more about the length of the race and is more of a fitness type program.

America or Europe?

I would love to race in America, but the Europeans a frigging fast and really fit.

Money wise, I think America is where it’s at, 34

MW

xx

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2017 SUPERCROSS

TOP 5 MOMENTS IT’S BEEN AN ACTION PACKED FIRST THREE ROUNDS OF THE 2017 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, SO WE THOUGHT WE’D LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE KEY PIVOTAL MOMENTS SO FAR THIS SEASON.

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BRAYTON BACKS IT UP He’s back in Australia and he’s back at the front of the SX1 class for the second year running. Justin Brayton is the defending SX1 champion and for good reason.

Throughout the first three rounds he’s won by comfortable margins, and proved his worth time and time again. He’s the championship favourite who every fan can’t take their eyes off, and if he can rise to the occasion when the series heads to AUS-X Open where there’ll be a huge injection of further international talent he will be turning a lot of heads. Currently holding a 13 point lead, Brayton has backed it up again so far in 2017.

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1

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FERRIS IS NO FLUKE Last year Dean Ferris wrapped up the Motul MX Nationals MX1 title and claimed his first ever championship of his career.

Following that performance many cast doubts over the CDR Yamaha rider’s capability when it came to the Supercross discipline, however true to his form, Ferris did not disappoint. This year he signed a Motocross only contract which soon included Supercross after being unable to secure a suitable opportunity overseas, and here we are three rounds in, and already Ferris has finished two out of three outings on the SX1 podium.

Despite a round win currently evading him, should Ferris continue with his form, there’s a good chance we will see him on the top step before the year ends.

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BACCHUS MARSH PROVES COSTLY Round 2 of the championship was undoubtedly one of the toughest and most gruelling circuits that the field has seen in years. With lap times only dipping as low as 1:03 seconds, it was one of the longest Supercross tracks on the calendar, and as for the jumps and whoops, well you needed to be a master to master them. The SX2 category copped the brunt of the carnage of the round with Kyle Webster, Hayden Mellross and Gavin Faith all crashing heavily throughout the weekend.

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MELLROSS, WEBSTER AND FAITH OUT Following the Bacchus Marsh event, Mellross and Webster both confirmed separately that they had sustained multiple injuries ruling Mellross out of round three, and uncertain as to when he would return, while Webster who suffered a broken back confirmed he was out for the season. As for Faith, he waited until the conclusion of round three to call time on his 2017 SX2 Championship campaign.

The Honda rider revealed he had broken his wrist at Bacchus Marsh and would be returning to America to undergo surgery, leaving this year’s SX2 championship well and truly up for the taking.

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YOUNGSTERS BREAK THROUGH Both Luke Clout and Dylan Long have turned heads this season. Long secured his first SX1 podium of the series in South Australia while despite Clout not yet appearing on the SX1 podium, the Crankt Protein Honda Racing Team rider has been one of the fastest riders on track at all three rounds this season. New talent is making its way through the ranks, and with riders like Clout, Long and even Nathan Crawford working harder every weekend, the future of Supercross is looking bright.

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POWERED BY MOTOONLINE.COM.AU

DEBRIEF

JUSTIN BRAYTON Penrite Honda Racing’s Justin Brayton stormed to yet another convincing main event victory last Saturday night at Virginia’s third round of the Australian Supercross Championship in South Australia, extending his lead in the series to 13 points. MotoOnline.com.au tracked down the defending champion to gather his thoughts on the night.

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POWERED BY MOTOONLINE.COM.AU

Another great night for you, your third-consecutive main event victory – you must pleased with that result.

Yeah I’m super stoked on that one, showing up here this morning, I knew this was going to be the toughest because the track was so easy – I knew that it wasn’t really going to seperate anybody, and then with how hard-packed it was, that makes it more of an even playing field as the track only allows you to go so fast. There’s kind of a cap on how hard you can push into the corners and that, and then with a wall before the whoops, I felt all my advantages were kind of taken away. I challenged myself to get good starts and put myself in good positions – once I did that in the main event, I just tried to put on consistent laps and didn’t really try do anything too special. I just clicked off 20 solid ones and got another win – I’m definitely stoked on that one.

You spoke of the track, it’s pretty tame in comparison to the previous round and it was quite slick, how did approach those conditions?

It was really tough, for sure. The track was really slick and it had a lot of marbles on top, which made it even more slick and kind of unpredictable. It was tough, and like I said, when I walked the track this morning, I knew I had to make it happen – it was going to be the toughest one of the year. I’m pretty proud to make it happen.

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POWERED BY MOTOONLINE.COM.AU

Obviously Sydney is in a couple of weeks, it’s the biggest event of the series and has two rounds in the one weekend. Having three wins already under your belt, does that boost your confidence going into it?

For sure, it definitely gives me some confidence. It’s going to be fun having a couple more guys, last year obviously Reedy and I had some awesome battles – I’m super bummed he’s not going to be there, I was looking forward to banging bars with him a again – he’s always fun to race. I’m excited to race Jason [Anderson] and Dean [Wilson], we’ve raced each other for a long time, so I’m excited to battle those guys and excited to battle the regular guys in the championship. Dylan [Long] rode great tonight, I’m super stoked for Kade Mosig – I’ve actually ridden with him in Melbourne in the past couple of weeks – he’s riding awesome, so I’m stoked he get on the podium. And obviously [Dean] Ferris is still going to be good, so you can’t count any of those guys out. I’m definitely really looking forward to that one, and getting second and third last year – I left there pretty bummed – so it will be nice to try and get a win.

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Knowing those guys are going to be there, do you change your approach at all or just maintain what you’ve been doing?

I’ll maintain what I’v been doing all season, I obviously want to get good starts and keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve raced those guys for a long time, they’re obviously super fast and talented, so it’s going to add some flavour to the class and I’m excited to get there and do some battling. Just the whole atmosphere of AUS-X, I feel like I’m in my element with the states and all the pyrotechnics and all that stuff, and with that many fans – I’m stoked for it.

You spent the last couple of weeks in Melbourne, is plan to stay here until Sydney or are you going to return to the Sunny Coast?

I’ll be in Victoria until Tuesday, then I’ll be back up on the Sunny Coast for the rest of the season. We’ll fly back to the states the Tuesday after Jimboomba, so we’ll be in Queensland for the next three or four weeks.

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INSIDE

SUPERX WHAT IT TAKES TO COMPETE IN THE AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Hi everyone and welcome to the first edition of Inside Dirt and the Australian Supercross series! I’m excited as I’m sure you all are, to see a change up in the racing environment and see Australia’s elite athletes take to the tight confines of Supercross racing.

The obvious question on a lot of people’s minds and it is one I am asked quite frequently; How does a rider change up his training routine for competing in the Supercross season as opposed to the MX Nationals Motocross season?

Story By: Joe Stevens

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To answer that question we need to firstly break down what Supercoss requires from competitors. The tracks are tight, with much shorter lap times than your average Motocross track. The only flat piece of real estate on an sx track is the start straight, the rest of the circuit is full of jumps, rhythms and whoops. The majority of corners are banked berms to maximise corner speed and intensity of racing. Finally, you are racing twenty other riders all looking to block pass you any opportunity they can get, on a track that constantly changes and breaks down throughout the evening as racing progresses, meaning that 65ft triple or quad rhythm section might not be jumpable on your line every lap.

All this while maintaining an anaerobic plus heart rate zone from durations ranging from 8-15 minutes and even close to twenty minutes at some venues for the 450 class main events.

For the riders I work with under my training program the most important thing for Supercross in my opinion is bike time. Solely because Sx is a game of precision, timing and rhythm. Riders need to land in the precise point of each rhythm section with the correct revs every lap to ensure they make it over the obstacles safely and also with enough speed to be competitive on race day. Bike time, feeling confident with your skills and set up are essential for the confidence needed to compete in Supercross.

An average day at the practise track will consist of a warm up followed by skills work on cornering, whoops or obstacles and sprint laps. This can be in the form of single laps, sprint sections, or starts to varying lap pyramids to achieve intensity and speed training at the same time. Alternatively another training day at the sx track will involve a replica race day following a warm up, including a race length heat and main event simulation to get the riders bodies and minds used to the demands of a SX race day and ensure their concentration and endurance throughout the series.

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In the gym I use the downtime between the finish of the MX Nationals series and the start of Supercross to introduce the riders to a more intense style of fitness training. Between interval and maximal output training sessions we work to have the rider’s body systems capable and efficient at functioning in a max HR zone for a prolonged period of time without compromising performance and concentration.

Managing a transition period of intense fitness training into Supercross track time and gym training structured around recovery and core strength is key to rider longevity in such a demanding sport as Supercross. Once the riders are riding three to five days per week they are averaging around 150-200 laps per week of pounding their bodies on every jump and maxing out their Heart Rate. To add further high intensity gym sessions into their schedule is a mistake that will lead to fatigue and a rider who will struggle to complete a twenty lap main event with speed, intensity and endurance.

Now that we are a few rounds in, from my observations it is obvious many riders have been caught off guard by the intensity and demanding nature of Supercross racing. The biggest mistakes I see are riders who fail to see the difference between “riding” supercross and “racing” supercross. What I mean by this is the fact that riding at your test track usually means hitting the same six inch groove on the track lap after lap doing the same rhythms and lap times within a few tenths of each other all day. The confidence and consistency this brings with it, are both very important for a rider preparing for supercross.

However as we listed above, supercross racing is an entirely different animal. The amount of riders in MX2 who did not make it out of practice in round one due to crashes shows the difference between riding at home and a riders ability to time rhythms and whoops precisely while needing to jump in a stadium environment and with time of the most

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importance. Experience is key in Supercross but riders in the younger classes (juniors and the rookies in MX2) need to be smart enough to make it through enough rounds without injury to gain the experience needed to progress at such a demanding discipline.

We have seen crazy action so far in the series with slick and technical tracks that have kept the riders on their toes. With the AUS X Open fast approaching as the highlight round of the year, all the riders will be working hard to make sure they are ready for their shot at the big time when the series rolls into Sydney in November!

Thanks for reading everyone and see you at the races.

Story by: Joe Stevens

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WITH JOE STEVENS AND #TEAMMAD PRIVATE TUITION AND GROUP COACHING / SCHOOL HOLIDAY CAMPS. ALL LEVELS OF RIDERS CATERED FOR: PRO RACERS TO BEGINNER RIDERS. CONTACT JOE STEVENS P: 0404059168 E: JOE@MADSPTC.COM

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N AT E A DA M S | C A P T UR E D BY JA S O N TAY LO R

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AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS

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SERIES SO FAR

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The first three rounds of this years Australian Supercross Championship has delivered the country with plenty of talking points to say the least. Whether it be Justin Brayton’s unmatchable form, the early end to both SX2 title favourites Hayden Mellross and Gavin Faith’s championships, or the break through rides from guys like Dylan Long, and Luke Clout, this year’s series is delivering the goods.

We look back at the first half of the championship and break down how each round played out from start to finish.

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JIMBOOMBA

ROUND 1 The season opener at Jimboomba delivered a big crowd and even better racing. Despite the track claiming a number of victims before racing got started, once the gates dropped it was the most talented who shone.

In the SX2 category, Hayden Mellross claimed the first round win of the season, winning the main event by an impressive 10 second margin. Second went to closest rival Gavin Faith while Mitchell Evans completed the first SX2 podium of 2017.

In the SX1 class, Brayton proved that his return to Australia was certainly not at the advantage of our Aussie regulars.

The American won the SX1 final at Jimboomba by a comfortable five seconds from Dean Ferris and Daniel Reardon getting his season off to the perfect start.

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Images: AUS-X Open

ROUND 1 RESULTS

2017 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SX1 RESULTS

SX2 RESULTS

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BACCHUS MARSH

ROUND 2 When the series headed to Victoria, Bacchus Marsh turned out to be one of the biggest and most difficult tracks Australian Supercross has seen in years. The whoops proved to be one of the biggest talking points of the weekend, while again the track claimed three ultra fast SX2 riders, Mellross, Faith and Kyle Webster.

The SX2 main event was nothing short of carnage. Despite Faith suffering a nasty crash early in the day which actually broke his wrist, the Honda rider took to the line alongside his competition, and after 15 laps he was the only one of the fastest riders to survive to the finish. Both Mellross and Webster DNF’d and handed the race win and the championship lead to Faith from Jackson Richardson and Wilson Todd.

In the SX1 class it was once again Brayton who was not only the only man who had mastered the very difficult whoops section but schooled the entire SX1 class for the second time this season. The American took the Round 2 main event win from Ferris and Todd Waters, extending his championship lead.

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Images: AUS-X Open

ROUND 2 RESULTS

2017 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SX1 RESULTS

SX2 RESULTS

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VIRGINIA

ROUND 3 When the series headed to Virginia, DPH Motorsport’s Mellross had confirmed he’d sustained multiple injuries at Bacchus Marsh and that he would be sidelined for the round, while Brayton was faced with yet another opportunity to extend his points lead. With the track built narrow and far more mellow than the two previous outings, starts were imperative in South Australia.

In the SX2 class, it was Todd who took his first main event win for the year from Richardson and Dylan Wills.

With Faith missing the podium for the first time at Virginia, just days after the round the Honda SX2 title favourite declared he was returning to America for surgery and that he would no longer be competing in Australia for the remainder of the championship, leaving the title well and truly up for the taking.

In the SX1 class in South Australia, Brayton’s speed and skill was unmatchable. The father-of-two blitzed the completion again at round three, taking his third podium for the season. CDR Yamaha’s Dylan Long broke through to secure second on the night, followed by teammate DPH Motorsport’s Kade Mosig in third.

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Images: AUS-X Open

ROUND 3 RESULTS

2017 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SX1 RESULTS

SX2 RESULTS

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SUPERCROSS

3 TO GO With three rounds now left to run, the SX2 category has been blown wide open and the title is well and truly up for grabs from any of the top six riders, while in the SX1 class it will be a matter of whether Brayton has what it takes to defend his championship with the injection of more international talent, or is it possible that one of our Aussie boys will get up and stamp their authority on our national championship for good.

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SX1 STANDINGS

2017 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

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SX2 STANDINGS

2017 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

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ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF ADVENTURE? KTM RALLYE SET FOR OUTBACK RUN

For the third annual KTM Australia Adventure Rallye riders will be taken far beyond anything they have done before.

For 2018, the Rallye will take place in parts of Australia that you may have only dreamed of, traversing unexplored terrain in the stunning Northern Territory for the KTM Australia Adventure Rallye: OUTBACK RUN, to be held June 1st to 8th 2018.

“After having two very successful Adventure Rallye’s on the East Coast of Australia, we are now looking for something that is very unique for our KTM owners,” states Jeff Leisk, KTM Australia General Manager.

“We are heading north to the NT and we are taking in some of the most iconic Australia outback areas that you can imagine.

Some of these locations simply are once-in-a-lifetime in terms of the access. This is going to be a ride that money truly can’t buy.”

Open to Orange Adventure Riders with the following eligible KTM bikes: 640, 690, 950, 990, 1050, 1090, 1090R, 1190, 1190R, 1290 & 1290R models. The Rallye is tailored to suit all rider abilities, from first year Adventure riders up to seasoned Adventure professionals.

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THE RIDE

Riders will receive all levels of support, including trucks to carry luggage, medical personal, technical assistance, lead and sweep riders, plus due to the remote nature of the event, helicopter assistance if med-evac or bikeevac is required.

“There is something very special about the Aussie outback,” states Nick Selleck who is back again to assist as KTM Rallye Route Coordinator.

“Be prepared for seven days of varied terrain and rugged landscapes that will leave you in awe. The riding up north will be quite different to the previous Australian Rallye’s. You will get to see a large part of the NT during this ride and mostly it is in areas that are not accessible to the general public. Many of the sights you will see on this ride are not on the tourist maps but they certainly deserve a place there. Your own exclusive tour of the NT!” This rare and unique opportunity has been made possible for KTM riders through a partnership with North Star Pastoral, with the Rallye kicking off at the amazing Maryfield Station, 500km south of Darwin.

CLICK TO WATCH EVENT PREVIEW

1 RALLYE DAYS 7 200 RIDERS 93

EPIC 7 DAYS 94

The team at North Star have not only opened their facilities at Maryfield and Limbunya Station’s, but also facilitated introductions to Heytesbury Cattle Co and their Humbert River Station. All stations will allow the routes to traverse across their private lands, taking riders to areas that motorcycles have never accessed before. And it doesn’t stop there -- these are working cattle stations, so riders will be treated to a glimpse into the life of the cattlemen and women that work this relentless land.

And what would a fitting finale be to this epic Rallye? How about rolling into Alice Springs for the start of the 2018 TATTS FINKE Desert Race.

The KTM Australia Adventure Rallye is about offering a great experience to our ORANGE adventure riders – and what better way to do that than with an epic 7-days exploring the best that the Northern Territory has to offer on your KTM adventure bike. Bring old friends or make new ones, in the spirit of adventure riding, the Rallye is about getting back to the basics.

Registrations for the 2018 KTM Australia Adventure Rallye OUTBACK RUN open November 17th, 2017 and more information on the event can be found at www.ktm-adventure-rally.com.

Photo: J. Fruhauf

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Do not attempt to imitate illustrated riding scenes. Always wear protective clothing and obey road traffic regulations. Overseas model illustrated. Illustrated motorcycle may vary in selected details from the production model. Illustration includes optional KTM Powerparts which are available at an additional cost.

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Photo courtesy Russell Colvin - 2017 FIM Speedway GP 28.10.17 1. Jason Doyle crowned

DOYLE DOES IT AUSTRALIAN

SPEEDWAY

CHAMPION,

JASON DOYLE SHOWED THE WORLD WHAT HE IS MADE OF AT THE QBE INSURANCE AUSTRALIAN FIM SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX STAGED THE 2017 CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE, IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF DIE-HARD SPEEDWAY FANS AT ETIHAD STADIUM IN MELBOURNE.

Story by: Motorcycling Australia

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The iconic sporting venue that has temporarily been transformed into a unique, long, fast and flowing speedway track, provided the perfect stage for Australia’s stars Sam Masters, Davey Watt, Justin Sedgmen, Rohan Tungate, Brady Kurtz and Chris Holder to shine and Jason Doyle to bring home the 2017 FIM Speedway GP win after claiming successful heat wins. Doyle came in to the night needing to clear eight points to best his Polish rival Patryk Dudek. And best him he did.

A parade of Australian Speedway legends kick-started proceedings at 6:30pm evening, before spectators were treated to the Australian national anthem. Then it was the roar of bike engines that fired up the crowds, with racing all set to get underway.

The night started off right, with

Kurtz winning the opening heat race.

With anticipation building, thousands and thousands of fans only had to wait until heat four to see the Australian favourite, Doyle on track. Despite not getting the ultimate jump off the line he would have liked, he wowed the crowds with a clean win and set the stage for a huge night of racing.

It was a great night for Australian speedway, with Rohan Tungate getting two chances to race as a reserve rider and on both occasions taking a race win.

With back to back heated battles left right and centre, fierce rivalries emerged early in the night. The crowd were pumped with adrenaline packed racing, with Tai Woffinden gaining the support of fans after taking a win in a late heat, crossing the line with a flat rear tyre.

“THE ROAR OF BIKE ENGINES THAT FIRED UP THE CROWD.”

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Photo courtesy Russell Colvin - 2017 FIM Speedway GP 28.10.17 2. Action on track

“LAST TIME I WAS IN MELBOURNE I LEFT IN AN AMBULANCE” All eyes were on the blue number 69 bib - fans eager to see the Aussie rise to the occasion in each of his heats and represent his country in the final, Australian fans erupted showing their support for Doyle who prematurely took the win on home soil for the focused Newcastle boy.

It was the final heat got underway, that provided the real treat of the night, with Bartosz Zmarzlick, Patryk Dudek, Doyle and Woffinden all lining up for one loud, air horn blasting race.

When racing had wrapped up for the evening, crowds were treated one final time, as the 2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Champions were crowned, and a colourful fireworks display filled Etihad Stadium.

The 2017 Champions Doyle collected the most amount of points on the night with 19 ahead of Tai Woffinden 16pts and championship rival, Patryk Dudek on 15 pts.

Jason Doyle: “Last time I was in Melbourne in 2015 I left this place in an ambulance with a broken neck, so to win the title and the GP here tonight is something special. We have worked very hard, not just myself and but my team and family have put up with three months of hell. A lot of pressure and we have finally done it and it has all gone off.”

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Photo courtesy Russell Colvin - 2017 FIM Speedway GP 28.10.17 3. Doyle taste the podium champagne

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REMEMBERING

Peter Melton AN AUSTRALIAN MOTOCROSS AND SUPERCROSS LEGEND Motorcycling Australia (MA) acknowledges the passing of Motocross and Supercross star, Peter Melton this week.

Melton had an abundance of natural talent, dedication and a technique that was marvelled at by an entire generation.

Hailing from Queensland, Melton’s career spanned 20 years and spawned plenty of success with multiple Motocross and Supercross titles.

Melton was largely described as a laid back racer, with a heart of gold. He enjoyed hanging out with his mates and enjoyed his life to the full. He also enjoyed a special relationship with the fans when he was in his ‘element’ on the track and thrilled crowds with his special expertise and talent.

The Australian motorcycle community has lost one of the great loveable and competitive riders in the sport. Melton will long be remembered as a true pioneer and appreciated for his illustrious achievements.

Words by: Motorcycling Australia

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“HE WAS A FIERCE COMPETITOR, MULTI TIME CHAMPION AND A LOYAL ATHLETE”

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POWER SHOT

SAND BLASTED The sand section at Virginia, South Australia provided some great roost and a lot of riders felt the wrath of being sandblasted. Here Nick Sutherland tastes the local sand in his first ride on the new team after signing with the CRF Racing team.

FLIP YOUR PHONE HORIZONTAL TO VIEW THE FULL IMAGE

IT'S A TOUCHY SUBJECT

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TIME TO SET

NEWTARGETS THE KTM SX 85 IS THE INNOVATIVE WAY TO RACE INTO BATTLE

Do not attempt to imitate illustrated riding scenes. Always wear protective clothing and obey applicable regulations. Overseas model illustrated. Illustrated motorcycle may vary in selected details from the production model. Illustration includes optional KTM Powerparts which are available at an additional cost.

The 2018 KTM 85 SX is radically new and has adopted the proven strengths of KTM’s full-size SX Range. It offers a completely re worked engine which produces unrivalled power. Together with the latest WP suspension elements, this brand new mini weapon is an all-conquering performance package, giving you the upper hand in the battle to be #1.

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2017 AJMX

HORSHAM EVENT RECAP STORY / IMAGES BY KENDALL JENNINGS kajx.net

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AJMX The 2017 edition of the KTM Junior Australian Motocross Championships was held recently at Horsham, Victoria.

530 bikes navigated the 1.7-kilometre circuit at the Dooen Recreation Reserve (which hosts Motocross, Go-Karts, and Gun Club facilities). The local Council supports the venue, and because of this, the Horsham Venue along with its passionate club members have secured the 2018 FIM Junior World Motocross Championships the second time that the event will be held outside of Europe. Not far from the banks of the Wimmera River, the Horsham Motorcycle Club complex is surrounded by native Flora and Fauna a perfect backdrop for any photograph and the home of Motocross Racing.

As motorcycling is a family oriented sport, little junior or juniorette would be competing under the supportive guidance and entourage of Mum, Dad, Siblings, cousins, friends, Grandparents.

Accommodation is needed and food.

Horsham locals would have noticed the extra people in town. The influx of

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restaurant clientele, groceries purchased, as well as tourism. Once the races are completed for the day, racegoers will be needing something to do in-between race days. The community of Horsham just had a quarter of million dollars spent in the region over the week for an event run by volunteers. Why don’t more local councils support motocross racing? It is hard to comprehend why local councils across Australia do not follow the model and bond that the Horsham Rural City Council has with the Horsham Motorcycle Club. The council has contributed machinery and products to the club, such as garden mulch for the circuit and clean fill. And in return for their assistance, the city enjoys an economic boost with every major event held at the club with the bonus of promoting Horsham on a national and international stage. A strong suggestion for clubs and club members, start breaking down the barriers with your local council and promote your club as a viable economic project that just needs a little nurturing.

X

Currently, a Junior Motocross Athlete in Australia does not have to pre-qualify for an Australian Junior Motocross Championship qualifying is held during the week-long event. Qualifying is gauged on the number of entries per class. If a gate has under forty riders, there is practice followed by qualifying for the gate selection, then qualifying motos. For over forty athletes there are three heats for an athlete to score enough points to cut down to forty riders, followed by the Australian Championship is held over three motos. In 2017, six classes held qualifying heats out of the thirteen classes.

machine inspection conducted, was welcomed, this put the foot down on the pit rumour mill of ‘so, and so running a big bore,’ and that is why they won. Machines that were measured, every machine inspected was A1 legitimate.

Horsham Motorcycle Club organised a new Qualifying Ceremony for athletes that had advanced to the finals. It was great to see the event community get behind and support this new venture as for race fans it was a chance to see athletes without their faces hidden behind helmets, and an advantage for photographs to be captured of Australian Finalists, it was The introduction of self-scrutineering unfortunate that Motorcycling Australia at the Junior Championships was well Media was not present. received, and the transparency of the meeting was upheld with vigilant machine inspection. At first, the mood in the pit was a negative, however, by the end of the week and with the educational approach of Officials, athletes and their entourage learnt that random machine inspection was to ensure the safety of the athletes and their racemates. With mechanical

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50’s - 65’s In the 50cc Division 2, Western Australian Seth Shackleton (169) won the championship with three moto wins and dual second places. Heath Fisher (157) led home a contingent of Queenslanders in second place, followed by Max Stevenson (142) in the third by one point, Slade Oberhardt (141) in fourth by two points, and Jackson Fuller (139) in fifth place.

consistency earns him a second overall after his FIM Junior World Motocross Championship third-place podium at Lange Motokeskus, Estonia in July. New South Welshman Ky Woods (65) won the second moto and finished third in the opening moto, however not starting the final moto pushed him back to eighth.

Queensland’s Braden Plath (86) placed third. New South Welshman Kody Hantis (76) finished in fourth, and Queensland’s The 65cc 7 under 9 years was also won Liam Owens finished fifth.

by Western Australian Seth Shackleton (162), winning two motos, placing second in two motos and fourth place. New South New South Welshman Connor Welshman Ryder Wilson (153) claimed Towill finished the year with another second place. Queenslander Heath Championship after claiming both Fisher (141) placed third. Championship New South Wales and Victorian 65cc contender New South Welshman Jack Championships; he claimed the 65cc Deveson (134) placed fourth even after 11 Under 12 Australian Championship. missing the final moto. Queenslander Connor Towill (160) won the opening Jackson Walsh (126) finished fifth. three motos, with the end of the week becoming tiresome with a sixth in the Queenslander Jet Alsop set the quickest fourth moto and third in the final moto, qualifying time 2:05.353 in the 65cc 9 he won the class by 7 points. Queensland under 11 Class. New Zealand’s Cole Davis Jesse Holding (153) secured second (2:08.866) placed the second fastest time place and had a moto four win as well, followed by Western Australian Kayden fellow Queenslander Kobe Drew (153) Minear (2:09.474), New South Welshmen completed the podium with the final moto Ky Woods (2:10.384) and Koby Hantis win. New South Welshmen Seth Burchell (2:11.140). Jett Alsop (98) won the opening (140) and Cody Kilpatrick (128) completed moto, placed fourth in the second moto, the top five. finishing strong winning the final moto and the championship by two points.

Western Australian Kayden Minear’s (96) 118

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85’s Mini Lites Standard Wheel 9 Under 12, Tasmanian Jett Burgess-Stevens posted the fastest time in qualifying (2:00.299).

Followed by New South Welshmen Ryder Kingsford (2:01.229) and Connor Towill (2:01.760), Queenslanders Jack Mather (2:02.759) and Jet Alsop (2:04.996) completed the top five qualifying times.

Tasmanian Jett Burgess-Stevens (102) dominated the finals with two moto wins and a second-place finish to secure the Mini Lites Standard Wheel 9 Under 12 Championship. New South Welshman Ryder Kingsford (97) kept BurgessStevens honest with a second moto win, going down to the wire with whoever won the final moto won the championship.

With Queenslander Jack Mather (92) making a final moto charge, the podium was extremely close and the racing intensity high. New South Welshmen Max Miller (79) and Tyler Collins (79) finished on equal points completing the top 5.

Mini Lites Big Wheel 12 Under 14, New South Welshmen Blake Fox (1:55.706) and Rory Fairbrother (1:56.780) led the charge in qualifying. South Australian Alex Larwood (1:57.047) posted the third quickest time, while Victorian Tyran Tomich (1:58.162) and Kipp Adams (1:58.213) completed the top five qualifiers. South Australian Alex Larwood (105) came out swinging in the finals dominating all three motos to claim the Mini Lites Big Wheel 12 Under 120

14 Championship unbeaten in the finals.

It has been a season to remember for Larwood being selected to compete for Australia at the Junior World Motocross Championships in July at Estonia. While also finishing fifth in the South Australian Championships even after missing rounds. New Zealand’s Brodie Connolly (89) improved his consistency with dual second-place finishes for second in the championship by 1 point over New South Welshman Blake Fox (88) who started strong. Queensland’s Brad West (82) improved during the finals for fourth place, and fellow statesman Zachary Watson (72) completed the top five.

Mini Lites Big Wheel 14 Under 16, Queensland’s Noah Ferguson (166) was hovering around the pointy end of the class all week with two moto wins and three runner-up placings to claim the Mini Lites Big Wheel 14 Under 16 Championship.

Fellow Queenslander Jai Walker (163) started his campaign with a fifth place a result would hinder his championship efforts even though improving over the week with three moto wins securing second place. South Australian Kai Newbold (140) accumulated points for the third step of the podium, while New South Welshman Connor Whitney (120) finished fourth and Western Australia’s Conan Forrester (26) completed the top five.

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125’s 125cc 13 Under 15 years, Queensland’s Levi Rogers posted the fastest qualifying time 1:49.576, followed by New South Welshman Dante Hyam (1:49.670), Victorian Liam Andrews (1:50.177), New South Welshman Korey Mcmahon (1:50.309) and Western Australian Regan Duffy (1:51.260) completed the top five. Regan Duffy came out firing on all cylinders in the opening moto battling with Estonian Meico Vettik. The Estonian has had an up and down season placing fourteenth in the 2017 World Junior Motocross Championships, unable to score points in all rounds in the hotly contested EMX125 series finishing thirtyfirst. Vettik and Duffy magnetised the Horsham Circuit, with Duffy charging hard for the lead in the second moto went down hard in the final corner. Race fans were amazed when Duffy remounted his machine and finished in fourth place, Meico remained in the lead winning the moto. Vettik, 2016 Australian 85cc 12 Under 14 Champion entered the final moto with the championship lead. In the final moto Regan Duffy (94) worked his way to the lead mid-race and never looked back, the final moto victory secured the 125cc 13 Under 15 years Championship by 1 point.

Meico Vettik (93) finished the final moto in fifth place for second in the championship.

New South Welshman Dante Hyam (89) completed the podium. Victorian Liam Andrews (88) finished strong for fourth 122

place. New South Welshman Korey Mcmahon (80) completed the top five.

In their final appearance in an Australian Junior Motocross 125cc 15 years Championship, Victorian Mason Semmens looked strong every time he hit the track; it didn’t matter which machine he was on. Mason Semmens dominated the class early on winning the first three motos, the turning point, moto win-wise, was moto four when Victorian based Bailey Malkiewicz riding for Queensland charged home for the win. Going into the final moto Mason Semmens had a fourpoint lead. In the final Moto Semmens led from start to finish despite a mid-race charge from Bailey Malkiewicz who set the fastest time for the moto. However, it was Mason Semmens (168) who would be crowned champion. Bailey Malkiewicz (161) finished second, and Queensland’s Jack Kukas (145) secured third place by 1 point over Western Australia’s Mat Fabry (144), New South Welshman Tyler Darby (132) was fifth.

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250’s New South Welshman Dante Hyam dominated the class with three moto wins, a second and a third place to claim the Lites 13 Under 15 years Class finishing with 167 points. Victorian Liam Andrews (142) consistency rewarded him with second place overall. A final race win for New South Welshman Corey Mcmahon (140) secured the final step of the podium and two points off second place.

Queenslander’s Noah Ferguson (132) and Tye Jones (130) completed the top five.

Queensland’s Levi Rogers had a great start to his Junior Aussies campaign with a moto win and a fourth place. Rogers was looking strong in the third moto running in second place then fell backwards to nineteenth and worked his way up to seventeenth and didn’t race the final two motos.

Victoria’s Mason Semmens dominated his heats winning all three qualifying first. New South Welshman Rhys Budd had two heats against Semmens where Budd placed second, and Budd also won a moto putting him in second place qualification. Fellow Statesman John Bova placed third in qualifying, while Victorian based Queensland team member Bailey Malkiewicz placed fourth and Queensland’s Jack Kukas placed fifth in qualifying. Mason Semmens went into the finals as championship favourite, however, his campaign was short lived 124

when the teenager was caught up in a spectacular ‘Tour de France’ Cycle pile up leaving most of the field down in the first corner, and to emerge from the bottom of the pile up was Mason Semmens. As Semmens walking dejectedly to the pits, his number 3 machine was being towed back by Horsham Track Crew with the front wheel being held together by four extremely bent spokes. Queensland’s Jack Kukas was in the right place at the right time grasped the advantage of the first corner pile-up and led the race all the way to the finish line; New South Welshman Rhys Budd finished second.

With Semmens out of championship contention, the championship torch was looking for another pilot. Bailey Malkiewicz clenched the second moto victory over Rhys Budd. The championship came down to the last moto, whoever won the moto, won the championship. Malkiewicz gained the lead, even though Budd set the fastest lap of the moto, Bailey Malkiewicz (100) piloted his Husky to the finish line first and the Lites 15 years Championship over Rhys Budd (96) by four points. Jack Kukas (87) accumulated enough points for third place by 1 point from Western Australia’s Mat Fabry (86), Queensland’s Joshua Zorbas (81) completed the top five.

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Girls Girls Mini Lites Big Wheel 12 Under 16 class of consistency paid off for Queensland’s Charli Cannon (175) who was unstoppable; five starts five wins collecting the Girls Mini Lites Big Wheel 12 Under 16 Championship. Victorian Maid Healey (160) claimed the second step of the podium while Tasmania’s Holli Geeves (150) gasped the final podium step. South Australian Aimee Butler (136) was fourth, and New South Welshwoman Jayde Dudley (134) was fifth.

Western Australia’s Tahlia O’hare has dominated the Girls Lites 13 Under 16 Years going undefeated for the week in her last Junior Australian Motocross Championships with the perfect score of 175, defending her 2016 Girls Lites 13 Under 16 Years Championship won in Renmark, South Australia. The “Aussies was really good for me because I got to see how much more work I have to put in and how much faster I need to be to run with the boys. It was pretty cool to have won the Girls Lites and to share it with my team and family. This year I got to experience it a different way than usual, being under the 14MXD team was pretty cool and to have them there supporting me when I reached my goal of winning every Girls Lites race was definitely something I won’t forget.” Said Australian Champion Tahlia O’hare. New South Welshwoman Tanesha Harnett (156) will 126

have to wait another year for that elusive Girls Lites Championship being runner-up two years in a row. New Zealand’s Rachael Archer (148) secured the final step of the podium ahead of fellow countrywoman Roma Edwards (142). Queensland’s Tahila Drew (133) completed the top five.

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In the Interstate Challenge, each state submits a team, and the athletes’ race results also accumulate toward State Team scores.

New South Wales (198) finished second, followed by Queensland (197), Western Australia (171), Victoria (148), Tasmania (145), South Australia (128) and the Northern Territory (30). In the Oceania Challenge, both Countries had the same amount of athletes; riders had to be in the same class. Team Australia (546) beat Team New Zealand (246).

The FIM Junior World Motocross Championships will be held at Horsham on the 25/26 August 2018. The world best under 17 years old athletes will compete for the Junior World Motocross Championship.

The 2018 instalment of the Junior Australian Motocross Championships heads to Tasmania, Penguin (Coastal Motocross Club CMXC) late September/early October 2018. The last time a Junior Nationals was held in Tasmania was in 2004 at the same venue.

Results from 2004 Tasmina AJMX 50cc Division 1 4U9: Shannon Dobson, Cory Watts, Jeremy Denny.

50cc Division 2 6U9: Jesse Dobson, Jay Sullivan, Aaron Tanti.

65cc 7U9: Joel Milesevic, Hayden Mellross, Jayden Archer.

65cc 9U11: Dylan Berwick, James Booth-Elliott, Josh Carlson.

65cc 11U13: Sam Southey, Luke Arbon, James Iconomou.

85cc 9U12: Luke Arbon, Jacob Blomfield, Dylan Gosling.

85cc 12U14: Todd Waters, Harley Quinlan, Tye Simmonds.

85cc 14U16: Shaun Williamson, Adam Monea, Kade Mosig.

125cc 13U15: Louis Calvin, Shaun Williamson, Kade Mosig.

125cc 15 years: Kirk Gibbs, David Baxter, Jacob Smith.

13U16 4-Stroke: Kirk Gibbs, Jacob Smith, Ben Potter.

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POWER SHOT

SUPERCROSS PIT PARY The pit parties are a great way for fans to meet and hang out with their favourite stars. 2015 champion Dan Reardon took time out of his day to take photos with fans so they have an everlasting memory of meeting their idols.

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http://www.mxnationals.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/CDR-Yamaha-logo.jpg http://www.mxnatio

k : Craig Dac R E G A N A NER / M BERS: 8 TEAM OW TEAM MEM S WON: 49 IP H S N IO P CHAM

#111

ERRIS #1 DEAN F Class: SX1 Age: 27 W : Kyogle NS Hometown ha YZ450F Bike: Yama heel111 IG: @ferrisw

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N LONG #117 DYLA Class: SX1 Age: 22 IC : Benalla, V Hometown ha YZ450F Bike: Yama long IG: @dvlan

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LONG BREAKS OUT IN ADELAIDE

Dylan Long has secured his best result since joining the CDR Yamaha team with a stunning second place finish at round three of the Australian Supercross Championships held at the Adelaide Motorsport Park on Saturday Night.

Long has consistently improved since returning from injury mid way through the year and is now beginning to hit full stride as his fitness, race craft and speed return to 100%. With each passing rounds, Long has steadily improved with 7-4 results at the opening round and the podium result was a great reward for him and the CDR Yamaha team after putting in the hard yards over the past few months.

“It feels awesome to finally get back up on the podium, my first time with CDR Yamaha,” Long says enthusiastically. “Its taken a while to get back to where I need to be but I’m so pumped to finish second tonight and within sight of Justin.

Long got off to a good start in the 20lap SX1 (450cc) main event and was able to stay clear of the first lap chaos as riders jostled for position. At the completion of lap one, Long was in second and hot on the heels of US import and series leader, Justin Brayton.

Long stuck to the task and didn’t let Brayton slip away. He maintained his intensity for the opening half of the race and was within a few seconds of the leader before backing it down to take the podium position.

“I think I saw a pitboard from Brad that said we had five or six laps to go and I had a pretty good gap over third place so I decided to calm down a little, maintain my position and finish in second place.

“I’m so glad to finally give CDR Yamaha a result they can be proud of. Its been a long season but things have turned around and everyone at CDR Yamaha has had my back and I can’t thank them enough for their support,” Long ends.

It was the first time in over 12 months that Dean Ferris has missed the podium in Australia. With a streak starting back at the midday point of the 2016 MX Nationals season, Ferris has maintained a top two finish since then but that phenomenal run has come to an end when Ferris placed fourth on Saturday Night.

Ferris gated well in the main event and was inside the top four when the field roared into turn two.

The rider in front of Ferris miscued a double jump and went down and left Dean with no where to go and was caught in the carnage and also hit the deck.

Ferris remounted in last place and began to drag his way back through the field. He quickly charged his way to sixth place, then put on two aggressive moves to move into fourth. But with only a handful of laps remaining, Ferris was unable to improve his position and had to settle for a hard-fought fourth place.

“It’s a disappointing result, that’s for sure,” Ferris shrugs after the race. “I had a pretty good start and was just behind Luke Clout, who was leading the race, when he went down after the double going into the second corner and I got caught up in that and also crashed.

“I got up and moving as quick as I could and still had a goal of getting back onto the podium but I could only get to fourth. As you get closer to the front, the riders get harder to pass and on a track like this, you either had to wait for a mistake from them or pull and aggressive move and I had to do a few of them in the later stages of the race.

“I can’t complain too much if fourth is the worst result I have had in over 12 months, but I’m determined not to make a habit of it. I put in a good couple of weeks with the team since round two and felt much better tonight so we are going to keep pushing for a race win and look forward to the Aus- X open in a couple of weeks’ time,” Ferris said.

s : Gavin Eale R E G A N A NER / M BERS: 5 TEAM OW TEAM MEM IPS WON: 7 H S N IO P M CHA

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N ICHARDSO R N O S K C #11 JA Class: SX2 Age: 22 D : Cairns, QL Hometown ha YZ250F Bike: Yama ho IG: @jatzric

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EVANS #43 MITCH Class: SX2 Age: 18 D : Cairns, QL Hometown ha Yz250F Bike: Yama evans43 IG: @mitch

SERCO YAMAHA IN FLYING FORMATION

It was an enterprising night for the Serco Yamaha MX2 team with riders Jackson Richardson and Mitch Evans claiming second and fourth respectively after the 15 lap SX2 final was completed at the Adelaide Motorsport Park on Saturday night.

It was round three of the Australian Supercross Championship and both Serco Yamaha riders were out for a good performance to improve their positions in the championship chase. Richardson, the current championship holder, has finished with 6-2 results before Saturday night and with another second place on Saturday night, he is now in the thick of the SX2 championship chase with just four points separating the top three riders in the class.

Richardson was inside the top three from the drop of the gate and desperate to move forward.

While he battled for second position throughout the opening laps, race leader Wilson Todd, was able to open a gap on the field and ride his own race.

Richardson was then able to move into second and set off in pursuit of the racer leader but was never able to bridge the gap. He rode a smart and wellconstructed race to take second place and tighten up the points in the championship.

“Second tonight was pretty good and it was one of those nights where you just want to come through unscathed and in good shape and we were able to do that.

“Wilson rode really well tonight and deserved the race win but for me it was important to keep collecting points and building championship momentum. The track was really hard pack dirt by the

end of the night and it was so easy to fall so it was about being smart tonight and just getting the result we needed to stay in the hunt,” Richardson explains.

Team mate, Mitch Evans, bounced back well after a disappointing weekend at the previous round to take fourth place. Evans was in fourth on the opening lap but miscued the big quad jump out the back of the circuit and ran wide allowing a handful of riders to slip by.

To his credit, he regained his composure, got back down to business and made those passes back again to regain fourth by the midway point in the race but the top three were too far gone to make anymore head way.

“My first few laps weren’t good and that let me down tonight,” Evans explained. “I was in fourth and right on the top three when I made that mistake and dropped back. Then I took too long to get around those guys again and give myself any chance of getting on the podium. My last half of the race was pretty good and my fitness is fine so just that race intensity right from the get go will see me with a better finish,” Evans ends.

Richardson now sits in third place in the championship, two points behind Wilson Todd in second, who is two points off series leader, Gavin Faith.

Mitch Evans, despite a DNF at the previous round, has clawed his way back to sixth in the series as we hit the halfway point and will no doubt be out to improve on that position at the big double header, Aus- X Open event in Sydney on November 11 and 12.

p cott Bisho S : R E G A N TEAM MA BERS: 6 TEAM MEM IPS WON: 5 H S N IO P M CHA

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DYCE #33 CODY Class: SX2 Age: 17 VIC : Tinamba, Hometown ha YZ250F Bike: Yama dyce33 IG: @cody_

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K ER POZNIA #17 COOP Class: SX2 Age: 18 SW oodrising, N W : n w to e Hom ha YZ250F Bike: Yama rpozniak17 IG: @coope

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t ay Marmon J : R E G A N TEAM MA BERS: 5 TEAM MEM 1 IPS WON: 2 H S N IO P M CHA

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astin #4 Egan M Class: SX2 Age: 19 : Hometown 250SX-F Bike: KTM tin4 IG: @e_mas

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STYKE #26 LUKE Class: SX1 Age: 25 D LISTON, QL G : n w to e Hom 450SX-F Bike: KTM 6 IG: @styke2

A SETBACK FOR KTM’S MASTIN IN FIRST SUPERCROSS SEASON

KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Egan Mastin’s supercross learning experience took its first backstep in the weekend’s third round of the Australian Supercross Championship, as the 19-year-old battled to 12th place in Virginia, SA.

The 2017 Australian MX2 Motocross Champion is rapidly coming to terms with the night-time version of the sport, but found passing after a poor start much more difficult on this track than at the previous round.

The win in the SX2 final went to Wilson Todd over Jackson Richardson and Dylan Wills, while Raceline Pirelli KTM rider Jay Wilson was the highestplaced of the orange men, in eighth.

The evening nonetheless held plenty of positives for Mastin, who just two months ago stunned the motocross community with his speed and consistency in the second half of this year’s MX Nationals, winning the SX2 title off the back of seven consecutive race wins.

Saturday night saw his best showing yet during the evening’s heat races, where he finished 1.6 seconds away from the podium, with lap times in the same second as the championship leaders.

Mastin has now climbed two spots to 13th in the SX2 championship rankings, and although the learning curve is steep, he and KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Jay Marmont are determined to prove that he can get to the pointy end of the pack before the series is done.

Egan Mastin (KTM 250 SX-F): “I feel like it’s starting to come together with both myself and the

bike, but you just can’t come from the back of the pack straight away. we’re just searching for a start and I think we’ll be running up there. My heat race was good. I was in fourth and I just stuck with the top four riders to the end – I was just a bit unfortunate in the main with that bad start. It’s hard to get your flow going when you’re trying to get through riders, especially in supercross, but we’re getting there. I’m still working on the whoops, they’re my weak point at the moment, but it’s mainly just bike time on the track. So, we’ll just go back and keep doing the laps during the week and come back with something better.”

Jay Marmont – KTM Motocross Racing Team Manager: “A little bit disappointing for us; he just didn’t get the start that he was hoping for, and didn’t progress. I think he got flustered and he wasn’t really racing the track. Overall it was a good track, it was hard to pass on and that’s why you had to get the start, but it provided good racing. A ride like that isn’t good for his confidence, so we’ll put that one away, go back to the drawing board, and hopefully we can get him on the box next time out in two weeks. Nevertheless, there were plenty of positives to take away. He got a top-four result in the heat, showed a lot of promise and qualified eighth for the final, which is his best qualifying so far, so he’s definitely showing glimpses of his potential. He’s just got to try and find that little bit more confidence, during racing and try to get that breakthrough result.”

Tisdale GER: Chris A N A M M A TE 250SX-F BIKES: KTM IPS WON: 2 H S N IO P M CHA

RYKERS #3 JAYDEN Class: SX2 Age: 20 age rykersfanp n e d y ja @ : FB rykers3 IG: @jayden

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Y N FOGART #4 MORGA Class: SX2 Age: an.fogy FB: @morg nfogarty_ IG: @morga SON #6 JAY WIL Class: SX2 Age: nd : Queensla n w to e m o H son_6 IG: @jaywil

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RACELINE PIRELLI KTM TAKE THE POSITIVES FROM ROUND THREE

Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Jay Wilson and Morgan Fogarty have completed the third round of the Australian Supercross Championship at Virginia in South Australia over the weekend, with some positive results but more work to do.

The weekend’s race which marked the halfway point in this year’s series, dished out highs and some mediocre results on Saturday night, however both Wilson and Fogarty were able to finish healthy and with consistent points, plus take some valuable positives from their performances at round three.

For Wilson, the Queensland based rider was quick from the get go in South Australia. After qualifying in sixth, Wilson charged to second place in his heat race, however a tough first lap in the main event proved costly. In the final, Wilson was forced to come through the field from 13th back to eighth position after 15 laps. Wilson now sits in fifth in the SX2 championship standings with three rounds remaining.

“It was a bit of a disappointing weekend to be honest. We had a great lead up, and we had good speed at Virginia, but in the main we just couldn’t make the passes we needed to,” Wilson shared.

“I felt really good in my heat race, and knew I had the track all dialled in, but I got caught up in the carnage of the first lap and it was a track where it was very difficult to make passes, so your position in the early stages of the race was really important.

“I am happy with my riding and I know that if I can make things happen in those first few laps that we will be on the podium – I just need to make sure I’m not leaving my run as late as I am at the moment. I’m one of the fastest guys on the track in those last few laps, but we need to make it happen earlier.”

For the team’s SX2 rookie Fogarty, round three was about putting together a strong outing, and learning more of what is a brand new discipline for the talented youngster. After qualifying in 20th at Virginia, Fogarty raced to an impressive 7th in his heat race, allowing him to progress straight through to the evening’s final. Then in the main event, Fogarty came from close to dead last through the field to 15th, showing solid determination at only his second Supercross outing.

“Round three was a little tough for me and not exactly what I wanted but we’ll just move on to next round,” Fogarty explained.

“My heat race was good, I ended up getting a decent start and made a few passes and went straight to the main, which was the goal.

“In the main event I ended up getting a good jump out the gate but got pushed wide and ran off the track, I was running mid pack and came together with another rider and that put me dead last, but I was able to catch a few riders and came home with 15th. We’ll keep working and be ready for Sydney.”

ll : Troy Carro R E G A N A TEAM M BERS: 6 TEAM MEM IPS WON: 1 H S N IO P M CHA

#122

REARDON #122 DAN Class: SX1 Age: nd : Queensla n w to e m o H ardon122 IG: @danre

#199

ORD AN CRAWF H T A N 9 9 1 # Class: SX1 9 1 : e g A QLD : Brisbane, n w to e m o H n199 IG: @_natha

Ignite the fun With a strong heritage in the stand-up watercraft segment and countless race wins and championships, Kawasaki has now moved the category to the next level with a four stroke, 1498cc four cylinder engine, making it the fastest accelerating mass-produced stand up ever. The new SX-R has both the performance personality and rider features befitting a new benchmark which is set to “Ignite the fun�.

For more information visit www.kawasaki.com.au Always ride responsibly. Always ride within the limits of your skills, your experience and your machine. Wear an approved helmet and protective clothing. The actions depicted here took place under controlled conditions with professional riders.

kawasakiaus

@kawasakimotors

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ford, VIC TERS: Sea R A U Q D A 0R HE 0R, CRF 25 5 4 F R C : E BIK

BRAYTON #1 JUSTIN Class: SX1 Age: brayton FB: @justin rayton IG: @justinb

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FAITH #8 GAVIN Class: SX2 Age: faith FB: @gavin ith IG: @gavinfa E DOBSON #414 JESS Class: SX1 Age: dobson414 FB: @jesse obson414 IG: @jessed

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PENRITE HONDA STAY ON TOP FOLLOWING ROUND THREE

Brayton took his third victory in row and extends his point lead in the 450cc class. Brayton rode faultless, leading all 20laps and looks forward to competing in the up and coming Aus-X-Open (Round 4 and 5 of the Australian Supercross Championship).

Brayton said – “I am really happy for the team and our sponsors, it’s been a massive effort and this is reward for their commitment to our program.

The Honda has gated well all season and to get another Holeshot is testament to the motor in the 2017 CRF450R”. Jesse Dobson was impressive in the opening laps of the 450cc final. He maintained 4th until he crashed at the halfway mark. He resumed the race in 11th and worked his way back to 8th.

Dobson said – “I am bummed I crashed again, I felt comfortable in 4th, its really disappointing as I believed I could have raced for a podium”. Gavin Faith came into the weekend not riding his motorcycle since

the last round. Faith was resting his wrist following a heat race crash from the heat race in round 2. In tonight’s final (round 3) he came together with another rider following a troubling start. He worked from outside of the top ten into 5th and maintains the points lead going into Aus-X-Open.

Faith said – “I gated poorly tonight and it made things really hard on this track as it was slick and very one-lined. I had to come from quite a ways back and I ended up getting tangled up with another rider midway, I really made things hard for myself. I have another two weeks to prepare for the indoors and I am looking forward to racing in Sydney. I am just glad I got through this weekend in one piece and still in the championship points lead”.

eld, VIC Campbellfi : S R E T R A BERS: 5 HEADQU TEAM MEM

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LOUT #4 LUKE C Class: MX1 Age: 22 SW angrove, N n n A : n w to Home ut4 IG: @lukeclo

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WATERS #47 TODD Class: MX1 Age: 26 QLD : Atherton, Hometown aters47 IG: @toddw

CHALLENGING VIRGINIA AUS SUPERCROSS ROUND FOR WATERS AND CLOUT

It was a mixed night of results for Crankt Protein Honda Racing’s Todd Waters and Luke Clout at Virginia’s third round of the 2017 Australian Supercross Championship in South Australia on Saturday.

After qualifying sixth and then charging to second in the opening SX1 heat race of the night, Waters transferred directly through to the main event with confidence on his side.

Waters jumped out of the gates second in the 20-lap final, however the Queenslander unfortunately took a small fall and rounded out the race in an eventual seventh position.

“I finished second in my heat, which gave us a good gate pick and I got myself in second position in the main,” said Waters. “I came into the sand section and just rode it to the ground and crashed. I picked it up in 10th and then only made my way back to seventh.”

Remaining positive after missing out on a possible second-consecutive round podium, Waters will continue to work on key areas as the series moves to Sydney for rounds four and five.

“I’m looking forward to AUS-X Open, we’re definitely building, which is good,” he commented.

“We’ve just got to keep on pushing and get some good starts – that’s what we need to do. “

Replicating his teammate’s performance, premier class rookie Clout showed promise during the day by qualifying fifth and went through to the main event after claiming the runner-up spot in his respective SX1 heat race.

“We qualified fifth in the afternoon session, which was good,” Clout said. “I got a good start in the heat and then qualified through to the main in second, so we turned things around a bit at that stage.”

After rocketing out of the gate to first position aboard his CRF450R, Clout also unfortunately found himself on the ground and out of podium contention following a substantial incident on lap one. He went on to cross the line in P13.

“Everything was positive going into the main and we ripped a really good start actually,” he explained. “Unfortunately I had a really big crash after that. I’m okay and I’m showing some promise.

“We just have to put it all together. It’ll turn around and I’m looking forward to that. It’s a bit of a shame for me at the moment, but we’ve got the AUS-X Open coming up next and I’m looking forward to that.”

The 2017 Australian Supercross Championship will return for rounds four and five at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on 11-12 November.

ai, NSW t Kuring-G M : S R E T R BERS: 7 HEADQUA TEAM MEM

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IGHTMAN #30 JOEL W Class: SX1 Age: 21 W letown, NS g in S : n w to Home htman IG: @joelwig

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WEBSTER #96 KYLE Class: SX2 Age: 20 : Perth, WA Hometown ebster96 IG: @kylew

TOUGH NIGHT AT THE OFFICE FOR WIGHTMAN AT ADELAIDE SX Round three of the 2017 Australian Supercross Championship roared into Adelaide Motorsport Park in South Australia on Saturday night (October 28) and saw the Penrite CRF Honda Racing team’s SX1 rider Joel Wightman joined by Nick Sutherland in the SX2 division, as a replacement for injured team rider Kyle Webster.

Sutherland, 26, agreed terms to join the Penrite CRF Honda Racing team after landing back home on the Gold Coast following an international race appearance in Indonesia the previous weekend.

With Webster sidelined by injuries suffered at round two of the series in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Sutherland will race the final four rounds of the SX2 championship aboard Webster’s potent Honda CRF250R race bike fettled by Mick Lillis.

The whole deal came together really quick,” Sutherland explains. “I’ve known Mick and Ian Wightman from the team for a long while, and they put the opportunity out there. Then once I was contacted by team owner Mark Luksich, it was an opportunity way too good to let pass.

“It’s been a hectic week after racing in Indonesia the weekend before, and I only got to ride the Penrite Honda for the first time on Saturday in Adelaide. But overall the event went well and I came away with a 12th place finish in the SX2 Final, which is okay all things considered.

“Just my starts hampered me in Adelaide,” Sutherland continued, “and with the track being onelined, it was tough trying to come through. If I had gotten a better start in the Final, I could have run fifth to tenth, which is where I consider I belong.

“Mick’s given me a spare clutch now, so I’m planning on wearing one out while practising starts over the next two weeks before the next two rounds of the championship at the Aus-X Open in Sydney!”

Born and bred at Inverell in northern NSW, Sutherland has raced for 20 years and combines racing with working as a carpenter and concreter. His career

best finish in the Australian Supercross Championship is sixth overall (SX2) in 2012.

In the SX1 category at Adelaide, Joel Wightman endured a frustrating night, finishing 12th in the Final.

“Honestly, it was a frustrating event for me,” Wightman explained. “My heat race went good with no mistakes and I finished fourth, which gave me a decent gate pick for the Final.

“Then my start in the Final had me in the top group sitting about third into the first corner, but then as we shuffled around through the first rhythm section, a rider in front of me had a decent get-off over a double and I had nowhere to go except into his bike.

“I went down, got stuck in the back of another bike for a split second, and by the time I pulled my tweaked bike back out and got going, I was basically last. I regathered myself and finished 12th.

“I was pretty bummed to have my night go that way as I felt like I had a good race in me but sometimes that’s just racing. I’ll put it behind me and now I’m super-excited and looking forward to the next double-header round at Aus-X Open in Sydney in two weeks time.

Wightman and Sutherland will line up at the Aus-X Open event at Homebush on November 11/12, before then taking aim on the sixth and final round of the championship at Jimboomba X-Stadium in southeast Queensland on November 18.

Meanwhile Kyle Webster is now back at home recuperating after undergoing surgery to stabilise the T7, T8, T9 and T10 vertebrae he damaged in a crash at the Bacchus Marsh second round of the Championship on October 14.

“I’m going alright and moving around and walking fine, but I’m still a bit sore and stiff,” Webster explained last Friday. “I’m definitely doing a good job of guarding the couch!

“It’s still very early days regarding a recovery time, so I will just have to be guided by the doctors to make sure we take it one stage at a time.”

uca, VIC TERS: Ech R A U Q D A HE BERS: 10 TEAM MEM

R TIERNEY #7 CONNO Class: SX2 Age: 19 A Bunbury, W : n w to e m Ho rtierney7 IG: @conno

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N TANTI #18 AARO Class: SX2 0 2 : e g A , NSW : Silverdale n w to e m o H tanti18 IG: @aaron MCKAY #46 HUGH Class: SX2 6 1 : e g A n TAS : Launcesto n w to e m o H ckay46 IG: @hughm

#46

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