Inside Dirt - Issue 11: MXN Round 4/5 by MX Nationals

RIDERS TIPS BREAK LOOSE THE REAR WHEEL

BRETT METCALFE 20 YEARS A GLOBE TROTTER

pg. 30

pg. 62

MYTH BUSTERS FORMULA TO SUCCESS

INSIDE UNCUT FAMILY IS A MAJOR KEY TO SUCCESS

pg. 40

pg. 22

JED BEATON GAINS CONTROLL OF THE RED PLATE IN MX2 After a dominating performance at broadford and some bad luck from our early series leader Caleb Ward, Jed Beaton has grabbed the red plate with no sign of letting it go. Can he go all the way? pg. 110

M U R R AY B R I D G E WA N E R O O

MX NATIONALS

ISSUE 11 17.5.2016

MAGIC MOMENT The down poor half way through Moto 2 didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deter points leader Dean Ferris as he went onto grab another race victory.

FLIP YOUR PHONE HORIZONTAL TO VIEW THE FULL IMAGE

MAGIC MOMENT Jed Beaton and his older brother/ coach Ross Beaton celebrate after a dominating day (1-1) in the mud at broadford.

FLIP YOUR PHONE HORIZONTAL TO VIEW THE FULL IMAGE

ÉRIC GEBOERS KNOWS THAT TECHNOLOGY is an advantage open to anyone, but that it should not be the only one. Éric and Dave Thorpe’s battles on their MX bikes became more and more epic and they needed to take every advantage over one another at any price. Éric knew all his technical choices would be held as a reference point for others, thus fooling his competitors would lead to victory. Why not run a sighting lap on hard track tyres and switch to scoop tyres just before the start? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Éric followed the MOTUL approach by predicting his challengers’ moves and going one better.

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Bring on the deep sand! The Motul MX Nationals is about to head west for rounds four and five, and we are covering every inch of the next two big races in issue 11 of Inside Dirt. This year was always going to be an interesting one with so much talent within the series, and already we have seen three round winners across three rounds in the Thor MX1 class, and if there is one thing we know for sure it’s that the sand sorts the boys from the men. Next on the hit list for the Motul MX Nationals is the blistering red surface of Murray Bridge. This is a special round for a few different reasons – one, it’s the former home state of the MX Nationals 2015 defending champ Kirk Gibbs, two, Luke Arbon is the lightening fast local, and three, this is one of our greatest exports Brett Metcalfe’s final round with the series! What a combination. Round 5 we head on to one of the all time favorite venues Wanneroo. With the all new sandy conditions to contend with, anything can happen, and we can’t wait to share plenty of behind the scenes stories in this huge issue of Inside Dirt. So time to get reading – no sooner that the dust has settled we are straight back into providing you with the most up to date content in the country. Enjoy issue 11 of Inside Dirt now. 08

WHATS IN STORE 14

Behind the Gate

Inside Uncut

Riders Tips

Myth Busters

MW Plug Chop - Mothers day

SPMX Tech Tip

Brett Metcalfe interview

Race Recap - Kirk Gibbs

7 Questions with Jacob Wright

Y-AIM South Australia

Hit and Miss

What’s on Sunshine coast

103 Round 4 Schedule 105 Round 5 Schedule 108 MX1 Round Recap 116 MX2 Round Recap 124 MXD Round Recap 134 Privateer Cup MX1 & MX2 136 Spy Trackside Gallery 142 MXN Team Press & Gallery

ID ISSUE #11

ON PAGE 22: Riders are nothing without there support structure and one of the biggest factors is there family.

ON PAGE 40: Formula for sucess is a constante battle of having a well balanced program on and off the bike.

78 ON PAGE 62: We talk to Brett Metcalfe about his short trip to australia and the potential to race here full time in the future.

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I have no doubt that with the growing popularity of MX Motorcycling around the country, that this event will embrace the qualities of competitiveness, sportsmanship and friendship. The Rural City of Murray Bridge has a proud history of hosting and producing world class sporting events and the 2016 Motorcycling Australia MX Nationals is no exception.

I wish all those attending an enjoyable evening and hope that those of you visiting return to Murray Bridge again soon.

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BEHIND THE GATES What an introduction to our 20th year in operation! I remember predicting at the start of the 2016 season that we could possibly have more than ten different race winners in the Thor MX1 class throughout this year’s championship, and if the first three rounds are anything to go by, that’s exactly what we’re going to see! One thing we know for sure though, is that the next two sandy rounds at Murray Bridge and Wanneroo are definitely going to throw a cat amongst the pigeons. As we prepare to head to Murray

Bridge for round four, the next stop on the MX Nationals program is going to be a special one. Not only is the South Australian instalment the final round for SD3 Husqvarna’s Brett Metcalfe, but it’s somewhat of a home round for our 2015 defending MX Nationals champion Kirk Gibbs. In 2015, it was an absolute fairy tale finish for Kirk Gibbs in the sandy conditions at Murray Bridge, but with the likes of Todd Waters who’s sand experience in Europe should serve him well, and Ferris now holding on to the MX1 championship by a single point, the next two rounds of racing before the mid

season break could be nothing short of championship changing. In addition to the chase for the title at the front, Metcalfe will also be hoping to leave a lasting impression when he makes his final Motul MX Nationals appearance at Murray Bridge. The international superstar is yet to collect a round victory, so could his family and team’s home state in South Australia be where it all comes together? What could a round win from the globe trotter mean to the final points standing? Only time will tell. I’d like to take this opportunity to publically thank Brett for taking up the chance to race the first four rounds of

“THE SUPERSTAR IS YET TO COLLECT A ROUND VICTORY, SO COULD HIS HOME STATE IN SA BE WHERE HE SNATCHES HIS FIRST” _________ KEVIN WILLIAMS SPEAKS ABOUT BRETT METCALFE’S FINAL RACE AT THE 2016 MX NATIONALS

our series, it’s been very nostalgic having him on the MX Nationals grid, and mate if you’re reading this, I hope you’ve found some nice South Australian real estate because we would love to see you here in Australia full time in 2017! In the Motul MX2 class, the next two rounds could also be championship changing. At Broadford, DPH Motorsport’s Jed Beaton was on fire and will now appear at Murray Bridge with the red plate firmly strapped to his YZ250F machine. But regardless of Beaton’s newly found confidence,

the series is about to storm into sand at both rounds four and five, and if there’s two kids who will feel right at home it’s ‘Sand Man’ Caleb Ward, and SD3 Husqvarna’s Luke Arbon. After a shocking outing at Broadford, sand specialist Ward is going to be looking to snatch back the red plate from Beaton, and to add to the MX2 mix, Kyle Webster is also experienced in the softer conditions and has a podium up his sleeve plus I wouldn’t be surprised to see young Jayden Rykers on the MX2 podium

“IT’S BEEN AN INTERESTING INTRODUCTION TO A FEW OF THE MXD RIDERS, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THE FUTURE OF MOTOCROSS IN AUSTRALIA IS LOOKING VERY BRIGHT” come Wanneroo. So who can pick a Motul MX2 winner at the conclusion of the next two rounds? It’s certainly not me. With the Pirelli MXD class not making the trip all the way west to Perth, Murray Bridge will mark the youngsters final outing before the all important midseason break. It’s been an interesting introduction to senior racing for a few of the MXD competitors, and I think we can all agree that the future of motocross in Australia is looking very bright. Whilst Husqvarna’s Connor Tierney holds on to the championship lead from Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Wade Kirkland, it definitely seems as if the Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team duo Mitchell Evans, and Jordan Hill have finally put the bad luck behind them. From memory Tierney snatched up his first ever MX Nats victory

American and European websites, and it definitely feels as if 20 years of hard work is paying off. We always love heading back to WA, and we can’t wait to show our friends in the West how much we have grown in just a few short years! It’s going to be a big two weeks of racing, and every rider is going to be riding to ensure that every race counts before the break. This year we’ll be crowning champions once again, and we can’t wait to see who they are!

at Murray Bridge in 2015, so has fond memories of the circuit, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a repeat of events in just a few days’ time. As we head in to these final two rounds before the break, it’s been fantastic to reflect and look at what the Motul MX Nationals has achieved so far in 2016. The series itself is getting some Story By: great international recognition through Kevin Williams

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INSIDE

UNCUT “FAMILY” ONE OF THE MAJOR KEYS OF SUCCESS IN MOTOCROSS

LIFE INSIDE THE MOTOCROSS COMMUNITY IS ONE UNLIKE ANY PLACE, HOWEVER THE PEOPLE WHO DO SO MUCH YET GET OVERLOOKED IS THE ROLE OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE MOTO GIRLFRIEND/WIFE. THESE PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY LOVE THE SPORT OR HATE IT, SHOW UP WEEK IN, WEEK OUT ALL OVER THE NATION JUST TO SUPPORT A RACER IN WHAT THEY DO. IT CAN’T COME AS MUCH OF A SURPRISE TO REALISE THAT OUR FAMILIES BEHIND THE FENCE ARE THE ONES WHO GET TO LIVE ALONGSIDE THE ADRENALINE AND HARD HITTING ACTION, BUT ALSO FEEL A BIG BRUNT OF THE PAIN WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG.

Story By: Aiden Williams

Motocross as a sport is so diversified, one could not actually put a description to what makes a motocross rider. Some coming from capital cities, some from the coast, and those travelling from the hottest most arid parts of the country, all line up week in week out to see who is the greatest. Though we know the distance to go racing is a long one, could it be that the adrenaline and nerves allow us to overlook the one thing that racers could simply not go racing without, family? Because it doesn’t matter how much you love racing, a crucial part of being able to go racing is that of your support structure. This is so apparent is the junior ranks as how could a young kid support himself financially racing motocross. Mum and Dad are standardly the entire structure through racing as a child, however as one gets older the races, and even more so the championships, start to pay a toll mentally as well. Everyone in Australian motocross knows the story of Chad Reed, The Australian boy who travelled the world and conquered it all. And not as a grown

man as a 17 turning 18-year-old. The adversity and challenges Chad must have faced in his first few years would have been incredible, yet he did it anyway. Chad Became a hero and a role model in the eyes of all Australian kids who were lucky enough to swing their leg over a bike. Something not so noticed is the partnership and support he went to Europe with, I am talking directly about his now wife Ellie. Meeting when the pair were only 16 years of age at a friend’s party, Chad nursing a broken leg from his first Senior National round at Hervey Bay QLD, it took Ellie no more then a couple of years to decide to give up her plans in Australia with University coming up, and move to Europe where Chad began his professional racing career. Thinking about that now, just two 18 year olds moving to another continent with just hopes and dreams is a huge commitment and a huge risk at the same time. Chad made it work and to this day is one of the top riders on the planet and will go down as one of the greatest riders of all time.

“IT TOOK ELLIE ONLY A FEW YEARS TO GIVE UP UNIVERSITY TO MOVE TO EUROPE WITH CR22”

BEHIND THE SCENES SHE HAS ALSO BEEN THE BIGGEST SUPPORT STRUCTURE ENCOURAGING HER MAN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

The story of Chad and Ellie seems like the ultimate dream come true, however we all know motocross has that element of throwing massive hurdles into your life. Crashing is essentially a part of racing, it’s not ‘if’ you’re ever going to crash, but when and more importantly how big. A guy who so often has been in the limelight for battling in championships and one of the most naturally talented Supercross riders in Australian history is Daniel McCoy. Unfortunately, we all know the brutality of the crash and even more the injury DMC sustained at the start of the year. Racing in another country and having a huge spinal injury that has left him paralysed is a bigger hurdle then most of us are asked to accomplish in our lifetimes, and with a true to motocrosser mentality,

DMC will fight to prove all doctors wrong. The person beside him through every step, over every obstacle is none other then his beautiful girlfriend Amy Pinfold. Amy has been behind most of the updated messages to all the DMC fans through the duration of his time in hospital. However, behind the scenes she has also been the biggest support structure encouraging her man every step of the way. It is something that sends chills to the core reading on social media or hearing that one of your boys has had a big one. Chatting with DMC earlier, he said “there have been no miracles yet, but pushing hard and Amy is helping me every day”. Amy represents that small faction of women that not only understand this reality, but pulls up the sleeves with her man, a goal in sight, and

focuses on nothing but recovery. That mentality shows true strength and should be commended. She is the representation of what a guy who races needs in a girl, it is a horrible truth that those we want with us on the podium, are also the same people we need while in recovery. It is an up and down sport that we all call ourselves lucky enough to be a part of, but much of the time family and friends do not choose the path for a racer, instead end up going along for the ride on what is the motocross rollercoaster. Whether you are 13-year-old stepping onto a 125cc with mum and dad cheering your

name from behind the fence, or a true lifetime motocrosser like Mossy who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know a life outside racing, all will agree that to ride, race and battle your way to a championship you need good people around you showing the love and support. One thing is clear this is what we love, this is motocross Story By Aiden Williams

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RIDERS TIPS BREAKING LOOSE THE REAR WHEEL

Hi everyone and thanks for reading this “Riders tips” article via Inside Dirt digital magazine! What did you all think of the “Arm pump” article from last issue of Inside Dirt leading into Broadford?? I don’t think anyone including myself expected a race track quite like we were presented with Sunday morning. With incredibly deep single line ruts and sloppy mud either side I think the arm pump story was incredibly relevant. Witnessing riders either excel or struggle all day in the extremely challenging conditions related back to the tips I highlighted such as looking ahead, breathing and spending as much time up on the footpegs as possible. Moving to the first softer terrain round of the season for round four at Murray Bridge I want to discuss the riding tip for this article being “Flat Tracking and turning with the rear wheel”. For those of

you reading that are unfamiliar with the term flat tracking it is essentially how riders exit a corner section still turning the bike either on flat ground away from a berm / rutt or cutting down early from a sandy berm as an example. For the upcoming two rounds on the MX Nationals, riders will be free from the hard packed terrain we have seen so far this year and get to spend some highly anticipated time in the loamier dirt of S.A followed by the deep sand of W.A (more on that next issue). With these tracks typically forming more inside / outside berms as opposed to deep long ruts, the riders have the ability to make their own lines each lap and cut down, flat track and generally use the inside outsides work to their advantage in regards to making passes and finding smooth lines. So with that in mind here are your riding tips for learning how to flat track and turn with the rear wheel.

Story By: Joe Stevens

WEIGHT THE TOP SIDE FOOT PEG

I’m sure every rider reading this who has ever attended a riding school or even asked advice from a more experienced rider will have at some point been told to “weight the top side or outside peg”. What exactly does this mean? Well to put it into context when flat tracking we are aiming to have the bike break loose at the rear wheel and drift either on a slight angle or a steeper angle depending on your corner entry / exit. The rider needs to make the bike drift on either entry or exit safely in order not get low sided where the rear spins out or high sided where a throttle chop or sudden grip with the rear wheel can end badly. To achieve this you should be gripping firmly with your top side knee and pushing as much pressure through your ankle all the way to your toes on the footpeg. Gripping the top side of the bike will allow you to leverage your body weight through the chassis and create traction through the rear wheel.

“You will need to find a transition point where the power will come on to begin breaking the rear wheel loose.”

SET UP EARLY TO FLAT TRACK

If you have spectated at a speedway or flat track race event before then you will understand the concept I’m trying to get across here. The riders in these disciplines share many similarities with Motocross, more than the average rider looks to identify with. In speedway or flat track the riders enter a 180 degree long sweeping corner at high speeds. Instead of running their power all the way into the corner and then slamming on the brakes attempting to turn with no power (which kills momentum and corner speed) they instead ease off the throttle early, you will see a shift in a riders body weight to the outside of the bike and then a smooth acceleration all the way through the corner drifting the rear wheel through the exit.

So in relation to Motocross a rider needs to set up early to flat track. This means fighting the urge to run the power deep into the turn dragging the brakes, but instead easing off a bike length or so earlier allowing time to set up. To flat track across a turn section you will need to enter the corner at a wider angle to give you the space to accelerate across the apex of the corner, this will usually mean having to find a wider and often smoother entry line. Once you have found your entry and tapered your entry speed accordingly you will need to find a transition point where the power will come on to begin breaking the rear wheel loose. Here you will transition your body weight to the topside of the bike and begin flat tracking.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sacrificing a small amount of time to set up and break the rear wheel loose correctly will gain you huge amounts of time in comparison â&#x20AC;?

SPIN AND GO - SMOOTH POWER

The best technique for flat tracking is a smooth and consistent throttle. However to break the rear wheel loose and transition as we discussed above, this requires a clutch pop or sudden jump in the RPM’s (especially on the tighter angled corners). The balancing act here is to light the rear wheel up just enough with higher RPM’s to break it loose, but also be in a gear that allows you enough room to gain RPM’s and maintain consistent throttle throughout the section (usually third gear

or higher). I always say to my coaching students that once the power comes on leading into any section it cannot be shut off again! So with that in mind pick your transition point and gearing wisely, as sacrificing a small amount of time to set up and break the rear wheel loose correctly will gain you huge amounts of time in comparison to a rider who rushes the set up and explodes the power, having to chop the throttle and loose drive through the next section.

LOOK AHEAD

I know I know, coaches and mechanics say this ALL the time!! We say it however because it’s true, riders who look ahead have better vision on what is coming on the track and accordingly can set up and exit earlier in corner sections. You will notice this especially at the MX Nationals in regards to line selection if you compare the elite factory riders to the more entry level privateers. It is almost as if they are riding two different race tracks. The less experiences riders will run deep into a corner usually on a tight line, drag their brakes to a standstill and then slam into a rut or berm, pop the clutch in a high revving gear and hit every bump on the exit.

For the elite 450cc MX1 riders this is not an option, and instead you will see these riders looking ahead into a section, setting up early and usually by the second moto they are flat tracking on the inside of almost every rut or berm section. So don’t get flat tracking confused with thinking it’s only for long sweeping turns. Flat tracking is effective in ANY corner situation where you are attempting to make a “cut down” to either make a pass or miss entry / exit bumps. Next time you watch NRGTV or spectate a MXN in person take a look for what I’m talking about here and I’m sure it will change your perception of how the elite riders race a track in the rough conditions.

UNLOCK YOUR HIPS AND DROP YOUR BUTT

I discussed the importance of unlocking your hips in the last arm pump article. It’s bein brought up here again as it is one of the KEY TECHNIQUE FUNDAMENTALS to riding a bike efficiently. By pulling through the bars, keeping your torso in contact with the controls, looking ahead and rolling your hips back into the seat you are able to leverage your body weight via all parts of contact on the bike. So roll them hips back, push through your foot on the top side peg (make sure your

inside leg is tight against the frame but off the peg) and for a little extra traction there’s an old school trick where you slide your butt over on the seat so your top side butt cheek is almost over the top of the bike. You’ll know when you get this right as the seat is basically giving you a wedgie between your riding pants!! When you feel the bike start to squat and break loose, it’s all connected back to the technique and feeling through your legs and hips!

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope these articles are giving you some insight into improving your riding technique and please look for the points I’m making when you watch NRGTV or spectate at the MX Nationals in 2016! See you all at the races Joe Stevens

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MYTH BUSTING FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

“Talent will only get you so far” – we’ve all heard that statement before, and it is so true. If you analyse the career of any racer who has achieved great success, they have either begun their long-term development at a young age, or reached a particular point early in their career where they realised that more than just raw talent is needed to win at the elite level. For riders and athletes alike, it is possible at a young age to ride the wave of success without putting in copious amounts of effort, but as mentioned above this will only be maintainable until a certain point before hard work takes precedence in achieving success. This pivotal time in an athlete’s career varies from sport to sport, but in Australian motocross many would see it as being the first two to three years 40

of senior competition (16 to 19 years of age). This is due to the fact that the transition from junior to senior competition involves numerous major changes such as competing on more technical tracks, experiencing longer races, deeper fields of competition, extended championship lengths and quite often more pressure from surrounding networks. At this point in time from the outside it is very easy to identify which riders have been on the grindstone putting in quality work over the years. This kind of dedication involves controlling factors such as the amount of bike time achieved annually, the quality of riding completed, how much off bike training has been accomplished, the quality of an athlete’s diet, the amount of recovery

Story By: Todd Jarratt

There is no two ways about it, you can be the fittest, healthiest, most calculated guy on the planet, but if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ride fast youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to struggle being a successful motocross racer. 41

undertaken, and how much sleep has been achieved (an area of importance particularly for youth development). This is by no means an exhaustive list, but as you can see just by looking at the surface there are numerous areas that need to be considered when looking to build a sustainable, long term platform for athlete development. The first area of consideration in the development of a sustainable program is the amount and quality of bike time achieved. This is because the best way to improve your ability to ride a dirt bike is literally to ride your dirt bike. There is no two ways about it, you can be the fittest, healthiest, most calculated guy on the planet, but if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ride fast youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to struggle being a successful 42

motocross racer. With that being said, it is important to note that the quality of bike time can be just as important as the quantity. So when you head out to the track, have a structured plan in place that details exactly what you want to achieve during each session. For example, the session could involve completing 15, one-lap sprints with two minutes rest between each effort to intermittently simulate race intensity, heighten your anaerobic threshold and increase your aerobic capacity. Contrastingly, the aim of your session could involve working on improving corner entry speed, as this is one of your identified weaknesses. Whatever the case, it is important to ensure you have a plan so that you can be efficient with your time by working towards specific and measurable goals. In terms of off bike training and recovery methods, there are many areas that must be considered to ensure you perform at your peak throughout the season. Factors such as self myofascial release (SMR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; using foam rollers, PVC pipe and trigger point balls) and mobility exercises are two areas of physical preparation and recovery that should be undertaken by all athletes. This is to decrease risk of injury, increase joint movement and improve the quality of body tissue (e.g. muscles). Two additional areas

“Two additional areas of physical preparation that should be regularly undertaken by all athletes are those of muscle activation and nervous system stimulation.”

of physical preparation that should be regularly undertaken by all athletes are those of muscle activation and nervous system stimulation. You may not have heard of these terms before, and in that case you should definitely do some reading about them, as they are critical for enhancing training adaptations and preparing the body to perform at an optimal level. In addition, it should be noted that warming up prior to racing is vital, as it increases the oxygen

delivery to muscles (makes work easier), increases muscle elasticity (reduces risk of injury), induces vasodilation (opens up blood vessels, which may slow the rate of arm pump) and increases nervous system function (increases your strength potential). The athlete’s dietary intake and sleep patterns are the final two broad topic areas we are going to touch on that play a big role in long term athlete development. In terms of nutritional intake, a diet rich in real, whole, 43

minimally processed foods (i.e. not packaged food) that provides 45-65% of energy from carbohydrates, 20-35% from healthy fats and 15-25% from proteins is a straightforward outline for most athletes to follow. As a side note, it is also widely accepted that in preparation for events, athletes should maintain a carbohydrate intake of approximately 50% of their daily energy consumption until three days prior to an event, where they should then increase their carb intake to approximately 75% of their daily intake. This is to ensure the athlete has optimal glycogen storage, which may delay the onset of lactic acid accumulation and aid in numerous other physiological responses.

The final area we will touch on in this article that is critical to long term development, is that of sleep. In a nutshell, sleep has been proven to be one of, if not the most effective form of recovery (this is not an exaggeration). In terms of the amount of sleep an individual should be aiming for each night, it is recommended that adults get at least seven hours of shut eye, while children are advised to get at least eight to nine and a half hours. There are huge benefits associated with getting the required amounts of sleep, and correspondingly there are also huge negative effects that come along with not getting enough sleep, so this topic should not be taken lightly.

MYTH BUSTED? SHARE YOUR OPINION Unfortunately we have to wrap it up there guys. But, in summary, be thorough with your planning, pay close attention to the one percenters, and set big goals that you can focus toward long term â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and as always, if you have any questions or would like to see particular topics covered in upcoming issues contact me via my Facebook page. Until next time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; stay safe and ride hard! Story by Todd Jarratt

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SANDRA GIBBS M O T H E R S D AY S P E C I A L INTERVIEW WITH THE MUM OF 2015 CHAMPION KIRK GIBBS For every racer it starts with mum’s approval, and for Sandra Gibbs (2015 defending MX Nationals Champ Kirk Gibbs’ mum) it’s been a lifetime of approvals to see her son achieve greatness! With Australia celebrating Mothers Day just a couple of short weeks ago, we decided to sit down with motocross mum Sandra Gibbs who’s seen it all, to get an insiders perspective as to what it’s like raising a champion! So how did your family and Kirk get in to racing? My husband always raced and my own brothers raced so we always enjoyed it. We actually first bought a motorbike for the twins (Kirk has an older brother and sister). Kirk was only one-year-old when we bought it and gave it to them for Christmas. Well Kirk wasn’t having that – he stood up and was completely infatuated with the twins’ motorbike, to

the point where he wouldn’t even open his other presents. The kids put Kirk on the bike in the back yard and used to ride a round with him, and honestly he had a grin from ear to ear, and he’d just scream as soon as we took him off. When he was little he’d just say ‘bike, bike, bike’, so we would just let the twins put him on the tank and ride around until he was old enough to ride on his own. From there, we got him a pee wee and then took him out to the track for a ride when he was about five years old - he loved every minute of it and we’ve never turned back. At what point did you think Kirk could actually make something out of racing? Initially we just went racing because we all loved it, even his sister and brother raced, and all three of the kids used to go to state titles and club events. We met so many people, and there are really so 49

many beautiful families out there in every state that we just wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for motocross. I think it was about once he went to high school actually that we realised racing was becoming more serious. We told Kirk that he needed to get a part time job – we had our own business so we allowed him to start a traineeship once he was old enough, and he did that for 12 months but still trained for racing. The other boys just seemed to be pulling away from him a little bit though, so he came home and said ‘I just want to race a motorbike; I don’t want to do this anymore’. We were a bit shocked and our first question was ‘well what are you going to do with your traineeship?’ but he assured us that if racing didn’t work that he’d go back to it. Before that it was just all a bit of fun, but he put in the hard yards and just went ‘bang’ and kept going and going until he got a support ride with Serco. We always told Kirk that he needed to have a job when he was younger and he had lots of little part time jobs when he was a teenager, doing dishes and things down at the tavern, so he learnt to work hard early, and I really believe that’s why he is where he is. I’m prejudice of course because he is my boy, but I think Kirk is wonderful.

in the front. We would have a mattress in between two bikes, and plenty of times we’d be sleeping with a foot peg ramming up our bums (laughs). There’s some pretty funny stories from back in those days, but honestly we wouldn’t have given it up for the world. A lot of people have asked how much money we’ve spent on racing and we just don’t add it up! Even though the other two kids went and got jobs and gave racing away, they still come to the races as much as they can. It’s a family sport and we all stuck together. Kirk makes us feel like he wants us there. He’s always ringing us up, and asking when we’re flying in so we’re all still a big part of the motocross and now I just hope that my grandkids race so we can keep going!

Was there ever a point when you thought Kirk should give racing away? Not really. When Kirk had his bad accident his dad was there, and it was actually one of the first round’s I’d missed because my own dad was quite unwell so I was with him. But afterwards Kirk told us that he didn’t remember the crash which was probably a good thing, and he just told both of us that ‘this is what I do, and I love it, so I want you to know that’. His dad and I talked about it, and just agreed that racing is what he wanted and we weren’t Did you ever want Kirk to do anything going to stop him doing it. Not even at else? that stage did we want him to have to No, not really. Once he decided he wanted give it up. to put his heart in to it, we just followed him. We went to every race, and did years What do you think is one of the key and years of travelling around in a van components to Kirk’s success so far? with two bikes in the back, and three up I think one of the main reasons why Kirk 50

rides so well is because of the KTM team. They treat everyone like family including Kirk, as well as all of the mechanics, the staff, and ourselves. The riders all pressure themselves enough, so when you have such a fantastic team around you that’s family orientated, it just makes their jobs that little bit easier. A lot of the time when the riders get older, the family tends to be less involved, but Kirk’s team welcome everyone with open arms and as a mum that’s very important, and it obviously works. How many times have you cleaned his helmet or washed his dirty gear? Well these days I don’t have to do it at all (laughs). But years ago, his dad used to be on helmet duty, and bike, and boots, and I would deal with the gear. I feel like all we used to do was wash and wash!! One funny story was that just the other

day we were in the KTM truck and one of the team guys asked Kirk to go and show the young ones how to put their dirty gear away because they have a special way of doing it. I actually chirped up straight away and said ‘I’ll go and teach them all how to wash them if you like!’ (laughs), we all had a good laugh about that. Is there anything you can share as a mum, that people might not know about Kirk? Oh not really, what you see is what you get with Kirk, but he is quiet until you get to know him. As I said, I’m prejudice because I think he’s nearly perfect, and no one’s perfect but he is, and in fact all my children are (laughs). I love that Kirk doesn’t brag or talk about himself too much, if he wins he’s not going to throw it in peoples faces and I think that’s such a lovely quality to have. 51

Is Kirk a mummies boy? they’re having a bad day and you have Oh definitely, and he’ll tell you that himself! to watch that, it’s really difficult. The other is when they get hurt. All of the boys out Is being a mum to Kirk one of your there racing, work as hard as each other greatest achievements? and when you see one of them get a big Being a mum to all my kids is my greatest injury and have to recover from that you achievement. I wouldn’t change our lives really feel for them. I don’t feel like that for the world – we have had a great life just about Kirk either, I feel like that for all going racing. It’s kept our family very of them. They work so hard to get where close and as I said, we all still try and get they are, and then they have to start from to as many rounds as we can to support scratch again it’s very hard to watch. Kirk and continue to be involved. I’m sure years from now I’ll still be doing the same What’s the best thing about being a thing! motocross mum? You are just so proud. You literally can’t What’s the hardest thing about being a wipe the smile off your face. You never motocross mum? give up believing in them, and to see them It’s probably a couple of things. When reach their goals and achieve all they’ve you go to the races and you know that ever dreamed of is very special. 52

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BRETT METCALFE 20 YEARS THE

GLOBE TROTTER

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s travelled the world racing dirt bikes, and recently returned to his home country Australia to prove that at 32 heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still got it. Misty Walton sits down with Brett Metcalfe ahead of returning to his home state South Australia for his final MX Nationals appearance for 2016! Interview By: Misty Walton

We’ve been lucky enough to have you back for three rounds, and now we’re moving on to your fourth, how’s the experience been at the Motul MX Nationals so far? It’s been great. I’ve enjoyed every minute of coming back to Australia for one, and being amongst the Nationals has been awesome. The whole experience of returning, and getting to be with family and friends has been great. To see the level of the sport and the competition and how much it’s grown has been really cool. All round it’s thumbs up from me! Did you expect the competition to be as tough as it’s been? Yeah I did. I know a couple of the guys racing pretty well, and even though it’s the first time I’ve raced against them I knew it would be tough. Obviously with Todd and Dean coming back from the GP scene after a few years, I’ve also known Matt Moss for a really long time, then Dan Reardon and Gibbsy, plus a few other guys I knew the level was high here in Australia and I haven’t been surprised with how tough it’s been. I’m not sure what people were expecting but I knew I wouldn’t be running away with it, 64

and it definitely hasn’t been that way. The guys here are good. I’m happy that I got a race win in the first three rounds but by no means has it been smooth sailing for me. How do tracks on the MX Nationals circuit compare to what you’ve raced overseas? The tracks here in Oz are different to what I’ve raced before. I’ve raced in the US and the tracks are bigger, open, and probably a fair bit faster. They also have a lot bigger jumps (laughs) the jumps here haven’t been that great to be honest! It’s actually been a little bit of a culture shock adjusting to some of the tracks. Bike setup has actually been a big thing for me, because you need to set your bike up very differently here to what I would ride in America. As a championship, how does the MX Nationals shape up in comparison to other series you’ve raced in across the globe? The MX Nationals is a great event and Williams Event Management run a great series. It’s difficult to compare the Aussie championship to anything in America, or the GP’s simply because there are a lot more riders, bigger fan bases and there’s a lot more budget to throw

around in those championships. I think for the demographic and the population and what Australia has to offer motorcycling wise, that they do a great job with the MX Nationals. There are good sponsors for the teams and the series, and the sport obviously is always pushing to be better but I think it’s all going very well in Australia.

also have interests in other things too. Even when it comes time to retire from racing professionally, I’ll always ride a dirt bike, probably until I can’t walk. We’ll see though – there’s some opportunities arising now which is exciting for me, and I’m married with two kids, so it’s about figuring out what’s best for myself and my family and the rest will follow.

You’re not the youngest man in the pits anymore (laughs) have you considered what it is exactly that you’re going to do once you finish racing? Yeah (laughs), it’s been on my mind for a while. It’s definitely something that I’m aware of – I just turned 32 (laughs). You’re always aware that you’re not going to race forever but

Your dad has been pretty vocal in saying that he would love to have you back here full time, have you given that any consideration since being back? Yeah you know, I just have to figure out what’s best for my family and then the rest will follow. It’s definitely an option and it’s by no means a closed door for me and my family, so

“I would consider it. I’d definitely lay all the pieces out on the table and see what would be best.” - Brett talks about returing to Australia

if an opportunity came up I’d probably jump at it. For the most part I’d really like to come back and tackle the Australian Motocross scene though and 100 per cent focus on it. I came back last year and did a couple of Supercross rounds and I’ve always came back when it’s been last minute and I’ve had no testing or preparation and it’s been similar this time too. So I’d really like to come back and put in a whole hearted effort because I think things would be a lot different. So does that mean if a decent offer came up, we could see Brett Metcalfe on the MX Nats grid in 2017? I would consider it. I’d definitely lay all the pieces out on the table and see what would be best. This year I have contracts in place for Canada, and a Rockstar contract which makes me obligated to do certain things, but I’m definitely not saying no. From what you’ve seen so far at the MX Nationals, who appears to be the next ‘big thing’? Honestly this sounds really bad, and I feel horrible, but I’ve been so busy on race day that I haven’t gotten to watch any other racing other than the start of the MX2 class, and for the most part I’ve just got my eyes on my teammate Luke Arbon. I would love to see some more of the racing though because I feel pretty bad that I haven’t been able to check out more of the talent. When I leave though, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on it. I have in previous years too, but this year

with the talent in the 450 class, it’s the deepest it’s run in history, so I’m going to be keeping a close watch on how it plays out! What would you say to a rider who is looking at what you’ve done with your career and would like to follow in your footsteps? You really need to be disciplined in everything that you do, that’s the biggest thing and it’s a weakness that I’ve seen in some other guys. If you’re extremely disciplined, and you don’t want it for any other reason than it’s what you live and breathe for you’ll be successful. You can’t be in it for fame or pictures in magazines, it’s got to come from your heart. When I look at what Chad Reed, myself and Byrner did, even dating back to Leisky, it’s something that we all wanted to do more than anything. All I’ve ever dreamt of doing is achieving enough in Australia to go overseas and get noticed, then go from there. You have to have some lucky breaks here and there but for the most past it takes 100 per cent dedication. There’s no partying or messing around, it’s got to be what you live and breathe for every day. If you could change one thing about the MX Nationals what would it be? I think it would probably Superpole. I get that it’s exciting for one lap to go as fast as you can, and it’s good for the spectators, but I just don’t think there should be championship points up for grabs. 67

What’s something that’s surprised you most about the MX Nationals? Yeah actually, it’s the presentation of the venues! That surprised me, that there was banners all around the track and the amount of effort that Williams Event Management put in in making the track presentation a priority. I was walking around at Broadford before the rain came in and the track just looked unreal! Each round it’s been world class. They have flags everywhere and it’s decorated nicely. That surprised me, how much of a spectacle this series is.

You rarely get the opportunity to race in front of your family and friends, how special is it going to be to have them there next weekend? It’s going to be so cool! Some of my family have only ever seen me race a few times in Australia because it doesn’t happen very often. So it’s exciting to know that everyone is going to be cheering and watching and experiencing what I do on race day. Whether it’s a win or a loss on the race track, it’s a win for me no matter what. Finally, what have you most enjoyed about your MX Nationals experience? For me, the SD3 Husqvarna team has just made me feel so comfortable. It’s easy going and they knew the circumstances of me coming, and they didn’t throw a ton of pressure on me which has made the whole experience much nicer. The team really has been fantastic to be a part of. And actually having my dad as my mechanic – when you think about it there’s a lot of special things going on. We’ve been showing up in a sprinter van with Husqvarna support and it’s just been so cool to go back to the roots where it all started. Just as a family, going away racing it has that kind of feel to it, and it’s very cool. I haven’t had that in so long and I’m enjoying it.

Murray Bridge will be your final round – you’re yet to take a round win, do you think it could happen in South Australia? Yes, I do. I’m looking forward to it – it’s literally half an hour from the house that I grew up in! If I can pull a win off, that will be the place to do it! I have a lot of family, and a lot of friends there and generally I think Murray Bridge draws one of the biggest crowds to the track throughout the whole series. Hopefully everyone turns out and I can put on a good show. The goal for me is to come away with a win, and it’s the first time really this whole trip that I’ve had a little bit of testing to make myself feel more comfortable so I hope that shows. This whole trip I knew it would take me a couple of rounds to get the ball rolling but by the time we get to Murray Bridge I should be ready to fire Thanks for the Chat! up right about then (laughs). No problems, thanks for having me! 68

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RACE RECAP

KIRK GIBBS Reigning champion takes first overall of the year at Broadford.

KTM Motocross Racing Teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reigning Motul MX Nationals MX1 champion Kirk Gibbs broke through for his first overall of the 2016 season at Broadford, Victoria, on Sunday. His pair of second-place moto results were good enough to clinch the victory, placing him just one point outside of the series lead three rounds in. MotoOnline.com.au spoke to Gibbs when all was said and done to get his thoughts on the round. 73

Defending MX1 champion Kirk Gibbs, 2-2 here at Broadford, getting the overall win. It must feel good to stand on top of the podium for the first time this year… Yeah, definitely! Obviously us three boys Todd [Waters], Dean [Ferris] and I established ourselves out the front, even Matt [Moss] sort of right there, who was just a touch off today. I think us boys separated ourselves a little bit in this early stage and it’s awesome to stand on the top step. It’s such a deep field, I’m just happy to be riding well and battling with these boys.

Obviously difficult conditions out there today following a lot of rain this morning, but then it eased up and the track slowly dried during the day aside from that sun-shower in moto two. How was it on the bike? It was more like trail riding today [laughs]. Physically it wasn’t too hard, the track, it was more mentally, you had to keep a pretty strong mind in keeping right on the ball and where you’re going. Obviously the lines were all over the place, so you had to be right on the ball. I just tried to be pretty patient today. I got off to a really good start in the first moto and second start I messed up a little bit, but I still came out not too bad. I had a little crash in that last moto, which I was a bit disappointed with, but other than that I obviously felt pretty solid all day and am really happy to get the overall. I’m still chasing that race win, haven’t had one yet, so I’m looking forward to heading to Murray Bridge and hopefully getting one of them. 74

Next time out in South Australia, taking the number one plate home to your original home state for the first time, that should be pretty special.

Yeah, should be pretty cool, obviously I have a lot more support there, so it should be really good. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just going to take it like every other race and just head there and chase wins and chase them points. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been really consistent this year and I want to keep it that way and fight to the end.

No worries, well definitely good result there today. Well done!

Thank you.

QUESTIONS WITH

JACOB WRI GH T Tell us about your new deal with DPH Motorsports and how it came about? So I heard that Lawson Bopping wasn’t finishing out the motocross and I had spoken to the guys at the team earlier that week and we just sorted it out from there. I basically got in my van and drove down straight away. It’s been a while since I have been part of a team which opened my eyes a lot but getting ride with DPH has helped so much. It takes the pressure off me because I no longer have to worry about travel expenses and getting my mechanic there and food and everything so all I really have to worry about and concentrate on now, is riding my dirt bike. Motocross or Supercross? Motocross, but I do like Supercross too. Motocross because I think at the moment its far more prestigious to win an Outdoor Championship in Australia than to win a Supercross Championship. I think if you win the Supercross it’s not as highly recognized. Team Managers seem to value your performance at the MX Nationals more than Supercross too. First car? 2011 Mercedes Vito, and I’m still rockin it!

Favorite Australian track and why? It would have to be Murray Bridge. Just that red sandy clay. I love it. Most embarrassing racing moment? It would have to be when I was 15 years old, I was racing Junior Lites and I was winning the race and I pulled off the track with one lap to go. I lost the race and yeah, that would definitely be my most embarrassing racing moment. Least favorite rider to race? Least favorite rider would have to be Billy Mackenzie. He’s really aggressive and catches you off guard, so yep him! Where do you see yourself in five year’s time? In a perfect world I’d like to be in America. I would like to be at least a top ten guy over there so that’s the ultimate goal for me and that’s what I’m working towards.

Interview By: Misty Walton

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THE TEAM As the MX Nationals head to Murray Bridge for round three we take a look at Yamaha Junior Racing’s SA team.

In South Australia we have a solid Y-AIM (Yamaha Australia’s Institute of Motocross) programme in place which we see 300+ attendee’s a year, and with this year having the Australian Junior Nationals in Renmark SA, we are hoping to see a lot of interstate junior racers attend our clinic there on the 16/17th July. For more information in regards to our Y-AIM programme check out shane@shanemetcalfe.com for dates and contact details to get your coaching tips and become a safer rider with more skills. We are also hoping to add a new element to our schedule real soon in an Adventure Riding training course which will be held throughout SA covering a

wide variety of situations and conditions, keep your eyes peeled for these dates and venues. The Yamaha Junior Racing Team is also very strong in South Australia, since its implementation in 2007 the kids have racked up 14 state titles over those years with plenty more podium finishes. Our current team of Thomas and Alex Larwood and Taj Gow Smith are set for a big year in 2016 having the Junior Nationals in their back yard. Round 1 of the new look SA Motocross series kicks off on the 14/15th May which will hopefully kick of the beginning of a great year for our SAYJR team.

ALEX LARWOOD

Alex is a 12 year old kid from the small country town of Kadina. He is a very promising young talent from SA who has big ambitions for a future in MX. Over the past 2 years Alex has won 4 State MX Titles and had 2 Podium Finishes at Junior Nationals, this year he has his sights set on trying to win a National Title, and trust me when i say this, there is not much this kid wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do to get there. He trains hard, he practices hard, he is one tough little character. Alex would love to follow in the foot steps of other South Australian greats of Brett and Shane Metcalfe, Kirk Gibbs and Luke Arbon who have all landed factory rides and placed amongst the top in the country or the world. Keep an eye out for the #520 machine at the Murray Bridge round of the MXN in the Junior support class.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since its implementation in 2007 the kids have racked up 14 state titles over those years with plenty more podium finishes.â&#x20AC;?

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HIT& MISS MotoOnline.com.au pulls out the microscope and dissects some of the surprises, standouts, shockers and disappointments from a gloopy third round of the 2016 Motul MX Nationals at Broadford, Victoria.

HIT. THE HIGHS FROM ROUND 3 OF THE 2016 MX NATIONALS

“AWESOME DAY FOR ME! MY STARTS WERE A LOT BETTER AND THE TRACK WAS VERY TECHNICAL, IT SUITED MY STYLE AND FELT SUPER COMFORTABLE”

through for his for his first MX1 win of the year. In doing so, Waters became the fourth winner in six races. Racing was so tight in the MX1 class that only one measly point separated Gibbs, Ferris and Waters for the round honours.

- JED BEATON

Jed Beaton: Even in his wildest dreams, DPH Motorsport Yamaha’s new recruit Jed Beaton never would’ve thought he’d stroll away from Broadford with a massive 23-point swing in his favour and the red plates attached to his bike. The young Victorian dominated the Broadford mud in such convincing fashion he was almost in a different timezone to the rest of the field. He eclipsed his 10-second lead in the opening moto with an emphatic 20-second buffer in the second race. In short, Beaton put down a beatin’… and I’ve been waiting to use that line for months.

Kyle Webster: Mudders always have a habit of throwing up some eyebrow-raising results and one of those was the performance of CRF Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster. Now don’t get me wrong, Webster is a hell of a rider, but a WA mud specialist is rare. Seeing the West Aussie slicing up the sloppy hills brought a smile to the faces of many on Sunday and his stellar 2-3 performance for second overall – his first-ever MX2 podium – saw him rocket up the points standings to eighth overall.

Todd Waters: It might’ve taken five races, but Wilson’s Coolair Motul Factory Suzuki’s former MXGP star Todd Waters got the proverbial monkey off his back (seriously, have you ever considered how hard that would be?) on Sunday morning when he broke

MISS. THE LOWS OF ROUND 3 OF THE 2016 MX NATIONALS

Kale Makeham: All riders have tracks they love and hate, but Victoria’s Kale Makeham has always gelled with Broadford like a balloon with a pin cushion. As well as battling brutal track conditions (especially in the opening MX2 hit-out), the Proformance Yamaha rider found himself getting close-up looks at the slop in both first turns and subsequently having to scramble from the back of the pack all day. His 14-18 results saw him drop from fifth to ninth in the title hunt. It’s safe to say there’s at least one guy in the paddock who’s ecstatic that Broadford won’t be on the MX Nationals calendar next year. Caleb Ward: Caleb Ward would’ve been bloody devastated to wake up on Monday morning to discover Sunday hadn’t been a bad dream. The early-season points

leader had nothing short of a shocker at Broadford as he tumbled from first to seventh and hemorrhaged a massive 41 points in the process. A mechanical DNF in the opening race was just the start of his problems as he was then jammed off the start of the second moto and had to fight through the pack. While Wardy scrapped his way through the top 10, Jayden Rykers highsided right in front of him and with nowhere to go, the KTM Motocross Racing Team rider went down hard. He remounted and finished 15th and watched all his early-season hard work go up in smoke. Kade Mosig: For all the hard work, motivation and dedication that National Pump Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kade Mosig has poured into 2016 MX Nationals, nothing seems to have stuck to the level he’s been hoping for. Mosig wrestled his way to a solid fifth in the opening race, but then went down hard in the second moto and was struck by Todd Waters for good measure. He was escorted off by the RACESAFE Medical Team with suspected pelvic injuries, He will tough it out and line up at Murray Bridge to battle his way back into title contention.

Welcome to the Naturally refreshing Sunshine Coast

Official holiday destination for the MX Nationals

visitsunshinecoast.com

Make a Sunshine Coast event part of your next holiday Highlights include the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, the Hawaiian Airlines Va’a World Sprint Championships, International Rally of Queensland, World IRONMAN 70.3 Championships, Wanderlust and the Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games.

In 2016 the Sunshine Coast will play host to its largest portfolio of events ever. With a range of national and international events in addition to our already impressive events calendar there is sure to be an event that you will want to be part of. From major events that are all about the surf or sporting participation, to tantalising food and iconic music festivals, you’ll always find a fun and exciting event to include in your holiday plans.

Maleny Wood Expo

APR

MAY

30 April - 2 May Maleny Showgrounds

There is no doubt The World is coming to the Sunshine Coast in 2016. You should be here!

Australian Outrigger Aussie Aito Noosa Food & Wine 2016

20-22 May Noosa Heads

20 May Mooloolaba

JUN

57th Australian National Square Dance Convention

Downunder Beachfest

26 June -4 July

9-13 June

University of the Sunshine Coast Sports Centre, Sunshine Coast Square Dance Centre and Mantra Mooloolaba

Caloundra and Hinterland

Queensland State Club Gymnastics Championships and Border Challenge

Etchells Australasian Winter Championships 9-12 June Mooloolaba

Va’a World Outrigger Sprint Championships 5-15 May Lake Kawana

Australian Surf Life Saving Championships - The Aussies

16-24 April Maroochydore, Alexandra Headlands & Mooloolaba

Australian Outrigger Marathon Titles

21-22 May Mooloolaba

Pumpkin Festival 29 May Goomeri

Noosa Ultimate Sports Festival 28 May Noosa Heads

Sunshine Coast Winter Bowls Carnival

International Rally of Queensland

28 May-27 July

17-19 June Maroochy River, Beerwah, Kenilworth, Imbil

JUL

AUG

SEP

Open Cockpit Weekend

MX Nationals Round 10

Maroochy Music and Visual Arts

2-3 July

27-28 August

Queensland Air Museum Caloundra

Coolum Beach

24-29 June Caloundra Indoor Stadium

Gympie Music Muster

25-28 August Amamoor State Forest

10 September

IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships

4 September Mooloolaba

Horton Park Golf Course

Mitchell Creek Rock 'N' Blues Fest 15-19 September

Queensland Garden Expo

08-10 July Nambour Showgrounds

Northern University Games

Noosa Long Weekend

3-7 July

15-24 July

Sunshine Coast Stadium

Noosa area

OCT

22-24 October

October

Blackall Range

7 Sunshine Coast Marathon

17 July

Conondale

World Series Swims - Swim Queensland

The Blackall 100

Mitchell Creek

MX Nationals Round 7

19-21 August Alexandra Headland, Cotton Tree, Maroochydore

Tin Can Bay Seafood Festival 24 September Tin Can Bay

DEC

NOV

National Outrigger Junior Titles

Trans Tasman Gubbi Gubbi Waka Ama 22-23 September

24-26 September Lake Kawana

Lake Kawana

Christmas lights December

Mooloolaba

Triathlon Pink and Fun Run Pink November

Kawana Sports Precinct / Sunshine Coast Stadium

Caloundra Music Festival

30 September-3 October

Gatorade Qld Tri Series - Kawana

November

Kawana Sports Precinct / Sunshine Coast Stadium

Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival 30 October Noosa Heads

Caloundra

Mary Valley Australia Zoo Scarecrow Festival Festival 31 October - Australasian Police and 21 October - 1 November Emergency Service Games

12 November Mary Valley

Wanderlust Sunshine Coast

8-15 October 13-16 October Australia Zoo, Sunshine Coast Stadium Novotel Twin Waters Resort Beerwah

Conscious Life Festival November

Innovation Centre Kawana

Holden Scramble Championship Finals November Twin Waters Golf Club

Woodford Folk Festival

27 December- 1 January Woodfordia

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MXNATIONALS PROGRAM, RIDER LISTS, PROFILES AND PRESS RELEASES

101

y B r i dge NSW a r r u M ||

WHO

WIL

L W IN

DOWN TH G E IN

VE U

N ROU

E MURRAY BRIDGE. Round 4 heads to Murray Bridge in South Australia. This track is undoubtedly a favourite among all of the riders in the series. Murray Bridge always produces very fast racing, with multiple opportunities on the circuit for riders to make passes, ensuring the racing is always exciting. The soil is MX delight. Very lomey, and gives riders great traction.

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RND 4 SCHEDULE START

CLASS

DURATION

8:30am

MX2 Practice / Qualifying

25 Min

9:00am

MXD Practice / Qualifying

25 Min

9:30am

85cc Cup Practice / Qualifying

20 Min

10:00am

MX1 Practice / Qualifying

30 Min

10:30am

Go Pro Super Pole

10 Min

10.40am

Official Opening

5 Min

10.45am

Motul MX2 Moto 1

30 + 1 lap

11:25am

Pirelli MXD Moto 1

20 + 1 lap

12:05pm

Thor MX1 Moto 1

30 + 1 lap

12:40pm

Lunch

45 Min

1:25pm

85cc Cup Moto 1

15 Min

1:55pm

Motul MX2 Moto 2

20 + 1 lap

2:35pm

Thor MX1 Moto 2

30 + 1 lap

3.20pm

Pirelli MXD Moto 2

20 + 1 lap

3:50pm

85cc Cup Moto 2

15 Min

CHAMPIONSHIP POINT ALLOCATION PER MOTO 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

35 32 30 28 26

6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

25 24 23 22 21

11th 12th 13th 14th 15th

20 19 18 17 16

16th 17th 18th 19th 20th

15 14 13 12 11

21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th

10 9 8 7 6

26th 27th 28th 29th 30th

5 4 3 2 1

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Wanner oo WA ||

WHO

WIL

L W IN

DOWN TH G E IN

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E WANNEROO. Round 5 heads far west to Wanneroo before the mid way break of the 2016 season. The deep sand is renowned for its unpredictable racing with multiple first time winners and some horrible championship crushing results for some. The locals now how to ride the sand so expect to see some of them jump in the mix. One thing is for sure Wanneroo is a must watch for all motocross fans.

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RND 5 SCHEDULE START

CLASS

DURATION

8:30am

Motul MX2 Qualifiying

20 Min

9:00am

Thor MX1 Qualifiying

20 Min

9:25am

Go Pro Super Pole

5 Min

9:40am

MX Store C Lites P/Q

15 Min

10:00am

Opening

10 Min

10:15am

Motul MX2 Moto 1

20 Min + 1 lap

11:00am

Thor MX1 Moto 1

20 Min + 1 lap

11:35am

MX Store C Lites Moto 1

15 Min

12:10pm

Lunch

1:15pm

Motul MX2 Moto 2

20 Min + 1 lap

1:50pm

Thor MX1 Moto 2

20 Min + 1 lap

2:20pm

MX Store C Lites Moto 2

15 Min

2:50PM

Motul MX2 Moto 3

20 Min + 1 lap

3:25PM

Thor MX1 Moto 3

20 Min + 1 lap

3:55pm

MX Store C Lites Moto 3

15 Min

CHAMPIONSHIP POINT ALLOCATION PER MOTO 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

35 32 30 28 26

6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

25 24 23 22 21

11th 12th 13th 14th 15th

20 19 18 17 16

16th 17th 18th 19th 20th

15 14 13 12 11

21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th

10 9 8 7 6

26th 27th 28th 29th 30th

5 4 3 2 1

105

With tough, tight racing on the grass sprint format tracks today, competitors kicked their bikes into gear in the hope to redeem championship points and take the top step on the podium at Round 5 of the 2016 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship at Murray Bridge, South Australia. With fine weather and a flat track, The Yamaha AORC produced some close racing as over 300 competitors took on the tough terrains today. The record entry numbers bringing in spectators from all over the country to witness the E1, E2, E3, EJ, Vets, Womensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Masters National Championship classes maneuver over the obstacles and fight through the trees. The E1, E2, E3 and Transmoto 19 and Under classes competed on the Grovescaff test today. E1 E1 competitor and KTM mounted Jack Simpson showed his knowledge and talent on the Grovescaff grass track, much like a Motocross track from Simpsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s background. The young rising OffRoad star concluded the day with a time of 1:05:43.063 and took out

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MX1 PRESENTED BY:

KIRK GIBBS TAKES HIS FIRST ROUND VICTORY OF 2016 Broadford’s rich history was added to today, with KTM Motocross Racing Team’s defending MX1 Champion Kirk Gibbs racing to his first round win for 2016, at the State Motorcycling Complex for round three of the Motul MX Nationals at Broadford in Victoria. After a wild night of storms at the venue, leaving the track drenched, both qualifying and GoPro Superpole were removed from the program for the Thor

MX1 class this morning, with qualifying positions for racing decided based on championship status. With round three clearly dishing out the toughest track conditions so far this year, when racing kicked off, no one could pin point who would be able to handle the challenge. But when gates dropped on moto one, it was Wilson Coolair Motul Factory Suzuki’s Todd Waters who secured the all important 109

MXstore holeshot, followed by Kirk Gibbs (KTM), NPE Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kade Mosig and Crankt Protein Honda Racing Team’s Jay Wilson. Only two laps in, both of the Queensland based riders Waters and Gibbs proved that they were a league above the rest – the pair checking out on the talent stacked field, allowing the battles for remaining positions to happen behind them. And the battles were thick and fierce to say the least – after only five minutes, Kawasaki duo Mosig and Moss found each other on the track, and then went head to head for third position – and after less than one lap, Moss got the job done and moved in to third behind Gibbs. Honda mounted Wilson, and CDR Yamaha’s Ferris then also banged bars for fifth place, and although Ferris applied significant pressure, Wilson showed maturity holding off the points leader, and by lap seven Ferris had made a small mistake and dropped off the pace slightly. By the time the Thor MX1 class had reached the halfway mark in moto one, the running order saw Waters continuing to lead completely unchallenged, followed by Gibbs, Moss, Mosig and Wilson. CDR Yamaha’s Ferris remained in a healthy sixth position in tough conditions, followed by his teammate Daniel Reardon, and American based Brett Metcalfe. With the 450 machines getting 110

heavier and heavier as the race went on in the muddy conditions, it was a survival of the fittest, and with a championship on his mind, Ferris secured a pass on Wilson for fifth position and began to eye off Mosig with only a few laps remaining. From there, Ferris continued on an impressive charge, and by the time the last lap board was shown, the Thor MX1 points leader had moved past the likes of Mosig to slot in to fourth place. But when the chequered flag flew it was Suzuki mounted Waters who had plenty of reason to celebrate, taking the opening race win, ahead of Gibbs in second, while NPE Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Moss wrapped up the opening moto in third. Red plate holder Ferris crossed the line in fourth position, ahead of Mosig and Metcalfe – while Wilson, Reardon, DPH Motorsport’s Lawson Bopping and Dylan Long completed the top ten. In the second moto, Ferris was out to show exactly why he’s the MX1 red plate holder, and after only one lap Ferris moved in to a comfortable race lead, ahead of NPE Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Moss, while KTM’s Gibbs slotted in to third. Unfortunately for Kawasaki mounted Mosig, a nasty crash on lap two marked an early end to his day – the former Victorian leaving the track in the

“EVERYONE REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE TODD AND DEAN BATTLING THIS YEAR - KIRK GIBBS

hands of Racesafe in a serious but stable condition. After four laps in moto two, and with track conditions innately different from moto one, the running order saw Ferris maintaining a healthy top spot, followed by Moss, Gibbs, Crankt Protein Honda Racing Team’s Long and Reardon who completed the top five. However, with the likes of Waters and Metcalfe only seconds behind the front running five, positions didn’t remain the same for long. Waters who proved he was determined to gain an overall podium result, charged past the likes of Reardon and Long to move in to fourth position. From there, the battles on track heated up even further, with Gibbs managing to get by Moss to secure second place, while Ferris continued to dominate in a spectacular fashion out in front. By the time the chequered flag flew for the final time for the Thor MX1 class at Broadford today, it was the perfect ending for CDR Yamaha’s Ferris, who crossed the finish line taking a commanding race win ahead of Gibbs, while Moss managed to just hold off a hard charging Waters to wrap up the final moto in third. 111

However, when the points were tallied, it was KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Gibbs’ who’s two second place finishes awarded him his first round victory for 2016, while Ferris settled for second at round three, followed by Waters who despite finishing on equal points to Ferris was handed third due to a countback.

myself, Todd, and Dean have established ourselves in the class, and hopefully we can keep these battles rolling every weekend. “I haven’t had a moto win yet but I’m sure it’s close, so I’m just going to keep on chasing it. “After my injury last year it feels even better to be up here – Everyone Kirk Gibbs after winning round 3 really thought it was just going to be Todd and Dean battling this year, but I’m stoked “I’m so stoked to get the overall win – to be up there with them battling every I’ve been there nearly every round but weekend.” to finally get a round win is awesome,” he said. “I’m only one point off the championship lead now and obviously

T H E R E S U LT S

112

MX1 Round Results:

MX1 Championship Standings:

1) Kirk Gibbs– 64 points 2) Dean Ferris – 63 points 3) Todd Waters – 63 points 4) Matt Moss – 60 points 5) Brett Metcalfe – 50 points 6) Dylan Long – 47 points 7) Daniel Reardon – 47 points 8) Jay Wilson – 47 points 9) Jacob Wright – 42 points 10) James Alen – 39 points

1) Dean Ferris – 190 points 2) Kirk Gibbs – 189 points 3) Todd Waters – 182 points 4) Matt Moss – 177 points 5) Brett Metcalfe – 165 points 6) Daniel Reardon – 146 points 7) Dylan Long – 139 points 8) Jay Wilson – 133 points 9) Kade Mosig – 130 points 10) Jacob Wright – 106 points

113

PRESENTS

MX1 RIDER LIST #

Name

Manufacture

Sponsors

Kane Doyle

KTM

Ryan Berryman

KTM

The Collective Family, Mandurah City KTM, Motoseat Australia, Trac Rite Suspension,

Brendon Bayliss

Yamaha

Bayliss electrical group - Dynotime - Moto alliance - Westeffex

Stephen Cambetis

KTM

4:20 Racing, Goldfields bikeworks.

322

Tim Jacobs

Honda

Moto Alliance - JPV Racing - Catalyst Communication Rigging - West Coast MC

409

Lachlan Deza

Honda

Deza Bricklaying

524

Aidan Johnstone

Husqvarna

532

Dion Cobbin

KTM

Fleet Integrations Auto Electrical services - Turn 12 photography - HM2 Enterprises

597

Doyle Holl

Honda

616

Braydon Wilson

KTM

Australian Grown - Reiner Earthmoving

133

PRIVATEERS CUP MOTUL MX1 SOUTH PRIVATEER CUP ROUND 2 - BROADFORD

CONGRATULATIONS 1st PLACE: KURT WIGHTMAN 2nd PLACE: MICHAEL MAHON

1stValue PRIZE $199.00

2nd PRIZE Value $69.90

OFFICIAL LUBRICANT PARTNER 160074

motulaus

PRIVATEERS CUP PIRELLI MX2 SOUTH PRIVATEER CUP ROUND 2 - BROADFORD

CONGRATULATIONS 1st PLACE: JED CORNTHWAITE 2nd PLACE: JOEL GREEN 3rd PLACE: DARREN SCHENK

nd rd 1stValue PRIZE 2 PRIZE 3 PRIZE $235 Value $129 Value $129

OFFICIAL TYRE PARTNER FEEL THE CHAMPIONS’ INSTINCT 160073

COMP CODE: 12-JEDBEATON

k : Craig Dac R E G A N A F NER / M aha YZ450 TEAM OW m a Y : S E IK B S WON: 37 IP H S N IO P CHAM

#111

FERRIS #111 DEAN Class: MX1 Age: 25 W : Kyogle NS Hometown zer Aiden Melt Mechanic: heel111 IG: @ferrisw

#122

N L REARDO #122 DANIE Class: MX1 Age: 30 t : Gold Coas Hometown man Mike Land Mechanic: ardon122 IG: @danre

FERRIS RETAINS REDPLATE AFTER GRITTY PERFORMANCE

CDR Yamaha’s Dean Ferris has retained the MX1 championship points leaders’ red plate while team mate Dan Reardon moved up a position after action wrapped up at round three of the MX Nationals at Broadford Motorsport Complex in Victoria. In a day that saw wild storms, glorious sunshine and the odd shower or two sweep across the venue, making the already challenging Broadford circuit extremely difficult to master. It proved to be the most demanding round of the season so far, but the CDR Yamaha crew continued their championship aspirations in a professional manner. Ferris led the CDR Yamaha charge, taking second for the round with his 4-1 moto results. In moto one, Ferris was well placed as the field charged into the muddy circuit by was quickly shuffled back when not on the racing line during the opening few turns. As far back as seventh at one stage, Ferris struggled to find his groove and it was only the latter stages of the race that he began to move forward, climbing to fourth at the finish. Disappointed at his opening moto, Ferris was on a mission in moto two and after snatching the lead on the opening lap, he simply motored away from the pack to take a well-earned 12 second victory. His 4-1 results gave him second for the round and he still leads the MX1 championship by a slender one point as the tour moves towards round four. “Good and bad day for me in a lot of ways,” Ferris said matter of fact. “The first race wasn’t good and it took me far too long to adjust to the track and the difficult conditions. It wasn’t until the last three or four laps that I was able to work things out and understand what I needed to do. “So, moto two was far better and the way I think I should ride. I was able to get to the front early and focus on what I needed to do and not by ducking and dodging roost. My lines were good and the bike worked well. “Thank you to everyone at the CDR Yamaha team who worked so hard in trying conditions. The bike was bullet proof with thanks to the team keeping

FACEBOOK: /cdryamaha

it in top shape all day,” Ferris ends. Team mate Dan Reardon has moved up to sixth place in the championship after another solid and consistent performance at round three. Reardon raced to 8-7 results to finish equal sixth on the day with Dylan Long and Jay Wilson but was awarded seventh for the round. Reardon battled manfully on a track that doesn’t suit his riding style and still managed to turn in a respectable result. “It was a tough day for all riders out there,” Reardon said. “It was so soft and muddy in the morning but it dried to a one lined, super rutty track that was extremely rough so it was so easy to go down. It wasn’t my greatest day but considering the conditions, it was ok and I feel like things are starting to come together. I’m sixth now in points and the next few tracks are some of my favourites, so hopefully I can continue to gain some more positions in the coming weeks,” he ends. Team owner, Craig Dack, came away satisfied with his teams’ performance on the weekend and heaped praise on all members for their efforts on a tough day on and off the track. “The conditions today made it tough for not only the riders, but the technical staff and mechanics to get the bikes turned around and ready for three seasons on a wet track, so a huge thanks to our off track team for working tirelessly over the weekend. “On track, I’m happy with how things are progressing. To be leading the championship after three rounds in a very talented MX1 class is an honour and something we are proud of this early in the season. Dean showed plenty of mental strength to turn his day around and that second moto performance was dominant. “We are also happy with Dan’s progress. We have set goals for Dan and he is on track to achieving them and we believe his best is still to come. As a team, sitting first and sixth is an excellent position to be in and we look forward to Murray Bridge in a few weeks’ time.”

INSTAGRAM: @cdryamaha

s : Gavin Eale R E G A N A F NER / M aha YZ250 TEAM OW m a Y : S E IK B IPS WON: 4 H S N IO P M CHA

TODD #2 WILSON Class: MX2 Age: 18 QLD : Atherton, Hometown nes Peter Rabjo Mechanic: todd2 IG: @wilson

#23

HUNTER #23 WADE Class: MX2 Age: 21 D : Cairns, QL Hometown rew Stoppa d n A : ic n a h Mec hunter IG: @wade

SERCO YAMAHA’S SPIRITED FIGHT AT BROADFORD MX NATS

The MX2 championship battle has intensified after an unpredictable weekend of racing at round three of the MX Nationals with the Serco Yamaha team well entrenched in the top 10. Wilson Todd and Wade Hunter both overcame the toughest track of the year and some mid race falls to post respectable results that keep them well in contention for the MX2 championship with seven rounds remaining. Wade Hunter lodged his best round of the season so far and left the Broadford circuit confident there is still plenty more to give. Hunter took a disappointing 13th place in moto one after falling early in the race and struggling to grip the bike for the remainder of the moto in the muddy and slippery conditions. Moto two and Hunter decided it was time to get his season back on track and after starting inside the top 10, Hunter moved forward to claim fourth place by moto end. His 13-4 results saw him land in seventh for the day and hold down 10th in the championship. “It was a pretty nasty track to ride today and it each moto it was something completely different each time. Race one was just full on mud while the second moto the track had dried but it was rough, hard packed and slippery so it wasn’t easy at any time. “I felt I made some progress today and I was happy with the second moto. Hopefully, I can use that race to turn my season around and starting racking up good results at every round from now until the end of the championship,” Hunter ends. Wilson Todd also saw plenty of the Broadford mud but again showed that he knows how to ride at dirt bike at speed. Todd was in the top five early in

FACEBOOK: /SercoYamaha

race one before he fell in the sticky stuff and dropped several positions. He was able finish the race 10th position. In his second dig, Todd went down in the first turn and scrambled back to his bike. Instantly he got on the gas and started the long haul back through the 33 rider field. He picked off plenty of riders on the opening lap and made his way to 17th. By the half way stage he was in 10th and then when the race was completed, he had blitzed his way through the pack to finish 6th in a character defining ride. His 10-6 results saw him finish eighth for the round but move up in the championship fifth in the MX2 championship. “10-6 isn’t where I wanted to finish this weekend,” Todd explains. “Once I crashed in the first race, I struggled to regain the same speed and then in race two I was behind the eight ball from the start with the first turn crash. I just have to stop the little mistakes and aim for a top five finish every race and build some consistency in my racing,” he ends. With the results from the weekend, the championship points are now tight with the top eight within a moto of one another. Despite the unfortunate results, team owner Gavin Eales, is confident his team has turned the corner. “On paper the weekend doesn’t look good but I saw signs from both riders during moto two that things are about to change. Wilson was amazing, passing on a track that every other rider said was one lined and impossible to pass while Wade shook off his woes and found some mojo. I think we are in pretty good shape and look forward to the coming rounds,” Eales stated.

INSTAGRAM: @sercoyamaha

p cott Bisho S : R E G A N F TEAM MA AHA YZ250 M A Y : S E BIK IPS WON: 4 H S N IO P M CHA

#43

EVANS #43 MITCH Class: MXD Age: 17 D : Cairns, QL Hometown y Cory Hillsle Mechanic: evans43 IG: @mitch

#88

N HILL #88 JORDA Class: MXD Age: 17 D : Noosa, QL Hometown Mike Ward Mechanic: hill88 IG: @jordan

EVANS CRACKS MAIDEN MX NATIONAL ROUND WIN Mitch Evans burst through for his maiden MX Nationals round victory after taking the win at round three of the MX Nationals held at the Broadford Motorsport Complex, over the weekend. In doing so he maintained an enviable track record for the Yamalube Yamaha Racing team that has seen them win at the Broadford round in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and now for the final time in 2016. In what proved to be a fruitful day for the Yamalube Yamaha Racing team, Evans led a team 1-2 in the MXD class with team mate Jordan Hill slotting into second place for the day on what was undoubtedly the toughest track of the year as the venue was lashed with rain and storms just prior to the event. The water logged track through up all kinds of issues for riders and teams but the Yamalube Yamaha Racing team put together a memorable day as they claw their way back from a tough start to the season. Evans, who had already won a moto this year, still hadn’t racked up a round win but was determined to right the wrong at Broadford. On a track that really tested the riders, Evans moved through the field steadily in moto one, limiting any mistakes before hitting the front with just two laps to go. He safely navigated the final lap to take the race win. Moto two was combination of brute force and race smarts for Evans as he mis-timed his jump from the gate and entered the first turn well down the field. But within four corners, Evans muscled his way into the top five and began to stalk the leaders. He moved into second and began to apply pressure to the leader but when he ran off the racing line and into some extremely soft ground, he elected to settle down and take second place for the moto knowing his 1-2 results would be good enough to secure the round victory. Evans round win now sees him in sixth place on the championship table, 28 points back from the leader. “It’s taken far too long to get this result,” Evans said after the final race. “After I won the first race, there was no way I wasn’t going to go on and get the round win, so it’s good to finally get it and reward everyone on the team. “We had a slow start to the season but we

FACEBOOK: /GYTRYamaha

are getting it together now and starting to build some momentum which is really important,” Evans ends. Jordan Hill made it to the podium again, this time taking second place on the day with his 5-1 results. Hill struggled in the opening moto after suffering a poor start but when he finally got some clear track he showed he has plenty of speed to match the race leaders. His hard work in race one saw him move from 12th on the opening lap through to fifth by race end. Race two and Hill went to the lead by the lap one and never let it go. He came under immense pressure from team mate Evans, but Hill kept his composure and fought off the challenge before stretching out his lead at the end. After his win at round two at Appin and his second place at Broadford, Hill has now leaped to third place in the championship. “I’m on the podium again so that’s always good news. Race one was a bit of a fight as I made mistakes on the opening laps and got caught behind slower riders and couldn’t pass due to the wet nature of the track so I knew I had to get a good start in moto two if I wanted to get up here. “I got a great jump and was second for the first half a lap then got into the lead quickly to I didn’t have to deal with the mud and roost. I saw Mitch coming but I tried to forget about what he was doing and just ride my best laps and that meant I was able to stay focused and not make any mistakes and I got the race win,” Hill explains. Broadford proved to be one of the most challenging for riders and teams and Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team Manager, Scott Bishop, offered his thanks to the hard work ethic of his crew over the weekend. “Both Mike and Cory worked extremely hard over the weekend and can take a lot of the credit for the results over the weekend. With the rain, the treacherous track and then the quick turnaround between race one and two meant both guys were under the pump all afternoon but they didn’t miss a beat. “They riders did the job on the track but were ably back up by the work Mike and Cory did off it. It was a full team effort and one of our more satisfying results in some time,” Bishop ends.

INSTAGRAM: @yamalube_yamaha_racing

n yle Blunde K : R E G A N TEAM MA M 250 SX-F T K , F X S 0 45 BIKES: KTM S WON: 20 IP H S N IO P CHAM

BS #1 KIRK GIB Class: MX1 A Age: 27 Gambier, S t n u o M : n Hometow en Kyle Blund : ic n a h c e M bs IG: @kirkgib

E DOBSON #414 JESS Class: MX1 9 1 : e g A QLD : Brisbane, n w to e m o H Jordan Yeo Mechanic: obson414 IG: @jessed WARD #17 CALEB Class: MX2 9 1 : e g A e, FNQ : Ravensho n w to e m o H an Jess Forem Mechanic: _ward17 IG: @caleb #17

#414

KTM’S GIBBS WINS BROADFORD, WARD SUFFERS A SETBACK

The KTM Motocross Racing Team’s defending MX Nationals number one Kirk Gibbs showed just why his reputation as a championship-winner is growing during the toughest and most competitive Nats season in recent years. Gibbs proved his title-winning mettle once again at this weekend’s continuation of the MX Nationals championship at Broadford, winning the overall victory ahead of returned Grand Prix racers Dean Ferris and Todd Waters, in the most atrocious conditions seen in the series in three years. Gibbs likened the quagmire faced by MX1 competitors in the first moto to conditions seen at the same track back during his rookie year in the premier class in 2013. While Waters and Ferris split the wins today, it was Gibbs’ pair of second placings which earned the overall victory, and moved the Queensland-based South Australian to within one point of the lead in Australia’s most important motocross championship. So poor were the conditions after unexpectedly heavy rain this morning that race organisers and team management decided to cancel qualifying, opting instead to use the championship standings of the time for grid selection. KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Jesse Dobson was absent from the event as he recovers from two hairline fractures in his pelvis, but it is hoped that he will be back in the saddle in time for the fourth round of this year’s MX Nationals at Murray Bridge. Kirk Gibbs (KTM 450 SX-F) – “The track was pretty tough and though it wasn’t too physical, it was pretty technical – you had to really be onto it. You also had to get good starts and put yourself in really good positions, and I felt like I did that. My second start wasn’t quite as good, but I felt like I rode pretty solid and hit my marks. My first year in 2013, the track was pretty similar, it was just having that rain overnight. It got really one line-ish, which makes it really hard to pass. I’m glad to come away from there with relatively good results and points. I’m still chasing that first race win, but obviously I’ll take an overall! I’m trying to be really consistent and battle with the top guys every

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weekend, because they are going to do the same, I just want to be there every moto, and I’ve been able to do that so far.” In MX2 racing, KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Caleb Ward lost his lead in the MX2 championship after terrible luck at Broadford. The likeable North Queensland suffered a mystery engine failure while running top six in the first moto, then in the second, he had another rider high side directly in front of him as he had his KTM 250 SX-F in third gear with the taps wide open. Ward crashed heavily but managed to remount and limp home in 15th place, slipping from first to seventh in the championship. Raceline Pirelli KTM Motocross Racing Team development rider Dylan Wills was the highestplaced KTM rider on the day with sixth, while Jayden Rykers has moved from eighth to sixth to become the highest placed KTM rider in the championship, two points ahead of Ward. Caleb Ward (KTM 250 SX-F) – “Obviously it was a pretty horrible day, it always can be worse I guess, but I went from having a decent points lead to being 30 points down just due to weather conditions and the track, so obviously that sucks. Basically one bad start just wrecked my entire day because everything tumbled downhill from there, there wasn’t a lot that I could do about it. In the first moto I stuffed up my jump out of the gate and I ended up a fair way back. I was making my way through, but because the track was so muddy, I ended up having a mechanical and DNFed. It was no-one’s fault. In the second I had a horrible gate pick – I got a reasonable start but was too far to the inside and got pinched off. I was making my way through fairly good and was into sixth or seventh, when Rykers high-sided right in front of me when I was like in third year pinned. I hit his bike and went straight over the handlebars and head first into the ground, which was pretty much like concrete right there. So what should have been a day with two topfive finishes, became a DNF and a 15th. A horrible day, but I’m looking forward to the next few rounds and tracks where I’ve had a bit of success in the past.”

INSTAGRAM: @ktm.australia

Tisdale GER: Chris A N A M M A TE 250SX-F BIKES: KTM

#64

WILLS #64 DYLAN Class: MX2 Age: 20 W : Como, NS Hometown es Josh Smail Mechanic: wills64 IG: @dylan

IRKLAND #5 WADE K Class: MXD ia Age: 16 er, Tasman d n a m a c S : Hometown m Dylan Pilgri Mechanic: dwade IG: @kirklan

KIRKLAND SECURES MAIDEN PIRELLI MXD PODIUM, WHILE WILLS RECORDS SEASON BEST FINISH AT ROUND 3 Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Wade Kirkland and Dylan Wills recorded their best results so far this season, in what were treacherous conditions at round three of the MX Nationals at the State Motorcycle Complex in Broadford yesterday. Despite round three of the MX Nationals being affected by weather, both Wills and Kirkland battled through the mud and ruts on the Broadford circuit, to walk away from the weekend with strong and encouraging results in their respective classes. 16-year-old Kirkland proved yesterday that he had carried improved momentum into round three, claiming fourth in the first Pirelli MXD moto, and then bettered his result once again with a podium finish in race two where he snatched up third. With a fourth and third to his name, Kirlkland was awarded third place on the overall Pirelli MXD podium at Broadford, which now also places him in a comfortable second place in the MXD Championship standings on 169 points. For MX2 pilot Wills, who was chasing his own personal goals at round three, the youngster made radical progress on board his KTM machine. In race one, Wills recorded his best result so far this season, concluding the moto in sixth place, while in race two, he finished inside the top ten in ninth. The two consistent rides from Wills, saw him finish round three as the highest placed KTM MX2 rider in sixth overall. Wade Kirkland – Pirelli MXD – (4th, 3rd) 3rd Overall “The mud made it difficult for everyone so I decided to try and be conservative in my riding and keep producing decent laps,” Kirkland said. “To get a fourth in the first moto and a third in the second, is a pretty good result for myself. I was able to get a good start off the gates to make some

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decent passes and the results from today’s moto’s got me third overall for the day so I couldn’t be happier. “Connor (Tierney) had a bit of a bad run in that second race – he might have crashed, so that helped me out a bit points wise. Everyone is really close on speed so it just comes down to the most consistent rider, and that’s what I’m trying to be.” Dylan Wills – MX2 – (6th, 9th) 6th Overall “Sixth overall today was a big step forward from where we were last time, there is still progress to be made but it definitely was a positive day,” Wills said. “I have to take the positives away – I went to round three with a few goals, a new attitude, and I was looking to put a bit less pressure on myself. I had a good go yesterday and had a smile on my face. “It was a good round, the track was pretty gnarly, but we’re getting there. It was real wet in that first moto but I was second off the start so that made it heaps easier.” Chris Woods – Raceline Pirelli KTM Team Manager “Round three was a great round for us. Wade obviously achieved his first overall podium, and it was great to see Dylan get some improved results after a couple of tough rounds,” he said. “With the track dishing out such varying surfaces, it was fantastic to see that our products associated with the team really performed, and just allowed both of our riders to do their jobs well. “We’re having a lot of fun as a team going racing at the moment, and it’s always nice to leave the track with two healthy and happy riders – it’s still a long season, and anything can happen so we’re just going to keep putting in the work and hopefully the results will follow.”

INSTAGRAM: @raceline_motosport

SX , KTM 250 F X S 0 5 2 ES: KTM

BIK

SUPPORT RIDERS #17

K ER POZNIA #17 COOP Class: MXD Age: 17 SW odrising, N o W : n w to Home Darren Mechanic: rpozniak17 IG: @coope

RYKERS #3 JAYDEN Class: MX2 Age: 19 A : Byford, W Hometown kers Graham Ry Mechanic: rykers3 IG: @jayden

KTM’S SUPPORT RIDERS HAPPY AFTER TWO ROUNDS

In MX2 racing, KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Caleb Ward lost his lead in the MX2 championship after terrible luck at Broadford. The likeable North Queensland suffered a mystery engine failure while running top six in the first moto, then in the second, he had another rider high side directly in front of him as he had his KTM 250 SX-F in third gear with the taps wide open. Ward crashed heavily but managed to remount and limp home in 15th place, slipping from first to seventh in the championship. Raceline Pirelli KTM Motocross Racing Team development rider Dylan Wills was the highestplaced KTM rider on the day with sixth, while Jayden Rykers has moved from eighth to sixth to become the highest placed KTM rider in the championship, two points ahead of Ward. In the MXD class, Raceline Pirelli KTM Motocross Racing Team development rider Wade Kirkland moved into second place in the Under 19’s championship with third on the day, courtesy of 3-4 finishes aboard his KTM 250 SX. Seventeen-year-old KTM 250 SX-F rider Cooper Pozniak (KTM Newcastle) was seventh overall at Broadford and now holds fourth place on a very tightly packed under 19’s scoreboard.

FACEBOOK: /KTMAustralia

INSTAGRAM: @ktm.australia

ll : Troy Carro R E G A N A F TEAM M F & KX250 0 5 4 X K i k a as BIKES: Kaw IPS WON: 1 H S N IO P M CHA

MOSS #102 MATT Class: MX1 Age: 27 t, NSW Sussex Inle : n w to e m Ho ale Paul Teasd : ic n a h c e M 102 IG: @mossy

#102

OSIG #8 KADE M Class: MX1 6 2 : e g A le, VIC : Pearceda n w to e m o H Ben Dutton Mechanic: 8 IG: @mosig OSS # 6 JAKE M Class: MX2 7 2 : e g A NSW : Neringah, n w to e m o H ders Luke Saun Mechanic: oss06 IG: @jakem #8

BITTERSWEET DAY FOR NATIONAL PUMP MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI RACING TEAM AT BROADFORD

A rain-affected round three of the 2016 Motul MX Nationals at Broadford threw up mixed results for National Pump Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team. Matt and Jake Moss continued to run near the front of the pack, while MX1 contender Kade Mosig

in the second race. After a creditable fifth in the opening moto, Mosig fell during the opening laps of the afternoon race and was struck by another rider and had to be attended to by the RACESAFE Medical Team.

crashed out and is awaiting the outcome from scans as to the extent of his injuries. Heavy overnight rain turned the Broadford hillside into a quagmire before the gates opened, with on-track conditions being so treacherous officials cancelled qualifying and Super Pole. While conditions generally improved as the day progressed, another downpour during the second motos ensured the third round of the championship was one that tested the Kawasaki racers and their machines to the limit. In the premier MX1 class two-time national champion Matt Moss proved the KX450F excels in challenging conditions as he tore to a brace of third places for fourth overall. “It was a brutal track and I felt I rode well in the first race,” Moss reflected. “The second race didn’t quite go to plan even though I finished in a strong position. I made some big mistakes and nearly went down and that tightened me up and I couldn’t find my groove again. All in all it was a good weekend and you can’t complain about finishing such a tough day with two thirds. Having the next three weeks off will do me good and ensure I’m ready for the next round.” Meanwhile Moss’s fellow MX1 teammate Kade Mosig fell victim to the challenging conditions

“At the moment he’s under observation, but it looks as though he has a pelvic injury,” explained National Pump Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team manager Troy Carroll. “We’re not sure on the extent of the injury until we have some more scans and find out exactly what’s going on.” In the MX2 class, Jake Moss narrowed the points difference on the championship lead to just 11 points with a third and a seventh in his two outings for fifth overall. In a brutal opening race Moss and his KX250F handled the muddy conditions well on his way to a third position “That opening moto was hell,” Moss described. “I had a couple of crashes that weren’t my fault – the lappers were bad and I really had to pick and choose where to pass, but I was really happy with third place. In the second moto I focused on staying consistent and not crashing and that helped me finish the day in fifth overall.”

FACEBOOK: /KawasakiAustraliaMXRacingTeam

INSTAGRAM: @kawasakimotors

n e McKinno v te S : R E G A 0 TEAM MAN C450, FC25 F a rn a v q s BIKES: Hu

METCALFE #24 BRETT Class: MX1 Age: 31 : California Hometown y24 IG: @bmett

#24

ARBON #54 LUKE Class: MX2 3 2 : e g A : Gawler, SA Hometown on54 IG: @lukearb BARHAM #16 KALEB Class: MXD 7 1 : e g A nd : Queensla n w to e m o H barham_16 IG: @kaleb_

#16

#54

HUSQVARNA’S MEN MAKE THE BEST OF BROADFORD QUAGMIRE

Husqvarna Australia’s factory support men made the best of appalling conditions as today’s third round of the MX Nationals fell foul of unexpectedly heavy rain. This morning’s downpour turned a perfectly prepared Broadford track into an almost unrideable quagmire – but for Australia’s toughest professional motocross racers, the show went on regardless. For the famous crowned ‘H’ brand, it was the MX2 riders who stole the show, with SD3 Husqvarna’s Luke Arbon, and Nathan Crawford finishing third and fourth on the day behind Jed Beaton and Kyle Webster. It was a deserved podium for Arbon (8-2) who rode intelligently to eighth in a dicey first moto before powering to the runner-up position in the second. Crawford (4-5) scooped just one point less than Arbon on the day, and his good deeds have moved him to within just three points of the national championship lead after three rounds. Connor Tierney maintains his lead in the MXD category, despite a disappointing (by his standards) day that gave him 3-10, for sixth on the day. Fast-starting SD3 rider Kaleb Barham went one better off the back of two blistering holeshots, a 6-5 finish giving him fifth in the U19 class which was won by Mitchell Evans. In the premier class, Brett Metcalfe endured a tough day at the office on his SD3 Husqvarna FC450, his 5-5 result enough for fifth on the day, and to maintain his fifth place in MX1. Defending champion Kirk Gibbs won the day from Dean Ferris, with Todd Waters third.

was a challenge. Good starts definitely would have paid today, and I didn’t get ‘em. I’m a little bit frustrated about today for sure. Murray Bridge is my last round with the SD3 Husqvarna team so I’ll definitely knuckle down for the next two weeks and try to come away with a good result.” Luke Arbon – “The first moto for us was wild today because I don’t think people did very many practice laps and the track was just disgusting! It was a battle to get up some of the hills! I got a half decent start but just rode a little bit too tentatively, and ended up eighth, but I didn’t crash and that was the main thing. In the second moto I got a good start but once Jed passed me I tagged onto him for as long as I could and pulled a bit of a gap on third and rode my own race to the end. The track was pretty crazy so I was just happy for it to be over, pretty much. There’s a lot of fast guys this year so just being up there every week is the big thing.” Kaleb Barham – “Six-five for fifth overall for me today. I got two ripper starts today and got out of there, just rode some consistent laps to try to keep myself in the championship. That first Moto was something I definitely haven’t seen so far, it was very hectic, quite a challenge and something to learn from. I’m definitely looking forward to moving on to Murray Bridge. I’ll be training with Luke and Metty for a couple of weeks now so that should be absolutely unreal to be around them. I’m definitely very fortunate to be a part of this team.”

Brett Metcalfe – “It was just unfortunate, yesterday we walked the track and it looked amazing. But we had a lot of rain and the track this morning was atrocious. Really heavy mud. I actually had a good start in the first Moto but somebody stalled their bike at the end of a rut and I got stuck behind them so I got relegated back to 11th or something. I was able to find a little momentum and start to make some moves, but the track was very difficult to pass on. Very one-lined. It

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sqvarna BIKES: Hu

FC250

RD N CRAWFO A H T A N 9 9 #1 Class: MX2 Age: 18 : Brisbane Hometown n199 IG: @_natha

#199

R TIERNEY #7 CONNO Class: MXD 8 1 : e g A , WA : Kalgoorlie n w to e m o H l_ct7 IG: @therea SMALL #237 ZAK Class: MXD 8 1 : e g A , QLD : Bundaberg n w to e m o H all_ IG: @zaksm

#237

HUSQVARNA’S MEN MAKE THE BEST OF BROADFORD QUAGMIRE

For the famous crowned ‘H’ brand, it was the MX2 riders who stole the show, with SD3 Husqvarna’s Luke Arbon, and Nathan Crawford finishing third and fourth on the day behind Jed Beaton and Kyle Webster. Crawford (4-5) scooped just one point less than Arbon on the day, and his good deeds have moved him to within just three points of the national championship lead after three rounds. Connor Tierney maintains his lead in the MXD category, despite a disappointing (by his standards) day that gave him 3-10, for sixth on the day.

laps. I think I could have won but it didn’t end up that way, so I’m still happy with that. In the second one I don’t know what happened, I had a bit of a crash and just went downhill and I went 3-10. I don’t have any excuses for it, the bike was good, the team was good; I just had a bad race. I think I still have a decent lead in the championship, but obviously not what I wanted to come out with today. I got my first ever overall win at Murray Bridge last year so I’m looking forward to resting up, getting the body back in shape and seeing what we can do there next.”

Nathan Crawford – “Consistency was key today. That track in moto one was an absolute catastrophe. It actually looked pretty good on Saturday, and could have done with a little bit of rain, but clearly not the amount it had. It was one of those days where things could have gone wrong in a big way, so to come out three points away from the championship lead is something I’m pretty happy with – despite not finishing on the box. Now we move on to some tracks which are a bit more my style, and see how we go once we hit the loamier, more sandy style tracks.” Connor Tierney – “The track was so deep and so gnarly but I still managed to have a bit of fun out there. In the first race I got off to a bad start and came through the pack and caught up to the leaders, but I was just making too many mistakes in the last few

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ip Harrison P : R E G A N TEAM MA a CRF450R d n o H : S E BIK

SON #6 JAY WIL Class: MX1 Age: 21 W n Innes, NS le G : n w to Home Daryl Fenn Mechanic: son_6 IG: @jaywil

#117

N LONG #117 DYLA Class: MX1 Age: 21 IC : Benalla, V Hometown g rge Rawlin o e G : ic n a h Mec long IG: @dvlan

WILSON AND LONG RECORD BREAKTHROUGH RESULTS AT ROUND 3 OF THE MOTUL MX NATIONALS

Crankt Protein Honda Racing Team’s Dylan Long and Jay Wilson made further progress despite challenging conditions at round three of the Motul MX Nationals at the State Motorcycle Complex in Broadford yesterday. With heavy rain drenching the iconic venue prior to racing kicking off yesterday, both Long and Wilson rose to the occasion in the muddy conditions, walking

working on being able to keep that up on the CRF450 for the entire race. “At the moment I’m learning every time we go to the races, so it’s great to get another round under my belt, and we’re happy with the direction we’re going in with the bike and the team.” For Long, moto one proved to be a challenge,

away from the round with a handful of additional points in the overall championship standings. With qualifying and Superpole both removed from the MX1 schedule yesterday, when racing got underway, Wilson only narrowly missed out on the first holeshot – from there Wilson held on to fifth position, before lappers caused the Honda mounted rider to drop two places, seeing him conclude race one in 7th. After getting to a reasonably good start in race two, lapped riders once again made making passes difficult on the one lined Broadford circuit, and as a result Wilson settled for 8th position. With both results combined, Wilson wrapped up round three in 8th overall, and made up two positions in the MX1 championship standings. “There were a lot of positives to take out of round three. As a team we’ve made some great progress with the bike, and we’re content with how things ended up,” he said. “In race one, I was quite happy with the way I was riding and it was just a shame that lapped riders got in the way and held me up. We have the speed in the early stages of the moto, so I’m just

but despite stalling in the top section of the track, and suffering a small crash, the Honda mounted rider recovered to salvage 10th position. In race two, the ride of the day for the Honda backed team came from Victorian local Long. After getting to a solid start, Long fought off tough competition aboard his Honda, to race to an impressive fifth place finish. With a top five in the final race of the day, Long wrapped up round three in 6th overall at Broadford, and now sits in 7th in the MX1 championship standings. “Things went not too bad for me at Broadford. The track was pretty wet in some spots which made things interesting, but we had another good round on the Honda,” he said. “I didn’t have the best race in moto one, but in moto two I was able to stay consistent and finish in fifth position. For me, this was a much better result and it gives me a lot more confidence knowing that we can finish up there. “As a team we’ve learnt a lot these past few rounds, and I think we’re in a pretty good position now, so we’re looking forward to getting back out there at Murray Bridge.”

FACEBOOK: /TeamHondaRacing1

INSTAGRAM: @teamhondaracing

h ark Luksic M : R E G A N MA T: Glen Bell N E M P O L E RIDER DEV a CRF250R d n o H : S E BIK

#30

IGHTMAN #30 JOEL W Class: MX2 Age: 19 NSW ndonbrook le G : n w to Home an Ian Wightm Mechanic: htman IG: @joelwig

#96

ebster #96 Kyle W Class: MX2 Age: 19 A anneroo W W : n w to e Hom Mick Lillis Mechanic: ebster IG: @kylew

KYLE WEBSTER POWERS TO PODIUM PERFORMANCE AT CHALLENGING MX NATIONALS ROUND 3 AT BROADFORD

On a day when Mother Nature played her part in turning on extremely challenging track conditions at the Broadford circuit just north of Melbourne, Victoria, CRF Honda Racing’s new recruit Kyle Webster rose to the occasion to finish second overall on the day with two mighty podium performances in the MX2 category at today’s (May 1) round three of the 2016 Motul MX Nationals championships. Overnight storms turned the iconic Victorian race track into a quagmire, forcing the cancellation of timed qualifying and leaving riders with limited opportunity to prepare themselves for the extremely slick conditions. Webster though was ready to rise to the occasion and thanks to a strong start that put him amongst the top six runners on the first lap of the opening MX2 moto, the speedy Sandgroper kept his Honda CRF250R firing and pushed forward to take an eventual second place finish behind Jed Beaton. Boosted by the big result, Webster was keen for more in moto two, and with the track drying and conditions improving, the CRF Honda Racing rider kept up the strong form to finish third in moto two behind Beaton and Luke Arbon. With a 2/3 moto scorecard for the day, Webster locked down second overall for the round, splitting Beaton and Arbon, to give the Honda Red Riders their first MX2 podium placing at the MX Nationals in two years. “I’m really rapt with today,” beamed Webster after the Broadford podium celebrations. “Conditions were really tricky today, so I just want to thank CRF Honda Racing and all our great

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sponsors and supporters. The change to Honda this year has been a really good one for me and I want to thank everyone that helps get me to the startline, and in particular my mechanic Mick, for his huge commitment.” Meanwhile second CRF Honda Racing team rider Joel Wightman battled the testing conditions on his CRF250R thumper, finishing 12th in the opening moto and then making some mods to his machine to back up with a 13th place finish in moto two, giving the NSW Hunter Valley rider 13th place overall on the day. “Overall it was a great day for CRF Honda Racing,” enthused team owner/manager Mark Luksich. “Kyle’s performance was really impressive and it’s great to see him learning more about the strategy involved in putting together two strong races, as this season he’s shown he has the speed to run up the front, and now he has capitalised on it to get two great podium finishes. “Joel meantime is just chipping away at it, putting in the hard yards and without doubt it won’t be long before it all comes together and he will be delivering the results we all know he is capable of. “The commitment from everyone involved with the team, and from all our sponsors and supporters, is excellent and CRF Honda Racing looks forward to carrying today’s form into the upcoming rounds of the MX Nationals.”

INSTAGRAM: @crfhondaracing

er vin Crutch e K , n o s il le W y AGER: Nea son Corne a J : IC N A TEAM MAN H F HEAD MEC ki RMZ450 u z u S : S E BIK

#47

WATERS #47 TODD Class: MX1 Age: 25 D : Cairns, QL Hometown Mechanic: aters47 IG: @toddw

#15

WILSON #15 LUKE Class: MX1 Age: 26 QLD old Coast, G : n w to e Hom Mechanic: wilson15 IG: @__luke

PODIUM FINISH FOR WATERS AND WILSON COOLAIR MOTUL FACTORY SUZUKI AT ROUND TWO Despite only fielding one rider at round two of the Motul MX Nationals this weekend, Wilson’s Coolair Motul Factory Suzuki had plenty of reason to celebrate at Appin today, with Todd Waters putting on an impressive performance to wrap up the round in third position on the Thor MX1 podium. From the minute Waters hit the track this morning, it was evident that the combination of his speed, and and the Suzuki machine were going to be a force to be reckoned with at round two. And after qualifying in first position, Waters backed it up again in GoPro Superpole, taking the victory with an incredible 1:40.295 lap time. With first pick of the grid for race one this afternoon, Waters got to a middle pack start, before fighting through and launching into the race lead. After 30 gruelling minutes on the rough and rutty Appin circuit, Waters dropped back slightly to finish in third place at the conclusion of the moto. In race two, Waters upped his game once again, battling hard with his fellow Thor MX1 competitors, to eventually wrap up moto two in an impressive second position. With two podium finishes to his name across the course of round 2 at Appin, Waters wrapped up today’s racing in third overall, as well as making up valuable positions in the Thor MX1 Championship standings, with Waters now sitting in an impressive third place on 119 points. Todd Waters – Thor MX1 – (3rd, 2nd) 3rd Overall “I was a bit bummed with my first race to tell you the truth. I started the day off well taking the win in Superpole so I knew my speed was there, I just needed to get off the line well, but I sort of blew the start in the first moto,” he said. “I pushed my way through and got in to the

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lead and I started to settle in there, then Gibbsy got on to the back of me and I sort of just lost my head a bit. “My fitness is super good, and the bike is running perfectly, so in that first race it was all up to me and my headspace. In the second race I regrouped and managed to get on to the back of Brett Metcalfe but I just ran out of time. “Overall I’m very happy. We are constantly moving forward with the bike, and with the team and myself also, so this is what we want – consistent rides, and then hit the halfway mark in the series and put the hammer down. “My Suzuki is working very well, we made a few changes with Jay Foreman coming in to round two, and I’m really happy with the bike at the moment. I’m just going to go home, do my homework and see what I can do at round 3.” Neale Wilson – Wilson Coolair Motul Factory Suzuki Team Manger “Wow, what a day, we really couldn’t be happier,” he said. “Being a new team, we have worked very hard to get our package to where we want it, and its days like this that it really pays off. Todd rode very well in both races – he rode smart, and that’s what wins championships. “We have such a fantastic team to work with, as well as a number of very dedicated sponsors – the list is too long to even mention, so it’s a great reward for them to have Todd finish on the podium, especially in such a talent packed MX1 class. “Next round will be at Broadford, and we’re hoping by that stage we’ll have Luke back racing too, but all in all today we just couldn’t be happier, and we’re all looking forward to seeing what we can achieve at the next round.”

INSTAGRAM: @wilsonscoolairmotulsuzuki

vis Whitten ra T : R E G A F TEAM MAN AHA YZ250 M A Y : S E BIK

AKEHAM #9 KALE M Class: MX2 Age: 22 IC : Echuca V Hometown Darryl Hurd Mechanic: akeham96 IG: @kalem

IE DAVIS #20 LACH Class: MX2 9 1 : e g A VIC : Hamilton n w to e m o H n Derek Stee : ic n a h c e M d20 IG: @lachie MCKAY #46 HUGH Class: MXD 6 1 : e g A n TAS : Launcesto n w to e m o H ay Leigh Mck Mechanic: ckay46 IG: @hughm #46

#20

THE THIRD ROUND OF THE MX NATIONALS WAS A HOME ROUND FULL OF NOSTALGIA FOR THE PROFORMANCE TEAM

It’s one of the closest National tracks to their base at Echuca, and it was the last time Broadford would be used for many years for the series. With team rider Kale Makeham coming away with one of his best finishers at the previous round in Appin (2nd outright), spirits were very high for Broadford, with lots of local support for the team. Lachie Davis was still nursing his injury so Kale and Proformance MXD rider, Hugh McKay were leading the charge in the sloppy wet conditions for the team. During setup the conditions looked great, but the weather quickly deteriorated with wind and pouring rain reducing the track and pit area to mud and slop. While he likes the track, Broadford has been a bit of an Achilles heel for Kale over the years and sadly with two early moto crashes, success at this Broadford in 2016 was not to be. In horrid the conditions, all riders paid heavily for bad starts and crashes due to such limited opportunities for passing. Kale’s best lap times in the first moto did reflect those who finished at the pointy end of the field so while the pace was there, a few early mishaps and some later errors saw him finish 14th for the day. While not the result Kale wanted, he was cheerful at days end, reminiscing of all his racing at Broadford over the years. MXD rider, Hugh Mckay had a more fortunate run with one of his best rounds so far. After finishing

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8th in the first moto he followed that up with an even stronger 6th, which saw him finish the day in 8th overall. Like Kale, Hugh’s fastest lap times were very impressive, putting him in the top 5 in both races, which shows the Proformance tuned Yamahas are extremely competitive with the rest of the field. After round 3, Kale is currently sitting in 9th position with little separating 5th to 10th, he’s confident of moving further towards the pointy end. Hugh is also sitting at 9th in MXD which is particularly impressive given he’s the youngest rider in the field.

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g ale Hockin D : R E G A N TEAM MA aha yz250f m a Y f, 0 5 4 z aha y IPS WON: 0 BIKES: Yam H S N IO P M CHA

#70

G ON BOPPIN #70 LAWS Class: MX1 Age: 26 W idwood NS ra B : n w to Home e Jarrod Pyn Mechanic: 0 nbopping7 IG: @lawso

#12

ATON #12 JED BE Class: MX2 Age: 18 IC : Churchill V Hometown n Ross Beato Mechanic: aton12 IG: @jedbe

HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR BEATON WITH A CLEAN SWEEP AT ROUND THREE

Round 3 of the MX Nationals was one to celebrate for the DPH team with Jed Beaton going 1-1 in the 250cc class to take his first overall for 2016. Jed rode flawlessly at a track that proved testing to most riders and showed that he will be a strong contender for the 2016 Championship, now sitting in 1st in the standings. “Awesome day for me! My starts were a lot better and the track was very technical, it suited my style and felt super comfortable” Said Beaton.

beginning of the season and will be seeking further advice from doctors in the coming week. “I struggled with energy levels. I felt ok on the first couple of laps but by the end I was just circulating. I am hoping to get some tests done this week and will hopefully know more”. Said Bopping. DPH continue their assault on the 2016 MX Nationals Championship at Round 4 in Murray Bridge, SA on May 22nd 2016.

Maddy Brown also competed in the 250cc class, placing just outside the top 20 in 23rd and 27th respectively. “I crashed in both races but am happy with how I ended up” said Brown. A not so great day for Lawson who placed 9th in the first moto before a DNF in the second. Lawson has been struggling with on going health issues since the

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e n Blanchett e d y a B & AGER: Ben aha yz250f m a Y : TEAM MAN S E IK B

#18

N TANTI #18 AARO Class: MX2 Age: 19 NSW : Silverdale Hometown kin James Ran Mechanic: tanti18 IG: @aaron

#151

ND SUTHERLA #151 NICK Class: MX2 Age: 24 SW : Inverell N Hometown Glen Poole Mechanic: 1 therland15 IG: @nicksu

T S E G R A L S ’ A I L AUSTRA DIFFICULT WEEKEND AT APPIN FOR DPH MOTORSPORT

E G N A R R A E G S S O MOTOCR

Round 2 of the MX Nationals in Appin proved testing for the DPH Motorsport team with a number of challenges and no podiums results. All three DPH riders were present at Appin with female rider Maddy Brown making a guest appearance in the 250cc class while she is home for a short period in-between competing in the MXGP series overseas. Maddy qualified 36th and placed 31st and 35th in moto one and two respectively to see her placing 28th overall in a class that is heavily dominated by males. Jed qualified 7th and placed 10th and 7th respectively in moto’s to take out 8th position in the

250cc class. Lawson had an impressive start to the day, qualifying 5th and taking out 3rd in the GoPro Superpole to gain him an additional 1 point in the Championship. With impressive starts and some real pace, Lawson place 10th in moto 1 before a DNF saw him not finish moto 2 and finish in 18th for the round. “I felt terrible on the weekend and wasn’t riding like myself. My energy levels were really low. The positives were that my qualifying times and my starts”. Said Bopping.

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