Brief recap from ProMX Round Four in Gillman South Australia

2022 Penrite ProMX Championship
Round Four – Gillman, South Australia

The 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores visited Gillman in South Australia over the weekend for Round 4, with rain ahead of the event and a sandy surface ensuring close battles and amazing action out on track.

In MX1 Aaron Tanti took the overall win, running 2-1, while Brett Metcalfe was bumped down to second with his 1-2 result.

Wilson Todd dominated MX2, well clear of Alex Larwood in Moto 1 and Rhys Budd in Moto 2. Kayden Minear likewise dominated the MX3 class, while in the MXW Charli Cannon gapped the field for both moto wins.

Thor MX1 Race One

Once again the THOR MX1 field came into Round 4 with everything to play for with just one-point separating the Red Plate holder of Husqvarna Australia’s Todd Waters and CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Aaron Tanti. Tanti sent a message to the field in the morning claiming the fastest time in the AMX Superstores Top Ten Pole Shootout.

In the opening THOR MX1 Moto, it was South Australian Motocross legend Brett Metcalfe on the GO24 KTM who took the holeshot to the delight of the hometown fans.

Dean Ferris on the HRC Honda Factory Racing machine quickly mounted an attack, passing riders and taking the lead in turn 3 of the opening lap. As the field settled into track position, Metcalfe made his intentions to the hometown crowd clear, passing Ferris back for first place.

Metcalfe from here proceeded to shift another gear and check out from the THOR MX1 field. Ferris would begin to shuffle back through the field, with Tanti moving to second, KTM Australia’s Kirk Gibbs moving to third and setting his sights on Tanti.

The cluster of THOR MX1 superstars stayed in this procession with Ferris in fourth and Waters in fifth for the majority of the opening moto. Towards the end, Waters passed Ferris for fourth as Metcalfe took the win at the chequered flag, with Tanti second and Gibbs in third.

Dean Ferris rocketed out of the gate to the holeshot in Moto 2 before Aaron Tanti passed him for the lead in the opening lap. As Tanti established a strong track position out front, Ferris and Metcalfe ran in formation for 15 minutes with Metcalfe mounting attack after attack on Ferris without success.

With six minutes to go, Metcalfe would finally make the pass stick on Ferris into 2nd and set his sights on Tanti. A lap later Kirk Gibbs made the pass on Ferris into third and also joined the battle for the lead.

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A game of cat and mouse would ensue in the final 2 laps as Metcalfe went on to attack Tanti and then Gibbs would try to counter Metcalfe. Down the stretch it was Tanti who rode flawlessly and did not crack under relentless pressure to take the win with Metcalfe in second and Gibbs in third. Dean Ferris and Todd Waters rounded out the top five positions.

Aaron Tanti took the overall win for the Round with 2-1 Moto scores and also the coveted THOR MX1 Red Plate. Brett Metcalfe would match points with Tanti but claim second overall on the count back with Kirk Gibbs in third overall.

Thor MX1 Race One Results

Thor MX1 Race Two Results

Thor MX1 Points

Pirelli MX2

Wilson Todd had a point to prove at Gillman after conceding his first loss of the season at the previous Round in Wodonga and this was evident from the very first time Pirelli MX2 hit the track.

Taking out the fastest qualifying time in the Pirelli MX2 qualifying session, Todd would capitalise on great track position in Moto 1 to dominate every lap of the moto en route to the chequered flag and the Moto win.

Behind Todd, Empire Kawasaki’s Haruki Yokoyama would battle up front early as Serco Yamaha’s Bailey Malkiewicz would crash out of the moto at the end of lap 1 in spectacular fashion.

The Yamalube Yamaha mounted team mates of Alex Larwood and Rhys Budd moved consistently towards the front, with SA local Larwood in second and Budd in third at the finish.

Ride Red Honda’s Liam Andrews rode to another impressive performance in fourth position with the WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha Rider Ryder Kingsford charging from a bad start back to fifth.

Moto 2 would see Yokoyama Holeshot and lead on lap 1 before a freight train of Rhys Budd and Gas Gas Australia’s Noah Ferguson would battle past Yokoyama, as the pair fought hard for the lead position in the opening laps.

Wilson Todd mounted a clinical attack on the Pirelli MX2 field, clawing through from a bad start to pass into the lead position at the half way point. As the race progressed, Todd went on to decimate the field and built a huge lead before the chequered flag.

Rhys Budd and Noah Ferguson continued their epic battle all the way to the finish, with Budd just pinching second position at the flag. Ferguson finished third, with Ryder Kingsford in fourth and Jesse Dobson on the Serco Yamaha fifth.

In the overall standings, Wilson Todd took maximum points to the overall win with Rhys Budd in second and Ryder Kingsford third, capitalising on a chain issue for Alex Larwood in the closing laps to lock in the final podium overall spot.

Pirelli MX2 Race One Results

Pirelli MX2 Race Two Results

Pirelli MX2 Points

Maxxis MX3

In Maxxis MX3, the next generation of Australian Motocross talent put on a display of speed and youthful intensity on the sandy Gillman track.

In Moto 1 it was Connor Towill on the KTM Newcastle machine who took the holeshot and led the first half of the race, however at the halfway mark a small error in passing a lapped rider allowed KTM Australia mounted youngster Kayden Minear to take lead track position.

At the same time, Maxxis MX3 Red Plate holder Cambell Williams on the HRC Honda Racing Australia would crash battling with Jack Mather and fall from outside the top three. At the chequered flag it was Minear in first, with Towill rebounding for second and Jack Mather in third.

Moto 2 again saw Minear lead early and establish a strong track position ahead of the rest of the Maxxis MX3 field. The Husqvarna mounted duo of Jack Mather and Brock Flynn battled early in the top three spots.

Ride Red Honda mounted rider Ty Kean mounted a tremendous charge through to second position by the end of the moto, with Minear taking out a perfect 1-1 day and Jack Mather rounding out third position in the moto.

In the overall standings, Minear took the overall win and made up a huge 20-point margin in the Championship to close within just one point of Championship Red Plate holder Cambell Williams.

Maxxis MX3 Moto One Results

Maxxis MX3 Moto Two Results

Maxxis MX3 Points

EziLift MXW

The EziLift MXW class returned for their second round of the season at Gillman to the delight of the South Australian fans and it was Yamalube Yamaha’s Charli Cannon who picked up right where she left off at Wonthaggi for Round 1, absolutely dominating the field from the very first laps on the track, setting the fastest time in EziLift MXW qualifying.

In Moto 1, Cannon scored the holeshot and began to pull ground on the field, eventually extending that gap to over 40-seconds. Ride Red Honda’s Emma Milesevic tried her best to maintain vision of Cannon from second, but couldn’t maintain the leader’s pace.

Taylor Thompson rode in third until the very last lap of Moto 1, falling from position down to fith and handing Ride Red Honda’s Maddy Brown the final podium spot, 13-seconds off Milesevic.

Moto 2 would see a repeat with Cannon and Milesevic running first and second to the chequered flag as just 16-seconds separated the two, with Maddy Brown third, a minute off the lead, but well clear of fourth.

EziLift MXW Moto One Results

EziLift MXW Moto Two Results

EziLift MXW Points

2021 Australian ProMX Championship Calendar

1. March 27 – Wonthaggi, VIC
2. April 10 – Mackay, QLD
3. May 1 – Wodonga, VIC
4. May 29 – Gillman, SA
5. June 26 – Maitland, NSW
6. July 24 – Coffs Harbour, NSW
7. August 14 – QLD Moto Park, QLD
8. August 20-21 – Coolum, QLD