2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship – Round Ten – Coolum
— Moss, Styke and Harwood clinch 2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals titles
Team Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss wrapped up the 2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, after finishing third overall during the weekend’s season finale in Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The 25-year-old added the MX1 crown to his 2009 and 2011 MX2 titles, winning the first 30-minute moto at Coolum before sealing the title with a calculated ninth in moto two.
Winner of Coolum was Motocross World Championship-bound Todd Waters (Motorex KTM), taking out the GoPro Super Pole and then racing to 3-1 results for the overall. Waters was gracious in defeat, finishing runner-up for the second season in a row with a 16-point deficit to Moss following a hard-fought season.
Rounding out the podium was CDR Yamaha’s Billy Mackenzie, racing to a pair of seconds during the motos. He led much of moto two, but a crash mid-moto forced him to settle for second. Mackenzie wrapped up third overall in the championship, with his lone victory of 2013 coming at Hervey Bay’s seventh round.
Moss’ teammate Cody Cooper put forward a consistent effort in fourth with a 5-3 scorecard, beating home Waters’ teammate Kirk Gibbs. Gibbs was eighth in moto one despite a heavy early fall, but rode to fourth in the second moto.
In the Motul MX2 ranks it was Luke Styke who again confirmed his form as Australian champion, the newly-crowned title winner going 1-1 for his ninth overall of the season.
Second overall was Sunshine Coast local Brock Winston (Choice Motorsports KTM) with 2-2 finishes, however he led much of the opening moto before Styke struck in the closing laps. That result cemented him third overall for the season, one of the year’s revelations in his full time return to the sport.
Completing Coolum’s MX2 podium was rookie wonder Kale Makeham (Tune Tech Racing KTM), making it six straight podiums to close the season on his way to runner-up in the title race behind Styke. Makeham rebounded from a frustrating fall in moto one to end up third, and he replicated that result in the second outing of the weekend.
Fourth for the round was Kiwi Rhys Carter (Suzuki) with fourth in both motos, while young Victorian Dylan Long (KTM) raced to fifth via 6-5 results.
CMR Red Bull KTM rider Hamish Harwood made it the second year in succession that a New Zealand rising star won the Pirelli MXD title, following in the footsteps of Lamont 12 months ago.
Harwood clinched the title with third in moto one aboard his 250 SX, before winning moto two in style to conclude his Under 19s campaign.
Winning overall at Coolum was series runner-up Jay Wilson (GYTR Yamaha), claiming the first moto victory before finishing behind Harwood in the second.
A new face stood upon the podium in MXD at Coolum, Caleb Ward (KTM), who made his return from injury at Toowoomba and then rode to third today with 2-3 performances.
Coolum’s KTM 2-Stroke Cup round was won by TM Racing Australia’s new signing Nick Sutherland, while former MXD title winner Errol Willis (Yamaha) wrapped up the title with second overall. Second in the series belonged to Tyson Cherry (Yamaha), with Ryan Perry (Yamaha) third.
In the Veterans 30-39 Years it was Cheyne Boyd (Berry Sweet/Lucas Oil Yamaha) who swept the round and took his maiden national title from Cameron Taylor (Yamaha) and Travis Regeling (Honda).
The Veterans 40 years title was captured by Mark Oberthur (Suzuki) ahead of Paul Novak (KTM) and Clint Andrewartha (Suzuki). Today’s round was topped by Oberthur over Novek and Mitch Rowe (KTM).
2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round 10 – Coolum, Queensland
Monster Energy MX1 results:
1. Todd Waters 70
2. Billy Mackenzie 67
3. Matt Moss 61
4. Cody Cooper 57
5. Kirk Gibbs 53
6. Gareth Swanepoel 53
7. Adam Monea 51
8. Jake Moss 48
9. Jay Marmont 45
10. Sam Martin 41
Monster Energy MX1 championship standings (after 10 of 10 rounds):
1. Matt Moss 643
2. Todd Waters 627
3. Billy Mackenzie 583
4. Cody Cooper 535
5. Kirk Gibbs 528
6. Jake Moss 492
7. Jay Marmont 428
8. Adam Monea 427
7. Lawson Bopping 407
10. Sam Martin 335
Motul MX2 results:
1. Luke Styke 70
2. Brock Winston 64
3. Kale Makeham 60
4. Rhys Carter 56
5. Dylan Long 51
6. Beau Ralston 51
7. Ryan Marmont 48
8. Kayne Lamont 45
9. Kieran Scheele 42
10. Peter Boyle 42
Motul MX2 championship standings (after 10 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 683
2. Kale Makeham 564
3. Brock Winston 536
4. Ryan Marmont 446
5. Dylan Long 440
6. Rhys Carter 407
7. Takeshi Katsuya 398
8. Kayne Lamont 392
9. Geran Stapleton 349
10. Wade Hunter 330
Pirelli MXD results:
1. Jay Wilson 67
2. Hamish Harwood 65
3. Caleb Ward 62
4. Kyle Webste 54
5. Joel Wightman 52
6. Jake Emanuelli 50
7. Corey James 47
8. Dakota Court 46
9. Tomas Ravenhorst 44
10. Dylan Wills 41
Pirelli MXD championship standings (after eight of eight rounds):
1. Hamish Harwood 504
2. Jay Wilson 453
3. Jack Simpson 400
4. Corey James 383
5. Joel Wightman 369
6. Jesse Dobson 353
7. Jake Emanuelli 329
8. Joel Dinsdale 325
9. Logan Blackburn 293
10. Dakota Court 269
— Team Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Moss clinches 2013 MX Nationals championship
Team Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss clinched the 2013 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, at Coolum’s season finale on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland on Sunday, 1 September.
Moss, 25, added the premier MX1 title to his 2009 and 2011 MX2 championships, in what was his return to Australia with Motul Pirelli Suzuki after spending a season in the United States last year.
Today at Coolum Moss qualified second and won the opening 30-minute moto of the weekend in convincing fashion, before a calculated ninth in moto two sealed Motul Pirelli Suzuki and the RM-Z450’s first MX1 title since 2005 when Daryl Hurley achieved the feat.
“I feel really good,” Moss beamed after finishing third overall for the weekend. “I’d just like to thank Motul Pirelli Suzuki, Jay Foreman and the Foreman family. It’s such a loving family and we get on so good.
“I’m a happy guy at the moment, we’ve had such a great year. It was a little bit out of reach at the start, but Jay Foreman turned me around and said, ‘you can win this’, and we’ve done exactly that.”
Teammate Cody Cooper was fourth overall at Coolum via a consistent 5-3 scorecard on the second of the Motul Pirelli Suzuki RM-Z450s, finishing in that same position overall for the 2013 season.
“It’s been an up and down season, but an enjoyable one all the same,” current Kiwi champion Cooper commented. “I really have to thank Motul Pirelli Suzuki for their efforts all year long, as well as congratulate Matt on winning the championship.”
Combined, Motul Pirelli Suzuki won five of the 10 rounds contested; Moss taking victory at Broadford, Appin, Swan Hill and Toowoomba, while Cooper claimed the Conondale overall.
Team manager Jay Foreman said the championship came as a result of the team’s hard work, combined with Moss’ determination to succeed in the sport. After finishing a close runner-up in 2012, victory this year was ultra special for the entire team.
“We had an awesome day, as the whole year has been,” Foreman explained. “We had to work our way into it with Matt entering the season under an injury cloud, plus he didn’t have a lot of racing last year.
“He’s built momentum every week and improved so much. It just shows the maturity Matt has gained in his racing today and it’s a great result for the entire team.
“Cody was also very consistent for us today and we congratulate both of the guys on the efforts put forward all season long. It’s been an exceptional year for everybody involved.”
Team Motul Pirelli Suzuki will now turn its attention to the Australian Supercross Championship, which commences at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway alongside the Australian Superbike Championship weekend on 14-15 September.
— Serco Yamaha
Luke Styke added the final piece of the puzzle and round out a sensational, almost never to be repeated season, for the factory supported Serco Yamaha MX2 team at the final round of the 2013 MX Nationals at Coolum on the weekend.
Styke took his ninth round win for the year in his usual dominant fashion, taking P1 in qualifying and then winning both motos contested. He worked hard for his win in moto one, battling with local hero Brock Winston, before breaking away late in the race to take the win. He then smashed the field in race two.
Styke had already wrapped up the championship the week prior at round nine and was racing for pride at Coolum and to give his team the perfect season.
“I didn’t want to just ride around and back it in at the end of the year. I wanted to win the final round and give the team the result and the season they deserve,” said Styke.
“The Coolum track was in perfect condition and the changes they made to the circuit made it fun and challenging to race. The venue always makes for a great final round of the season and to win it after the year we have had so far, makes it even better.”
In short, the Serco Yamaha season tally reads like this; 2013 MX2 champions, victorious in all 10 rounds contested with Styke claiming the overall win at nine rounds and teammate Luke Clout taking the other win. In single races, the Serco team won 17 out of the 20 contested in 2013.
It was a complete domination of the MX2 championship and one that will long live in the memory of the Serco Yamaha team and their riders.
“We had a goal at the start of the year and we more than matched it,” said team crew chief Michael Marty. “To win as many races as we did and every round contested at the MX Nationals in 2013 has been amazing and it has been a dream run for us and our first championship victory since 2007.
“Everyone on the team went the extra step to ensure this year was a good one for us and no short cut was taken. Our riders stepped up, our sponsors stepped up and the support from Yamaha has been first class.
“It is going to be hard to top 2013 but we can always be better and we now move towards the Australian Supercross Championship with the hope of getting similar results, starting in Darwin in two weeks’ time.”
— KTM Report
The championship might have been just out of reach, but Motorex KTM rider Todd Waters proved he’s back in race-winning nick, taking out the tenth and final round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals at Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Waters’ victory – his first since round three of the MX Nationals where his early season blitz established a 44-point lead – came after he won the Go Pro Super Pole, then carded 3-1 finishes to win the day from Billy Mackenzie and Matt Moss.
Team mate Kirk Gibbs, who scored his maiden MX1 win just a week ago at Echo Valley, fell heavily early in the first moto and could only manage 8-4 finishes today, but it was easily enough for him to achieve his season goal of fifth in his first season in the top grade.
For Waters, who will race Grand Prix motocross for the Husqvarna factory team in the World MX1 Championship in 2014, the win was a fitting way to farewell the sport in Australia and his many fans.
Rob Twyerould: “Todd probably didn’t ride as well as he would have liked in the first moto. Jake made it very tough for him to get by and it allowed Mackenzie and Matt Moss to get away. But with a few small changes Todd went back out in the second and looked like a different person. He was so in control of that moto that he got the length of straight lead on Mackenzie and just dictated the pace. It was a fantastic way to finish and move on to Europe. We did everything we could to win the championship but it wasn’t to be with the injuries he suffered, but now he’s back at full strength and looking forward to bigger and better things overseas.
Kirk unfortunately fell challenging for third early in the first and the bike landed on him. In the second he didn’t really get in the groove until the last five laps and then he was just on fire. He caught and passed Swanepoel and then got Monea with a drag race to the finish. He never gave up and got his fifth in the championship so it was a fantastic effort.
I’ve just got to say thanks to everyone involved in this; my guys Ryan, Apro, Kyle and Johnny D, and a big thanks to Jeff for having the faith in me to put the team together, it’s been an absolute honour. And thanks to everyone from KTM in Perth who text me all weekend to encourage the boys – it’s just been unbelievable.”
Todd Waters (SP 1st and 3, 1): “It was a good way to end up, I’m a little disappointed not to get the championship but after two major injuries I still finished strong and I’m pretty proud of that. It feels so good to be up there getting wins again. I’m getting back up there and it’s a shame the season isn’t two rounds longer…
Thanks so much to my mechanic Ryan, and to Jeff who was here today – these guys are a massive part of why I’m standing on the top step today and second overall in the championship. I have a different story to others. When I was growing up, the guys behind Jay and Ryan Marmont were Jeff Leisk, Robbie T, and Danny Apro and the team and it was one of my dreams to ride for them and now I’ve done that. I want to be a world champion, and Rob said to me at the start that when our time was over he wanted to wave me goodbye on a plane. Almost everything’s gone to plan, we’ve got the ride overseas and there’s one person in particular to thank for that, so thank you Rob.”
Kirk Gibbs (SP 4th and 8, 4): “A bit of a struggle today! I had a good start in Race 1 and was third battling with Jake and Billy. We changed positions a few times, then round the last turn Jake cut in front of me and I washed the front into a rut and went over the bars. It was pretty big and I got up pretty sore but I got back on and pushed home in eighth. In the second I was tight after the crash and I went backwards but then in the last 15 I charged back into fourth. I wish the day went a little better but these things happen. My team has been awesome this season. They’ve put in a massive effort and I can’t thank them enough. I wanted a top-five result for my first year and we got that. I know what to expect next year now and I hope to be a title contender.”
MX2 and MXD In the MX2 category, Choice Motorsports KTM-mounted Brock Winston took a pair of seconds behind champion-elect Luke Styke, with Tune Tech Racing KTM rider Kale Makeham’s two thirds enough to wrap up the runner up position. In the MXD division, CMR Red Bull KTM rider Hamish Harwood will look to put the U19 title out of reach with another consistent and fast performance.
— Carlton Dry Honda Report
Carlton Dry Honda Racing has closed out the MX Nationals with two, top ten round results at Coolum Motocross Track today.
Peter Boyle achieved his goal of breaking into the top ten, finishing ninth in the opening MX2 moto and tenth for the round.
Teammate Gareth Swanepoel ended the round sixth in the MX1 class after finishing fourth in Moto 1 and sixth in Moto 2.
In the final 10 minutes of Moto 2 the South African struggled to grip with his left hand after tearing opening a couple of large blisters.
“I had a really good first race,” Swanepoel said. “I was eighth or ninth off the start worked my way up into fourth.
“I closed in on Todd (Waters) but I had a problem with my goggles and had to throw them off with a few laps to go. With no goggles I couldn’t push as hard so I missed out on a top three finish.
“In the final moto I didn’t get a good start. I then got stuck behind Jay (Marmont) for ages but once I finally past him I made up some ground. With about 10 minutes to go I tore the blisters on my left hand open and I struggled with grip,” he continued.
Whilst more at home at an endurance event Peter Boyle thanked the Carlton Dry Honda Racing Team for the opportunity and said he enjoyed the experience.
“I had an awesome time over the past few weeks,” Boyle said. “I met a lot of new people and it was a really good experience, but off-road is definitely my thing.
“In the first race today I was up as high as sixth before the arm-pump kicked in. I dropped a few spots after that and finished ninth which was my best result yet.
“In the second race I struggled with the heat and the track got very rough. I finished eleventh which was a bit disappointing but I achieved my goal by finishing 10th overall for the round,” he added.
The Carlton Dry Honda Racing Team will now prepare for the opening round of Milwaukee presents the Terex Australian Supercross Championship at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway on September 14 – 15.
— GYTR Yamaha
GYTR Yamaha’s Jay Wilson came home with a wet sail to win the final round of MXD competition and claim second in the championship after the 2013 MX Nationals were wrapped up at the Coolum Pines circuit on the Sunshine Coast, over the weekend.
Wilson took thee round win with a victory in the opening moto and then a well-constructed ride to second in the final leg to make it back to back round wins and storm into second place in the final championship standings.
After some tough luck and not so good form at the opening three rounds of the championship, Wilson turned the cornered at the half way point and has motored home with 2-1-2-1-1 results at the final five rounds and re-established himself as an elite racer of the future.
“Today was another good weekend for me and I was able to get the starts I needed and ride my own race in both motos. At the start of the year I wasn’t able to do that as my starts were terrible and things just weren’t going my way but the team kept encouraging me, I kept working hard at training and things came around and I was able to finish the championship off strongly.”
The half way break in the season was pivotal to Wilson as it gave him time to take stock and reassess what his goals were.
“I took a few days off, decided to try and enjoy my racing and lighten up a bit on race day and then set a goal of trying to win the second half of the series,” Wilson explains. “It’s nice to be able to do that and I have really enjoyed working with the GYTR Yamaha team; they’re a great bunch of guys and I owe them a huge thanks as well as my family and sponsors.
“I also want to congratulate Hamish on his championship win. He deserved the success as he barely made a mistake all year and was on the podium every round.”
Joel Dinsdale underwent surgery on his hand and thumb and is on the road to recovery. He is expected to be off the bike for at least six weeks.
