MX1 Rnd 3 Overall
1. Brad Anderson 67
2. Todd Waters 63
3. Lawson Bopping 57
4. Josh Coppins 56
5. Cody Cooper 50
6. Jake Moss 47
7. Jay Marmont 44
8. Tye Simmonds 39
9. Dylan Peterson 35
10. Dean Porter 32
MX1 Series Points
1. Josh Coppins 181
2. Brad Anderson 161
3. Todd Waters 152
4. Jake Moss 148
5. Lawson Bopping 146
6. Jay Marmont 139
7. Cody Cooper 137
8. Tye Simmonds 133
9. Daniel Reardon 96
10. Daniel McCoy 83
MX2 Rnd 3 Overall
1. Ford Dale 69
2. Luke Styke 60
3. Josh Cachia 57
4. Adam Monea 55
5. Cheyne Boyd 49
6. Kirk Gibbs 43
7. Kade Mosig 43
8. Errol Willis 39
9. Geran Stapleton 36
10. Lewis Woods 29
MX2 Series Points
1. Luke Styke 192
2. Ford Dale 179
3. Kirk Gibbs 162
4. Josh Cachia 149
5. Kade Mosig 140
6. Cheyne Boyd 136
7. Adam Monea 135
8. Errol Willis 115
9. Justin McDonald 110
10. Ryan Marmont 91
MXD Rnd 3 Overall
1. Kayne Lamont 61
2. Sam Martin 57
3. Kale Makeham 56
4. Dylan Leary 53
5. Dylan Long 44
6. Ben George 43
7. Joel Milesevic 39
8. Jay Wilson 39
9. John Phillips 36
10. Mitch Budd 36
MXD Series Points
1. Dylan Long 168
2. Sam Martin 157
3. Dylan leary 157
4. Kayne Lamont 155
5. Kale Makeham 152
6. Joel Milesevic 131
7. Jay Wilson 128
8. Mitch Norris 123
9. Mitch Budd 90
10. Dylan Wills 87
Round 3 Gallery
— Coppins and Styke win for Yamaha at Wanneroo Monster Energy MX Nationals
CDR Yamaha enjoyed a glorious return to Western Australia on Sunday, 13 May, for the fourth round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals at the sand-filled Wanneroo Motocross Park.
MX1 series leader Josh Coppins picked up his second win of the season in an impressive performance, winning motos one and three to extend his championship lead to 42 points despite riding through the pain of a pinched nerve in his neck.
“The last round didn’t go to well for us, so it’s nice to bounce back and I really want to thank CDR Yamaha for all their hard work,” the New Zealander said. “We’ve been working really hard, they’ve been looking after me and I can’t say thanks to the team enough. It’s pretty tough out there, so I just want to try get rid of my injury, loosen up and try ride a bit better as the season goes on.”
Despite the relentless sand whoops of Wanneroo that formed throughout the round, Australia’s leading contenders pushed at 100 percent during all three of the pro motos in the series’ first visit to WA since 2009.
Backing Coppins up to make it a Yamaha 1-2 was teammate Lawson Bopping, who picked up his second podium of 2012 after a consistent effort. Bopping claimed second in moto one, third in moto two and sixth in the final outing.
Continuing his spectacular run of results since joining Motul Pirelli Suzuki was Todd Waters, finishing third overall in what was his third podium in four rounds. Waters was fourth in motos one and two, before a third in the final moto sealed the podium.
Completing the top five was Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing’s Brad Anderson and Waters’ teammate Cody Cooper. Top privateer finisher was Simmonds Racing Honda rider Tye Simmonds in sixth.
The hard-luck story of the round was defending four-time champion Jay Marmont, who broke through for his first win of the season for the Monster Energy squad in moto two. His day ended early in moto three though, forced out late in the moto as his pre-season knee injury continues to take its toll.
Motul MX2 championship leader Luke Styke picked up his second overall of the season for Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing, winning motos one and two before finishing fourth in the gruelling final moto.
“After putting in hard this weekend, I just want to thank the Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing team and the club for a great event,” Styke said. “It was a good weekend and it feels good that all the hard work is paying off for all of us, but it’s early in the season and we need to keep trying the best we can.”
Styke won ahead of DPH Motorsport Honda’s Cheyne Boyd, who enjoyed a consistent round for his first podium of the season. After setting pole on Saturday, Boyd raced to second in moto one and third in the final two motos of the round.
Zero Seven Motorsports Suzuki rider Adam Monea was third overall, winning the final moto in a dominant performance. The Victorian was yet again back to his best in WA, edging out fellow Victorian Kade Mosig for the final position on the podium by just a single point.
Motorex/KTM’s Josh Cachia completed the top five despite battling through the day with an expected bout of appendicitis, heading another Victorian in Lewis Woods. Woods enjoyed his best round of the season by far for the Hart and Huntington/InsureMyRide team.
Title contenders Ford Dale (Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing) and Kirk Gibbs (Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing) had a day to forget, with Dale taking seventh after a troublesome day, while Gibbs will have to settle for 13th after a flat tyre in moto one forced him out of the points.
Styke now enjoys a handy 39-point lead in the series ahead of Dale, while Gibbs remains third as we approach the halfway point.
The Australian Motocross Championship will now head straight to Murray Bridge in South Australia for round five of the Monster Energy Mx Nationals this weekend on 20 May.
— Carlton Dry Honda Report
Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing’s Brad Anderson and Ford Dale have endured a difficult weekend at West Australia’s AJS Motorcycle Club finishing fourth and seventh at Round 4 of the Monster Energy MX Nationals.
Both riders showed good pace over the weekend and leave the West retaining second place in their respective MX1 and MX2 Championships.
After qualifying second, Anderson got a good start in the opening MX1 moto. The Brit was second off the line and passed Jay Marmont for the lead on the opening lap of the race.
A small mistake allowed Josh Coppins to sneak past and whilst trying to pass him back up the inside, Anderson went down. He remounted and eventually finished the race third.
Bad luck seemed to snowball for Anderson in Moto 2, the harder he tried to recover the further down the order he fell, finishing an unlucky 13th.
The Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing rider made a good recovery in the final 30-minute moto to finish second.
“I am really disappointed with this weekends results,” Anderson explained. “I let myself down making silly mistakes.
“The second race was a disaster. I lost my head a bit because I knew I should have been further up the order but no matter what I tried, it just seemed to get worse.
“I was determined to turn things around in Race 3. I passed both Josh (Coppins) and Jay (Marmont) on the opening lap but I made a mistake a couple of laps later and Josh (Coppins) got past me.
“It was important to finish the event with a good race result and thankfully I leave Perth still sitting second in the standings. Unfortunately though, I now have a lot more points to redeem to catch Josh (Coppins),” Anderson added.
In the MX2 class Ford Dale qualified third but a crash on the first lap of Moto 1 left him to fight back from dead last. Dale finished the race eighth.
A bad start in Moto 2 put Dale back in the pack again. The Honda rider worked his way up to fourth and was making ground on the front-runners but ran out of laps to progress any further.
Bad luck returned in Moto 3, Dale crashed while was sitting fourth and had to work his way back up the order.
Finishing 10th in the final race saw Dale end the round seventh and sees him retain second in the MX2 standings by just two points.
“It definitely wasn’t the best weekend,” Dale said. “I felt good on the bike but nothing really gelled for me.
“I am going to change my preparation for the next round and come in with a new game plan.
“I think I may have over prepared for this weekend. I have been working harder than ever before but I came in not feeling 100%. I am going to back it down a bit on the riding side so I am turning up fresh.” he continued.
The Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing riders will head home to prepare for Round 5 of the Monster Energy MX Nationals that will be held at South Australia’s Murray Bridge on Sunday May 20.
— Cachia fights to top five finish in Western Australian MX Nationals round
JDR/KTM Factory Racing’s Josh Cachia finished a fighting fifth position in Wanneroo’s fourth round of the MX2 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, on Sunday, 13 May.
In the series’ first visit to WA since 2009, Cachia raced to fifth overall to maintain the same place in the championship standings on the team’s lone 250 SX-F for the round, despite suffering from appendix concerns on race day.
The Victorian fought his way to fourth in moto one after leading early on in the race, then he raced to sixth in moto two and an admirable eighth in the final outing before being transported to hospital for observations.
Cachia’s teammate Ryan Marmont was forced out of Wanneroo after undergoing hand surgery earlier this week, while Brenden Harrison continues to recover from pre-season surgery on his leg.
JDR/KTM Factory Racing contender Dan Reardon suffered a frustrating day in WA, finishing 18th overall after a spate of bad luck hampered his performance on the KTM 450 SX-F in the premier MX1 ranks.
Reardon crashed in moto one and finished 18th, before a heavier crash in moto two saw him suffer a concussion. He circulated to 12th, however was later ruled out of the final moto of the round. Reardon now sits 10th in the championship standings.
“When I crashed in moto two it kind of felt like I had hurt my neck because my head seemed really heavy, but then when I saw the RACESAFE medical guys it looked more like I was concussed,” Reardon explained.
“I tried to race the final moto just to get some points, but it wasn’t to be and it was a tough way to finish the weekend. I’ll keep working though and can hopefully have a much better weekend in South Australia.”
— CDR Yamaha Report
In what many regard as the toughest and most challenging rounds of the MX National circuit, the CDR Yamaha duo of Josh Coppins and Lawson Bopping overcame their rivals, the energy sapping sand and the bike swallowing whoops to claim an emphatic 1-2 finish at round four of the Monster Energy MX Nationals at Wanneroo in WA.
The deep sand of WA always proves to be a vital round of the championship and it’s a place where only the strong survive as the gruelling sand circuit becomes a minefield of chest deep sand whoops that cover the entire track. The lap-times slow up to 15 seconds a lap throughout the day as the soft surface cuts up and it provides the ultimate challenge to the riders, teams and machines.
CDR Yamaha more than met that challenge.
Josh Coppins was on song all weekend, posting fast laps in the free practice and carrying that form into qualifying where he took pole position. He immediately stamped his footprint on the round with a win in moto one and, a hard fought second in moto two but it was a gut busting ride in moto three that flawed his competition and set Coppins ahead of the pack.
In 30 minutes of racing, Coppins took control of the race and ground his opponents into the sand. He maintained his intensity all the way to the finish and lapped up to an amazing eighth place to win the final moto and claim the round overall with 1-2-1 positions. He also extended his lead out to a healthy 42 points.
“It was a hard day on a tough track and physically very taxing, but that it what we train for and what can separate the riders,” Coppins explains. “When you cross the finish-line in the final moto totally spent, but at the same time achieving your goals, that is what racing motocross is all about.”
“Today was a rewarding day not just for me but the team with Lawson also on the podium. Everyone put in and we got the result we worked for and deserved.”
A second place overall at Wanneroo makes it two podiums in a row for Lawson Bopping. Growing in confidence and stature at each and every race, Bopping is proving to be the brightest young star in the premier MX 1 class showing he has the heart and determination to climb his way to the top.
Bopping posted 2-3 finishes in the opening two, back to back, motos and was well placed in the points entering the final 30 minute moto. Bopping battled all the way to the finish in a workman like performance to finish sixth in the moto and make it a CDR 1-2 round finish in the process.
Bopping now moves to fourth in the championship just eight points away from second place.
“I’m feeling ok but I just couldn’t ride any faster!” Bopping said moments after the race. “The last race was brutal as the track was so rough and whooped out but I just kept at it and no way was I going to stop fighting.”
“Like last week, I’m pumped with another podium and a second place finish here is awesome. The CDR Yamaha team has been fantastic and have really challenged me to lift my game and so far things have worked out well since I have joined the team.”
“As my riding has stepped up and my speed is better, I need to match my fitness to the improvement in my speed to keep getting closer to Josh and the championship leaders.”
Just as exhausted as the riders was Team Manager, Craig Dack, who despite being on the sidelines, rode every bump of every lap with his riders and couldn’t be prouder of the effort his entire team have put in.
“I have been coming to WA for 30 years now and it is a great place to race. The track, the spectators and the atmosphere are all unbelievable and it forces the cream to ride to the top.”
“This is a huge highlight for me at CDR to have our riders’ finish 1-2 in the toughest event of the season. It was a fantastic day and an awesome performance but as I spoke with them after the race, it’s not even half way through the championship and we can’t afford to take our eyes off the prize. We must remain focused and continue to work hard,” Dack comments.
There is only a one week turn around before the CDR Yamaha team face the start gates again next weekend in Murray Bridge, South Australia. Again it will be time to roll up the sleeves and get to work on what also traditionally is a tough track for competitors.
MX1 Overall Results:
1. Josh Coppins – 72 (CDR Yamaha)
2. Lawson Bopping – 57 (CDR Yamaha)
3.Todd Waters – 56 (Suzuki)
4. Brad Anderson – 50 (Honda)
5. Cody Cooper – 46 (Suzuki)
6. Tye Simmonds – 45 (Honda)
7. Daniel McCoy – 42 (Suzuki)
8. Jay Marmont -38 (Kawasaki)
9. Mike Phillips – 33 (Honda)
10. Gordon Crockard – 32 (Yamaha)
MX1 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 253 (CDR Yamaha)
2. Brad Anderson 211
3. Todd Waters 208
4. Lawson Bopping 203 (CDR Yamaha)
5. Cody Cooper 183
6. Tye Simmonds 178
7. Jay Marmont 177
8. Jake Moss 157
9. Daniel McCoy 125
10. Daniel Reardon 107
– Serco Yamaha
Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racings’ Luke Styke claimed his second round win and fourth consecutive podium with a dominant performance at round four of the MX Nationals held at Wanneroo, WA, over the weekend.
The Nowra based Styke has been a revelation in season 2012 and continues to impress with his new found speed, skill, determination and work ethic. The Wanneroo round tests all those aspects of a rider and Styke came through with flying colours to take the round win and move 39 points clear in the championship chase.
Posting the second fastest lap time in qualifying, Styke knew he had the speed to run at the front and he immediately got to work in race one and two in the back to back motos and took the win in both motos and set up his day.
Moto three saw Styke take a mature approach allowing the race to unfold and settle into a groove that he could sustain for the full 14 laps and secure the all-important round win. He moved into fourth place with a few laps remaining and that was more than enough to stand atop of the podium on a day that really challenges all riders.
“I really like racing in sand but it is always hard work when we race here at Wanneroo. It’s an awesome track but to ride it well you really have to flow well and be ready physically or this place can punish you.”
“I did exactly what I needed to do and that’s win the races that I can and be up the front in those that I can’t. Consistently good results are what it takes to win a championship and so far things are working well and the Serco team are doing a great job,” Styke said.
Team mate Kirk Gibbs faced some adversity despite racing well in the tough conditions. A flat tyre early in moto one saw Gibbs return to the mechanics area to change the rear wheel but left him out of the points. He bounced back strongly in moto two with a second place finish and salvaged some much needed points.
Race three and 14 laps is a tough ask of any rider, but with Gibbs still dealing with wrist injuries from a pre-season fall, the race was always going to be about survival. He hung tough the entire moto and took a well-earned sixth place finish, leaving him in 10th for the round but still remains third overall in the series standings.
“This year I seem to struggle to string three races together to make a good round. The last two races today were good but that DNF in the first race cost a lot of points and set me back in the overall.”
“With Luke being so consistent, no rider can afford to drop motos. But we head to my home state next week and its time I got it together and put in three good races at the level I’m capable of!” he says determinedly.
“It was a good day for us,“ explains Team Manager, Michael Marty. “Luke proved he has matured immensely and knows when to pull the trigger or play it smart on the track. Kirk is just copping some rotten luck and his wrist isn’t good but he never complains and he fights for every point. With the break coming up after the next round, it will give him a change to heal up and coming home strongly at the final five rounds.”
Murray Bridge in South Australia hosts the MX Nationals this weekend as round five, the halfway point of the championship, gets under way. It is a home state round of Kirk Gibbs where he dominated last year.
— DPH Motorsports
DPH Motorsport Honda Racings Cheyne Boyd enjoyed his first podium this season with a 2nd place victory at the Wanneroo round of the MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, on Sunday, 13 May, in Western Australia.
Team manager Brad McAlpine was pleased with the result and the development to date of the bikes, “the bikes are working well. We made some suspension changes to suit the sandy conditions and the result was Cheyne qualified very well, we checked the motor after qualifying and everything was looking good so we went into the motos confident of a good result. Full credit to Choice Suspension who have worked tirelessly to get the suspension setups to a point where they work well with Cheyne and the conditions”.
The podium at Wanneroo has boosted Cheynes Standing in the Championship now sitting in 4th position after 4 rounds. Cheyne had had his sights set on a podium finished and this week realised that goal”.
“I was really pumped to finish 2nd on the day and score some really good points. The team has worked really hard, both Dale and Brad have been amazing and couldn’t ask for better people to be in my corner.”
“It was great to reward them with that result. I felt really comfortable in the sand all weekend, my starts were a lot better which for sure makes it easier especially in the back to back Moto’s. I know there is room for improvement and that I need to continue to work hard. Luke Styke is riding really well and seems to have his starts dialled in consistently. I know I can achieve the same consistency and am working hard to regain that form, each round brings us a little bit closer to achieving that goal”.
“Overall Wanneroo was a step in the right direction even though it wasn’t a win it was nice to be on the Podium for Team DPH Motorsport and Honda Racing with a second place”.
“I know we have more wins to come and with the whole team working toward that goal I am looking forward to this weekend at Murray Bridge, I always done well there so I can’t wait to show everyone how far we’ve come as a new team.”
“Thanks to everyone at Honda Racing and Choice Suspension for their support and the team who are behind me 110%. I look forward to many more podiums”.
Team owner Dale Hocking said “This is what it’s all about, to have a podium finish and gain valuable championship points is what we as a team are gunning for every round. It was great to see Cheyne on the podium and hopefully we can back it up with another win next week at Murray Bridge.”
– Kawasaki Report
Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jay Marmont rode through pain to take his first moto win of the season at a grueling Wanneroo track for the 4th round of the 2012 Monster Energy MX Nationals. A DNF in the final moto for both Marmont and Dylan Peterson kept Monster Energy Kawasaki from the podium in the MX1 class and Kade Mosig was unlucky not to podium in the MX2 class, missing out by just 1 point after two top 3 finishes.
Jay Marmont went into the 4th round at Wanneroo on the back foot after aggravating a knee injury that has affected him throughout the series. Although he was not 100% physically, with support and training advice from friend and Perth local Danny Green, Marmont lined up at Wanneroo in a healthy state of mind. Riding through immense pain, Marmont managed to hole-shot all three races and take his first race win of the series. A small crash in the opening stages of the first moto put Jay to the back of the pack, forcing him to ride through for an 8th place finish. Marmont was flawless in the second race, overtaking the series leader to take his first win on board the Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F. Another good start in the final race put Marmont in a good position for a podium finish however exhaustion, pain and a severe calf cramp took its toll on the Australian champion. After a small get off, Marmont couldn’t remount his bike to continue and had to retire. Marmont’s 8-1-DNF result gave him 8th place for the round.
Jay Marmont’s 2012 MX campaign has received a real boost with his race win under such difficult circumstances at round four. Marmont is looking forward to grabbing as many points as he can next week before the long mid series break that will allow him to heal 100% for the remainder of the long series.
Jay Marmont say’s, “Mixed emotions today. I hole-shot the first race and think I could’ve won it. I felt my pace was good and went from almost dead last back up to 8th. I hole-shot the second race then Coppins got me. I played a bit of cat and mouse with him and worked out where I was faster and was able to pass him for a race win which was awesome for myself and the team. The last race was tough. I got the hole-shot again. Brad and Coppins passed me but I managed to pass them back. I had three drips today trying to get my fluids up and my knee’s giving out pretty bad. I had to work super hard in that last one, I was riding pretty messy. I was holding my own but had a crash and hit my calf muscle really hard. The cramps were just unbelievable.”
“I feel my pace has picked up a lot in the last few weeks. I got three hole-shots today and the bike’s working awesome. I just need to get through Murray Bridge and then take some time off to get my knee 100% right so I’m not having to work so hard in these motos.”
Dylan Peterson continues to take advantage of his opportunity to race on board the Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F with two strong finishes at Wanneroo. Peterson took 11th in the opener and then backed that up with a strong ride in the second moto to take 7th place however a big crash in the final race ended his day. A trip to the hospital revealed fluid on his knee that should subside in time for the next round this weekend.
Dylan Peterson say’s, “That was the toughest track of the season, she was gnarly. I had average starts all day. I had a spill in the first that kept me back at 11th. I came back from another bad start in the second moto and pushed to 7th. I had a big crash over the bars in the last race and clipped my knee pretty bad and then landed on it. I’m pretty happy with my results. I know where I’m at now. I’m just outside the top 5. With some good starts my results will definitely improve. I’m looking forward to Murray Bridge.”
MX2 rider Kade Mosig was unlucky not to grab his second podium of the series at Wanneroo. Mosig rode well on the extremely tough track to take two top 3 finishes on his KX250F. A 9th place finish in the second moto after being boxed out on the start was to be his Achilles heal for the round with Mosig missing out on the box by just 1 point. Mosig’s 3-9-2 finishes position him in 6th place in the championship, just 5 points shy of the top three.
Kade Mosig say’s, “I’m slightly disappointed because I’ve been putting in the hard yards and working really hard so it’s disappointing to be one point off the podium. I’m coming to all these races to be on the top step of the podium, I don’t want to be finishing 3rd or 4th so I’ve just got to go back home this week and put my head down and hopefully get some better results at Murray Bridge. I really like that track and I’ve just got to keep chipping away. It’s nearly mid-way through the season so it’s about time I started winning races.”
— Motul Pirelli Suzuki
Motul Pirelli Suzuki rising star Todd Waters clinched his third podium in four attempts at the Wanneroo round of the MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, on Sunday, 13 May, in Western Australia.
The talented 21-year-old finished a fine third overall in the unforgiving sand of WA, scoring 4-4-3 results in the trio of gruelling motos. Again showing impressive speed and consistency, Waters has proven that he and the RM-Z450 are one of the most competitive combinations in the sport.
“I’m not going to say it was an easy day, because it was probably the toughest one I’ve had to date,” Waters explained. “I had bad starts all day and was trying to come through the pack, so the front guys were just running away from me. The last moto went really good, I came from 19th and managed to get up into third. I was really happy with how that went.
“I’m starting to mature that little bit. A couple of times I’ve sort of stepped it back, I don’t need to be on my head, because that would just send me backwards. I took my time and I managed to get up there with two fourths and a third for third overall. My goal is to get on that box every weekend and that’s what we’re starting to do.”
Teammate Cody Cooper raced to a solid fifth place despite again suffering from his starts throughout the round, taking home ninth in moto one, fifth in moto two and fourth in moto three after progressively improving aboard the RM-Z450.
Cooper now sits fifth in the championship as it approaches the halfway mark, and he’s anticipating a strong result when the series continues this weekend at Murray Bridge in South Australia.
“I felt good fitness-wise, but my strength let me down a bit at the end of the day,” Cooper explained. “It definitely got rough, so gnarly and not event Southwick gets that rough – the sand was just so deep. In the first two motos people were going everywhere, I was getting roosted and it’s hard to pull tear-offs in those conditions.
“Everybody had the same problem, but in the final moto I managed to come through the field better after another bad start. I passed a lot of guys quickly early on in the moto and that helped, so we’ll keep working in that direction and hopefully it comes together for us.
“I’m always trying to go for a win and would definitely like to get on that podium this weekend in South Australia, so I’ll practice my starts this week and really work hard on them. Murray Bridge is a track I like and that loamy dirt suits me, so it should be good. Once I have my starts sorted then that should help out a lot.”
Motul Pirelli Suzuki Pro Lites contender Scott Columb was eighth overall in WA, riding the RM-Z250 to ninth in moto one and 11th in moto two, before he capitalised on the duration of the final 30-minute moto to claim fifth. Columb now sits 11th in the standings in what is his first full season of contesting Australian Motocross.
The MX Nationals series will next head to round five of the 2012 season at Murray Bridge in South Australia, marking the halfway point of the 10-round schedule.
Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing rider Brad Anderson has broken through for his first Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, victory of the season at Wonthaggi in Victoria this weekend, 28-29 April.
The two-time British champion boosted himself right back into championship contention with a consistent effort at round three of 2012, winning the opening moto before going on to seal the overall with second and third place results in the closing motos.
“The first race went really well, I got the holeshot, but towards the end I got a little bit of arm pump,” Anderson reflected. “I felt really good, didn’t feel as though I was pushing too hard and I was able to control the race.
“When the second one came I got another good start was led, but then the dreaded arm pump kicked in again and Todd [Waters] came past. I relaxed a bit and came away with second in that.
“The last race came and that was my worst start of the day, but I came through a little bit and was riding pretty solid. I was able to take third, which I’m happy about, and I’m glad to pull some points back on Josh [Coppins].”
It was a mixed day in the premier MX1 ranks with three separate race winners. Todd Waters (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) finished the round second overall after winning moto two, plus he scored third and fourth place finishes in the remaining motos to lock in his second podium of the year.
CDR Yamaha’s Lawson Bopping completed the podium in his first of the season since joining Craig Dack’s team. Bopping was another to be rewarded by consistency with 2-3-6 finishes.
Bopping’s teammate Josh Coppins has retained the series red plate as points leader in MX1 after taking fourth overall. It was the first time the Kiwi veteran has finished off the podium this year, but the result means he maintains a 20-point lead in the standings.
Final moto winner Cody Cooper (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) could only manage fifth overall after suffering with starts all day long, but once he got one in the third race, he proved unstoppable in a dominant performance. The experienced Kiwi was quickest all weekend long.
The Motul MX2 class was taken out by Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing’s Ford Dale, breaking Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing’s streak in the 250 class. Dale won the third and final moto to clinch the overall after a hard-fought battle all day long.
Dale’s consistency was the key at Wonthaggi with a pair of second places to start the round, before a relentless performance in moto three after battling with Adam Monea (Zero Seven Motorsports Suzuki) handed him his first overall win of the 2012 season.
“Qualifying went well yesterday, which was a good start to the weekend,” Dale explained. “In the first two motos this morning I didn’t get the best of starts and got second in both.
“And then in the last moto I had the game plan to get to the front as quick as I could and go from there – I’ve been struggling with the flu all weekend. I ended up making it through and came out on top.”
Styke was again impressive with the red plate and will maintain it into round four for Serco Yamaha, finishing second overall after winning the second moto of the day. Styke finished third in moto one, but a sixth in the third moto denied him of the round win.
Cachia was impressive with a breakthrough win in moto one after coming under all kinds of pressure from Dale. He claimed his first overall podium of the season in third after claiming fourth and seventh places in the final motos.
A third new winner of the 2012 season was also awarded in the Pirelli MXD category, with New Zealand KTM contender Kayne Lamont taking out his first win of the year with 2-1-7 results.
“I’m really enjoying the new power of the two-stroke and it seems to get good starts – except for the last race,” Lamont said after switching from a four-stroke recently. “Qualifying went well for me and the first gate pick helped a lot.
“I had a moment in the first race and got up to second, then in race two I got the holeshot and won it. In the third moto I was 25th through the first turn and got back into the top 10, so it was a good result.”
GYTR Yamaha’s Sam Martin raced to his second podium of the year in second overall after winning moto two, edging out another KTM rider in Kale Makeham for that position on the podium.
Series leader Dylan Long won the final moto and took fifth overall for Choice Motorsports KTM to hold onto that red plate, one position behind round two winner Dylan Leary on yet another KTM.
The series will next head west to Wanneroo in Western Australia on 12-13 May, marking round four of 10 for the 2012 season.
– Carlton Dry Honda Report
Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing celebrate dual round wins at Wonthaggi MX Nationals event.
After enduring a horror run at the second round of the MX Nationals, Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing silenced their critics today, demonstrating a complete turnaround in form at the third round of the series in Wonthaggi, Victoria.
Brad Anderson and Ford Dale both claimed their respective round wins, giving the factory Honda team its first ever dual-round victory.
In the opening 8-lap MX1 race, Anderson grabbed the holeshot and led from start to finish. The multiple British Motocross Champion was second in Moto 2 and put up a gallant fight to finish the final 16-lap contest third.
Anderson, who won the MX1 class ahead of Todd Waters and Lawson Bopping said he was relieved to finally come away with a round win.
“It is an outstanding result and a huge relief for me,” Anderson said. “It is about time I turned it around and showed the team what I am capable of.
“My start in the first race was good and I was able to maintain a comfortable lead. In the second race the dreaded arm pump came back and I couldn’t push as hard as I wanted to.
“I was really happy with my result in Race 3 especially given everything that happened. I got a bad start. I lost my tear offs early in the race then went down battling with Lawson (Bopping). To come through to third after all that is a good result,” Anderson continued.
Anderson sits second in the MX1 championship standings, 20 points behind series leader Josh Coppins.
Despite coming down with a bout of the flu, Ford Dale showed great maturity and courage to finish all three races in the top two.
Dale was second in the two 8-lap back-to-back races before taking a gutsy win in the final 16-lap moto.
“I have been fighting off the flu all week and it finally hit me today,” Dale explained.
“The first two races were pretty good, I got good starts and didn’t feel too bad. In the final 16-lap moto I knew I had to get out in front as quick as possible to try and pull a gap before fatigue set in.
“It was great to come away with the win, it is a well deserved reward for the team who have worked really hard to turn things around since the last event.”
Today’s results see Dale add 69 points to his championship tally and move him to second in the standings, just 13 points behind series leader Luke Styke.
Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing Team Principal, Yarrive Konsky said he proud of the way the team pulled together after Coonabarabran.
“I am really proud of the whole team,” Konsky said. “We completely turned things around today.
“After the disappointment of Coonabarabran we made a lot of changes including moving Lee Walker to the MX2 program while Ben Townley is out injured.
“Ben is still very much an integral part of Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing, he has been in constant communication with us this weekend and will continue to work with the team as we progress through the MX Nationals,” Konsky concluded.
The Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing Team will have little time to reflect with Round 4 of the Monster Energy MX Nationals to be held at the AJS Motorcycle Club in Wanneroo, WA on May 12-13.
– Kawasaki Report
The 3rd round of the 2012 Monster Energy MX Nationals at Wonthaggi, Victoria didn’t yield the results Monster Energy Kawasaki was hoping for however Jay Marmont and Kade Mosig’s 7th place finishes in the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively keep their championship aspirations alive in a long 10 round series. Filling in for the injured Billy Mackenzie, Dylan Peterson enjoyed a successful debut with the team finishing 9th overall in the MX1 class.
Jay Marmont started extremely well on his KX450F in each of the three races at Wonthaggi and bagged the hole-shot in the second moto however it just wasn’t to be the reigning champion’s day with 6-6-7 results leaving him in 7th overall for the round. Although an off day at Wonthaggi struck a blow to Jay Marmont’s bid to earn his 5th consecutive Australian motocross championship crown, his consistency and ability to step up when it really matters means he can not be written off in a long 10 round series where 7 rounds remain and hundreds of points are still up for grabs.
A disappointed Jay Marmont say’s, “I’m in a hole at the moment and I need to dig my way out of it. We can only go up from here. I’m injury free and a lot of other guys out there have a lot worse problems than me. I’ve just got to go out there and have fun on my dirt bike again and enjoy myself next week and turn it around. The team’s been awesome, everybody’s trying really hard to get me up there and we’re not far away, there’s a race win around the corner”.
Tough starts put Kade Mosig on the back foot in each MX2 moto. Having to battle through the pack in each race, Mosig rode well to post 7-8-5 results for 7th place overall at Wonthaggi. With some good starts, Mosig’s current pace will get him back on the podium and further up the championship leader-board where he currently sits in 5th place.
Kade Mosig say’s, “First race, I got a good jump out of the gate then I came around the first turn and made a little mistake and dropped back then I mumbled the second start. It was sort of a tough day at the office but solid points so I can’t really complain. I know I’ve got the fitness, I know I’ve got the pace, there are just a few little things here and there I have to work on and I’ll get them.”
Dylan Peterson stepped confidently up to the plate at Wonthaggi to post outstanding results in his debut ride on Billy Mackenzie’s KX450F. Peterson didn’t get the best starts in each moto however he rode fast and consistently to post 9-10-9 results for 9th place overall. Peterson could’ve been placed even higher at day’s end if a small crash in the second moto didn’t cost him a possible top 5 finish.
Dylan Peterson was happy with his first outing with Monster Energy Kawasaki, saying, “I’m really pumped with this opportunity. I got some good results today but I really struggled off the starts but I came through. Mackenzie’s KX450F is awesome, it’s so quick. The bike’s running really good, it’s just perfect so a big thanks to my mechanic. I think I can build on these results at Perth and come out swinging”.
Queenslander Blake Colleton flew the flag for Kawasaki in the Rookie 85cc class at Wonthaggi. Blake rode his KX85 to the podium taking 2-4-2 for 3rd place overall.
Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Manager, Troy Carroll say’s, “It was a tough weekend but we learned a lot. Jay had an off day but we’ll work with him and he’ll be OK. We’ll fly to Perth early and do some prep there and he’ll bounce back next round. We had bad starts with Kade all day so we’ll send him home to practice a few things. Dylan was great, a fantastic ride for a privateer. From a Monster Energy Kawasaki point of view, we’re really happy that we gave a young guy like that the opportunity to show his true potential.”
“Things are getting better and better. The results aren’t showing it yet but they will”.
– CDR Yamaha Report
The CDR Yamaha team enjoyed another successful weekend with Lawson Bopping breaking through for his debut podium result for the team while Josh Coppins showed his experience and maturity in a typical performance from the gritty Kiwi as he maintains a 20 point lead at the top of the MX1 championship.
Wonthaggi, in Gippsland Victoria, hosted round three of the Monster Energy MX Nationals under clear skies and on a perfectly prepared racing surface. Both CDR riders raced with plenty of spirit and finished third and fourth for the round.
It only took three rounds for Lawson Bopping to stand on the podium with his new CDR Yamaha team. After showing plenty of speed at the opening two rounds, Bopping finally cashed in on his obvious talent with a third place finish for the round.
His race results of 2-3-6 totaled 57 points with each race filled with fast laps as he passed some of the most established names in Australian motocross in his charge forward. His good days’ work has also seen him move to fifth in the championship and just a hand full of points away from third.
“I’m pumped about today and really happy to stand on the podium for the first time with the CDR team. It’s been great working with the team and I feel we are all gelling well and its starting to show in the results.”
“I also enjoyed racing today as we had some great battles. I like being involved in good racing and it seemed like I was in a great battle every race, so that was cool,” Bopping ends.
Coppins went into the third round with a 24 point lead and despite not getting a podium position for the day, left relatively unscathed in the championship chase only dropping four points to his nearest rival. Coppins was always in the hunt during each of the three races but just couldn’t find that last one percent to get his way into the lead.
Still his 4-5-2 result were another consistent day at the office for the worldly experienced Coppins and sees him in good stead as the championship moves forward.
“It was just an okay day for me,” Coppins states at days’ end. “I was always thereabouts but never able to get myself to the front. But the day didn’t do too much damage in the championship although I do want to work on a couple of things prior to the next round.”
With his riders sitting first and fifth in the championship after three rounds, team owner Craig Dack is optimistic about things as the championship heads towards the half way mark.
“I’m really excited about Lawson getting his first podium for the team and we could see him building to it in the previous rounds. He has amazing raw speed and we are starting to harness it and turn it into results.”
“Josh continues to be the consummate professional and always grinds out good results, even when things aren’t going his way.”
“Both guys are perfectly placed at the moment and with some more testing lined up before we head into the sand of WA, I feel confident we can keep the momentum rolling.”
The championship now heads for the deep sands of Wanneroo, just north of Perth in two weeks time in what promises to be a huge round in shaping the battle for the MX1 championship.
– KTM Report
Victorian Josh Cachia has risen for his first podium of 2012 in the MX2 category of the MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, at Wonthaggi in Victoria on Sunday.
The JDR/KTM Factory Racing rider scored a superb win to open his account for the weekend before sealing his spot on the rostrum with fourth and seventh place results in the proceeding motos. Cachia is now placed fourth in the series, again benefiting from fast starts as he has all season on the 250 SX-F.
“It was pretty interesting with close racing all day and the first race went well for me,” Cachia explained. “I was pretty stoked to come away with the win in that moto and I definitely can’t complain with that. I can’t thank the team enough because they’re like a second family to me and it makes it fun to come to the races.”
Wonthaggi wasn’t so kind to teammate Ryan Marmont, who had to settle for 12th overall after being ruled out of contention with a crash in the final moto. Marmont was transported to Dandenong Hospital for observation after suffering a concussion. Earlier he posted 8-10 results, now ranked 10th in the standings.
Lone JDR/KTM Factory Racing MX1 contender Dan Reardon finished 13th for the round on the 450 SX-F, struggling to gel with the circuit as he and the team continue to work toward improvement during the season. The former champion ended the round with a scorecard of 11-12-16 finishes.
New Zealand’s Kayne Lamont won his first ever round in the MX Development class aboard a 250 SX, racing to a consistent effort of 2-1-7 results and placing himself well in title contention.
“I’m really enjoying the new power of the two-stroke and it seems to get good starts – except for the last race,” Lamont said after switching from a four-stroke recently. “Qualifying went well for me and the first gate pick helped a lot.
“I had a moment in the first race and got up to second, then in race two I got the holeshot and won it. In the third moto I was 25th through the first turn and got back into the top 10, so it was a good result.”
Another KTM rider in Kale Makeham completed the top three for the weekend, while Choice Motorsports KTM’s Dylan Long retained the series lead with fourth overall. Making it five KTMs in the top 10 was Joel Milesevic in sixth.
GMR Motorex KTM rising star Egan Mastin finished third in the Rookie Lites ranks with two moto wins, while Reece Rayner finished seventh in the Rookie 85cc class. KTM’s Hunter Lawrence finished second in that same division.
– Serco Yamaha
Serco Yamaha / Metal Mulisha Racing’s Luke Styke has made it a hat trick of podium finishes in the opening three rounds after the Wonthaggi round of the 2012 MX Nationals was concluded over the weekend.
After a third and a win at the opening two rounds, Styke took over the points leaders red plate and headed into round three at Wonthaggi looking to keep the consistency rolling and the red plate in his possession.
Styke achieved both goals, taking second place for the round on the back of his 3-1-6 results and maintains a 23 point lead in the championship. The win in race two was undoubtedly the highlight of the day as Styke snatched the holeshot and broke clear of the pack to take a wire to wire win.
“Today was good. The first two races went well and I felt like I had the speed and fitness to get the job done, but my start in the last race wasn’t great so I just had to get as many points as possible. My plan is to be fast and consistent at every round and so far things are on track after the first three rounds,” Styke comments.
Team mate Kirk Gibbs faced some challenges at Wonthaggi but still managed to pull down sixth for the day. Gibbs found himself picking up his YZ250F more times than he would care to remember as small crashes proved costly. He rounded out the day with 5-13-4 results with the opening two motos both marred with falls.
Despite the tough day, Gibbs currently lies in third place in the championship and with seven rounds remaining there is plenty of time to launch an assault on the championship leaders as the MX2 class heads towards the business end of the season.
“It was a bit of a frustrating day where I made some small mistakes that cost me dearly. I would work my way into a reasonable position, only to fall and drop valuable points. I need to get that sorted ASAP,” said a disappointed Gibbs.
Gavin Eales, team owner of Serco Yamaha, was on hand at Wonthaggi and enjoyed his teams’ performance.
“Not many people in the pits would have thought Luke Styke would be winning this championship after three rounds and standing on the podium at every round. I’m impressed with his work ethic and determination and now he is adding consistency and a well thought-out plan to his racing and it’s showing in the results.
“Kirk just made some mistakes at crucial times. He is better than that and is disappointed but I expect him to bounce back strongly at the next couple of rounds and make it a tight three way battle for the championship,” Eales ends.
