2019 Pirelli MX Nationals

Round 3 – Broadford

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The revamped Victorian State Motorcycle Complex Broadford roared into life on Sunday for the third round of the Pirelli MX Nationals. After being plagued by trying weather conditions at previous rounds Broadford turned the sun on for competitors, allowing riders put on a show that didn’t disappoint.

In the Thor MX1 class it was Kirk Gibbs who took the win from Todd Waters and teammate Luke Clout. Hayden Mellross ranked fourth, retaining his overall lead the overall standings.

The Pirelli MX2 class saw a consistent Wilson Todd claim victory from Kyle Webster and Jay Wilson. In Motul MXD it was Regan Duffy victorious by a single point from Seemens and Budd.

The first round of the Yamaha Rising Star Rookies class saw Levi Rogers take both moto wins, with Alex Larwood and Brad West in second and third respectively, both on 56-points.

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Thor MX1

Kirk Gibbs broke through for his first win in CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team colours when he claimed victory at round three of the MX Nationals at Broadford over the weekend, and to make it an even more memorable day for CDR, Luke Clout made it a team 1-3.

Now both riders sit inside the top three in the MX1 division, with strong competition coming from Todd Waters who had to settle for second for the weekend with equal points to Kirk Gibbs, and who now trails Clout and Gibbs in the standings by a handful of points. Hayden Mellross retains the MX1 lead on 152 points, despite finishing the weekend in fourth on equal points to Clout..

Round three marked the first weekend for the sprint format for the MX1 class where the riders competed in two nine-lap back-to-back races as well as the more traditional thirty-minute moto later in the day, making for a gruelling day at the track.

With three motos all contributing to the round overall, consistency becomes a major player in the final results and Gibbs did what he does best and put his YZ450F at or near the front in each and every moto.

He finished the day with 2-2-1 results and tied on 67 points with Todd Waters but gets the round win due to a stronger finish in the final moto.

For Gibbs, it was a good recovery from a tough opening two rounds where he dealt with crashes and bad luck but he now has the train back on the tracks and heading into his favourite track of the season, Murray Bridge, Gibbs is well-placed to continue building momentum in the championship.

Kirk Gibbs

“The weekend was much better for me and it’s nice to finally get a win under my belt for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team. It was also good to have a dry round and actually get a gauge of how things are progressing and what our strengths and weaknesses are as the first two rounds were extremely wet and difficult to get a handle on the opposition as well as our own riding. But, really pleased to get the win and get my season back on track. The team did a great job again today and my bike was working well on a pretty technical race track. We now have a couple of weeks off before Murray Bridge so lots of riding and training still to be done and lots of laps still left in this championship.”

Luke Clout backed up his round two victory with a third place overall at Broadford in another fine performance. Clout improved as the day went on taking 5-4-3 results in each of the motos to claim the final spot of the podium and has now moved into second in the championship, just a handful of points away from the series leader.

Clout proved consistent all day but needed better track position early in the race if he was to pick up a moto win.

Luke Clout

“I felt pretty good all day and the track was good to ride but I was probably just a bit off in my starts. With the track watered heavily and multiple ruts around every corner, it was difficult to move forward at times so getting a good start and being up the front early was the key here. Everything else was good and its always nice to be on the podium and be right in contention for the championship. It’s a long haul, especially with these back to back races so it’s important to keep logging good results in every race and be there at the end of round 10.”

Thor MX1 Moto 1

1. Todd Waters 14:31.910
2. Kirk Gibbs +5.666
3. Daniel Sanders +7.340
4. Hayden Mellross +10.584
5. Luke Clout +19.921
6. Jesse Dobson +25.769
7. Justin Rodbell +30.303
8. Erki Kahro +31.448
9. Daniel Milner +45.774
10. Brett Metcalfe +46.654

Thor MX1 Moto 2

1. Todd Waters 14:40.220
2. Kirk Gibbs +2.644
3. Hayden Mellross +3.339
4. Luke Clout +13.981
5. Jesse Dobson +36.630
6. Justin Rodbell +41.573
7. Daniel Milner +43.245
8. Richie Evans +47.210
9. Ryan Shadbolt +50.310
10. Erki Kahro +51.035

Thor MX1 Moto 3

1. Kirk Gibbs 27:33.009
2. Todd Waters +23.807
3. Luke Clout +25.492
4. Hayden Mellross +29.937
5. Jesse Dobson +43.532
6. Daniel Sanders +48.808
7. Erki Kahro +50.402
8. Jayden Rykers +1:21.986
9. Justin Rodbell +1:24.062
10. Brett Metcalfe +1:32.071

Thor MX1 Round 3 Overall

1. Kirk Gibbs 67
2. Todd Waters 67
3. Luke Clout 58
4. Hayden Mellross 58
5. Jesse Dobson 52
6. Erki Kahro 47
7. Justin Rodbell 47
8. Jayden Rykers 44
9. Daniel Milner 43
10. Daniel Sanders 40

Thor MX1 Standings

1. Hayden Mellross 152
2. Luke Clout 147
3. Kirk Gibbs 145
4. Todd Waters 143
5. Jesse Dobson 121
6. Justin Rodbell 110
7. Erki Kahro 107
8. Jayden Rykers 102
9. Brett Metcalfe 97
10. Charlie Creech 94

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Pirelli MX2 Round 3

The Pirelli MX2 class was again dominated by the current red plate holder Wilson Todd qualifying first and going on to win both motos, however Kyle Webster wasn’t letting Wilson out of his sights with a battle in the first moto keeping all the cheering fans on the side lines on the edge of their seats until the chequered flag.

The second moto saw a similar result, with Todd claiming the win by 4.249 seconds from Webster, while this time Jay Wilson laid claim to the final podium position in a result that clinched him third overall.

Wilson Todd took home the perfect 70-points, while Kyle Webster settled for 64 and now sits fourth in the standings. Jay Wilson took third overall from Aaron Tanti, both on 56-points, while the duo currently hold second and third placings in the overall standings, with only nine-points between them.

Jay Wilson entered the round with minimal bike time following finger surgery after round two. While attempting to held load the team truck, Wilson crushed his finger in the stairs of the rig bad enough to require surgery the following day. He was unable to ride until the day of the event and the podium position was a pleasant surprise.

Jay Wilson

“Today was the best I have felt on the bike in motocross so far this year. The first race I was covered in mud and just did what I had to do to get back to fifth as the first four were long gone but in the second moto I really began to gel with the bike and attack the track. I felt awesome and just wished it was the 30 minute race and not the 20. So, happy with today and happy to come out with some good points. It wasn’t looking real good after Wonthaggi but thanks to the RACESAFE team we were able get on track and keep the championship alive.”

The Serco Yamaha duo of Aaron Tanti and Nathan Crawford will both look at round three as a positive outing and take plenty of encouragement from the day that had both riders battling for race wins. On the undulating and rutted Broadford Circuit, the Serco Yamaha MX2 team finished the day in fourth and fifth place but showed plenty of speed and skill and will build on the results delivered over the weekend.

Aaron Tanti finished the day in fourth spot, just missing the podium on a count back from Jay Wilson. Tanti racked up an ultra-consistent 4-4 results in the two motos but left Broadford a little frustrated as he feels he let a podium finish slip through his fingers.

Aaron Tanti

“A lot of good to come from today but also a few things I need to improve on to get some round wins. My starts were good, and I had excellent track position in both races but just didn’t keep pace later in the race, so that’s something we will need to look at. But the racing is tight in the MX2 class and I was never further than 10 seconds out of the lead all day but didn’t make the podium. No one can afford to take their foot off the peddle at the moment as there are five guys who ride at a similar pace and the intensity is there all the way to the end. I’m now third in the championship after three rounds which considering a couple of races I have had, isn’t too bad but there is always room for improvement.”

It was a welcome return to form for Nathan Crawford who showed things are on the up swing after some spirited racing on the weekend. Crawford returned to some good form finishing fifth for the day with 3-7 results but the pleasing thing for him and the team was the return of his sprint speed.

Nathan Crawford

“It feels good to finally be back in the battle again. It’s been a long eight months off the bike and I have worked so hard to get, not just my fitness and speed back, but also my health in general. My one was awesome and just after half way I felt things begin to come easier for me, like a little barrier was broken. I was able to ride my turns better, flow on the track better and ride with some speed. While I didn’t win it, it was a little victory to me as I come back. Race two and I did all I could to salvage the best result I could. First turn crashes are tough as the whole field goes past and it’s a long way back but I fought hard and feel like things are on the right track. The weekend gives me more motivation to keep working hard.”

Pirelli MX2 Moto 1

1. Wilson Todd 28:11.686
2. Kyle Webster +0.951
3. Nathan Crawford +3.293
4. Aaron Tanti +6.464
5. Jay Wilson +1:00.043
6. Dylan Wills +1:06.595
7. Jye Dickson +1:08.848
8. Bailey Malkiewicz +1:11.493
9. Ricky Latimer +1:12.464
10. Joel Evans +1:18.758

Pirelli MX2 Moto 2

1. Wilson Todd 18:32.870
2. Kyle Webster +4.249
3. Jay Wilson +5.070
4. Aaron Tanti +9.789
5. Riley Dukes +21.187
6. Dylan Wills +34.994
7. Nathan Crawford +35.501
8. Isaac Ferguson +36.220
9. Cooper Pozniak +37.737
10. Bailey Malkiewicz +39.335

Pirelli MX2 Round 3 Overall

1. Wilson Todd 70
2. Kyle Webster 64
3. Jay Wilson 56
4. Aaron Tanti 56
5. Nathan Crawford 54
6. Dylan Wills 50
7. Bailey Malkiewicz 44
8. Jye Dickson 43
9. Riley Dukes 42
10. Ricky Latimer 42

Pirelli MX2 Standings

1. Wilson Todd 170
2. Jay Wilson 142
3. Aaron Tanti 133
4. Kyle Webster 126
5. Nathan Crawford 122
6. Cooper Pozniak 115
7. Dylan Wills 113
8. Jye Dickson 107
9. Riley Dukes 103
10. Issac Ferguson 93

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Motul MXD Round 3

The Motul MXD class put on a show to remember with red plate holder Regan Duffy maintaining the championship points lead and Rhys Budd and Mason Semmens both proving they aren’t to be counted out of the chase yet.

Maximus Purvis actually won the first Motul MXD Moto, with a 4.631-second lead over Rhys Budd, with Mason Semmens third and Regan Duffy fourth.

Consistency proved key however, with Purvis finishing sixth in Moto 2, while Regan Duffy claimed the win from Semmens by 2.366 seconds, with Rhys Budd taking third 13.645 seconds behind the winner.

In fact only a single point separated the top trio comes weekend end – for the round results – while Duffy leads Budd in the MXD standings by five-points. Maximus Purvis sits third in the standings a further 12-points in arrears and missed the podium by two-points over the weekend. Mason Semens meanwhile is a further 15-points behind Purvis in fourth.

Motul MXD Moto 1

1. Maximus Purvis 18:15.696
2. Rhys Budd +4.631
3. Mason Semmens +6.242
4. Regan Duffy +10.400
5. Jayce Cosford +37.539
6. Noah Ferguson +45.095
7. Brodie Ellis +47.672
8. Jack Kukas +48.448
9. Liam Walsh +49.764
10. Jai Walker +50.223

Motul MXD Moto 2

1. Regan Duffy 18:39.787
2. Mason Semmens +2.366
3. Rhys Budd +13.645
4. Brodie Ellis +18.390
5. Jack Kukas +29.729
6. Maximus Purvis +37.720
7. Liam Walsh +43.757
8. Korey McMahon +46.947
9. Jai Walker +54.633
10. Mackenzie O”Bree +1:03.609

Motul MXD Round 3 Overall

1. Regan Duffy 63
2. Mason Semmens 62
3. Rhys Budd 62
4. Maximus Purvis 60
5. Brodie Ellis 52
6. Jack Kukas 49
7. Liam Walsh 46
8. Jayce Cosford 45
9. Jai Walker 43
10. Noah Ferguson 42

Motul MXD Standings

1. Regan Duffy 157
2. Rhys Budd 152
3. Maximus Purvis 140
4. Mason Semmens 125
5. Jack Kukas 113
6. Noah Ferguson 111
7. Brodie Ellis 110
8. Jayce Cosford 99
9. Mason Rowe 98
10. Liam Walsh 98

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Yamaha Rising Star Rookies

The Yamaha Rising Star Rookies would round out the day with some amazing young talent showcased, with Levi Rogers taking both Moto wins by a strong margin.

In Moto 1 it was Rogers with a 14.617s lead from Blake Hollis with Brad West completing the top three. Moto 2 saw Rogers once again claim victory, this time from Alex Larwood and Jake Kowal.

Levi Rogers left Round 3 of the MX Nationals leading the Yamaha Rising Star Rookies championship, with 70 points to his name. Alex Larwood took second overall from Brad West, both on 56 points.

Yamaha Rising Star Rookies Moto 1

1. Levi Rogers 12:33.421
2. Blake Hollis +14.617
3. Brad West +19.319
4. Blake Fox +32.189
5. Benny Novak +33.855
6. Kipp adams +36.934
7. Alex Larwood +40.181
8. Ryan Alexanderson +56.143
9. Joe O’Donnell +57.066
10. Cameron Torpy +1:00.733

Yamaha Rising Star Rookies Moto 2

1. Levi Rogers 12:16.018
2. Alex Larwood +5.263
3. Jake Kowal +24.964
4. Joe O’Donnell +36.858
5. Brad West +40.395
6. Cameron Torpy +48.281
7. Brock Ninness +51.713
8. Benny Novak +55.272
9. Dominic Walker +58.654
10. Ryan Alexanderson +59.349

Yamaha Rising Star Rookies Round 3 Overall

1. Levi Rogers 70
2. Alex Larwood 56
3. Brad West 56
4. Joe O’Donnell 50
5. Benny Novak 49
6. Jake Kowal 47
7. Cameron Torpy 46
8. Brock Ninness 44
9. Ryan Alexanderson
10. Kipp adams 43

Yamaha Rising Star Rookies Standings

1. Levi Rogers 70
2. Alex Larwood 56
3. Brad West 56
4. Joe O’Donnell 50
5. Benny Novak 49
6. Jake Kowal 47
7. Cameron Torpy 46
8. Brock Ninness 44
9. Ryan Alexanderson
10. Kipp adams 43

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Murray Bridge in South Australia will have a huge impact determining the winner of this years’ championship as the double header weekend that will see two points scoring rounds on the Saturday and the Sunday that will shape the series, racing on May 4 and 5.

Images by MX Nationals

Source: MCNews.com.au