Murray Bridge, SA – Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Todd Waters became the first Australian to win a round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals when Murray Bridge in South Australia played host to round five of 2012 on Sunday, 20 May.

The 21-year-old topped an all-star international field to win for the Aussies on home soil in the premier MX1 ranks, taking two brilliant victories to commence the round. He clinched the win with a close second in the final 30-minute moto, handing him a debut win for Suzuki.

Waters’ podium was his fourth in five rounds since switching to the RM-Z450 for this season and he now sits second in the championship, just 21 points behind leader Josh Coppins at the halfway point.

“It was pretty much just a picture perfect day,” Waters explained. “I got three good starts, was in the top three for all of them. The first moto I holeshotted and led from start to finish, then in the second moto I was up front again and made the pass halfway through.

“I had a ball riding with Brad [Anderson] in the final moto, dicing for the lead, and I enjoyed it. I didn’t get the win in that one, but I had a lot of fun. I love this track and it’s one of my favourites, so it was good to come back and win. My fitness is great, I’ve been working really hard, so I’m just looking forward to this six-week break to redo my base fitness.”

British champion Brad Anderson claimed second for Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing after winning the third and final moto of the round, keeping himself in the hunt for the championship following a disappointing round in WA a week prior. Anderson finished second in moto one and fifth in moto two.

Privateer standout Tye Simmonds made it two Hondas on the podium in third overall, marking his second top three of the year. Simmonds was fifth in moto one, then battled to second after leading early on in moto two. The third moto saw Simmonds round out his weekend with a fourth.

Completing the top five overall was CDR Yamaha’s Lawson Bopping in fourth for the round, while Waters’ teammate Cody Cooper finished fifth for the second weekend in a row.

CDR Yamaha’s Coppins was sixth in South Australia after an incident with Jake Moss in the final moto spoiled his day. Prior to that, Coppins had finished third in moto one and sixth in moto two. The GP legend will now head to Europe during the mid-season break.

The Pirelli MX2 category saw Josh Cachia race to JDR/KTM Factory Racing’s first victory of the 2012 season. Cachia finished with a fifth in the opening moto before breaking through for a win in moto two, then he sealed the overall with a fighting second to conclude the round.

“In the first moto I rode solid, got stuck behind some people, but that’s racing,” Carpenter Rocks resident Cachia explained. “If you don’t get a good start you don’t get in clean air, so that was my fault. In moto two I sorted it out, got the holeshot and felt good.

“The feeling from the holeshot continued in the moto and I was feeling good the whole time, so I put down consistent laps and won. In the 30-minute moto, Boydy and I worked hard until the end, so it was sweet. I rode solid and it was good, so now I’m number one for today and that feels good.”

DPH Motorsport Honda’s Cheyne Boyd claimed his second podium in a row with a well-deserved victory in the final moto at Murray Bridge after holding off Cachia in the closing stages. Boyd opened the round with a second in moto one, but an eighth in moto two after a crash dashed his hopes of the overall victory.

The final podium position in MX2 went to moto one winner Ford Dale. The Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing rider had Ben Townley in his corner on this weekend, but he too suffered from a crash in moto two that left him 15th. Dale bounced back to third in the final moto and overall.

Series leader Luke Styke was fifth overall at Murray Bridge behind MX Factory Honda’s Justin McDonald, who scored a season-best fourth. Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing’s Styke had a disastrous first moto, but salvaged his round with a second and a fourth in the final moto.

Kiwi Kayne Lamont became the first two-time winner of the 2012 season in the Pirelli MX Development class. The KTM rider was sixth in the first moto, but he bounced back to win moto two and finish second in the final moto to clinch the overall. Lamont now sits nine points in arrears of series leader Dylan Long.

Long was a solid second at Murray Bridge, concluding his weekend with victory in the final moto and he’ll keep the red plate he’s held all season throughout the mid-season break. The podium was completed by Dylan Leary, making it a clean-sweep of the podium for KTM.

Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Jay Wilson finished fourth overall for the round, while GYTR Yamaha’s Sam Martin was fifth. First moto winner Joel Milesevic had to settle for sixth after suffering a mechanical in moto two, but he finished the weekend with third in moto three.

The Australian Motocross Championship will return for round six following a mid-season break at Hervey Bay in Queensland in Sunday, 1 July. Visit www.mxnationals.com.au for further information on the Monster Energy MX Nationals series.

2012 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round Five – Murray Bridge, SA

MX1 Overall Results:
1. Todd Waters 72
2. Brad Anderson 63
3. Tye Simmonds 56
4. Lawson Bopping 52
5. Cody Cooper 49
6. Josh Coppins 48
7. Daniel Reardon 40
8. Daniel McCoy 39
9. Dean Porter 33
10. Jay Marmont 30

MX2 Overall Results:
1. Josh Cachia 63
2. Cheyne Boyd 60
3. Ford Dale 53
4. Justin McDonald
5. Luke Styke 46
6. Scott Columb 45
7. Lewis Woods 39
8. Kade Mosig 39
9. Errol Willis 37
10. Nick Murray 33

MXD Overall Results:
1. Kayne Lamont 62
2. Dylan Long 58
3. Dylan Leary 52
4. Jay Wilson 49
5. Sam Martin 47
6. Joel Milesevic 45
7. Jarrad Davis 34
8. Michael Crugnale 30
9. Mitch Budd 26
10. John Phillips 25

MX1 Championship Standings (after 5 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 301
2. Todd Waters 280
3. Brad Anderson 274
4. Lawson Bopping 255
5. Tye Simmonds 234
6. Cody Cooper 232
7. Jay Marmont 207
8. Jake Moss 171
9. Daniel McCoy 164
10. Daniel Reardon 147

MX2 Championship Standings (after 5 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 306
2. Ford Dale 274
3. Cheyne Boyd 258
4. Josh Cachia 258
5. Kade Mosig 233
6. Kirk Gibbs 229
7. Adam Monea 215
8. Justin McDonald 192
9. Lewis Woods 173
10. Errol Willis 168

MXD Championship Standings (after 4 of 9 rounds):
1. Dylan Long 201
2. Kayne Lamont 195
3. Samual Martin 195
4. Dylan Leary 193
5. Jay Wilson 159
6. Joel Milesevic 156
7. Kale Makeham 156
8. Mitch Norris 123
9. Mitch Budd 103
10. Dylan Wills 99

[Ends]

Motorex KTM Off Road Racing’s Toby Price may have spent much of the past fortnight in the outback pre-running for next month’s Finke Desert Race, but come this weekend he’ll have his focus firmly placed upon the seventh and eight rounds of the Australian Off-Road Championship.

The dual AORC series champion is coming off a positive test at Finke, reaching estimated speeds well over 150km/h for lengthy periods of time, however he’s now at Broadford in Victoria, returning to the technical challenge of traditional off-road competition.

Price has been untouchable during 2012 to date since switching to KTM’s brand new 500 EXC, enjoying a healthy points lead in both the Outright and E3 categories of the AORC series.

“Pre-running Finke went great, I’ve been back from there for a couple of days now and I’m focused on the off-road series at Broadford now,” Price explained. “It’s going to take a little bit to get used to, readapting to the slower speeds, but I look forward to it and hope to continue to roll that we’re on.

“The KTM 500 EXC has been great and as soon as I started testing it I knew it was the bike for me. We’ve shocked a few people riding the large capacity bike, but it’s all paid off and I can’t wait to get on it every weekend that we are racing.”

While Price is the lone Motorex KTM Off-Road Racing team member to be participating in Finke next month, teammate Chris Hollis has turned his attention back to the AORC series defence. Hollis currently sits ninth in the Outright standings and third in E2 aboard the 350 EXC-F.

Motorex KTM Off-Road Racing E1 campaigner Ben Burrell enjoyed one of his strongest rounds yet at Coonabarabran at the end of April, looking to carry to form into the Broadford round on the 250 EXC-F. He now sits third in the title chase following a promising start to his season with KTM.

For additional information on the Motorex KTM Off Road Racing Team, visit the team’s official on Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/ktmoffroadteam. Visit www.ktm.com.au on the web for further information on KTM Australia, as well as KTM’s full model line-up of off-road and road motorcycles available.

[Ends]

KTM will stage a multi-bike attack on this weekend’s Murray Bridge round of the MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, in South Australia on Sunday, 20 May.

Heading the charge will be South Australian-based JDR/KTM Factory Racing rider Josh Cachia, who despite an injury scare last weekend in Wanneroo, has confirmed that he’ll be on track for his local round come Sunday.

Cachia currently sits fifth in the MX2 category aboard the KTM 250 SX-F, and since he lives at Carpenters Rocks in South Australia, he’s certain that the time is now for him to break through for his first win of 2012.

“I’ve got a lot of family and friends coming out, all the boys from home will be there to watch, so I’ll be hoping to do well in front of them,” Cachia said. “I’ve never spent too much time at Murray Bridge, but I don’t mind the track and I know I can do well on Sunday.”

After battling stomach pains and suffering a flat tyre during the Wanneroo round, Cachia knows that victories and podiums are vital as the series reaches its halfway point.

“I’m not sure what happened at Wanneroo. My stomach cramped up and I couldn’t really move, but I was able to finish the round and salvage fifth overall,” he explained. “That gave me solid points, but fifth isn’t good enough – you’ve got to win. There are guys winning consistently, it’s a hard class, so you have to at least be on that podium every time.”

Cachia’s JDR/KTM teammate Dan Reardon will also be looking for improvement this weekend, currently ranked 10th in the premier MX1 class standings aboard the 450 SX-F.

The MX Development category for Under 19s riders will return this weekend after sitting out the WA weekend, with Choice Motorsports KTM’s Dylan Long heading the series after winning round one. Three more KTM riders are ranked inside the top five, with Dylan Leary third, Kayne Lamont fourth and Kale Makeham fifth, respectively.

Murray Bridge will host the fifth round in South Australia on 20 May. For additional information on the JDR/KTM Factory Racing team, visit www.jdrmotorsports.com.au or check the team out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jdrmotorsports.

Visit www.ktm.com.au on the web for further information on KTM Australia, as well as KTM’s full model line-up of off-road and road motorcycles available for 2012.

[Ends]

Loch, VIC – The Monster Energy MX Nationals will converge on Murray Bridge’s fifth round of the 2012 Australian Motocross Championship in South Australia on Sunday, 20 May.

Over 20 world class international riders have competed so far throughout all three national championship classes – MX1, MX2 and MXD – so far in the 2012 season, making for a truly international series on Australian soil.

It’s been an all-international whitewash at the top of the podium in the premier MX1 class following four of 10 rounds, with the Murray Bridge round serving as mid-round of the season before the series takes a six-week break from competition.

New Zealand’s former world number two Josh Coppins has set the pace so far for CDR Yamaha to lead the title, winning at both Coonabarabran and Wanneroo, which was contested last weekend. With experience on his side and in his final year of professional racing, last year’s MXN runner-up has been inch-perfect to date.

“The team’s working really well and we’re gelling together,” Coppins said. “I’m trying to help Lawson [Bopping] and Craig [Dack] has also got a lot of experience.

“I was thinking about it after the weekend and I think all the success that the team has had is not just luck, it comes down to preparation and work from the whole team. The proof is in the results.”

Coppins leads the series over dual British champion Brad Anderson, who won round three at Wonthaggi for Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing. Anderson’s teammate Ben Townley, another Kiwi, won the season opener at Conondale before injury forced him out of the proceedings.

Last year’s leading contenders at Murray Bridge, Billy Mackenzie and Dean Ferris, will be missing from the action next weekend. After winning last year, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Mackenzie is out injured, while Ferris has gone onto compete in the Motocross World Championship.

Replacing Ferris at Kawasaki is four-time defending series champion Jay Marmont, who sits a lowly seventh in the standings to date, but did break through for a moto win aboard the KX450F in WA. Marmont was fourth in South Australia 12 months ago.

The Motul MX2 category has also been a relentless affair to date, with Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing revelation Luke Styke leading the series at this stage of the season after winning at both Coonabarabran and Wanneroo. He currently heads Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing’s Ford Dale and teammate Kirk Gibbs, with all three claiming round victories so far in 2012.

South Australian local Gibbs will be eager to get his season back on track after winning the round at Murray Bridge last year, and he’s well aware that it’s vital he peg back teammate Styke in the standings as the series reaches its halfway point.

“This year I seem to struggle to string three races together to make a good round,” Gibbs explained. “With Luke being so consistent, no rider can afford to drop motos. But we head to my home state [this] week and its time I got it together and put in three good races at the level I’m capable of.”

The Pirelli MX Development class will resume after the nation’s top Under 19s racers sat out the WA stop on the calendar. The class is so far led by round one winner Dylan Long for Choice Motorsports KTM, from fellow teenage tearaways Sam Martin and Dylan Leary.

The Murray Bridge round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals will take place in South Australia on Sunday, 20 May. Visit www.mxnationals.com.au for further information on the Monster Energy MX Nationals series.

2012 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship

Murray Bridge Rd5 Event Information:
Adults $30
Children (aged 5-15 years) $15
Family (two adults and two children aged 5-15 years) $70
Gates Open 7.00am
Practice Starts 8.30am

Series Calendar:

Rd1 – 1 April – Conondale, QLD 

Rd2 – 14-15 April – Coonabarabran, NSW

Rd3 – 28-29 April – Wonthaggi, VIC

Rd4 – 12-13 May – Wanneroo, WA

Rd5 – 20 May – Murray Bridge, SA

Rd6 – 1 July – Hervey Bay, QLD

Rd7 – 15 July – Barrabool, VIC

Rd8 – 29 July – Appin, NSW

Rd9 – 19 August – Moree, NSW

Rd10 – 25-26 August – Coolum, QLD

MX1 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 253
2. Brad Anderson 211
3. Todd Waters 208
4. Lawson Bopping 203
5. Cody Cooper 183
6. Tye Simmonds 178
7. Jay Marmont 177
8. Jake Moss 157
9. Daniel McCoy 125
10. Daniel Reardon 107

MX2 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 260
2. Ford Dale 221
3. Kirk Gibbs 199
4. Cheyne Boyd 198
5. Josh Cachia 195
6. Kade Mosig 194
7. Adam Monea 190
8. Justin McDonald 143
9. Lewis Woods 134
10. Errol Willis 131

MXD Championship Standings (after 3 of 9 rounds):
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

[Ends]

The current Under 19′s Development champion battled his way through the toughest round on the calendar to maintain a top 10 position in the series point standings, taking home vital experience in the deep sand and brutally rough track conditions that Wanneroo is famous for.

Willis finished with 13th in the opening moto, 21st in moto two after he was plagued by technical difficulties and then concluded the round with a fighting 13th despite a heavy fall early in the final outing.

“Today started off okay when I got a decent start in the first one, but I got tangled up, bent my gear lever and was stuck in third gear,” the 18-year-old explained. “I ended up finishing 13th, which wasn’t too bad considering my incident. In the second one we had a couple of bike problems during the moto, so I ended up 21st in that one.

“In the last one I got a real good start and came around the first corner in third, was pushing hard but I ended up going down. I had to restart the bike, so I was pretty tired after that and it was pretty much a case of damage control from there. I ended up 13th, which isn’t bad for Raceline Pirelli Suzuki, but I do look forward to getting back to tracks I’m more experienced at.”

“It can only be a good thing for me to have such a tough weekend” he added. “To have such a tough weekend and still be looking forward is good, so I look forward to this weekend at Murray Bridge and hopefully we have some good results there for sure.”

The Under 19′s Development category didn’t feature a round at Wanneroo in WA. Instead, Raceline Pirelli Suzuki Pro Lites contender Jay Wilson will return this weekend at Murray Bridge.

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.

Round Four, 2012 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship

Pro Lites Overall Results:
1. Luke Styke 68
2. Cheyne Boyd 62
3. Adam Monea 55
4. Kade Mosig 54
5. Josh Cachia 46
6. Lewis Woods 44
7. Ford Dale 42
8. Scott Columb (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 38
9. Luke Arbon 38
10. Kirk Gibbs 37
15. Errol Willis (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki) 16

Pro Lites Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 260
2. Ford Dale 221
3. Kirk Gibbs 199
4. Cheyne Boyd 198
5. Josh Cachia 195
6. Kade Mosig 194
7. Adam Monea 190
8. Justin McDonald 143
9. Lewis Woods 134
10. Errol Willis (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki) 131
11. Scott Columb (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 123

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.

Round Four, 2012 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship

Pro Open Overall Results:
1. Josh Coppins 72
2. Lawson Bopping 57
3.Todd Waters (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 56
4. Brad Anderson 50
5. Cody Cooper (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 46
6. Tye Simmonds 45
7. Daniel McCoy (Hart & Huntington Suzuki) 42
8. Jay Marmont 38
9. Mike Phillips 33
10. Gordon Crockard 32

Pro Lites Overall Results:
1. Luke Styke 68
2. Cheyne Boyd 62
3. Adam Monea (Team 07 Motorsports Suzuki) 55
4. Kade Mosig 54
5. Josh Cachia 46
6. Lewis Woods (Hart & Huntington Suzuki) 44
7. Ford Dale 42
8. Scott Columb (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 38
9. Luke Arbon 38
10. Kirk Gibbs 37

Pro Open Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 253
2. Brad Anderson 211
3. Todd Waters (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 208
4. Lawson Bopping 203
5. Cody Cooper (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 183
6. Tye Simmonds 178
7. Jay Marmont 177
8. Jake Moss 157
9. Daniel McCoy (Hart & Huntington Suzuki) 125
10. Daniel Reardon 107

Pro Lites Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 260
2. Ford Dale 221
3. Kirk Gibbs 199
4. Cheyne Boyd 198
5. Josh Cachia 195
6. Kade Mosig 194
7. Adam Monea (Team 07 Motorsports Suzuki) 190
8. Justin McDonald 143
9. Lewis Woods (Hart & Huntington Suzuki) 134
10. Errol Willis (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki) 131
11. Scott Columb (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) 123

Wanneroo, WA – 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.”

Murray Bridge will host the fifth round in South Australia on 20 May. For additional information on the JDR/KTM Factory Racing team, visit www.jdrmotorsports.com.au or check the team out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jdrmotorsports.

Visit www.ktm.com.au on the web for further information on KTM Australia, as well as KTM’s full model line-up of off-road and road motorcycles available for 2012.

2012 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round Four – Wanneroo, WA

MX1 Overall Results:
1. Josh Coppins 72
2. Lawson Bopping 57
3. Todd Waters 56
4. Brad Anderson 50
5. Cody Cooper 46
6. Tye Simmonds 45
7. Daniel McCoy 42
8. Jay Marmont 38
9. Mike Phillips 33
10. Gordon Crockard 32
18. Daniel Reardon (JDR/KTM Factory Racing) 11

MX2 Overall Results:
1. Luke Styke 68
2. Cheyne Boyd 62
3. Adam Monea 55
4. Kade Mosig 54
5. Josh Cachia (JDR/KTM Factory Racing) 46
6. Lewis Woods 44
7. Ford Dale 42
8. Scott Columb 38
9. Luke Arbon 38
10. Kirk Gibbs 37

MX1 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 253
2. Brad Anderson 211
3. Todd Waters 208
4. Lawson Bopping 203
5. Cody Cooper 183
6. Tye Simmonds 178
7. Jay Marmont 177
8. Jake Moss 157
9. Daniel McCoy 125
10. Daniel Reardon (JDR/KTM Factory Racing) 107

MX2 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 260
2. Ford Dale 221
3. Kirk Gibbs 199
4. Cheyne Boyd 198
5. Josh Cachia (JDR/KTM Factory Racing) 195
6. Kade Mosig 194
7. Adam Monea 190
8. Justin McDonald 143
9. Lewis Woods 134
10. Errol Willis 131

[Ends]

Wanneroo, WA – 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. Visit www.mxnationals.com.au for further information on the Monster Energy MX Nationals series.

2012 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round Four – Wanneroo, WA

MX1 Overall Results:
1. Josh Coppins 72
2. Lawson Bopping 57
3.Todd Waters 56
4. Brad Anderson 50
5. Cody Cooper 46
6. Tye Simmonds 45
7. Daniel McCoy 42
8. Jay Marmont 38
9. Mike Phillips 33
10. Gordon Crockard 32

MX2 Overall Results:
1. Luke Styke 68
2. Cheyne Boyd 62
3. Adam Monea 55
4. Kade Mosig 54
5. Josh Cachia 46
6. Lewis Woods 44
7. Ford Dale 42
8. Scott Columb 38
9. Luke Arbon 38
10. Kirk Gibbs 37

MX1 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 253
2. Brad Anderson 211
3. Todd Waters 208
4. Lawson Bopping 203
5. Cody Cooper 183
6. Tye Simmonds 178
7. Jay Marmont 177
8. Jake Moss 157
9. Daniel McCoy 125
10. Daniel Reardon 107

MX2 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 260
2. Ford Dale 221
3. Kirk Gibbs 199
4. Cheyne Boyd 198
5. Josh Cachia 195
6. Kade Mosig 194
7. Adam Monea 190
8. Justin McDonald 143
9. Lewis Woods 134
10. Errol Willis 131

[Ends]

Wanneroo, WA – Wilsons Jetpilot MX riders Luke Wilson and Thomas Rushton endured a challenging round at Wanneroo’s fourth round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, in Western Australia on Sunday, 13 May.

In the series’ first visit to WA since the 2009 season, the Wilsons Jetpilot MX team headed to the west coast a week prior to the round in a bid to prepare for the deep sands of Wanneroo.

Wilson finished a promising 22nd position in the first moto of the round, before he scored a championship point in moto two after a hard-fought performance. His day turned pear-shaped in moto three however, crashing out of proceedings and suffering a dislocation of the AC joint in his shoulder.

The Queenslander will now undergo further medical attention this week in Brisbane, uncertain when he’ll make a competitive turn aboard the Kawasaki KX450F. Wilson finished 26th overall for the round and now sits 33rd in the championship.

Rookie MX1 teammate Rushton failed to finish each of the three motos, but did take positives from the round after he was mostly struck with bad luck in WA. He’s now ranked 36th in the series as it approaches the halfway point.

“It was sort of up and down – mostly down for me this weekend,” Rushton explained. “In the first race I hit a rock, put a hole straight through my tyre and got a flat spot.

“In the second one after we changed the wheel really quick, I had no back brake and didn’t finish that one either. In the last one I got fatigued and didn’t finish that either. It was just so hard in those final motos when the track got really rough.”

Wilsons Jetpilot MX will now head directly to Murray Bridge in South Australia for the fifth stop on the 2012 schedule. Round five will mark the halfway point of the season before the mid-season month-long break.

2012 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round Four – Wanneroo, WA

MX1 Overall Results:
1. Josh Coppins 72
2. Lawson Bopping 57
3.Todd Waters 56
4. Brad Anderson 50
5. Cody Cooper 46
6. Tye Simmonds 45
7. Daniel McCoy 42
8. Jay Marmont 38
9. Mike Phillips 33
10. Gordon Crockard 32
26. Luke Wilson (Wilsons Jetpilot MX) 1

MX1 Championship Standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
1. Josh Coppins 253
2. Brad Anderson 211
3. Todd Waters 208
4. Lawson Bopping 203
5. Cody Cooper 183
6. Tye Simmonds 178
7. Jay Marmont 177
8. Jake Moss 157
9. Daniel McCoy 125
10. Daniel Reardon 107
33. Luke Wilson (Wilsons Jetpilot MX) 7
36. Thomas Rushton (Wilsons Jetpilot MX) 3

[Ends]

Wanneroo’s fourth round of the MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, will be an important one for the JDR/KTM Factory Racing team in Western Australia this weekend on 12-13 May.

With KTM Australia based in WA and former World Motocross contender Jeff Leisk on hand to watch over the JDR team’s performance, Sunday is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated races on the schedule for the Austrian manufacturer.

Leisk, who is now general manager of KTM Australia, looks forward to seeing the JDR team in action first-hand this weekend, and his experience could play a pivotal role as team riders Josh Cachia and Dan Reardon adapt to the deep sands of Wanneroo.

“Wanneroo is one of the sandiest tracks that I’ve ever come across in the world, in terms of how deep and sugary the sand is,” Leisk explained. “I know that the boys have been here since late last week preparing, getting used to the deep sand.

“There has been a little bit of rain around, which tends to make the sand heavier, and that can make the bumps a little bit sharper and tougher to ride. This will be one of the toughest tracks of the season, both technically and physically. Later in the day at Wanneroo you don’t get too many chances to sit down and have a rest – this is where riders’ hard work will pay off.”

With KTM’s national base in Western Australia, the Wanneroo round marks a special occasion for the brand. The MX Nationals will return to WA following a two-year hiatus.

“Most of our staff will come out and have a look, so finally it’s pretty neat to have the Australian championships back here,” Leisk added. “It seems like the WA round lasts for a year or two and then disappears for a few, so for me that’s a bit frustrating.

“For KTM, WA is 12 or 13 percent of our national market and 10 to 12 percent contribution to a team’s racing budget through sales warrants a visit by the team. We feel WA does get neglected when you look at those metrics, so it’s awesome to see them here competing. Everybody is looking forward to it.”

Cachia will spearhead the team’s MX2 assault on the 250 SX-F, currently sitting fourth in the standings after picking up his first podium of the season last time out at Wonthaggi.

Between Cachia and teammate Ryan Marmont, JDR/KTMs have claimed all nine MX2 holeshots so far this season in the MX Nationals series, however Cachia will have to uphold that status alone this weekend while Marmont recovers from injuries sustained earlier in the season.

Marmont joins teammate Brenden Harrison on the sidelines for the round after a disappointing start to the year with injuries plaguing the pair. Harrison is expected to return for round six in July following the mid-season layoff.

In the premier MX1 class it will be Queensland’s 2007 series champion Dan Reardon flying the KTM flag aboard the 450 SX-F. Reardon sits ninth in the standings to date, but will be looking to climb the ladder after spending this week in WA preparing for the series’ return to Wanneroo.

For additional information on the JDR/KTM Factory Racing team, visit www.jdrmotorsports.com.au or check the team out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jdrmotorsports.

Visit www.ktm.com.au on the web for further information on KTM Australia, as well as KTM’s full model line-up of off-road and road motorcycles available for 2012.

[Ends]