On-Track

Jack Miller – MotoGP
The month of October has been a consistent one for Aussie MotoGP star Jack Miller. Bagging an impressive fourth in the Sprint and a sixth in the red-flagged race in Japan due to the brutal wet conditions, he backed this up with a solid ninth and a seventh in Indonesia to ensure he headed into his home GP with some handy momentum.

Venturing to the famed Phillip Island track in front of his adoring fans, there was much reason for positivity from his weekend in an event where the main race was run on Saturday due to the impending severe wind and rain on Sunday.

Banking eighth in qualifying ahead of the main race, this gave him a decent grid position to enjoy a strong body of work, where he finished seventh after engaging in some pulsating battles throughout.

“It was a decent Grand Prix. I had a bit of fun with the guys there. The bike was working good, and I cannot complain. I felt I was losing a bit too much time in the last sector but then also struggling a bit with the front tire. I had to try and nurse it. We learned from that today. We didn’t really want that result at our home GP but it was a solid finish and we were not too far away from the front guys. Happy enough and happy with the bike. We have a bit more work to do, but things are going good.”

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Joel Kelso marked his home race in memorable style by bagging his first-ever Moto3 podium. Having earned himself second on the grid, the Darwinian immediately got down to business in the race, displaying excellent speed and race-craft to keep pace with the frontrunners.

Putting on a wicked show for the supporters to eventually bag third despite a late moment, Kelso rightfully cut a delighted figure afterwards, stating: “Bloody brilliant! I’m over the moon. It was tricky conditions, but I just had to go for it at my home GP. I wanted the win but then made a little mistake, so I thought ‘Just put it in the bag’ and get it home safely. There was a lot of pressure, but now we’ll finish the year and try to bring the best results to CFMOTO,” he gleamed.

In another exciting piece of news for the ambitious Kelso, it’s been confirmed he’s signed with BOE Motorsports in Moto3 for 2024. “I am very happy to be able to join a great team like BOE Motorsports for another year in Moto3. I am very grateful for this opportunity; my goal will be to fight at the front and show everyone what we are capable of.”

Senna Agius – European Moto2 Championship and Moto2
The Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact team ace won’t be forgetting October in a hurry, for not only did Agius secure the European Moto2 Championship, but he also signed on the dotted line with his current team to step up to Moto2 on a full-time basis.

“I am feeling super-grateful to have the opportunity to step up with this team. I just have to say thank you for this incredible chance and thanks to everyone involved for believing in me,” he expressed. “It will be my rookie season, and I have so much to learn, but it’s already been a good time riding in Moto2, and I am so happy to be jumping up to Grand Prix now. I am just so excited.”

To shift the attention back to his title triumph, the way the 18-year-old handled the pressure and weight of expectation expertly to get the job done was nothing short of impressive, as he triumphed at Aragon after logging the quickest time in qualifying to underline his tremendous talent emphatically.

Harrison Voight – European Moto2 Championship
Back in action at Aragon, Harrison Voight once again showcased many glimpses of his undeniable class. Starting the opening race all the way back in 20th, it was eye-catching how he embarked on a scintillating charge through the field to work his way up to sixth. Disappointingly, though, while running close to the group of riders up to second, a mistake from a rival forced a collision, which saw him pull out courtesy of some subsequent pain in his leg that meant he was unable to change gears.

Bravely lining up for the second race, 13th was the best he could manage in a bout that saw him toil on valiantly following a rough start. With one round left in the series, all eyes will be on the finale, where the Stylobike hotshot will be eager to close out his season in an uplifting fashion.

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Josh Brookes ended his 2023 crusade with commendable efforts at the final two rounds at Donington Park and Brands Hatch. To start with the former, his 7-8-3 finishes were a tidy return, considering he qualified back in 17th. Although he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his output at the rain-interrupted round due to him posting great results and rides at the same venue earlier in the term, Brookes remained upbeat with his podium placing.

Even though a nasty spill in first practice and a bike issue in qualifying ensured he had to line up for the opening bout in 18th. It was an unsatisfactory way to begin the finale, but the way he salvaged his weekend was notable. Struggling with bike setup all weekend and never feeling comfortable, much credit must go to Brookes, who fought on doggedly to claim a seventh, an eighth and a ninth to conclude his campaign in a credible seventh in the standings.

“I’d like to thank everyone; all the supporters, the team, sponsors, the fans – everyone who has put something into the team and hopefully next year we can get some better results and fight for the championship,” he told the team’s website.

Jason O’Halloran –  British Superbike
Jason O’Halloran closed out his season with an outstanding showing on his way to a terrific victory at Donington before wrapping up his 2023 with a mixed weekend at Brands Hatch. Despite blasting out of the blocks to bank pole position with the fastest-ever BSB time at the circuit, the opener didn’t go to plan, for tyre issues ensured 17th was all he could muster.

A man on a mission in race two, the ‘O’Show’ scorched his way from 21st to fourth before the race was red-flagged just as a podium beckoned for the Aussie. The third duel was all about the McAMS Yamaha star, as he shot off the line to then ride to an accomplished win in what was a statement body of work ahead of Brands Hatch.

While this last stop on the calendar wasn’t one to remember, even if he bagged pole and was second in the opener, as a crash and a seventh scuppered any hopes he had of challenging for the title. Ultimately obtaining sixth in the standings to close his tenure with the team, who will no longer be running a BSB outfit, an emotional O’Halloran expressed his gratitude for all they’ve done for him and stated what a fantastic time he’s had under the awning over the years.

“I think together with the team, we can look back on what we’ve achieved with great pride. We’ve had an incredible journey over the last five years, and I wish everyone all the success in their next steps. A huge thanks to Steve Rodgers, Wendy, Tina and all the other people who make this happen,” 

Now moving to the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki, it’ll be intriguing to see how he fares with his new squad in 2024.

Off-Road

Jett Lawrence – MXoN for Australia
Flexing his muscles on the world stage on French soil, Jett Lawrence shone brightly for Team Australian at the prestigious Motocross of Nations. Playing an instrumental role in propelling his nation to their best-ever finish at the event in second!

After constructing some exceptional rides in the qualifying race and in his first moto to carve through the park on the rutty, hard surface, his final moto masterclass was a joy to behold, with him rising to the occasion to outfox the legendary Ken Roczen with aplomb to secure a magnificent victory.

“The first race, the start wasn’t too bad, I was there. I was in the top 10, and I thought I had a good chance of winning it, but I made an aggressive pass on the outside and went down. Starting dead last wasn’t ideal, but I had a pretty good flow around the track and felt fit, and didn’t get tired at all. My last six laps were the fastest, so I was happy with that,” 

“The second moto I wanted to go out and win… I had a decent start, around third, then I made a quick move for second and was chasing Kenny again like back in America. I felt at home, although he had a lot better lines than I did at the start, so I was following him for a bit, but once I was able to get around him, I put my head down and flowed just like home. It was good to get the win and finish on a high.”

Hunter Lawrence – MXoN for Australia
Coming into the showpiece dealing with a nerve issue in his back, Hunter Lawrence deserved plenty of praise for putting his body on the line for his country. Kicking things off with a third in his qualification race, it was impressive how he adjusted to the rugged conditions at Ernee. He then carried his form into the Sunday by securing a 10th and a fifth to bag second in the MX2 class behind Tom Vialle, with him overcoming the pain barrier strikingly to play a pivotal part in his team’s score.

“It was the best result ever for Australia, so it’s awesome, but I’m already looking forward to next year. It was a wild day, the track was super gnarly, it was brutal so we’re happy that everyone was able to do their best, and the boys gave their all, and left everything on the track. If everyone gives their 100% effort, you can’t ask for much more,” reflected the Honda wizard.

Dean Ferris – MXoN for Australia
Experienced campaigner Dean Ferris headed to Ernee fresh from winning the ProMX MX1 crown, eager to impress in what was his seventh MXoN. Surviving a savage crash on the Saturday unscathed, the aim for him was to produce just one sound ride to accompany the Lawrence brothers. And that’s exactly what he did by getting a 12th to stand up and be counted when his country needed him.

Relishing the opportunity and loving coming back to Europe, all eyes will now be on the 2024 season back home, which sees Ferris return to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy in his quest for further glory.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad: October 2023 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Dean Ferris claimed his fourth ProMX championship with a polished performance at the final round where he finished second for the day but that was more than enough to secure the championship and makes it three in a row for Yamaha after Luke Clout and Aaron Tanti were winners in 2021 and 2022 respective.

Charli Cannon took her second WMX championship after a final round domination on her home track at Coolum. It was also the first time she had stood on the podium since turning 18 so she was finally allowed to spray some champaign in celebration of another number 1 plate.

Ferris and his YZ450F had been the inform combination all year and entering the final round at Coolum, he enjoyed a 15 point buffer over second place but given the hostilities that Coolum often throws up, this was a long way from over and two, thirty minute motos in the black sand is always easier said that done.

And his weekend didn’t start off great. He crashed heavily in the Saturday qualifying session that left his bike a little twisted and himself a little rattled. With some shoulder and neck soreness, he got some running repairs over night as did the bike and things were back on track for Sunday morning and he locked down fourth spot in Superpole.

The maths for Sunday was simply. Keep Jed Beaton in sight and the championship was his. Beaton had barely set a foot wrong all year and had proven to be ultra consistent and he also showed good pace in qualifying.

Both motos were also carbon copies of each other. Ferris was conservative on the opening laps, doing what ever he could do stay out of the usual chaos 40 hyped up motocross riders create. Once the field settled down, so did Ferris and each time he climbed his way from fourth into second and held it there to the end. It was a very mature performance from a rider who continues to grow on and off the track. He did exactly what he needed to do and executed with perfect.

“2023 has been a massive year of change for me and I’m so happy that I came back to racing and found my love of it again,” Ferris begins. “It was only a small crew of people, but everyone was dedicated and determined to do well and gave me what I needed to get the job done.

“This time last year I was burnt out and done but now I think I’m more invigorated than ever and the thrill of winning never gets old. It’s been five years since I won a championship and there were times when it seemed so far away, but I hung in there, kept fighting and made the changes I needed to and I’m so proud to have win it in 2023 against a high-quality field of riders and over such a challenging year as far as tracks and conditions go. A big thank you to Yamaha for stepping up and making this happen. I came to them late with this idea of what I wanted to do, and they were able to put a platform in place that worked for me and the YZ450F just feels so natural to me,” Ferris ends.

Charli Cannon was tied on points with her nearest rival as the women lined up for their final round at Coolum. While Cannon had been the dominate rider in the series, a fall in moto 2 at QMP that saw her unable to finish the race, tightened the points back up and it was all on the line, winner take all at the final round in the WMX division.

And we should never have doubted her. Cannon rounded the first turn inside the top four each team, passed into the lead within the opening laps and then continued to stretch out her lead all the way until the checkered flag. She won both races by approximately 30 seconds to stamp her authority in WMX and make it back-to-back championships.

“I was pretty nervous coming into the final round. I had to reset from last weekend at QMP and just trying and focus on riding well this weekend because there was no room for error in the points after that DNF. I also had to learn from last week and not make that same mistake again. I tried to rush a pass when I shouldn’t have, and I went down and damaged the bike so there was a lot going on in my head before the races started.”

“But thankfully when the gates dropped, I was just able to race. I was able to get to the lead quickly without taking any risks and the track was super tough, especially in that second race so I was so focused on my lines and what was happening on the track, I didn’t really think about the championship. But I was pretty relieved when I came onto the final straight knowing that I had it won. Thank you Yamaha and the entire Yamalube Yamaha Team. Its great the support they have given me, and I think it’s been a big part in why there are more girls being supported in motocross. Also, to ProMX for giving us a platform to race. There are now more than 20 riders at each round and hopefully that continues to grow, and the women enjoy the experience of racing at these events,” Cannon signs off.

The post Yamaha Goes Back To Back In ProMX Championships appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

THOR MX1
In THOR MX1, it was time for the challengers to assert dominance over the field. Following the unprecedented turn of events that saw both Round 1 Red Plate holder, CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Luke Clout and Round 2 Red Plate holder, HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Kyle Webster, both exit the Championship with injuries within the same week, the Championship was now thrown wide open.

In the opening THOR MX1 moto, HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Dean Ferris would assert himself early on lap 1 to the front of the field. The first lap would also see Kirk Gibbs crash out of contention with Aaron Tanti colliding with the downed KTM rider’s bike, leaving both riders on the floor and at the back of the pack. Husqvarna Racing Australia’s Todd Waters latched onto the back of Ferris and the pair ran in their all too familiar 1st and 2nd positions that we have seen so many times before. To make things even more interesting, GO24 KTM’s Brett Metcalfe joined the veteran freight train out front, the trio sprinting away from the rest of the field.

Waters would pass Ferris temporarily 8 minutes in, however Ferris would return the favour in exactly the same spot 5 minutes later. Ferris would lead the trio of Australian Motocross legends to the chequered flag in an epic last lap battle, with Todd Waters in 2nd, Brett Metcalfe in 3rd, GAS GAS Australia’s Hayden Mellross 4th and Aaron Tanti in 5th. 

For the first time in the 2022 ProMX Championship, the back to back motos factored into race day proceedings for THOR MX1 in the afternoon. In back to back part 1, Ferris would execute the holeshot with Metcalfe in 2nd, Tanti in 3rd and Gibbs in 4th. The short moto format would see the riders stay in this formation until late in the moto when Metcalfe would cross rut and crash following the first turn area, leaving the door open for Tanti and Gibbs to move forward. At the chequered flag it was Ferris taking the win from Tanti in 2nd and Gibbs in 3rd. Todd Waters put on an incredible charge from a first turn crash all the way back to 5th in the short back to back moto format. 

In the 2nd back to back moto, it was again Ferris who executed a perfect holeshot. Aaron Tanti pushed his way to the lead spot for the majority of the moto, however down the stretch Ferris was too strong, passing Tanti back with a few minutes to go. At the chequered flag it was Ferris claiming a perfect day with another 1st, with Tanti in 2nd, Waters in 3rd, Metcalfe 4th and Mellross 5th. Dean Ferris would close up a huge points margin to just 11 points out of the Championship lead with the THOR MX1 overall victory at Wodonga. New Red Plate holder Todd Waters was 2nd overall and Aaron Tanti was 3rd overall, sitting just 1 point out of the Red Plate.

THOR MX1 Overall Podium

1st – Dean Ferris
2nd – Todd Waters
3rd – Aaron Tanti

PIRELLI MX2
In Pirelli MX2, it appeared to be business as usual after HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Wilson Todd jumped to the front of the field early in lap 1, passing holeshot winner Husqvarna Australia’s Dylan Wills. However on lap 3, Todd would uncharacteristically crash out of the lead, passing the number 1 spot to Serco Yamaha’s Jesse Dobson. A procession of Yamaha’s battled for the podium placings throughout the moto with Yamalube Yamaha’s Rhys Budd, Serco Yamaha’s Bailey Malkiewicz and WBR Yamaha’s Ryder Kingsford all in tow. At the end of moto 1, it was Malkiewicz who emerged victorious, ahead of Ryder Kingsford and Rhys Budd. Wilson Todd would charge from 14th back to 4th and Jesse Dobson would crash out sustaining a dislocated shoulder at the mid point of the race. 

Moto 2 was more of a familiar affair, with Todd holeshotting and after a brief battle with GAS GAS Australia’s Noah Ferguson, beginning his trademark inching away from the field of Pirelli MX2 riders. Malkiewicz and Larwood would battle for 2nd position with Larwood eventually pulling away from his bLU cRU counterpart. At the chequered flag, it was Todd taking 1st with Larwood in 2nd and Malkiewicz in 3rd. Liam Andrews on the Ride Red Honda would place a season best 4th with Ryder Kingsford placing 6th.

With 1-3 Moto scores, Malkiewicz would claim his first career Pirelli MX2 overall win, with Wilson Todd in 2nd and Ryder Kingsford in 3rd. In the Championship points, Wilson Todd maintains a healthy points lead as Red Plate holder ahead of Bailey Malkiewicz in 2nd and Alex Larwood in 3rd. 

Pirelli MX2 Overall Podium

1st – Bailey Malkiewicz
2nd – Wilson Todd
3rd – Ryder Kingsford

 Maxxis MX3
In Maxxis MX3, youngster Cooper Holroyd took the holeshot on his Yamaha and would lead solid laps early in moto 1. At the half way point, KTM mounted Ryan Alexanderson would pass Holroyd for the lead, with HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Cambell Williams and Husqvarna mounted Jack Mather in tow.

At the chequered flag of Maxxis MX3 Moto 1, it was Ryan Alexanderson taking the Victory, ahead of Williams in 2nd and Mather in 3rd. Moto 2 would see KTM Newcastle mounted youngster Connor Towill holeshot and lead early.

At the halfway mark, Campbell Williams would mount his attack to take 1st position. Ryan Alexanderson mounted a huge charge from outside the top 5 to challenge Alexanderson down the stretch of the moto, culminating in a last lap battle for the top spot. At the finish, Williams would take the moto win ahead of Alexanderson in 2nd and Jack Mather in 3rd.

In the Championship, Williams extends his points lead with the Red plate, ahead of Alexanderson in 2nd and KTM Racing Australia’s Kayden Minear in 3rd.

For Full ProMX results and points tables head here…

Maxxis MX3 Overall Podium 

1st – Campbell Williams
2nd – Ryan Alexanderson
3rd – Jack Mather     

The post Ferris, Malkiewicz and Williams Top The Podium At ProMX, Wodonga appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....