Simmonds will be a hometown favourite this weekend at Moree.

Only days remain until the gates drop on the penultimate round of the 2010 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals, where Bourke local Tye Simmonds can’t wait to ride against Australia’s best at his home track on Sunday.

The KTM rider is currently placed third in the premier Pro Opens class and is looking forward to the MX Sprint format making its debut at the Moree Motorcycle Club this Sunday.

“This weekend is a big deal for me,” Simmonds said. “There’s been so much encouragement from the local community; everyone is supporting me 100 per cent which is great especially coming into a round so close to home.

“I hope everyone comes to have a look – to see what I do for a job, it should be a really great weekend.”

In the MX Sprint format, riders will be challenged to four motos in two dynamic back-to-back sessions throughout the day.

With a total of 100 points up for grabs, and twice as many races as the traditional format, it will be an action-packed round for fans.

“When I heard about the format I was stoked,” Simmonds said. “Having the break between the two session’s means I can ride and then come back in and talk to everyone from town and from Bourke about the racing so far. Now all I have to do is go out there and do my best so I’m really looking forward to it.”

After a consistent but slow start to the year, Simmonds finally found form at the sixth round of the series at Wodonga, where despite a DNF in the first race, he placed first and second in the remaining two motos.

“At the last round I think I finally started to loosen up,” he said. “In the Pro Lites class it was sort of like ‘oh yeah, I’ve raced these guys all my life, this isn’t going to be a problem’ but when I first stepped into the Pro Opens class this year I put a lot of pressure on myself.

“I’d be thinking, ‘these are the big boys, they’re the fastest in Australia, I’ve got to pull my finger out’ – and it affected me and my riding.

“Going into Wodonga I really didn’t care – I had that attitude where no one really mattered and I just had to do my best. And I had a really good weekend – there have been a few rounds where I should have been able to do that and haven’t, but now I know I’ve got it in me I should be able to do it every weekend no worries!”

The seventh round of the 2010 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals will be held on Sunday 18 July at the Moree Motorcycle Club, 10 minutes north of Moree on the Newell Highway in New South Wales.

Tune into Fuel TV this Thursday, 15 July for all the action from the Toowoomba round of the Championship, including a tribute to the late Andrew ‘Sharky’ McFarlane.

ADMISSION:
Adult $30
Family (Two adults, two kids) $70
Kids (5-15 years) $15