Heats are underway at the 2010 Honda Australian Junior Motocross Championship, taking place at the Lake Macquarie Motor Bike Club over the next week.

With nearly 100 riders entering in some classes, heats will take place to determine the final 40 riders who will vie for the Australian Championship titles.

Nine classes took to the track on Sunday with riders such as; Wade Kirkland, Isaac Ferguson, Hayden Mellross, Luke Clout, Scott Mann, Courtney Duncan and Dylan Heaton adapting easily to the warmer weather and dry conditions.

Heats will continue on Monday, and with 26 races to get through, it will be an action-packed day at the Lake Macquarie track.

Club President, Rob Paric, said that despite some problems with Traffic Authorities regarding the event’s Traffic Management Plan, the event has begun smoothly.

“Discussions had been taking place with the local council for months regarding the Traffic Management Plan for the event,” Paric said. “The Club had asked to temporarily change the speed limit over the stretch of road immediately outside the Club – allowing the existing plan to be utilised.

“Unfortunately with only days to go until the event, and hundreds of people descending on the area, the Road Traffic Authority, decided against the temporary speed restriction, and instead placed alternative signage and blocked access to the club from one direction – diverting traffic further up the road to make a u-turn.

“While its disappointing the way the situation was handled and while their solution isn’t ideal, we have to work with it and thankfully the dry weather has helped us.

“This is such a big event and will do so much for the local area, so we’d like to extend a massive thank-you to all the participants for their patience as we adapt our plan to accommodate these changes.

“Apart from that slight hiccough, the rest of the event has started off beautifully, and we certainly hope it stays that way for the rest of the week.”