Broadford's season-opening round of the MX Nationals was a huge hit last weekend.

Leading industry identities in Australian motocross have credited Motorcycling Victoria on the development of Broadford’s State Motorcycle Sport Complex following the first round of the 2011 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals on Sunday.

130 national and international riders competed in front of over 3000 spectators during a day which saw Scotsman Billy Mackenzie claim victory in the premier Pro Open category, Matt Moss won the Lites and Luke Arbon the Under 19s.

The newly refitted motocross track held up extremely well even as it weathered inclement conditions throughout the day.

The newly equipped sprinkler system helped maintain the track’s integrity throughout the qualifying heats as the temperature soared up to over 30 degrees Celsius before 2:00pm. Racing was still able to continue even through an afternoon deluge.

WEM’s series promoter Kevin Williams was impressed with Broadford as venue for the opening round.

“The track held up very well during the heat, even when the heavens opened up over our heads,” Williams said. “The modifications of the tabletops improved the flow of the track immensely which resulted in some great racing.

“With 3500 people attending the refurbished facilities at Broadford, round one has really set the benchmark for the series. Broadford has really come through with all these upgrades making it once again the premier motorcycle sport complex in Australia.”

John Tisdale, Motorcycling Australia’s MX Commission chairperson was rapt with the opening round.

“The feedback I received from riders and team managers alike on the day was very positive,” Tisdale said. “It speaks highly of the efforts of the staff at Broadford and Motorcycling Victoria. The venue has improved substantially since our last visit, and it was a great way to kick off the series.”

Team manager for CDR Rockstar Energy Yamaha Craig Dack has fond memories of Broadford and Sunday’s event was yet another memorable occasion.

“The revamped track was spectacular,” he said. “The viewing areas for spectators were awesome and the track itself was certainly very demanding for our riders.

“I’ve either been racing or attending events here since 1982 and the track is in the best condition it’s ever been,”

Andrew Weiss, CEO of Motorcycling Victoria, said that the MX Nationals round marked a relaunch of sorts for Broadford’s motocross circuit.

“The 2011 MX Nationals was effectively the relaunch of the MX track at Broadford,” Weiss said. “The event was a significant showcase and highlighted the hard work and effort put in by the complex’s staff.

“The track was in great nick and handled all the outrageous weather conditions as well. Motorcycling Victoria’s board has made a concerted effort to get the whole venue up to the standard we all expect from Broadford.

“The weekend showed that we are definitely on the right track.”