Simmonds will look to make fitness improvements after Freestone. Image: hoppenworld.com

JDR J-Star KTM rider Tye Simmonds earned twelfth overall after turning in 13-12 moto results at the second round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series at Freestone, Texas on the weekend, admitting that he needs to work on his conditioning after struggling in the Texas heat.

Moto one saw Simmonds grab a mid pack start, rounding the first lap in seventeenth. By close of the race he had managed to work his way up to thirteenth position.

The second moto marked a better start for the young Australian, beginning in fourteenth. Simmonds was able to move past Moto Concepts Yamaha’s Christophe Pourcel and fellow Aussie, BTOsports.com Butler Bros MX rider Michael Byrne, and picked up an extra position when Pourcel’s team mate Tommy Hahn fell.

However racing in 30 degree plus Texas heat when he is used to dealing with an Aussie winter at this time of the year got the better of Simmonds and halted his advance toward the front of the field, eventually dropping one place to finish twelfth for moto two.

“I am glad to be finishing closer to the top ten, but I am upset that my endurance wasn’t there at the end of the second moto,” Simmonds remarked.

“I was strong in the first half but died off at the end and I need to focus on my conditioning at the end of the moto so I do not give up any positions,”

Simmonds will use the week off in the schedule to gain some conditioning before the series moves to Mt. Morris for the Rockstar Energy High Point National on June 11.