Monster Energy Kawasaki's Dean Ferris maintains his lead in the Pro Open category ahead of Wodonga. Image: Alex Gobert.

An all-star cast of international motocross contenders will continue their push against Australia’s best when round seven of the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals reaches Wodonga in Victoria on Sunday, 3 July.

So far in season 2011 it has been national number three Dean Ferris who leads the way for Monster Energy Kawasaki, the 20-year-old Aussie fending off a determined charge from the international might.

Ferris is yet to win a round overall this year, but his unmatched consistency has proven vital in the first half of the year. After falling one point short at Coonabarabran’s sixth round, he wants to gain his first overall for Kawasaki.

“I’ll get that overall win one day,” Ferris said. “I’ve beat them all before, just not on the same day. We’ll keep working on a few things and hopefully win some. It just feels really good to keep that red plate with the series lead.”

Two former Motocross World Championship race winners sit second and third in the series to date, with Ferris’ Scottish teammate Billy Mackenzie 13 points behind him and in a perfect position to strike as the series reaches its final stages.

“I’ll keep working at it and try and get some more race wins,” said Mackenzie, who battled through injury in the early rounds of the series.

Rounding out the top three at this point is CDR Rockstar Energy Yamaha’s New Zealand standout Josh Coppins, the experienced 34-year-old already winning two rounds to date this year. He trails Ferris by 32 points.

“It’s getting down to the time when races have to be won and round victories must be earned,” Coppins commented this week. “Now is the time I must put some pressure on the riders in front of me and claw back points.”

The in-form man of the series is most recent round winner Jay Marmont in fourth, CDR Rockstar Energy Drink Yamaha’s defending triple champion hoping to narrow the 54-point margin he sits behind Ferris at this point.

Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing teammates Cheyne Boyd, of Victoria, and Kiwi Michael Phillips are next best in the standings, while rookie wonder Lawson Bopping will be looking to recapture his early season form for Raceline Pirelli Suzuki.

Last year’s winner of the Wodonga round is New Zealand Champion Cody Cooper, the Rockstar Motul Suzuki rider currently eighth in the points race after suffering a string of injuries early in the season. He will contend for the victory come Sunday.

Herb Watson Racing KTM’s Western Australian rider Louis Calvin is top privateer in the series in ninth, and this weekend he’ll again have a British teammate in Jamie Law, who finished 13th at the Toowoomba round earlier this season.

JDR Motorex KTM's Matt Moss is best of the Pro Lites heading into Wodonga.

JDR Motorex KTM’s Matt Moss heads the Motul Pro Lites division by 54 points after dominating the opening three rounds of the year, but he hasn’t had it all his own way in recent rounds after suffering a fractured shoulder blade before round four.

Moss comfortably leads Serco Yoshimura Yamaha’s Kirk Gibbs, while the battle for third is a tight one between Toowoomba winner Daniel McCoy (Rockstar Motul Suzuki), Moss’ teammate Brenden Harrison and Coonabarabran victor, American Phil Nicoletti (Monster Energy Kawasaki). Just six points separate that trio.

In the Pirelli Under 19s category it’s Raceline Pirelli Suzuki’s talented 17-year-old Errol Willis who leads the way, maintaining his advantage by 38 points over joint title favourite Luke Arbon (GYTR Rockstar Energy Yamaha). Arbon’s teammate Shaun Redhead sits third.

The man on the move however has been Coastal KTM’s Jay Wilson, the former 85cc Junior World Champion winning the previous two rounds of the series in what is his rookie season. Wilson is currently seventh after a difficult start to the year.

Round seven of the 2011 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals will be contested at Wodonga in Victoria on Sunday, 3 July. Practice and qualifying will commence at 8:30am with the official opening ceremonies taking place at approximately 10:30am.

Visit www.mxnationals.com.au on the web for complete series and round information on the 2011 season, the official series website recently undergoing a major overhaul from the ground up.

Spectator Entry Information:
Adults – $30
Children (5-15yrs) – $15
Children (Under 5yrs) – Free
Family (2 adults, 2 children) – $70