Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Cody Cooper broke through for his first Monster Energy MX Nationals victory of the 2013 season at Conondale in Queensland on Sunday, 2 June, winning ahead of teammate Matt Moss in a dream weekend for the factory Suzuki team.

Moss set the pace during regular qualifying before Cooper took charge in GoPro Super Pole for the bonus five points, a factor that would determine the overall at the end of the weekend.

Cooper was sixth in moto one, but dominated the second after he got out front early and set the fastest laps of the weekend in the process. Those results, combined with his Super Pole, handed him his first overall of the season after a frustrating few rounds of late.

“We ended up having to change some fork settings and I ride good when I’m comfortable but I just couldn’t get there,” Cooper said. “We worked hard and probably got a little bit lost during testing. We went backwards and forwards, but I’m happy with what I’ve got now. It’s great to just do some motos on it now and just have fun with it.”

Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Cody Cooper took his first overall MX1 win of the season. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Moss was one point shy of the overall in second, scoring 2-2 finishes. He battled hard with title rival Todd Waters (Motorex KTM) in race one, and was forced to fight through the pack in moto two – a ride that sealed him second for the weekend. He’s now 25 points in arrears of Waters at the halfway point of the season.

“All in all it was a great weekend,” said Moss. “Super Pole didn’t go my way, I had a crash there, then I crashed twice in the first moto and that sun in the second moto wasn’t good at all I was going backwards.

“I just regrouped and thanks to Dan Reardon he’s been training me really hard and my fitness isn’t an issue anymore. I’d like to thank my team Motul Pirelli Suzuki and the whole family there, they’ve been right behind me.”

Completing the podium was Scotsman Billy Mackenzie (CDR Yamaha), riding his retro 1983-themed YZ450F to what was his fourth podium of the season with 3-3 finishes. Mackenzie also sits third in the standings at midway through the year.

“I’m a bit lost for words, I’m going to be pretty quiet on the way home,” Mackenzie said. “I tried my hardest, it was a tough race and I just put it in too deep on one of those last corners and I messed it up.

“As I came out I tried to cut across Matt [Moss] and we collided in the air, it was quite a scary moment. But he had the inside, blocked me and it was kind of one-lined until the finish so there was nothing I could do.

Cody Cooper, Matt Moss and Billy Mackenzie made up the MX1 podium. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

“At the start of the races I used to be really good, but I feel like I’ve sort of lost that edge. It felt like I got it back in that last race and really fired through, made some quick passes and held on.”

Tied with Mackenzie on points for the weekend was series leader Waters, relegated to fourth overall on count back after claiming a 1-4 scorecard. Waters was happy to win moto one, but a fall in moto two hampered his progress.

“Today was a tough one and for me it’s good that we’ve got a break,” said Waters. “I’ve just come off a head injury and it gives me a little bit up my sleeve. We’ll try and get back to where we were and keep this championship alive.

“It’s good, today was good, I won the first moto, but I dropped it in that second one which was a bit of a bummer. Anyway, that’s how it goes and we’ll just charge forward from there.”

Completing the top five for the weekend was Jake Moss (Campbell Mining Suzuki), taking fourth in moto one and eighth in the second after he too had to work his way through the pack. Lawson Bopping (CDR Yamaha, 6-7) finished up sixth for the weekend and took credit as the lone rider to launch the step-down past ‘Drunks Hill’ during moto two.

Second Motorex KTM rider Kirk Gibbs again starred with second in Super Pole, but a problem late in moto one dropped him to 14th. He returned to finish fifth in the second outing behind Waters, resulting in seventh overall at Conondale.

Luke Styke took out the MX2 overall aboard his retro Serco Yamaha. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Eighth was Adam Monea (Monster Energy Kawasaki, 9-6), who had a strong ride to return from a lap one incident in moto one, ninth Daniel McCoy (Carlton Dry Honda, 8-9) and 10th Tye Simmonds (Berry Sweet/Lucas Oil Yamaha, 7-12).

Serco Yamaha’s Luke Styke extended his lead in the Motul MX2 championship with a 2-1 for his fourth overall victory of the season. His advantage at the halfway point of 2013 now stands at 50 points.

Styke qualified first and then finished runner-up in the opening moto behind a determined Josh Cachia (Carlton Dry Honda). Cachia finished second in moto two despite a mid-pack start, however it was Styke’s second moto win that awarded him the overall for the weekend.

“The track was pretty tough and it was super slick out there, I’m sure all the riders were fighting for traction out there,” Styke explained. “I came away with the 2-1 result and the overall again, so I’ve just got to keep pushing and keep consistent.”

Cachia was content with second as he moved to within striking distance of Styke’s Serco Yamaha teammate Luke Clout in the standings, now just eight points shy and looking forward to recuperating his troublesome wrist injury during the break.

“I got a bummer off a start which sucks for me, but I’m happy, I’m not disappointed,” Cachia said. “I’ve come away safe, I went 1-2 and got the same points, so I’ve come away safe and I’m happy.”

Luke Styke, Josh Cachia and Kale Makeham stood on the MX2 podium at the end of the day. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Completing the podium in his third appearance of his rookie MX2 season was Kale Makeham (KTM), scoring a consistent effort of 3-5 results for the weekend. The Victorian was happy to bounce back from a disastrous Broadford round a fortnight earlier.

“To bounce back from that is a pretty big thing for me,” said Makeham. “My confidence was pretty low coming into here, I had two shocking motos at Broadford and all I really wanted to do was turn it around.

“To be on the podium at three out of five rounds, that means the world to me. It’s still my learning year, but I really want to stamp my authority and prove that I can run top three consistently and I’m not just getting lucky.”

Finishing a fine fourth overall was wildcard MXD regular Jay Wilson (GYTR Yamaha) in his best performance of the season to date, logging 5-7 finishes to edge out YZ250-mounted Yamaha privateer Beau Ralston (4-10) in a standout ride.

Sixth for the weekend at Conondale was Japanese ace Takeshi Katsuya (11-4) aboard his privateer Honda. Rounding out the top 10 overall was Clout (14-3), Ryan Marmont (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki, 12-6), Brock Winston (Choice Motorsports KTM, 10-8) and Dylan Long (KTM, 6-12).

With the MXD category absent for the weekend at Conondale, the 30-39 years Vets overall result was Cheyne Boyd from Cam Taylor and Craig Anderson for the weekend. In the 40-plus category it was Mick Cook from James Deakin and Paul Novak.

The Monster Energy MX Nationals will resume at Appin in New South Wales on Sunday, 14 July.

Cheyne Boyd took out the Vets division in Conondale this weekend. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round Five – Conondale, QLD

MX1 overall results:
1. Cody Cooper 66
2. Matt Moss 65
3. Billy Mackenzie 63
4. Todd Waters 63
5. Jake Moss 53
6. Lawson Bopping 49
7. Kirk Gibbs 47
8. Adam Monea 47
9. Daniel McCoy 45
10. Tye Simmonds 43
11. Jacob Wright 42
12. Jay Marmont 40
13. Sam Martin 35
14. Robbie Marshall 35
15. Sam Duncanson 31
16. Kieran Tisdale 28
17. James Booth-Elliott 25
18. Joshua Kilvington 24
19. Rhys Hobson 23
20. Jesse O’Farrell 21

MX1 championship standings (after five of 10 rounds):
1. Todd Waters 332
2. Matt Moss 307
3. Billy Mackenzie 289
4. Cody Cooper 268
5. Lawson Bopping 266
6. Adam Monea 232
7. Tye Simmonds 232
8. Jake Moss 230
9. Kirk Gibbs 230
10. Daniel McCoy 209
11. Jay Marmont 191
12. Jacob Wright 176
13. Sam Martin 166
14. James Booth-Elliott 150
15. Robbie Marshall 143
16. Cody Mackie 137
17. Ford Dale 133
18. Kieran Tisdale 127
19. Mitch Norris 70
20. Cheyne Boyd 65

MX2 overall results:
1. Luke Styke 67
2. Josh Cachia 67
3. Kale Makeham 56
4. Jay Wilson 50
5. Beau Ralston 49
6. Takeshi Katsuya 48
7. Luke Clout 46
8. Ryan Marmont 44
9. Brock Winston 44
10. Dylan Long 44
11. Nick Scott 42
12. Kieran Scheele 37
13. Geran Stapleton 37
14. Dylan Peterson 36
15. Wade Hunter 34
16. Tristen Cachia 28
17. Daniel McEntee 28
18. Logan Blackburn 26
19. Luke Weaver 25
20. Joel Dinsdale 23

MX2 championship standings (after five of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 336
2. Luke Clout 285
3. Josh Cachia 279
4. Brock Winston 258
5. Kale Makeham 255
6. Takeshi Katsuya 212
7. Geran Stapleton 208
8. Ryan Marmont 196
9. Dylan Long 187
10. Kayne Lamont 183
11. Matt Ryan 160
12. Rhys Carter 159
13. Wade Hunter 157
14. Tristen Cachia 153
15. Kieran Scheele 117
16. John Prutti 102
17. Luke Wilson 88
18. Daniel McEntee 85
19. Dylan Peterson 81
20. Jedidiah Cornthwaite 79

Click here for detailed results