Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss has inched closer to the 2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals MX1 title with his second consecutive round win at Echo Valley in Toowoomba, Queensland.

Moss claimed the overall after qualifying second in Go Pro Super Pole, winning the first moto and then scoring second in the final 30-minute moto of the round.

For Moss he now has a 25-point lead in the championship heading into Coolum’s season finale next Sunday.

“The Superpole sort of helped me out today,” said Moss. “I just wasn’t feeling good all day. I just couldn’t find my rhythm and it’s lucky the bike is working awesome.

“I’ve been sick all week and I knew this was going to be a tough race. I had nothing for Gibbs in that last one, he just checked out. I just thought that Todd hadn’t gone past me so I had still had the points so I just focused on that and I’m happy to get the overall.”

Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss on his way to the MX1 win. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Runner-up for the weekend was rookie Kirk Gibbs (Motorex KTM), who starred with a runaway second moto victory in gruelling conditions. Earlier, he finished second behind Moss in the first moto after leading much of it.

“I got the two holeshots today and you can’t do much better than that really,” said Gibbs. “Hats off to Matt and Todd, they rode really well today.

“Matt got me in that first race but we had a good battle. In the second race I was just trying to focus on myself and ride my own race, and it worked well.”

Completing the podium was Gibbs’ teammate Todd Waters, who faces a tough task if he’s to challenge Moss for the title next weekend, but remains certain he can step up when it counts.

Waters was third in moto one, but a frustrating crash forced him to settle for sixth in the final moto of the round.

“It was tough today,” said Waters. “I’ve got to hand it to Mossy and Kirk. These guys are riding unreal but I enjoyed it today. It was a tough day but I had a ball out there.

“In the first moto the guys got a bit of a gap on me and we just maintained that. In the second moto I was able to make a bit of a charge in the first few laps.

“I got up to them and got to the back of them and made a mistake. It doesn’t matter, it’s all good fun, now I’m looking forward to Coolum.”

Fourth was Jake Moss (Campbell Mining Suzuki) with a pair of hard-fought fourths, while CDR Yamaha’s Super Pole winner Billy Mackenzie was fifth.

Mackenzie was fifth in moto one, but he too crashed in the second while on a charge and had to settle for a lowly seventh. His teammate Lawson Bopping was forced out with Glandular Fever discovered during the week.

Moss, Kirk Gibbs and Todd Waters filled the MX1 podium. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Monea was sixth, finishing eighth in moto one before rebounding to a solid third in the second. Teammate Jay Marmont was close behind in seventh after the pair did battle throughout the round, trailing with 7-5 results.

Completing the top 10 overall was Cody Cooper (Motul Pirelli Suzuki, 6-10), Gareth Swanepoel (Carlton Dry Honda Racing, 9-8) and Same Martin (DPH Motorsport Suzuki, 11-9).

In the Motul MX2 ranks it was Serco Yamaha’s Luke Styke who clinched his maiden professional title with a perfect 1-1 performance aboard the YZ250F.

Styke wrapped up the title with an epic moto one win, stalking arch-rival Kale Makeham (Tune Tech Racing KTM) until the closing stages before making a move stick and sealing the series.

In moto two, debuting the number one plate, Styke was simply in a class of his own from the outset, streaking away for an unchallenged moto win. He hasn’t lost a second moto all season.

“The Serco Yamaha pulled nicely out of the gate there, I pulled a pretty comfortable lead early on and just rode my own race,” said Styke. “It just happened easy.

“I had a really good race with Makeham in the first race and he definitely made it hard for me, but I was determined to get the championship in the first moto so if anything happened in the second one it was all good. I’m sure when I go home and get settled it will sink in.”

Luke Styke clinched the title for Serco Yamaha and debuted the number one plate in moto two. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Makeham was content with second for the weekend, his confidence growing each and every moto as he races to battle Styke at the front. His day finished with 2-2 results.

“We’re still on the podium which is good and as the rounds go on we’re getting closer and closer,” said Makeham. “It’s a bit of a bummer that there’s only one round to go as I feel like I’m really coming into my own now.

“That first moto was really good, I was happy with that and that was everything I had. The second moto I struggled there at the start, I was maybe a bit tight and took a while to get up there but did get there eventually. Each round I’m progressing and taking a step forward.”

Completing the podium was another 250 SX two-stroke in Brock Winston (Choice Motorsports KTM). The Queenslander was fourth in moto one and almost runner-up in the second, before Makeham demoted him to third late in the moto. Still, he was satisfied with his second overall podium in a row.

“I’m just getting comfortable with the team now,” said Winston. “I just wish I started the season with them, I thought I would have been a bit further up.

“He (Makeham) definitely pulled it out on that last lap, I thought I had him for sure, he rode really well and got me. I was pretty happy though, I passed a few and still got up there for a result.”

KTM privateer Dylan Long was fourth overall for the weekend with an impressive 3-4 scorecard, continuing his late-season surge on the SX-F.

Former national champion Ryan Marmont (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki) finished fifth with 8-5 finishes. He edged out Yamaha privateer Beau Ralston’s 7-6 results, while Kayne Lamont (Choice Motorsports KTM) was also tied on 49 points with 6-7.

Hard luck story of the round was Takeshi Katsuya in 12th, the Honda rider finishing fifth in moto one and then forced to pit in the second while running behind Styke. He ended up 19th.

Styke, Kale Makeham and Brock Winston made up the MX2 rostrum. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

The Pirelli MXD ranks was topped by GYTR Yamaha’s Jay Wilson, who was second in moto one before overcoming the two-stroke horsepower in moto two for the race and round wins.

It was another standout season second-half result for Wilson, proving that he can battle with the best in the category on a 250F.

Kiwi Hamish Harwood (CMR Red Bull KTM) stretched out his advantage in the series, claiming second overall via 1-2 finishes and now taking an 53-point lead into Coolum ahead of Wilson, who’s jumped to second.

Completing the podium was impressive NSW-based Yamaha privateer Corey James aboard a YZ250, scoring a pair of thirds during the motos in Toowoomba.

Kawasaki rider Jesse Dobson was fourth with 8-4, ahead of returning Yamaha rider Jake Emanuelli who was fifth in moto one and eighth in the second.

Victory in the MXD ranks elevated GYTR Yamaha’s Jay Wilson to second in the series. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

The Monster Energy MX Nationals will conclude at Coolum on the Sunshine Coast next weekend on 31 August-1 September.

2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals
Round nine – Toowoomba, Queensland

Monster Energy MX1 results:
1. Matt Moss 71
2. Kirk Gibbs 68
3. Todd Waters 57
4. Jake Moss 56
5. Billy Mackenzie 55
6. Adam Monea 53
7. Jay Marmont 50
8. Cody Cooper 49
9. Gareth Swanepoel 45
10. Sam Martin 42
11. Cheyne Boyd 40
12. Sam Duncanson 39
13. James Booth Elliott 34
14. Dylan Gosling 34
15. Dion Picard 34
16. Travis McCarthy 15

Monster Energy MX1 championship standings (after nine of 10 rounds):
1. Matt Moss 582
2. Todd Waters 557
3. Billy Mackenzie 516
4. Cody Cooper 478
5. Kirk Gibbs 475
6. Jake Moss 444
7. Lawson Bopping 407
8. Jay Marmont 383
9. Adam Monea 376
10. Sam Martin 294
11. James Booth Elliott 284
12. Tye Simmonds 273
13. Cody Mackie 226
14. Jacob Wright 216
15. Daniel McCoy 209
16. Cheyne Boyd 189
17. Gareth Swanepoel 179
18. Sam Duncanson 169
19. Robbie Marshall 143
20. Kieran Tisdale 137

Motul MX2 results:
1. Luke Styke 70
2. Kale Makeham 64
3. Brock Winston 58
4. Dylan Long 58
5. Ryan Marmont 49
6. Beau Ralston 49
7. Kayne Lamont 49
8. Rhys Carter 45
9. Kieran Scheele 43
10. John Prutti 39
11. Mitch Norris 39
12. Takeshi Katsuya 38
13. Daniel McEntee 34
14. Joshua Kilvington 32
15. Peter Boyle 32
16. Tristen Cachia 32
17. Luke Wilson 30
18. Geordie McGrath 27
19. Steve Duncanson 26
20. Wade Hunter 26

Motul MX2 championship standings (after nine of 10 rounds):
1. Luke Styke 613
2. Kale Makeham 504
3. Brock Winston 472
4. Ryan Marmont 398
5. Dylan Long 389
6. Takeshi Katsuya 362
7. Rhys Carter 351
8. Geran Stapleton 349
9. Kayne Lamont 347
10. Josh Cachia 305
11. Wade Hunter 297
12. Luke Clout 285
13. Tristen Cachia 259
14. John Prutti 231
15. Daniel McEntee 219
16. Beau Ralston 216
17. Luke Wilson 208
18. Kade Mosig 197
19. Kieran Scheele 160
20. Matt Ryan 160

Pirelli MXD results:
1. Jay Wilson 67
2. Hamish Harwood 67
3. Corey James 60
4. Jesse Dobson 51
5. Jake Emanuelli 49
6. Joel Wightman 46
7. Jack Simpson 46
8. Jesse Madden 42
9. Dylan Wills 41
10. Tomas Ravenhorst 39
11. Caleb Ward 38
12. Jordan Bissaker 38
13. Damien Harrison 38
14. Bailey Coxon 34
15. Dakota Court 31
16. Nathan Denny 26
17. Hamish McGrath 25
18. dylan wilson 25
19. Joel Dinsdale 24
20. Izak Maule 23

Pirelli MXD championship standings (after seven of eight rounds):
1. Hamish Harwood 439
2. Jay Wilson 386
3. Jack Simpson 381
4. Jesse Dobson 353
5. Corey James 336
6. Joel Dinsdale 325
7. Joel Wightman 317
8. Jake Emanuelli 279
9. Logan Blackburn 255
10. Dakota Court 223
11. Tomas Ravenhorst 222
12. Nick Scott 176
13. Dylan Wills 153
14. Jordan Bissaker 151
15. Jesse Madden 151
16. Bailey Coxon 142
17. Joel Evans 138
18. Nathan Denny 129
19. Mitchell Nichols 125
20. Izak Maule 123

Click here for detailed results