Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss wins his second final of the weekend on Sunday. Image: Grant Reynolds/FiftySix Clix.

Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss has made it two from two to open the Milwaukee presents Terex Australian Supercross Championship, following round two in Darwin this afternoon.

Moss won the premier SX-Open main event, while Serco Yamaha’s Luke Styke broke through for his first SX-Lites main event victory of the season today.

The opening SX-Lites main event commenced proceedings with Gavin Faith (Carlton Dry Honda Racing) slicing his way past Luke Styke (Serco Yamaha) and holding on for the victory. Ryan Marmont (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki) completed the top three.

SX-Lites heat two was a thriller, with Brenden Harrison (Choice Motorsports KTM) narrowly fending off determined fellow KTM 250 SX pilot Kale Makeham (Tune Tech Racing KTM), while Luke Arbon was third (Serco Yamaha).

Rookie Kirk Gibbs (Motorex KTM) scored a popular first heat race win in the SX-Opens, topping Jake Moss (Campbell Mining Suzuki) and defending champion Jay Marmont (Monster Energy Kawasaki). All three worked they way past early leader Lawson Bopping (CDR Yamaha).

Round one winner and series leader Matt Moss (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) was a convincing winner in SX-Open heat two, heading home Americans Josh Hill (InsureMyRide/Hart and Huntington/DPH Suzuki) and Weston Peick (Carlton Dry Honda).

Luke Styke celebrates his SX-Lites main event victory. Image: Grant Reynolds/FiftySix Clix.

Styke won the SX-Lites main event in dominant fashion, leading from wire-to-wire in the again reduced 12-lap final. He headed round one winner Faith, while Marmont was his consistent self to complete the podium.

“I can’t thank the Serco team enough,” Styke said. “They have the best engines and best package in the pits. I’ve had a taste of the win now, so I think it can get easier now and we’ve got four weeks to prepare.

“Hopefully with this four weeks preparation, the more I ride the Supercross track the better I feel and it’s only early days. We’ll keep going flat out from here.”

Faith, now tied on points with Styke, was disappointed after working his way through from fourth, but unable to make inroads on Styke in the closing stages.

“It was a good race, there’s a lot of fast guys here, but I just struggled a little bit with arm pump,” Faith commented. “No excuses, these guys rode good here in Darwin.”

The round marked Marmont’s maiden podium aboard the RM-Z250, the former champion fending off Luke Arbon (Serco Yamaha) for the position.

“I started coming down with a massive headache, but got a couple of Panadols into me and it got me ready for the main event,” Marmont said. “I can’t thank Raceline Pirelli Suzuki enough, they’ve put in a huge effort and I thank them so much.”

Behind Arbon and rounding out the top five was Makeham, while yesterday’s third place podium finisher was Dylan Long (KTM). Kiwi Kayne Lamont (Choice Motorsport KTM) was seventh, while Nicholas Sutherland (TM Racing Australia), Taylor Potter (Honda) and Daniel McInnes (Yamaha) filled the top 10.

Styke, Gavin Faith and Ryan Marmont made up the SX-Lites podium. Image: Grant Reynolds/FiftySix Clix.

The SX-Open final was a captivating end to the evening, with Moss working his way back from third in a composed ride. He was third on lap one and then moved to second on lap six when early leader Gibbs went down.

From there Moss remained calm, eventually putting an assertive pass on Peick during the 10th lap of 15 and then going on to easily win by 5.520 seconds.

“I saw them tussling a bit, I sort of knew Gibbsy was going to make a couple of mistakes, and then Peick was pulling away a little bit but I kept my cool,” Moss said. “I saw the opening, tried to pass him on the triple and I think that rattled him wondering where I was. Then I pounced to the inside.

“I’d like to thank Motul Pirelli Suzuki, all of our supporters and the Darwin fans for coming out. As I said yesterday, we’re a one-man team and we’re doing fine. I learnt a lot during Motocross and carried my racecraft into Supercross. I’m really happy with this win.”

Peick challenged Gibbs in the early stages and pressured him into falling, then led for four laps before coming under attack from Moss. Gaining comfort by the lap, he was satisfied with the runner-up result tonight.

“We had a lot better day today,” said Peick, who usually rides a Suzuki in the US. “We made a lot of changes to the bike for today and everything seemed to come together better.

“I got a good start and it helped to not be fighting from the back. The team is coming together I am starting to get more comfortable on the new bike.”

Jake Moss was a fighting third in another incredible performance, working his way through the field from seventh on lap one. Not quite a Moss/Suzuki 1-2, but a strong effort from the twins.

“That’s the best ride I’ve had for a long time,” Jake reflected. “I wish I was up there from the start, I felt like I should have been, but I got pinched out and was around eighth or ninth. By the time I was third, I was done – I couldn’t breathe, had arm pump and had nothing left.”

Matt Moss headed Weston Peick and Jake Moss on the SX-Open podium. Image: Grant Reynolds/FiftySix Clix.

Gibbs recovered to a credible fourth after inching away from Supercross teammate Daniel McCoy in the closing stages.

“These guys are no rookies, they make you work for it,” Gibbs said. “I was just trying to cover my lines for the first few laps, but tucked the front and I lost my glove so it was just a battle from there. I’m pretty happy, but it was just a stupid mistake.”

Another to suffer from a slow start was defending champion Marmont, ending lap one in eighth and only managing the climb to sixth.

Kade Mosig (CDR Yamaha) was next best in seventh after working his way past the fast-starting Hill, while Bopping soldiered through the effects of glandular fever for ninth. Victorian Honda privateer Tim Vare was 10th.

Matt Moss now leads the championship with a perfect 50 points, ahead of Jake Moss on 42 and Peick on 36.

The Terex Australian Supercross Championship will continue at Mount Gambier in South Australia on Saturday, 12 October.

2013 Terex Australian Supercross Championship
Round two – Hidden Valley Raceway, NT

SX-Open heat one results:
1. Kirk GIBBS
2. Jake MOSS
3. Jay MARMONT
4. Lawson BOPPING
5. Sam MARTIN
6. Time VARE
7. Mat HAWORTH
8. Phillip BODEY

SX-Open heat two results:
1. Matt MOSS
2. Josh HILL
3. Weston PEICK
4. Daniel McCOY
5. Kade MOSIG
6. Lewi WOODS
7. Chris CAMILLERI

SX-Open main event results:
1. Matt MOSS
2. Weston PEICK
3. Jake MOSS
4. Kirk GIBBS
5. Daniel McCOY
6. Jay MARMONT
7. Kade MOSIG
8. Josh HILL
9. Lawson BOPPING
10. Tim VARE
11. Mat HAWORTH
12. Phillip BODEY
13. Sam MARTIN
14. Lewi WOODS
15. Chris CAMILLERI

SX-Open championship standings (after two of six rounds):
1. Matt MOSS 50
2. Jake MOSS 42
3. Weston PEICK 36
4. Jay MARMONT 35
5. Kirk GIBBS 31
6. Daniel McCOY 31
7. Josh HILL 31
8. Lawson BOPPING 28
9. Kade MOSIG 26
10. Tim VARE 20
11. Mat HAWORTH 20
12. Sam MARTIN 19
13. Phillip BODEY 16
14. Chris CAMILLERI 8
15. Lewi WOODS 7

SX-Lites heat one results:
1. Gavin FAITH
2. Luke STYKE
3. Ryan MARMONT
4. Kayne LAMONT
5. Taylor POTTER
6. Nicholas GECK
7. Luke WILSON
8. Daniel CHALLEN

SX-Lites heat two results:
1. Brenden HARRISON
2. Kale MAKEHAM
3. Luke ARBON
4. Dylan LONG
5. Nick SUTHERLAND
6. Daniel McINNES
7. Boyd HOCKING

SX-Lites main event results:
1. Luke STYKE
2. Gavin FAITH
3. Ryan MARMONT
4. Luke ARBON
5. Kale MAKEHAM
6. Dylan LONG
7. Kayne LAMONT
8. Nickolas SUTHERLAND
9. Taylor POTTER
10. Daniel McINNES
11. Luke WILSON
12. Boyd HOCKING
13. Daniel CHALLEN
14. Brenden HARRISON
15. Nicholas GECK

SX-Lites championship standings (after two of six rounds):
1. Luke STYKE 47
2. Gavin FAITH 47
3. Ryan MARMONT 38
4. Dylan LONG 35
5. Luke ARBON 34
6. Kale MAKEHAM 31
7. Kayne LAMONT 27
8. Nickolas SUTHERLAND 27
9. Taylor POTTER 24
10. Luke WILSON 21
11. Boyd HOCKING 16
12. Daniel CHALLEN 14
13. Daniel McINNES 11
14. Tristen CACHIA 10
15. Brenden HARRISON 9
16. Nicholas GECK 8