With Appin’s second round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, in the books, MotoOnline.com.au dissects the information that counted come Sunday afternoon.

Image: Jeff Crow.

MX1

Pole position: Kirk Gibbs (KTM Motocross Racing Team) 1m42.628

Moto one results:
1. Matt Moss (Team Motul Suzuki)
2. Jake Moss (NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki)
3. Kirk Gibbs (KTM Motocross Racing Team)
4. Billy Mackenzie (CDR Yamaha)
5. Hayden Mellross (Raceline Suzuki)
6. Jacob Wright (Tattoo Racing Suzuki)
7. Rhys Carter (Team Motul Suzuki)
8. Kade Mosig (DPH Motorsport Yamaha)
9. Jay Marmont (CDR Yamaha)
10. Brock Winston (Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team)
11. Sam Martin (DPH Motorsport Yamaha)
12. Alex Snow (Honda)
13. Lewis Woods (Suzuki)
14. Adam Monea (NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki)
15. Jesse Dobson (KTM)
16. Kieran Tisdale (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki)
17. Dylan Gosling (Yamaha)
18. Will Angel (Honda)
19. Charlie White (Suzuki)
20. Michael Grassick (Yamaha)

Race time: 32m19.543
Margin of victory: 7.521s
Laps completed: 18
Fastest lap: Matt Moss 1m44.129

Moto two results:
1. Matt Moss
2. Jake Moss
3. Gibbs
4. Mackenzie
5. Monea
6. Marmont
7. Wright
8. Mellross
9. Carter
10. Mosig
11. Snow
12. Brad Groombridge (Penrite Honda)
13. Dobson
14. Winston
15. Woods
16. Gosling
17. Tisdale
18. Martin
19. Angel
20. Grassick

Race time: 33m22.266
Margin of victory: 5.056s
Laps completed: 19
Fastest lap: Matt Moss 1m41.965

Overall results:
1. Matt Moss 70
2. Jake Moss 64
3. Gibbs 60
4. Mackenzie 56
5. Wright 49
6. Mellross 49
7. Marmont 47
8. Carter 46
9. Mosig 44
10. Monea 43
11. Snow 39
12. Winston 38
13. Dobson 34
14. Woods 34
15. Martin 33
16. Groombridge 29
17. Gosling 29
18. Tisdale 29
19. Angel 25
20. Grassick 22

Championship standings:
1. Moss 173
2. Gibbs 153
3. Monea 140
4. Moss 139
5. Mackenzie 125
6. Mosig 120
7. Carter 120
8. Marmont 115
9. Mellross 114
10. Wright 105
11. Winston 99
12. Groombridge 96
13. Martin 91
14. Dobson 87
15. Woods 85
16. Tisdale 66
17. Gosling 58
18. Grassick 46
19. Angel 45
20. Matt Ginders (Suzuki) 43

Rider comments:
Matt Moss (Team Motul Suzuki)
I’m super-happy with this. Even though we won at the first round, it didn’t really go to plan, but this time we did and it was a good race for us. I’m excited about having Jake challenge me, it was nice to dominate this class today, and we will keep moving forward from here. The bike is actually better than it’s ever been right now. Jay convinced me to try some things in that second moto and it was even improved again, which is a big part of why this team is so strong. Decisions have been great so far and the results are there to show that, so thanks to everyone for helping us to make this happen.

Jake Moss (NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki)
Usually two second place finishes get you the win but unfortunately this is Matt’s home track so I was expecting him to be quick. I needed the starts so I could race my race and try and pull away but unfortunately I was fourth and fifth off the start. The National Pump Monster Energy Kawasaki handled really well all day and I got my first podium for the year. It’s only the second round and there’s a lot to go. I think me and Matt will battle all the way til the end.

Kirk Gibbs (KTM Motocross Racing Team)
It was a positive day for me, the gate dropped much quicker than I expected in the first moto and I found myself 10th or so but I fought my way back into third and I’m very happy with the way I’m riding. In the second the button popped out and I wheel-stood and had to back off, so I blew that start too. I’m a little frustrated in that sense but I can go home and work on my starts. My hand has gotten a lot better over the last couple of weeks I’ve been staying off the bike, which has been doing it a lot of good. I probably won’t ride this week, then we have the Queensland titles this weekend, and I hope to be pretty much back to 100% by the time we go to Wonthaggi.

Billy Mackenzie (CDR Yamaha)
I’m trying to find the balance of going as fast as I can but at the same time, ensuring I pick up points in each and every race. Looking back at Appin, I probably rode a bit conservatively on my way to fourth and I need to push a bit harder to be right in the mix,” Mackenzie reflects. I’m sitting fifth in the championship after two rounds, so there is time to make up the points, with eight rounds to go. I just need to ride with freedom.

Jay Marmont (CDR Yamaha)
In no way am I satisfied with seventh but it is a step forward from the opening round and I felt better on the bike. There is still plenty of work to be done but I feel we have the bike working really well and I just need to not over complicate things and just ride it as fast as I can until someone tells me to stop. But I feel like a gained some momentum at Appin and things are starting to come around.

Rhys Carter (Team Motul Suzuki)
It was a good day for me. The first race was really good for me – I crashed a few turns in and went back to nearly last, so to finish seventh was good. My speed was definitely good. In race two I struggled a bit with the hard-pack surface, so that’s something I need to spend more time on, but ninth was still a decent result considering. Overall the weekend was another good one for us.

Kade Mosig (DPH Motorsport Yamaha)
I knew Appin was going to be tough, it’s probably one of the toughest days of racing I have had in a long time. I wasn’t able to ride from Broadford until Appin, so two weeks off the bike put me behind the eight ball. Obviously having the crash – I was really sore, my thumb was killing me, my shoulder was killing me. When I crashed during the week I didn’t actually think I was going to make it to the race. Two 30s was obviously hard because of the pain and everything in my hand. Once I got to the 15-minute mark my hand started going numb and I couldn’t really hang on at all. I’m pretty happy though, I just wanted to get through this weekend and get some solid points. Top ten was sort of all I was aiming for and I’ve managed to come away with that but it was a really tough day.

Adam Monea (NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki)
She was a rough day! I was carrying a little injury coming into today so I was riding a little sore and a little hurt but no excuses. I rode way too tight in the first moto..I rode terrible and the result was terrible. I brought it back a little bit in moto two. I hung on as well as I could for a top 5 finish. We lost a few points today but it’s early days. I’m still in the hunt. I’m confident heading into my hometown race next round. Well done to Jake!

Brock Winston (Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team)
Today I felt like I rode a bit better. I need to get a bit better starts, my lap times were a little better on the bike, and I feel a bit more comfortable, and I’ve been working hard. I’m nowhere near where I want to be yet but I do feel like I rode a little bit better than last round, even if the results don’t necessarily show at. I’ll keep working and hopefully we’ll keep improving. I like Wonthaggi, it’s a bit like Coolum so I’m looking forward to going there, and hopefully I will get some better starts.

Sam Martin (DPH Motorsport Yamaha)
My day started off really well, I qualified seventh which I was really happy with but then I had a bit of a bike problem in the first moto. In the second race I started off well, I was in about sixth or seventh and I was a few laps deep and I hit one of those shiny spots and went down. I hit the ground pretty hard so I couldn’t regroup from that. I just had to try and cruise around and get some points. I only had the operation on my knee six weeks ago, so I’ve only been on the bike two weeks. I’m obviously not where I want to be right now. Back before I had my surgery I was on the podium at the Supercross so I want to get back to that. I just want to build from where we are and play it as it comes and hopefully by five rounds I’m in a better spot.

Note: Riders/teams are welcome to submit quotes for publishing to [email protected].

Image: Jeff Crow.

MX2

Pole position: Brenden Harrison (Instant Security KTM) 1m48.355

Moto one results:
1. Luke Clout (Serco Yamaha)
2. Kale Makeham (Tunetech Racing KTM)
3. Ryan Marmont (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki)
4. Jay Wilson (Serco Yamaha)
5. Luke Arbon (SD3 Husqvarna)
6. Errol Willis (Yamaha)
7. Brenden Harrison (Instant Security KTM)
8. Hamish Harwood (CMR Red Bull KTM)
9. Daniel McCoy (TM Racing Australia)
10. Nick Sutherland (Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team)
11. Hamish Dobbyn (CMR Red Bull KTM)
12. Wade Hunter (KTM)
13. Caleb Ward (KTM)
14. Jake Emanuelli (Wilson MX Honda)
15. Joel Milesevic (EMU Racing TM)
16. Riley Graham (KTM)
17. Joel Evans (Full Force Racing TM)
18. Dylan Long (BBF Motorsports KTM)
19. Dakota Court (KTM)
20. Kody Wheeler (KTM)

Race time: 32m27.542
Margin of victory: 5.479s
Laps completed: 18
Fastest lap: Makeham 1m45.454

Moto two results:
1. Jay Wilson
2. Makeham
3. Clout
4. Harwood
5. Hunter
6. Kayne Lamont (Red Bull WIL Sport Husqvarna)
7. Harrison
8. Milesevic
9. Marmont
10. Sutherland
11. Dobbyn
12. McCoy
13. Nick Scott (Yamaha)
14. Ward
15. Graham
16. Richard Evans (Honda)
17. Emanuelli
18. Willis
19. Arbon
20. Joel Evans

Race time: 32m28.881s
Margin of victory: 0.392s
Laps completed: 18
Fastest lap: Makeham 1m45.472

Overall results:
MX2 overall results:
1. Clout 65
2. Makeham 64
3. Jay Wilson 63
4. Marmont 52
5. Harwood 51
6. Harrison 48
7. Hunter 45
8. Sutherland 42
9. McCoy 41
10. Dobbyn 40
11. Milesevic 39
12. Willis 38
13. Arbon 38
14. Ward 35
15. Graham 31
16. Emanuelli 31
17. Lamont 25
18. Scott 25
19. Joel Evans 25
20. Court 21

Championship standings:
1. Clout 146
2. Harwood 132
3. Harrison 130
4. Lamont 127
5. Makeham 121
6. Marmont 115
7. Hunter 114
8. Jay Wilson 104
9. Scott 97
10. McCoy 91
11. Ward 90
12. Willis 89
13. Dobbyn 89
14. Arbon 86
15. Sutherland 79
16. Milesevic 71
17. Daniel Banks (KTM) 64
18. Long 62
19. Emanuelli 54
20. Matt van Slooten (Honda) 48

Rider comments:
Luke Clout (Serco Yamaha)
Round one didn’t go as the team and I planned and it was important we back on track immediately, so that was our plan for today. Race one went well and I got into the lead early in the race and just put in my laps and I was able to stretch the lead out late in the race. The second one was a bit tougher as I was in a bit of a freight train of riders and making passes was difficult. But we managed to get to third and that was good enough for the round win. I wasn’t that happy with how I raced in the last won but it was all I had to do. It is pretty cool to win here at Appin as I had a lot of friends here and it was a great day for the team to have us both on the podium.

Jay Wilson (Serco Yamaha)
The first round was terrible for me and the faster I moved on, the better. Today didn’t start off well in qualifying but I knew if I got a good start then I would be in with a chance. The first race was good and helped lift my spirits and I felt confident going into the last moto. A huge thank-you to the Serco Yamaha team and our sponsors and I want to make this the start of a good, consistent year of racing to my potential.

Kale Makeham (Tunetech Racing KTM)
We had a good day, it was great to come back like that after Broadford, where I had bad starts and just didn’t ride like myself after that first corner crash which kind of made me question a few things. So it was good to come to Appin and be straight back where we belong, I was fastest in both motos so it’s great to see the hard work has paid off and I’m in a good position. That first race I was in second and probably could have made a move for first but I was happy to get the day off with some good momentum. In the second I did everything I could and only missed the overall by a point. In the overall scheme of things it’s not a bad day so we’ll take that!

Ryan Marmont (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki)
Compared to last week I’m a lot happier with my result. We made quite a few changes in the last couple of weeks and I think we’ve taken a step the right direction, so all in all I’ve had a really good weekend. I definitely have gotten a taste for it again, my position is where I feel it should be now at least. I’m just going to keep striving forward and keep working on things. In the last moto I just got to a point where I was in my own race and I felt I had a comfortable pace going, a few guys put a little bit of heat on me and I’m no young spring chicken anymore. It gets to that point in your life where if I’m feeling a bit tired I just tend to take it that little bit easier rather than just hanging it all out there like I once would have. I would have definitely preferred three 20-minute motos today, I just got a bit exhausted in the last moto but it was still a great day and I had a lot of fun. I just need to work a little bit harder so I don’t put myself in positions where I have to fight as hard on the weekend.

Brenden Harrison (Instant Security KTM)
It was just one of those tough days today. I qualified first so I know my speed was okay, and my fitness is really good, but I just never got the greatest starts and I put myself in bad situations where I went down in both races. I feel I made good passes but both times by the time I got anywhere everyone was gone. On a brighter note though, I might have slipped back to third in the championship, but I’ve moved closer to the lead than I was after round one. So we’ll go back home and go back to work and see what happens next.

Daniel McCoy (TM Racing Australia)
It was a bit of an average day to be honest, I had some arm-pump in the first race and my set up was not quite where I needed it to be. I struggled but was still able to come home inside the top 10. The second race I got a terrible start, I just did not get it off the line properly. At the end of the first lap I was 22nd, but was able to ride back through to finish in 12th. Overall it was a bit of a disappointing result for sure. We will continue to progress and develop the bike, we are the only team in the world racing and developing this bike at this level of racing and we are learning as we go. Things are certainly looking positive and we will do some more testing this week then head up and race the Queensland titles at Coolum. We will keep chasing as many races as we can and moving forward.

Kayne Lamont (Red Bull WIL Sport Husqvarna)
I had a shocker. Race one I got the holeshot, and Clout passed me, then about 10 min in I had a big spill of the ski and landed in the soft stuff and swapped off and face planted and took a big whack to the head, my shoulder and leg. I wasn’t healthy enough to finish off the moto so I went back to the pits. I wasn’t very well between races, I had my appendix out not so long ago, and it upset that little bit too. I wasn’t the healthiest creature. I had a few Panadols which stopped it a little so I could get out and ride. I think I was in fourth most of the race and then had a crash about halfway through, so the focus levels probably weren’t up to scratch, went back to tenth, but made my way back to sixth, and was completely blown out. I took my helmet off and spewed; I was not too well that’s for sure, so I was pretty stoked that I could collect some points for the day. It’s time for a healthy one I think!

Luke Wilson (Wilson MX Honda)
It wasn’t a great day for me again. Everything has been going so well during the week but I haven’t seemed to be able to put that together yet on race day. As soon as the gate is in front of me things seem to get quite hard for me. I’ve started seeing a sport psychologist, so I’m going to continue with her over the next few weeks and hopefully work on getting my head to realise what I am capable of. I know that I can do it, something is just not working in my head once I get to the start line. Hopefully the time with the sports psychologist will help me overcome that before round three.

Jake Emanuelli (Wilson MX Honda)
This round wasn’t too bad for me; It was a big improvement on the first round. I still want to get better from here, but it’s good to be walking away with a better result. In the first moto I didn’t get the best start, but I kept pushing forward and finished 14th so that was a good race for me. In the second race I got a better start, but I just rode pretty tight and ended up going back to 17th, but I was pretty happy with that. The whole weekend was a big improvement from the first round.

Dylan Long (BBF Motorsports KTM)
I have trained extremely hard off season; I am fitter, stronger and faster than last year. Hopefully my luck will change in the next few rounds so I can prove to myself and all of my sponsors that I am a front-runner. Thank you to everyone for their continued support.

Note: Riders/teams are welcome to submit quotes for publishing to [email protected].

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