Welcome to this, the 15th edition of MX Hub presented by Alpinestars for 2014, coming off the back of what is possibly the busiest weekend in motorcycle racing. It was stacked! Here’s our latest from around the tracks.

Image: Jeff Crow.

Moss vs. Moss
The way the MX1 title of the Monster Energy MX Nationals is panning out, we could see a Matt Moss versus Jake Moss rivalry all season long. Like in supercross at the end of last year these guys seem the class of the field, but the likes of Kirk Gibbs, Billy Mackenzie and Adam Monea are knocking on the door. Right now though you can’t deny that Matt has the edge even on Jake; controlling both motos comfortably at Appin to extend his series lead.

Serco fights back
Serco Yamaha’s defending champion MX2 team was up against it at Broadford with a few bike dramas and Jay Wilson entering the series under the weather, but they sure did bounce back at Appin. With Clout winning moto one, plus Wilson hanging on to break through for his first MX2 win in moto two and secure Clout the overall, the Queensland-based team was stoked on Sunday night. And good on them; they’re developing two of the finest racers in the country right now after sending Luke Styke to the world championships.

Injuries take toll on Appin
A quick stroll around the pits at Appin between motos showed there are plenty of riders in the wars at this point of the season already. In summary, Adam Monea has an ankle injury, Kade Mosig thumb and shoulder injuries, Sam Martin ongoing knee pain, Kirk Gibbs still suffering from his cracked knuckle and I’m sure a few more we’re not directly aware of (more on Kale Makeham’s shoulder below). These guys are elevating the sport to the next level in Australia right now, putting it all on the line and it’s been quality competition to see.

Women’s championship run and won
One of the best kept secrets last weekend was the Australian Women’s Motocross Championship at Horsham, where Maddy Brown captured a well-deserved title for Yamaha from Emma Milesevic. We had heard bits and pieces about the event at the end of last year, but must admit it snuck up on us! It looked like an awesome weekend and you can find highlights in our race report, however with Meg Rutledge in Europe and Mackenzie Tricker in the US racing on Sunday (and both taking race wins) there were a heap of schedule conflicts for our top women.

What racers earn… in the US
American publication Motocross Action released a story this week essentially outlining what Monster Energy Supercross riders earn (click here to check it out). It’s a great insight into the heights of supercross at the elite level and definitely worth a look.

That’s all I have time for today as I get set to attend Sony’s Action Cam launch tonight in Sydney. Good times – and busy times as usual – ahead! Over to Simon Makker…

Makeham’s hanging tough
It was great to see Tunetech KTM’s Kale Makeham back on the MX2 podium at Appin on Sunday, but his result was even more impressive when you consider he’s riding with a separated shoulder! Makeham told us this week that his first-turn crash with Geran Stapleton and Wade Hunter at Broadford separated his AC joint in his shoulder and he had to grit his teeth around a chopped-up hardpack Appin circuit to get through. Makeham expects his shoulder to be close to 100 per cent by Wonthaggi, so expect to see him push harder from here on out.

Girls on fire
While all eyes were on the lads over the weekend, Aussie girl racers Mackenzie Tricker and Meghan Rutledge continued to dominate the international women’s scene. Tricker clean-swept the third round of the AMA Women’s Motocross Championship at Glen Helen, and holds a comfortable 43-point lead over Kawasaki’s Marissa Markelon heading into spectacular Mammoth Lakes round on 29 June. Meanwhile, over in Europe, Rutledge was handed an unlucky disqualification at the second round of the FIM Women’s World Championship at Trentino, Italy. After cruising to the win on Saturday, Mad Meg crashed while leading on Sunday, and an over-eager flag marshall rushed to help her. His good intentions saw officials strip her of Rutledge of her results and she’s now five points off the world title lead. Still, with the third of six rounds looming on 4 May, it shouldn’t be long before she’s back on top.

Honda’s full stable?
According to a news release that came across our desk yesterday, pre-season MX2 championship favourite Josh Cachia is gunning to get behind the MX Nationals start-gate at Wonthaggi next weekend. There’s a chance his team-mate, Cody Cooper, will also be back in the red jersey after undergoing facial reconstruction following a nasty qualifying crash at Broadford. Fingers crossed we see both those guys back, and that we’ve seen the back of all of Honda’s bad luck over the past two seasons!

Ferris to miss most of AMA MX
Red Bull KTM’s Dean Ferris has confirmed he’s going to miss all but three rounds of the AMA Motocross Championship this year as he battles to recover from a dislocated wrist (and resulting torn tendons) after a practice crash in Australia a seven weeks ago. It’s a huge blow for Ferris, who was hired with the main intention of contesting – and winning – the MX championship for KTM. Now based on the Gold Coast, Ferris is now training hard-out with Ironman legend Guy Andrews in order to hit the ground running as soon as he gets the all-clear to race.

That’s a wrap for this week’s MX Hub. As always, remember to check out all of MotoOnline.com.au’s social networking channels and be sure to Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for even more behind the scenes insights. Just search MotoOnline.