MotoOnline.com.au breaks down the specifics from race day Sunday at Horsham’s 2015 MX Nationals season-opening round.

Image: Jeff Crow.

MX1

Super Pole: Ford Dale 1m53.483s

Moto one results:
1. Kirk Gibbs
2. Luke Styke
3. Kade Mosig
4. Lawson Bopping
5. Daniel Reardon
6. Cody Cooper
7. Adam Monea
8. Dylan Long
9. Ford Dale
10. Daniel McCoy
11. Kale Makeham
12. Jesse Dobson
13. Cheyne Boyd
14. Matt Moss
15. Daniel McEntee
16. Nick Murray
17. Aaron Tanti
18. Darcy Jones
19. Daniel Banks
20. Izak Maule

Race time: 33m32.311s
Margin of victory: 7.540ss
Laps completed: 17
Fastest lap: Kirk Gibbs 1m51.198s

Moto two results:
1. Kirk Gibbs
2. Kade Mosig
3. Cody Cooper
4. Lawson Bopping
5. Luke Styke
6. Adam Monea
7. Dylan Long
8. Ford Dale
9. Cheyne Boyd
10. Jesse Dobson
11. Kale Makeham
12. Daniel McEntee
13. Aaron Tanti
14. Matt Moss
15. John Phillips
16. Nick Murray
17. Darcy Jones
18. Tyson Whillas
19. Daniel Banks
20. Izak Maule

Race time: 33m12.457s
Margin of victory: 5.944s
Laps completed: 17
Fastest lap: Cody Cooper 1m51.313s

MX1 overall results:
1. Kirk Gibbs 70
2. Kade Mosig 62
3. Luke Styke 58
4. Lawson Bopping 56
5. Cody Cooper 55
6. Adam Monea 49
7. Dylan Long 47
8. Ford Dale 45
9. Cheyne Boyd 40
10. Jesse Dobson 40
11. Kale Makeham 40
12. Daniel McEntee 35
13. Matt Moss 34
14. Aaron Tanti 32
15. Nick Murray 30
16. Daniel McCoy 29
17. Darcy Jones 27
18. Daniel Reardon 26
19. Daniel Banks 24
20. Tyson Whillas 23

MX1 championship standings (includes Super Pole):
1. Kirk Gibbs 74
2. Kade Mosig 64
3. Lawson Bopping 59
4. Luke Styke 58
5. Cody Cooper 55
6. Ford Dale 50
7. Adam Monea 49
8. Dylan Long 47
9. Cheyne Boyd 40
10. Kale Makeham 40
11. Jesse Dobson 40
12. Daniel McEntee 35
13. Matt Moss 34
14. Aaron Tanti 32
15. Nick Murray 30
16. Daniel McCoy 29
17. Darcy Jones 27
18. Daniel Reardon 27
19. Daniel Banks 24
20. Tyson Whillas 23

Verdict:
Gibbs was by far the class of the field on Sunday, making the most of his positive pre-season in New Zealand to lead the series for the first time in his MX1 career. Behind him, it was a mixed bag of sorts as Styke looked exceptional in moto one on his way to second, but moto two wasn’t quite as good with a fifth. Mosig was simply charging all day, visibly one of the fittest riders on track and it looks like he will shine in a full season with CDR. Aside from those guys, there were plenty of fast guys in the field including Cooper, Bopping, Dale, Monea, Reardon in his comeback and even Long, who was very strong in his MX1 debut. On a track that led to many mistakes across all classes, the weekend was a disaster for Moss and he now faces a huge up hill battle to reduce the points deficit he has to Gibbs. Knowing him though, his motivation will be peaking right about now and there’s no doubt he has the speed required on his side. It’s that close for the guys inside the top 10 that these race wins could go to any one of them in upcoming rounds.

Image: Jeff Crow.

MX2

Pole position: Jed Beaton 1m56.761s

Moto one results:
1. Luke Clout
2. Takeshi Katsuya
3. Jed Beaton
4. Jay Wilson
5. Nathan Crawford
6. Riley Graham
7. Dylan Wills
8. Wade Hunter
9. Rhys Carter
10. Geran Stapleton
11. Luke Arbon
12. Caleb Ward
13. Jack Simpson
14. Dylan Leary
15. Hamish Harwood
16. Joel Wightman
17. Dean Porter
18. Kyle Webster
19. Alex Morris
20. Tom Jones

Race time: 33m35.629s
Margin of victory: 2.996s
Laps completed: 16
Fastest lap: Jay Wilson 1m57.524s

Moto two results:
1. Jed Beaton
2. Jay Wilson
3. Takeshi Katsuya
4. Luke Clout
5. Caleb Ward
6. Nathan Crawford
7. Luke Arbon
8. Wade Hunter
9. Dylan Wills
10. Rhys Carter
11. Hamish Harwood
12. Riley Graham
13. Dylan Leary
14. Joel Wightman
15. Joel Evans
16. Geran Stapleton
17. Jack Simpson
18. Tom Jones
19. Gosling Dylan
20. Luke Wilson

Race time: 22m10.010s
Margin of victory: 8.099s
Laps completed: 11
Fastest lap: Luke Arbon 1m54.884s

MX2 overall results and championship standings:
1. Jed Beaton 65
2. Luke Clout 63
3. Takeshi Katsuya 62
4. Jay Wilson 60
5. Nathan Crawford 51
6. Wade Hunter 46
7. Dylan Wills 46
8. Caleb Ward 45
9. Luke Arbon 44
10. Riley Graham 44
11. Rhys Carter 43
12. Hamish Harwood 36
13. Geran Stapleton 36
14. Dylan Leary 35
15. Joel Wightman 32
16. Jack Simpson 32
17. Tom Jones 24
18. Dylan Gosling 21
19. Luke Wilson 18
20. Alex Morris 18

Verdict:
The talent we’re witnessing in the MX2 ranks this year is mind-blowing, especially considering many of them including round winner Beaton are pro class rookies. Defending champion Clout is still the man to beat and would have won barring a penalty in moto two, but that’s not taking anything away from Beaton whatsoever – the kid’s got skills. Wilson was better than last year already and is benefiting big time by having Josh Coppins in his corner, so if he can beat the Serco bikes that would be a very sweet result for him after the team let go of him at the end of last year. Katsuya turned heads once again as the veteran of the field, showing our youngsters a thing or two and really enjoying himself along the way. This year he’s in for a full season. We’re still to see the best of Crawford, Ward, Arbon and Simpson, while Hunter, Wills and Graham exceeded expectations with very fine performances.