Ward wins MX2 overall at Coolum MX Nationals
Ward and Crawford split wins in pivotal championship round.
Source: MX Nationals.
KTM’s Caleb Ward has made it back-to-back overall round wins in MX2 at Coolum’s fifth round of the 2015 MX Nationals today, on a day that saw the title chase tighten entering the mid-season layoff.
The opening MX2 moto saw a mixture of talent at the front in the early laps including Dylan Wills, Wade Hunter and Riley Graham, but it was eventually Ward who made his way to the front and sprinted to the opening 30-minute moto victory.
Ward won ahead of Luke Clout, who’s still battling a thumb injury, and Taka Katsuya rounding out the podium placings. Hunter fended off a charging Jed Beaton for fourth, as directly behind them Nathan Crawford worked his way from the rear of the field to cross the line in sixth.
Also inside the top 10 for the race was Jay Wilson, Luke Arbon, Geran Stapleton and Jack Simpson. Wills meanwhile was forced out of contention with what appeared to be a damaged gear lever while running inside the top three in the middle stages.
Crawford raced to a thrilling second moto victory in the MX2 ranks, battling with Wilson for much of the moto before taking charge in the final laps for the win.
Behind him was moto one winner Ward, who snuck by Wilson for position in the final stages to secure the round overall.
Fourth in moto two after a fine ride was WA’s Dean Porter, Arbon fifth, and then positions six through 10 were filled by Simpson, Katsuya, Stapleton, Beaton and Kyle Webster. Notable names lower down the order included Hunter in 11th and Clout a lowly 20th.
Overall the round win went to Ward over Crawford and Wilson, while Clout maintains the red plate by five points over Katsuya and Wilson, who are now tied for second.
2015 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round five – Coolum, QLD
MX2 overall results:
1. Caleb Ward 67
2. Nathan Crawford 60
3. Jay Wilson 54
4. Takeshi Katsuya 54
5. Luke Arbon 49
6. Jed Beaton 48
7. Wade Hunter 48
8. Jack Simpson 46
9. Geran Stapleton 45
10. Luke Clout 43
11. Hamish Harwood 38
12. Riley Graham 36
13. Luke Wilson 33
14. Tomas Ravenhorst 30
15. Dean Porter 28
16. Joel Green 25
17. Kyle Webster 21
18. James Alen 21
19. Jacob Williams 20
20. Geordie McGrath 20
MX2 championship standings:
1. Luke Clout 286
2. Jay Wilson 281
3. Takeshi Katsuya 281
4. Jed Beaton 250
5. Wade Hunter 246
6. Luke Arbon 228
7. Nathan Crawford 213
8. Geran Stapleton 202
9. Hamish Harwood 194
10. Riley Graham 190
11. Jack Simpson 187
12. Caleb Ward 182
13. Dylan Wills 171
14. Kyle Webster 153
15. Joel Wightman 148
16. Dylan Leary 142
17. Luke Wilson 140
18. Dean Porter 134
19. Tomas Ravenhorst 107
20. Joel Green 94
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