KTM Australia press release:

Excitement is high for the KTM Motocross Racing Team as it approaches this weekend’s continuation of the Monster Energy MX Nationals series at Raymond Terrace, New South Wales, holding an incredible 1-2 position in the championship.

With five rounds down and five yet to go, two enthralling contests are underway for KTM’s premier class riders, Kirk Gibbs and Luke Styke.

MX 1 championship leader Gibbs stretched his lead out to a formidable 52 points when the series reached its halfway point at Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast at the end of May.

The Queensland-based South Australian is looking more polished and more like champion material than ever before, however Gibbs is the first to remind anyone counting chickens that motocross is a risky game and anything can and often does happen.

Current championship number two Luke Styke has three riders within eight points of his position, but his focus is still forwards rather than backwards as he hunts for a second round win for his rookie season.

Rob Twyerould, KTM Motocross Racing Team Manager – “Kirk has done some Queensland events and Stykesy has been training hard, so it’s been a good solid five weeks for the boys, they’ve had a nice break to regroup and heal any injuries they might have had. It’s business as usual for Kirk as he tries to keep extending that lead, but there will be some great competition for that second position in the championship, and Luke is looking forward to the challenge. I went out to Appin on Tuesday with him and he’s looking really comfortable – riding the 450 the best I’ve ever seen him in fact.”

Kirk Gibbs – “Once we got back from Manji I got back into my routine. I had a big couple of weeks of work, won a local state race here, and then just kept on training hard. Finally I’ve just completed a week off the bike, and I think I needed that to really get excited about going into the second half of the season. At worked. I’ve been itching to get back on the bike and I’m going to head out tomorrow for the first ride. I’m really looking forward to it. The last couple of years at Raymond Terrace I have struggled, but this year I feel like I’m ready to turn that around.”

Luke Styke – “After Manji I had about a week and a half off the bike, and since then we’ve just been putting in some solid days. We played around with the bike a little bit and got it working better I feel, and I’m looking forward to Raymond Terrace. There’s a few guys close to me on points so I’m looking forward to a good battle on the weekend and I feel like if I can get a really good start I can get the win. I won last time I raced there. I’ll just concentrate on putting myself in a good position in the first few laps and riding my own race – hopefully I can put it on the podium.”

In MX2 Racing: KTM Factory Support rider Caleb Ward will take plenty of confidence into the second half of the championship after a demonstrative win at his ‘home’ track of Coolum last time out. MX2 rookie and fellow KTM Factory Support rider Jack Simpson will also carry extra confidence after Coolum yielded his best rides of the series, when he finished eighth on the day. KTM Factory Support rider, Hamish Harwood and Riley Graham are currently the highest placed KTM riders in the overall overall points, currently holding ninth and tenth in the championship, respectively.

In MXD racing, KTM Factory Support racer Jayden Rykers moved up to fourth in the championship with an impressive 2-3 score that him third on the day behind Husqvarna’s Connor Tierney and Wilson Todd. Fellow KTM Factory Support riders Kaleb Barham and Wayde Carter finished eighth and 10th respectively at Coolum.

Jayden Rykers – “After Coolum I went back to WA, did Manjimup and then ended up sticking around for a while. Had three weeks at home with the family and my girlfriend and stuff like that, it was good. I’ve been back east for nearly a week and a half now and that’s been good as well. Now I’m just keen to get out racing again and get some good results. Only raced at Raymond Terrace once before, it’s a good track but like every track you need good starts or it can be hard to pass.
My short-term goal is just to beat the front two guys and close the championship up really.”

For more information on KTM Motorcycles, visit www.ktm.com.au or www.facebook.com/KTMAustralia.