HQVA press release:

Husqvarna’s Factory Support squad will take on something of a depleted appearance as this year’s MX Nationals championship series continues this Sunday at Toowoomba, with two of its five riders on ‘the bench’.

The team’s rising star in the premier class, talented 18-year-old Jesse Dobson has suffered a meniscal tear in his knee after a training accident, and he and his Husqvarna FC 450 will take no further part in the MX1 championship.

The outcome is a bitter blow for the Sunshine Coast racer who, after an up-and-down season, had his heart set on going out with a bang at his home track of Coolum. MX2 competitor Luke Arbon has been diagnosed with a rare stomach-lining virus, causing a level of fatigue not conducive to professional motocross racing.

A special diet will hopefully help the talented South Australian to overcome the problem in time for the upcoming Australian Supercross championships. The only Husqvarna Factory Support racer in the MX1 class this weekend, Craig Anderson Racing’s Aaron Tanti is determined push his Husqvarna FC 350 to another top-10 result from the remaining few races in the championship.

In the MX2 class, Nathan Crawford will look to capitalise on recent good form which included a Race One second placing at the previous round. Crawford knows Toowoomba well and plans to make a big splash out the two ‘local’ races which conclude this year’s championship.

Talented Western Australian MXD contender Connor Tierney lies just 23 points away from the championship lead after a stellar first year in seniors, and now that he has shaken off the illness which afflicted him last time out, few would bet against the Husqvarna TC 250 racer claiming a starring role on Sunday.

Jesse Dobson – FC 450: “I’m going to be out for Toowoomba and Coolum. I was at Coolum last week for a practice day and on the last lap me and Crawford were racing and he clipped my front wheel. My dabbed my leg in the ground, and now I’m out with a medial meniscal tear. I got it operated on yesterday and I’m out for 6 to 8 weeks. It’s kind of a kick in the guts coming into these last two Queensland rounds, but it happens. I’m still planning on doing the supercrosses, I’m in the process of building a track right now. Whether or not I go into the first round 100% or not we’ll see.”

Aaron Tanti – FC 350: “I’ve raced in Toowoomba as a junior before but I’ve never done a National there. I’m still suffering a little bit with the ankle injury I got at Nowra after I did some ligament damage. I’ve been riding with it, but it’s still painful every time I hit it. I’ve got to make the most of the chances I’ve got left to get another top 10. I really want to get there again so I’ve got to give it my all in these last two rounds.”

Nathan Crawford – FC 250: “I definitely like racing on home soil. I’ll be able to sleep on my own bed the night before which will be more comfortable, but yeah, I like Toowoomba. They’ve changed the track up over the past year and I’ve ridden it – it’s pretty good. The starts are going to be pretty crucial as can be tight, but I think I’ll have a lot of passing opportunities. I’d say the first half a lap, especially in MX2 where the class is so big, is going to be crucial. It’s definitely a great place to go to and hopefully it will be on the calendar next year, because it’s pretty good for the fans as well.”

Luke Arbon – FC 250: “I’m going to miss the last two rounds of the championship. Ever since Coolum I’ve been feeling really flat and unmotivated; in the last couple of rounds I could only last about 10 minutes before I’d be fully fatigued. My blood tests were all coming back okay and it was kind of doing my head in a little bit. Finally I found a really good doctor who got to the bottom of it – I’ve got some virus thing that has wrecked the lining in my gut, so that it leaks stuff through into my system. So I’m on this yeast and sugar free diet for a month. I’ve just got to be strict with it and then hopefully I’ll be back to 100%. I’d like to say a big thanks to SD3 and Husqvarna for all their support this year.”

Connor Tierney – TC 250 “I’ve never been to Toowoomba before; Ando reckons it’s one of his favourite tracks so I’m looking forward to riding it. I’m in pretty good shape, and feeling a lot better this week than I did last round. I’ve been doing a bit of riding through the week with Ando, and I’m feeling like hopefully I can be back up where I think I belong. It’s crunch time now that we’re in the last two rounds, and obviously I want to win it. I want it really bad.”

For more information on Husqvarna motorcycles visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com.