KTM Australia press release:

Image: Jeff Crow.

KTM Australia’s Motocross Racing Team rider Kirk Gibbs is on the verge of its biggest and most exciting victory for many years, coming into this weekend’s final round of the MX Nationals championship at Coolum.

The team’s number one rider, Kirk Gibbs, has held the championship leader’s red plate all year long, and with a 61-point lead, is in a great position to clinch KTM’s first premier class championship since Craig Anderson last won it in 2002.

Gibbs has demonstrated all of the champion’s qualities of consistency, determination and outright speed this year on his way to six moto wins, and the Queensland-based South Australian is fully focused on increasing that tally by the end of the weekend.

His KTM teammate Luke Styke has himself ridden an outstanding rookie year in the premier class, winning the third round overall and holding second place in the championship from then until last weekend, when he was forced to relinquish the spot to Kade Mosig.

Not yet satisfied however, Styke wants the runner-up position back – and he wants it bad.

Rob Twyerould, KTM Motocross Racing Team Manager – “When Kirk is riding at his best, he is absolutely solid, and that’s the best way to approach this weekend. The championship will look after itself, he just needs to ride to solid rounds and go out like the champion that he really is. Luke’s got nothing to lose, it just comes down to two solid rides and he just has to put in two really strong ones and hopefully he regains that second place. But whatever happens, he’s well exceeded what a first-year MX1 pro ever does. He’s been absolutely brilliant. The biggest praise goes to the guys in the team. (KTM Race Technicians) Jordan and Kyle, (Crew Chief Danny) Apro and Garry, Johnny back in the workshop, it’s just been unbelievable the hours that the boys have put in to this season, so those guys deserve all the credit.”

Kirk Gibbs – “I tested for a day yesterday with Danny and Luke and got a sand setting for the new bike. I want to go out and finish on a high – I want to go and get some wins before the end of the season. With one race on the new bike under my belt I’m even more comfortable on it, and I definitely think I ride strong at Coolum, so I know I can be very competitive. I just need to get a good start and I know I will because our new bike is very fast and it will hook up through that sand. I’m definitely looking forward to two good starts and two good results. This is something that I’ve been chasing for a long, long time.”

Luke Styke – “We spent a couple more days fine-tuning the new bike this week and I’m happy that we’ve come up with a good setting for Coolum – the bike should be working pretty good I reckon. Obviously to get second in the championship is my plan this weekend. I think it’s definitely reachable, so that’s my only goal really – I’ve got nothing to lose so I can just go for it.”

In MX2 Racing: KTM Factory Support rider Caleb Ward has been the form rider of the second half of the season, and missed out by a single point in Toowoomba despite two great rides. The friendly North Queenslander is, however, a recognised sand master, and after winning the overall at Coolum back in June, Ward has no intention of aiming for anything less this weekend.

Caleb Ward– “It’s been a good week for me, hopefully the rain clears up, but other than that it’s generally good. I’ve just been having a pretty casual week just having a bit of fun and stuff. I really want go in and get another win, and hopefully go out on a high, that’s always the goal anyway. I’m pretty much just there to win this one, I’ve kinda’ got to try to keep up the whole sand reputation I guess! If I don’t win it will probably look bad for me! (laughs)”

In MXD racing, current championship number two and KTM Factory Support racer Jayden Rykers put in one of the rides of the meeting at Echo Valley when he somehow salvaged a race one podium after getting caught in the state gate! He followed the trick up with a second moto domination, and his goal at Coolum does not involve championship points, it’s purely to keep the race wins coming at Coolum.

Jayden Rykers – “There’s been a bit of rain around but that doesn’t bother me. In 2012 at the junior Aussies at Coolum it came down hard in qualifying, and I went from being four seconds a lap slower than the fastest qualifier, to being the fastest qualifier by four seconds in the wet. It’s pretty bad if you get a bad start though! I’ve kept it pretty chilled this week, just hanging out. My plan for Sunday is just to do my own thing. Anything can happen, but I can only control what I’m doing, so I’ll just keep doing that. I’m just hoping to get another two race wins and continue the dominant streak.”

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