MotoOnline.com.au breaks down the specifics from race day Saturday and Sunday in Sydney’s inaugural AUS-X Open double-header inside Allphones Arena.

SX1

Image: Jeff Crow.

Saturday main event results:
1. Chad REED
2. Gavin FAITH
3. Daniel REARDON
4. Cooper WEBB
5. Daniel McCOY
6. Lawson BOPPING
7. Kade MOSIG
8. Kale MAKEHAM
9. Cheyne BOYD
10. Luke STYKE
11. Robbie MARSHALL

Race time: 10m41.516s
Margin of victory: 6.023s
Laps completed: 20
Fastest lap: Chad REED 30.363s

Sunday main event results:
1. Cooper WEBB
2. Chad REED
3. Lawson BOPPING
4. Daniel McCOY
5. Daniel REARDON
6. Cheyne BOYD
7. Robbie MARSHALL
8. Aaron TANTI
9. Jono KRUSIC
10. Josh SPANOS

Race time: 10m24.415s
Margin of victory: 0.268s
Laps completed: 20
Fastest lap: Chad REED 28.842s

Verdict: The AUS-X Open will be remembered as one of the most spectacular races on record. Saturday night’s atmosphere is hard to describe and Reed’s win capped it off for the Aussie fans, while a third place for Dan Reardon and DNF of Matt Moss almost assures Reardon of the 2015 Australian Supercross Championship (he needs just four points in Melbourne this weekend). Sunday’s start was a bit shaky with less fans in attendance and almost every one of Australia’s factory domestic regulars, plus a selection of satellite or privateer riders, sidelined with injury – to the extent that Reardon was the only one of the local factory riders in the second day’s main event. But wow, what a turnaround once we were past the heats and semis. The Reed vs. Ricky Carmichael showdown delivered all weekend, the FMX was unbelievable and the main events were fierce. The SX1 main on Sunday was a thriller, with Webb only just fending off Reed to take the weekend’s title (scored from Sunday only), while Reardon and Bopping also factored in leading laps. Yamaha riders also took out the top six finishers, which was a fitting touch for the event manufacturer sponsor. It was one for the ages and, thankfully for the sport, aired on live national television through 7mate. Plus, a big thumbs up for the track design and unique fly-by lane – it all added to the action!

SX2

Image: Jeff Crow.

Saturday main event results:
1. Jimmy DECOTIS
2. Wade HUNTER
3. Jackson RICHARDSON
4. Geran STAPLETON
5. Lewis WOODS
6. Jack SIMPSON
7. Joel WIGHTMAN
8. Luke WILSON
9. Luke CLOUT
10. Tomas RAVENHORST
11. Dylan WILLS
12. Kyle WEBSTER

Race time: 8m19.321s
Margin of victory: 5.723s
Laps completed: 15
Fastest lap: Wade HUNTER 29.078s

Sunday main event results:
1. Jimmy DECOTIS
2. Jackson RICHARDSON
3. Geran STAPLETON
4. Joel WIGHTMAN
5. Tomas RAVENHORST
6. Jesse MADDEN
7. Jake VELLA
8. Lewis WOODS
9. Jack SIMPSON
10. Jake WILLIAMS
11. Luke WILSON
12. Kyle WEBSTER

Race time: 8m05.970s
Margin of victory: 5.572s
Laps completed: 15
Fastest lap: Jimmy DECOTIS 30.329s

Verdict:
The dominance of Decotis resumed in Sydney with back-to-back SX2 final victories, winning both by over five seconds. With a GEICO Honda contract in his pocket for 2016 already, this Australian adventure is really serving as a perfect training ground for the popular American, and at Allphones Arena he was almost as quick as the best of the 450s. A podium for Hunter on night one was where it ended for him as he sat out the second day, while Richardson delivered double podiums with a 3-2 scorecard. It was a strong weekend for the Wilson MX team as Richardson and Stapleton ran right up front, taking three podiums combined. So it was a positive weekend for many, really bad for others (including the factory Serco Yamaha team that was ruled out of Sunday altogether), but overall a magnificent step forward for the sport.