The 2016 Australian Supercross Championship headed to South Australia for round three of the series where Justin Brayton (Honda Genuine Racing) claimed his third-consecutive main event win, while Hayden Mellross (DPH Motorsport) strengthened his advantage in the SX2 category by capturing his maiden victory. MotoOnline.com.au caught up with the main event victors post-race to gather their thoughts on the night.

SX1

Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

Justin Brayton, three wins in a row tonight here in Adelaide. It was a flawless night, you must be stoked with it.

Yeah, that one was good – that was the best one for me this year from top to bottom. I got the holeshot in the main event and I just started to put in solid laps. I knew I wanted to get away in the first 10 [laps], I got a pretty good lead that was up to 13 seconds or so, and then I decided to just start jumping through the whoops – the whoops were really tough tonight, so I decided to slow down and cruise it in. It was a fun night, I had a tough heat race though, I went down a couple of times and slid out in the mud twice. I needed to redeem myself, it was nice to pull the holeshot in the main – it was my first holeshot of the year – so it was definitely nice to get that, it made it a lot easier for me.

The whoops were quite a talking point tonight, how did they compare to something back in the US?

I think they were pretty similar, I would say real similar, especially later on in the night. The US whoops vary every week, sometimes they’re quite a bit bigger than that, sometimes they’re a little bit small where you can just jump through them. It just depends, but I would say those whoops were very technical, I mean, guys would’ve struggled bad with them back in the states. I think the whole track tonight was good, it kept everybody on their toes. It had a lot of different options, it had a big quad which was pretty fun to jump every lap. I thought it was good, and honestly, all three tracks have been really good. The first couple of layouts were great, the second round was super technical, which I really liked. I’m having a blast man, I really am. I’m enjoying Australia and I’m having fun.

Obviously an additional two weeks on the bike since Toowoomba, how have you been finding the Honda?

Yeah, I think I’m definitely more comfortable now. [I’m on] more of a consistent program now, rather than flying back and forth from the states. It’s nice to be over here, I was definitely more comfortable for the whole 20 laps tonight. I still need to get a little bit better for the last five [laps] or so. Like I said, I just wanted to back it down just to be safe, but sometimes that’s when bad things happen, so I really don’t want to have that mindset – I want to push all the way until the end. I’m going to work on that this week and go to Avalon and have some fun, and hopefully get another win.

A one week turnaround until Melbourne, and then another week after that until Sydney. Do you think that will play into your favour as it’s a similar schedule to what you have over in the US?

Yeah, exactly. I think that once I get into a groove, it’s good to have a specific schedule every week. I’ll go back this week and do my normal training, riding and get in my motos, and then I’ll actually drive to this one since I’m staying in Melbourne – that will be nice. I can’t count out [Dan] Reardon, he was going good tonight, Wil [Hahn] will obviously be there, [Kyle] Peters rode good and [Dean] Ferris was still there. So I’m definitely not going to count those guys out.

SX2

Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

A great win here in Adelaide tonight, you’ve got to be happy with that.

Yeah, it was definitely a pretty picture perfect day – I can’t be happier than that with the hard work that we’ve put in from myself and the team, it’s all paying off. It’s what we work for, to come out and qualify first again with an unreal heat race, to win that and then to win the main event, it’s just awesome. It was a technical track with a technical set of whoops, my bike handled well and I was switched on the for the full 15 laps. It was awesome, I’m pumped about it and I’m looking forward to carrying the momentum forward to Melbourne next weekend.

It was quite a different track tonight compared to Toowoomba, what were your thoughts on it?

Yeah, definitely. I think it was a little different track, [we have] different track builders so you’re initially going to have a bit of a different track, but in the whole scheme of it, I think the track was pretty solid. The rhythm sections were pretty good and the whoops were definitely challenging – it was a key part of it tonight. The track was awesome, the dirt here in Adelaide – or radelaide as some people call it – is awesome, it hasn’t disappointed, that’s for sure. It had really good tack and the whoops broke down and got really cupped out, it was definitely challenging. I thought the track builders and track design was awesome good tonight.

A one week turnaround until Melbourne, does that change anything for yourself?

Nah, nothing at all. I’m pretty fortunate to have raced overseas in America, and with the west coast supercross season, we raced seven or eight weeks straight, week after week. I know my schedule and what I need to do. I’ll just go do that and keep putting in the work and not stop until the final flag in Sydney. We’ll just keep working and strive for even better next weekend.

I can see your knee is taped up, is that an injury to be concerned about?

Nah, it’s definitely nothing to be concerned about, it’s always good to be cautious with taping and stuff like that. I hit my knee the Wednesday after Toowoomba, it wasn’t very good and it definitely didn’t feel good. I’m lucky enough to have a great physiotherapist in my hometown that slotted me in three or four times a week between when I did it and here. He looked after me well and got it to where I didn’t feel it at all. I’ll go back and do my training this week, I’ll probably see my physiotherapist another two or three times. I could imagine it will be 100 percent and ready to go by Melbourne with probably no taping at all. I’ll be ready to rock and roll and keep this championship going.