Raceline Pirelli KTM press release:

Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Jesse Madden and Dylan Wills have wrapped up the 2016 Australian Supercross Championship at the AUS-X Open in Sydney over the weekend, with both young SX2 riders showing speed and resilience throughout the action packed two days.

Qudos Bank Arena at Sydney Olympic Park was pouring with fans on both Saturday and Sunday, and as well as plenty of bar banging racing, both Madden and Wills walked away safely from spectacular crashes and contributed to the great success of this year’s AUS-X Open.

On Saturday night Wills won his SX2 semi final race, and gained entry to the evening’s reduced gate main event, while Madden won his LCQ and also lined up for the final, ensuring Raceline Pirelli KTM was well represented in front of the sold out crowd. Unfortunately, Wills crashed while sitting mid-pack, forcing him to slip back to 11th place, while Madden took a spectacular crash over the finish line, marking an early end to the Queenslanders night.

Following Wills’ crash on Saturday night, the local was unfortunately ruled out of competition on Sunday due to a wrist injury, handing him 7th place in the overall SX2 championship at the conclusion of yesterdays’ proceedings. Despite Madden participating in an SX2 heat, semi, and LCQ yesterday, the KTM rider narrowly missed out on making the main event, however was awarded with 16th overall in the championship.

Dylan Wills – SX2 (7th in SX2 Championship)

“Saturday in Sydney was really good. I felt strong from the get go. I finished third in my heat, and set one of the fastest laps of the night and I managed to win my semi final too, so I feel that I showed good speed,” Wills said.

“It was a bit of a shame for my night to end the way it did in the main, but I showed good speed, I was going for it and I had a little crash, so I’m proud that I proved what I was capable of.

“It’s been an awesome year being a part of the Raceline Pirelli KTM team, they work hard every weekend but still know how to have a good time which is what racing is about. We’ve shown this year that we have a very competitive bike, and when I’m on, I can win, so we’ll keep working and next year look for even more.”

Jesse Madden – SX2 (16th in SX2 Championship)

“Saturday at AUS-X Open I felt that I was riding well – I managed to win my LCQ, but about halfway through the main event I took a huge spill, and I ended up with a bit of a concussion,” Madden shared.

“I was still feeling the effects of my crash on Sunday and unfortunately I missed out on the main by two spots, but I’m happy with what I’ve managed to achieve.

“At the start of the season I was going racing on my own and it was tough, but after round one, Chris Woods called me and offered me this opportunity, and I really couldn’t have done this season without them. The bike is unbelievable, and the team is the best out there so I can’t thank Raceline Pirelli KTM enough.”

Chris Woods – Raceline Pirelli KTM Team Manager

“After the success of the event last year, we were very excited to head back to AUS-X Open this year, and especially on night one, the boys really delivered,” Woods shared.

“With the combination of live television and a sold out crowd on Saturday night, it was fantastic to have both boys in the main event, and although they both did suffer those couple of crashes, we believe they turned some heads, and kept those fans well and truly entertained.

“All in all, we have had a fantastic year with KTM, and we have really enjoyed working with our dedicated partners and sponsors to deliver some fantastic results throughout the season. Without all who are involved it simply wouldn’t have been possible.

“I’d like to thank both Dylan and Jesse for stepping things up on the weekend, and then of course our mechanics Dylan Pilgrim and Sean Featherstone as well as John Tisdale who work tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly. We achieved a lot this year, and we already can’t wait for 2017.”

Raceline Pirelli KTM would like to acknowledge each and every one of the team’s partners and supporters for their continued dedication in enabling the team to race at this year’s 2016 Australian Supercross Championship.

To follow Raceline Pirelli KTM’s progress this year, like ‘Raceline’ on Facebook or follow @raceline_motosport on Instagram. To learn more about Raceline and their products, head to www.raceline.com.au

For further information on the 2016 Australian Supercross Championship, head to www.ma.org.au