Yamaha Motor Australia press release:

CDR Yamaha’s Dean Ferris now has a huge 75 point lead in the premier MX1 championship after another dominant performance at round eight of the MX Nationals, held at Port Macquarie, over the weekend.

75 points, which means he is over a full round ahead of his rivals, means Ferris has the opportunity to lock up the championship at the penultimate round at Toowoomba’s Echo Valley, on August 13.

Ferris was again in fine form on the weekend and showed exactly why he has built up such a huge lead over the first eight rounds. It was a clean sweep of every point available at Port Macquarie as Ferris was the fastest qualifier in the Superpole Lap, then went on to win both motos in a wheel perfect day.

With a maximum of 73 points available at each round, a good round at Toowoomba just might be enough to secure the championship win for the second time in a row, but the down to earth Kyogle resident isn’t getting ahead of himself.

“The weekend went really well for me and it’s not often that a rider gains maximum points in the MX1 class as the competition is so tough,” Ferris explains. “It was great that I was able to build on my championship lead but racing dirt bikes is a tough game and it requires a lot of dedication, focus and determination to succeed and we still have two rounds, four races, to compete and they require my full attention. It’s not over and myself and the CDR Yamaha team take nothing for granted.

“The track at Port Mac was pretty good. It was the first time we have raced there and I thought the club did a great job and the track was challenging and fun to race.

“For me, nothing changes at the final two rounds, there is still points on the line and races to be won. I want to continue to develop as a rider and that means continuing to push myself and become a better rider each time I race.”

The next round in the series hits the rolling red clay hills of Toowoomba at the icon Echo Valley circuit. Ferris has had plenty of success there in the past and lists the track as one of his favourites.

“I have spent a fair bit of time in Toowoomba and I love riding Echo Valley. The hills and the ruts make it a challenge and it is a difficult track to master. Each year we go there, the track forms a bit differently and it keeps you on your toes,” he continued.

Dylan Long notched another top 10 result on the weekend and again showed improved speed and fitness on his return from injury. Long landed with 12-7 results but proved to be a lot more competitive than his first two outings since his return.

Long fell early in moto one and lost considerable time before scrambling back to 12th but was determined to improve in race two.

And he did exactly that. Long sat in sixth place until the mid-way point of the 30-minute race before slipping back to seventh. He maintained that position to the end and it was just the confidence boost the talented rider needed.

“You don’t realise how much being sidelined sets you back and I have had to work hard to get my fitness back,” Long begins. “I’m still not back to where or was or where I need to be but I felt I turned a corner in moto two and it was a much better performance that gives me the belief that I’m heading in the right direction.

“We still have two rounds to go and my goal is to get back inside the top five by the end of the year,” he ends.

Round nine of the MX Nationals heads for Toowoomba on August 13 before the final round is a Coolum on the following weekend.

For more information and a full list of results, www.mxnationals.com.au