Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

American Gavin Faith has delivered Penrite Honda Racing the SX2 final win in Bacchus Marsh’s second round of the 2017 Australian Supercross Championship.

It was defending SX2 champion Jackson Richardson (Serco Yamaha) who took victory in the opening seven-lap heat of the afternoon, over five seconds ahead of Aaron Tanti (Team WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha) and Geran Stapleton (Honda) completing the top three.

But the big news was the late crash of former champion Faith, going down on the final lap and registering a DNF as a result. That left Egan Mastin (KTM Motocross Racing Team) and Connor Tierney (Team WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha) to round out the top five.

It was a convincing start to finish win for points leader Hayden Mellross in SX2 heat two, the DPH Motorsport Yamaha rider going on to cross the line 6.413s ahead of Kyle Webster (Penrite CRF Honda Racing) and Mitch Evans (Serco Yamaha).

It was a spread out order from there as Jesse Madden (KSF Racing Husqvarna) continued his solid form for fourth, followed by rookie Cooper Pozniak (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) in P5.

After crashing out of his heat, Faith rebounded for a commanding victory in the LCQ to lead Wilson Todd (DPH Motorsport Yamaha) by 2.174s, with Dylan Wills (Dyson Motorsport Husqvarna) also managing to bounce back from a difficult heat to cross the line in third.

Penrite Honda Racing’s Faith – sporting a Delcon Civil livery tonight – took a pivotal victory in the 15-lap SX2 main event, 4.412s ahead of defending champion Richardson and a charging Todd, who put forward an impressive performance to complete the podium.

The fourth position belonged to Wills, who in turn was directly ahead of both Wilson and Tierney. In a far better showing compared to his factory KTM debut, Mastin crossed the line seventh, as fellow newcomer Pozniak, Madden and the experienced class mainstay Taylor Potter (X-Drive Honda) filled the top 10 placings.

As for initial runaway leader Mellross, he looked to be controlling the race until just past the halfway mark he went down heavily, costing him what appeared a sure victory and also the red plate. That enabled Faith to take charge in the number one position, as Mellross plummeted down the order and was eventually declared a DNF score.

Disaster also struck Evans, the supercross newcomer unable to replicate his opening round podium after striking problems early, pitting with a flat front tyre and then finishing nine laps down. It was a tough night for Webster as well, going down twice and being unable to finish in the end.

In the Junior Lites, fresh from winning the 15 Years class at the Australian Junior Motocross Championship, Husqvarna-mounted Bailey Malkiewicz went 2-1-1 for the overall at Bacchus Marsh. He led race one winner Joshua Zorbas (KTM) and a consistent Tyler Darby (KTM), who was third in all three races.

The Junior 85/150 class saw Blake Fox (KTM) take victory in all three races at round two, with New Zealander Brodie Connolly (KTM) and Jake Kowal (KTM) finishing second and third throughout the round to stake their claims for the overall podium.

The 2017 Australian Supercross Championship will continue in two weeks time at Virginia in South Australia, for round three on Saturday, 28 October.