Kawasaki Motors Australia press release:

Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing’s Aaron Tanti has earned a convincing podium in the sixth round of the 2018 MX Nationals in Conondale, Queensland, while MX1 challenger Rhys Carter finished with yet another solid top 10 result.

Following a lengthy break in the series, Tanti was determined to hit the ground running and so he did with a strong start in the opening MX2 moto. The New South Welshman led for a portion of the 30-minute plus one stint before conceding the top spot and settling for second.

Tanti was immediately in control of the field during race two, although a challenge saw the number 18 relegated to second. Despite his best efforts to latch onto the leader, Tanti settled into second where he would finish out the moto, rewarding him with second on the day while promoting him to third in the standings.

“It was a pretty good day today at Conondale and I went 2-2,” said Tanti. “I was leading moto one before having a bit of an off, although I was up straight away. Race two I hole-shotted, but Wilson [Todd] got me in the early laps, we battled for a little and I ended up second. I feel like the break was a restart for me and it gave me a chance to reset my mind, so I’m happy with how I went today.”

After positive start to the day, Carter knew he was in for a solid result at Conondale. The opening MX1 affair saw him claw his way to sixth following average start, showcasing his race-craft as he made multiple moves on a circuit that’s renowned for limited passing opportunities.

In fine form for race two, the New Zealander was positioned just outside of the top five, although a critical error while hunting down the lead group meant the was forced accept a loss of positions. Carter remounted and put on a final charge for seventh, crediting him seventh overall and positioning him seventh in the standings.

“I qualified well despite being ninth because the lap-times were really close,” Carter explained. “I got an okay start in race one, worked my through the pack and finished up in sixth. I got a good jump in race two, although I got boxed in the second turn. I got back through to the top five, but a lost the front-end on a high-speed turn. I lost a few positions and then managed to get back to seventh. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing team manager Jay Foreman is pleased with the squad’s efforts in Queensland, commending Tanti’s performance while also acknowledging the abundance of potential that Carter displayed.

“Aaron rode awesome,” Foreman stated. “We knew he could ride like that – he looked really good practicing in the past couple of weeks, so I knew he would go good here. Hopefully we can carry that onto the next round. Rhys was good again and – it’s just a shame – he always rides better than what his results show.”

The Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing team will be out on track next at Raymond Terrace in New South Wales, marking the seventh and eighth stops of the MX Nationals series on 14-15 July. Head to www.mxnationals.com.au for further details on the series.

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