Yamaha Motor Australia press release:

The 2018 MX Nationals season proved to be a successful one for Yamaha teams and riders, claiming the three major championships after final round action wrapped up over a huge weekend of racing at the Coolum Pines circuit on the Sunshine Coast.

Dean Ferris and his CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team made it three in a row in the premier MX1 (450cc) class and created a little piece of history along the way with Ferris winning all ten rounds. Wilson Todd took his first MX2 (250cc) championship with a race to spare and erased the nightmare of falling at the final hurdle in 2017 while Bailey Malkiewicz proved he is a star of the future winning the MXD category.

To review the final round, hit this link and check out the action; https://youtu.be/7Mk8YjQkfYg

Craig Dack- MX1 – CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team
“I think I have ran out of things to say about Dean this week but all of the praise he has been getting is entirely deserved. He simply dominated the championship this year and was a cut above the rest of his rivals. Winning ten from ten is an outstanding feat and will take some beating in the future but maybe the most impressive for me was the final round, when there was nothing on it, everything to lose and nothing to gain, on the roughest and most demanding track we had this year, Dean just smashed them. Two race wins by over 30 seconds is impressive and a real show of character from him.

“Dylan finished up in fifth and had a few ups and downs along the way. He rode exceptionally well at Raymond Terrace to grab a couple of race wins and land on the podium but also finished the season off with a knee injury and a bit below his best. He is keen to get things back on track for the Supercross championship and we don’t doubt he has the skill and ability to make things happen.”

Gavin Eales – MX2 – Serco Yamaha
“It’s a good feeling driving out of Coolum with the championship trophy back in our hands. Wilson Todd was the lone ranger for the team from round three onwards and did a great job of flying the flag for the Serco Yamaha team. He pulled race wins when he needed to and then also showed maturity when it was required, and he managed the championship perfectly throughout the year.

“The fact that he was able to build a nice points buffer, so the last round wasn’t a high-pressure affair was good. He was still nervous at the final round but with a 57point lead going into the final two races, realistically, all he needed to do was finish the first one and it was his championship.

“We now have a small break between events but with the new 2019 YZ250F and the change from motocross to supercross, the boys will be working hard and hopefully we can add another supercross championship and make 2018 our best season yet.

Scott Bishop- MX2 – Yamalube Yamaha Racing
“We took the opportunity to debut the 2019 YZ250F on the weekend with Jay Wilson on board. Jay was fifth in the points heading into the round and was a big ask to get to the top three, so we used the event to test and try a few things as well as just get a general feel of the bike in race conditions.

“And the results speak for themselves. Jay won the opening moto on a bike that had little more than his suspension, ETS race fuel and an Akrapovic exhaust. He rode exceptionally well and was glowing in his praise of the new machine. He went 1-2 to finish second on the day with Kyle Webster who took the overall with a 2-1.

“For Richie it was a promising day that ended with frustration. His goal was to get on the podium for the round and he rode to fourth in race one in a great performance and kept his goal in sight. Race two and he was running third and the podium goal was right there until he miscued a jump and went down, injuring his hand. It appears to be ok with no major issues at this stage, but we were gutted for him as he really wanted a podium and was so close to achieving it.”

Travis Whitten – MXD – WBR Yamaha
“It was a dream weekend for the team and to finish 1-2 in our first season as Yamaha’s MXD team is just amazing. Going into the round, both Bailey and Hugh were battling for the championship lead and anything can happen but it’s a credit to them both that they conducted themselves in such a professional manner and both gave their all on the track.

“In the end, it was Bailey who won the championship and he deserved his win. It was set up with a dominating performance at round nine where he finished 1-1 and that gave him some breathing room going into the final round. It was a tight battle all year in MXD and several riders were capable of winning races, but it was Bailey that stood up at the pivotal times and won the championship in his first attempt.

“For Hugh, there is no disgrace at finishing second. The speed of the MXD race this year was pretty good at most of the rounds and he was a serious contender every time he lined up. He is a dedicated and hard-working rider who one day will get his rewards and he has been awesome to work with over the past few seasons.”