Countbacks determine champs at Wonthaggi
Teenager Ryder Kingsford and Victoria’s Dylan Long both claimed round wins on countbacks in the MX3 class and 125 Cup at the 2021 Penrite ProMX Championship opener at Wonthaggi, today.
In MX3, 17-year-old Blake Fox (Gas Gas) finished the opening race with a comfortable 15-second leader over GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing’s Ryder Kingsford in the opening moto, with Kingsford’s Yamaha team-mate Kobe Drew a further 10 seconds behind. Ben Novak (Honda Junior Racing Team) and Kayden Minear (KTM) rounded out the top five.
In the second race, Kingsford grabbed the holeshot, but Fox quickly made his move to the front. Unwilling to be intimidated by the older racer, Kingsford followed closely behind before retaking the lead as Fox lost his rhythm, and led the rest of the race, holding off a late charge from Fox to take the round overall on countback.
The youngest rider in the field, Minear, finished the second moto in third, followed by Drew and Novak.
Kingsford took the overall, from Fox, with Drew rounding out the podium.
In the 125cc Cup, Australian Off Road racer Jack Simpson proved he still has talent on the motocross track as he cruised to a 31-second race victory in the opening moto.
In the opening race Simpson cruised to a 30-second victory over Long (Yamaha), while defending 125 Cup Cam Taylor (Yamaha) finished the moto in third.Joshua McLean (Husqvarna) and American Michael Sleeter (Gas Gas) rounded out the top five.
In the second 125 Cup moto, Long led every lap around the increasingly chopped-up Wonthaggi circuit, always keeping Simpson at arm’s length and eventually winning by 14 seconds. South Australian Elijah Wiese (Yamaha) finished the race in third, followed by McLean and Ryan Butler (Yamaha).
Long took the overall ahead of Simpson, with McLean finishing off the podium.