Follow the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship with direct MX1 and MX2 updates from round three of the season at Wodonga through Racefeed.

Image: Foremost Media.

MX2 qualifying:
Terrafirma Honda Racing’s Wilson Todd stormed to set the fastest time ahead of round two’s quickest qualifier, Jesse Dobson (Serco Yamaha) who moved up to second in the closing stages of the session. Third was Serco Yamaha’s Bailey Malkiewicz, ahead of the Rhys Budd (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) and Dylan Wills (Husqvarna Racing Team). Alex Larwood (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) – currently second in the MX2 points standings –  was sixth fastest, followed by WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha pair Ryder Kingsford and Levi Rogers, with Noah Ferguson (GasGas) and Japanese talent Haruki Yokoyama (Empire Kawasaki) completing the top 10.

MX1 qualifying:
Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) emerged quickest in the Top 10 Shootout in what was an intense eight-minute battle between himself and Aaron Tanti (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) for the fastest time. Tanti ultimately qualified P2, ahead of GO24 KTM’s Brett Metcalfe who fired his way into the top three in the final moments of the session. Fourth was Todd Waters (Husqvarna Racing Team), who led the session around the halfway point, with Matt Moss (BBR 102 Motorsports) completing the top five. Hayden Mellross (GasGas Racing Team) was sixth, just over one second from Metcalfe in third, as positions seven to 10 were occupied by Joben Baldwin (Honda), Mackay moto two winner Dean Ferris (Honda Racing), Lochie Latimer (TLR KTM) and Joel Evans (Honda).

MX2 moto one:
Wills launched to the early holeshot before Todd swiftly asserted himself at the front of the field in the early stages. Disaster struck on the third lap for Todd, making the first mistake of his season when he crashed and was left to remount outside the top 10. Malkiewicz rode smooth and fast to capitalise on his rival mistakes and take the moto win, ahead of impressive MX3 graduate Kingsford, who came out on top in a battle with Budd in the final laps. Budd finished P3, remounting from a fall in the mid part of the moto. Todd was able to recover and finish fourth, ahead of Liam Andrews (Honda). Noah Ferguson crossed the line P6, ahead of Yokoyama and Jai Constantinou (Empire Kawasaki). Ninth was Jayce Cosford (Yamaha) as Wills completed the top 10. Notably, Dobson crashed heavily and was unable to complete the moto, dislocating his shoulder in the fall. The number 14 will attempt to line up in the second moto. Larwood was involved in a first turn incident that left him dead last after the opening lap, 45 seconds adrift from the lead, clawing his way back to 17th.

MX1 moto one:
Ferris crossed the line to take moto one honours following a closely contested three-rider battle with Waters and Metcalfe. Ferris and Waters traded places throughout the first half of the race as Metcalfe closed in, with Waters ultimately finishing second just ahead of the GO24 rider. Mellross scored his best result since joining GasGas with P4, as Tanti moved his way back up to fifth following a first-lap collision with Gibbs – the number 9 unable to avoid the KTM Factory Racing rider as he fell. Baldwin scored an impressive sixth, ahead of Gibbs, Joel Evans (Honda) and Moss – who got the holeshot and later crashed which ended his top five charge. Joel Wightman (Yamaha) completed the top 10. Both Luke Clout (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) and Kyle Webster (Honda Racing) were absent from competition due to prior injuries sustained.

MX2 moto two:
Todd made amends for his race one mistake to deliver a commanding victory in the second moto, finishing 3.8s ahead of Alex Larwood who charged his way forwards throughout the race. Malkiewicz finished a relatively quiet third, ahead of Andrews and Noah Ferguson who managed to make a move past Todd in the early stages of the race, later dropping to finish fifth. Kingsford was sixth, atop of Constantinou, the fast-starting Wills, Rogers, and Budd. Dobson took to the gate following a dislocated shoulder in the opening moto and finished 13th, showing strong pace in the early stages of the race. A 1-3 scorecard secured Malkiewicz the MX2 overall, bringing an end to Todd’s streak in 2022. The number 20 was second overall, as Kingsford completed the overall podium. Following the first three rounds of the 2022 season, Todd enjoys a 25 point advantage ahead of Malkiewicz in the standings, with Larwood a further eight points adrift.

MX1 moto two (part one):
Ferris continued his impressive run of form to win the first part of moto two – the second moto being split into two races with Olympic style points scoring to determine the final result. Tanti moved his way from fourth to finish second, narrowly avoiding Metcalfe who crashed in the latter stages of the race. Gibbs rebounded from his first moto troubles to finish third, ahead of Metcalfe and Waters. Jayden Rykers (Empire Kawasaki), too, rebounded from a first race crash to finish sixth, ahead of Wightman, Baldwin, Evans and Dylan Wood (KTM) who completed the Top 10.

MX1 moto two (part two):
The final race of the day saw Ferris complete an MX1 clean-sweep, the multiple Australian Motocross champion coming out on top after a battle with Tanti. Tanti ultimately crossed the line in second, 3.8 seconds behind Ferris, as Waters was third. Metcalfe was fourth, nursing a damaged radiator from his crash in part one, with Mellross completing the top five in the second part of the moto. When factoring in the Olympic style scoring system, Ferris was victorious in the second moto from Tanti and Waters. Metcalfe salvaged fourth for the moto, ahead of Wightman who notched a breakthrough top-five finish. Sixth was Evans, ahead of West Australian Rykers, Wood, Mellross – who suffered from a lowly 14th in the first moto after a fall, as Zachary Watson (Honda) completed the top 10. Ferris perfect scorecard saw him dominate the round, with Waters’ second overall enough to see him take control of the red plate by a single point over Aaron Tanti, who took the final step on the MX1 overall rostrum at Wodonga. Metcalfe and Mellross rounded out the top five for the round.