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

Image: Foremost Media.

MX2 moto one:

KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford led every lap of the opening encounter en route to taking his third consecutive moto victory. Runner-up was impressive Yamaha privateer Jayce Cosford, 12.8s from the KTM rider as Rhys Budd (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) scored important points in P3. Fastest qualifier Bailey Malkiewicz (Serco Yamaha) was fourth after a recovery from a bad start, as Noah Ferguson (GasGas Racing Team) completed the top five. Empire Kawasaki’s Jai Constantinou was sixth, as positions seven to 10 were Isaac Ferguson (GasGas), Hugh McKay (WBR Yamaha), Ben Novak (Honda) and Kaleb Barham (Husqvarna). Notably, Jesse Dobson (Serco Yamaha) dislocated his shoulder in the opening half of the race, while running P2. He came into the pits, seemingly had his shoulder put back into place and resumed the race. He was ultimately black-flagged. Champion Wilson Todd is not competing in MX2 this weekend, focusing solely on the premier class after securing the title last weekend at Queensland Moto Park.

MX1 Top 10 Shootout:

An intense superpole session saw Wilson Todd (Honda Racing) emerge with first gate pick courtesy of 1m42.050s, edging teammate Kyle Webster by just fourth-tenths with the number 96 firing in a 1m42.463s in the closing moments. Red plate-holder Aaron Tanti (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) was third, 0.716s from Todd’s benchmark as Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) – who led the session in the early stages – was fourth, ahead of Honda Racing’s Dean Ferris who completed the top five in what is the final round in his full-time racing career. Todd Waters (Husqvarna Racing Team) was sixth with a 1m43.213s, ahead of Joel Evans (Honda), Hayden Mellross (GasGas Racing Team), Zachary Watson (Honda) and Hayden Smith (KTM).

MX1 moto one:

Todd jumped to the holeshot in the first MX1 bout, as Waters charged past Tanti, Gibbs and Ferris to move into second in the opening laps. The Husqvarna rider then closed within striking distance to make a move on the number 20, but Todd responded and gradually stretched out his advantage at the front to take a 10.7s victory. Ferris was third, trailed by teammate Webster for the majority of the second half of the race, with the number 96 seemingly playing the team game and remaining a safe distance. Behind Webster, Gibbs completed the top five, ahead of Brett Metcalfe (GO24 KTM) and Tanti, who dropped to P7 and maintained that position ahead of Evans in eighth. Ricky Latimer (KTM) crossed the line ninth, ahead of  Mellross who completed the top 10. 18 points separate Ferris and Tanti entering the final moto.

MX2 moto two:

Crawford grabbed the early lead second MX2 moto and held P1 until approximately eight minutes remaining when he suddenly dropped behind WBR Yamaha’s Levi Rogers. Rogers maintained the lead to take a breakthrough MX2 victory and build on his podium form from QMP, ultimately crossing the line with a 7.3s advantage ahead of the number 199. Third was Malkiewicz, ahead of Budd and fast-starting Haruki Yokoyama (Empire Kawasaki). Jai Constantinou finished P6, ahead of Isaac Ferguson (GasGas). Noah Ferguson (GasGas Racing Team) and Cosford were eighth and ninth, both involved in an opening lap crash. McKay completed the top 10. Dobson again was running second, before falling and retiring from the race. Looking at the overall, Crawford took the honours, with the podium completed by Malkiewicz and Budd. Crowned at QMP, Todd won the MX2 championship on 311 points, ahead of Budd on 271 and Malkiewicz on 245.

MX1 moto two:

Webster launched to the front in the final premier class moto, closely followed by Todd. Waters again charged forwards in the opening laps,  passing both Honda riders to take the lead. The number 47 then remained in P1 for the majority of the bout, before Webster regained the top position as the moto approached its closing stages. Todd put the pressure on Waters shortly after, but fell while trying to make a move on the FC 450 rider. Ultimately it was Webster who took the chequered flag first, with Waters second and Todd a distant third after remounting. Gibbs finished his season with P4, ahead of Ferris who concluded his final year in the championship with a fifth-place finish, after falling in the mid-part of the moto. Importantly, sixth for Tanti was enough to claim the MX1 title – an outstanding achievement for the Queensland-based rider in his first season with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team. P7 was Metcalfe, as Latimer, Evans and Mellross completed the top 10. For the round eight overall, it was Todd who secured the win in just his second race meeting in the premier class, with Waters second courtesy of 2-2 results and Webster taking the final step on the rostrum. In the 2022 MX1 standings, Tanti finished with a 17-point advantage over Ferris, with Waters’ strong end to year elevating him to P3, 29 points from the title.