Follow the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship with direct MX1 and MX2 updates from the fourth round of the season at Maitland through Racefeed.

Image: Foremost Media.

MX1 qualifying:
With the top five separated with a second, CDR Yamaha Monster Energy rider Tanti’s benchmark of 1m42.872s placed him just 0.047s ahead of Kyle Webster (Boost Mobile Honda Racing). Webster was in turn directly ahead of two former champions in Luke Clout (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) and KTM Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs fourth, as new red plate-holder Jed Beaton (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) slotted into P5. The top 10 this morning was completed by Dean Ferris (Yamaha), Jai Walker (KTM), Maximus Purvis (WBR Yamaha), Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing) and Hamish Harwood (CML KTM Davy Motorsports).

MX2 qualifying:
It was a Serco Yamaha 1-2 for Jesse Dobson with a 1m45.557s and teammate Rhys Budd, edging defending champion Wilson Todd (Terrafirma Honda Racing) and Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team). Fifth on the charts was Jayce Cosford (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) ahead of Noah Ferguson (GasGas Racing Team), while Matt Moss’ return to the 250 class with WBR Yamaha saw him qualify in P7. Eighth through 10th were Ryan Alexanderson (Moto1 KTM), Reid Taylor (GasGas) and Liam Andrews (Spectro Elliott Bros Racing Honda).

MX1 moto one:
Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha’s Dean Ferris has won Saturday’s opening Thor MX1 moto. It was CDR Yamaha Monster Energy duo Aaron Tanti and Luke Clout who ran in formation during the early stages, until a charging Ferris made his move by Clout, right as Tanti fell at the front. That enabled the three-time champion Ferris to power ahead for the moto win by 12.960s over Clout, with Tanti recovering to finish third. A late pass by Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) saw him edge Kyle Webster (Boost Mobile Honda Racing), who crashed out of third a couple of laps earlier. Sixth was another inspiring performance from New Zealander Hamish Harwood (CML KTM Davey Motorsports), followed by Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Go24 KTM), points-leader Jed Beaton (Boost Mobile Honda Racing), KTM privateer Jai Walker and Joel Evans (Honda). A unique three-moto format was introduced for this weekend’s two-day event, with Thor MX1 and Maxxis MX3 both featuring an additional race across the weekend, while MX2 will keep its traditional format.

MX2 moto one:
KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford took an impressive come-from-behind win in the opening MX2 moto. Terrafirma Honda Racing’s series leader Wilson Todd grabbed the holeshot, followed by Serco Yamaha’s Jesse Dobson and Husqvarna privateer Kaleb Barham, with Crawford flirting with the edge of the top 10.  A series of crashes on the slippery track from Dobson, WBR Yamaha’s Matt Moss, Noah Ferguson (GasGas Racing Team), and Barham saw the order change dramatically throughout the race, but Crawford stayed steady, cutting away at Todd’s lead. Just as he was in striking distance, the Honda rider crashed into a lapped rider and went down, allowing Crawford to quickly take a handy lead and an eventual 13-second win. Todd crossed the line in second, with Serco Yamaha’s Rhys Budd taking a solid P3. Rookie Ryan Alexanderson (KTM) and Haruki Yokoyama (Empire Kawasaki) put in great, trouble-free performances to complete the top five. Ferguson, Brody Connolly (Polyflor Honda Racing), Brock Flynn (GasGas), Dobson, and Liam Andrews (Honda) filled the remaining top 10 positions.

MX1 Pole Shootout:
Kyle Webster led a Boost Mobile Honda Racing lock-out of the Top 10 Shootout at the fourth round of the 2023 Penrite ProMX at Maitland, as he led edged his team-mate, Jed Beaton for the pole position honours. Red-plate holder Beaton finished just 0.075s behind Webster, with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy racers Aaron Tanti and Luke Clout finishing third and fourth respectively. A further second back was KTM Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs, who finished ahead of yesterday’s first-race winner, Dean Ferris (Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha). Hamish Harwood (CML KTM Davey Motorsports), Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing) and Jai Walker (KTM) filled the remaining positions in the session.

MX1 moto two:
Dean Ferris held off a hard, race-long charge from Aaron Tanti to win Sunday’s first MX1 moto. The three-time champion laid claim to the holeshot from Kirk Gibbs, but Tanti and team-mate Luke Clout quickly established themselves in the top three. Tanti poured the pressure on Ferris for most of the race, but Ferris refused to buckle and took a three-second race win. A hard, late charge by Clout saw make a last-lap pass on Tanti to claim second from his team-mate, while Boost Mobile Honda Racing pairing Beaton and Webster filled the top five. Waters put in a good ride to finish sixth, ahead of Kiwi Harwood, while Gibbs faded from a top two start to finish eighth. GO24 Racing’s Brett Metcalfe and KTM rider Jai Walker finished P9 and P10.

MX2 moto two:
Serco Yamaha’s Jesse Dobson bounced back to take the MX2 moto two win. Immediately after a thunderstorm rolled through, Serco Yamaha’s Jesse Dobson and Rhys Budd led the pack through the first turn. On a slippery, unpredictable circuit, Dobson wasted no time building a buffer over Budd, as Todd found his way past GasGas privateer Reid Taylor for third. Dobson took a 14-second win over Budd, who won the round on countback over third-placed Todd. Ferguson finished the moto in fourth, ahead of Crawford, who spun out on the opening laps and had to scramble his way from far back in the field. Positions sixth through 10^th were filled by Alexanderson, Taylor, Andrews, Minear and Yokoyama.

MX1 moto three:
Ferris made it three from three and cemented himself as the new championship leader after a convincing 12-second win in the final MX1 race. Clout scored the holeshot, but he was quickly rounded up by Ferris and Tanti, who pulled a big gap on the rest of the field as they fought for the win. With just three minutes remaining, the defending champion tucked the front and let Ferris march away with the moto victory. As Tanti regrouped, he fell into the clutches of Clout, who also made his way past to take second. A steady performance by former red plate holder Beaton saw him finish fourth, with Waters steady in fifth. Gibbs, Harwood, Metcalfe, Levi Rogers (Yamaha) and Walker rounded out the top 10.