In Quotebook, a selection of riders detail how their races played out in the first round of the 2023 Fox Australian Supercross Championship (AUSX) at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

SX1

Image: Foremost Media.

Luke Clout (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) – Fifth: 
It’s so good to be back racing supercross as it’s always been my favourite style of racing. It took a bit to get back into being on such a small track but that’s the nature of an indoor venue and it’s the same for everyone. I felt rusty in the first practice, but things got better with each session, and we made some adjustments to the bike that really helped. In the main event, I just didn’t get the start I needed and was caught up in too much bar banging at the back of the pack. It turns into a hectic race back there while the leaders are able to open the track up and break away so my focus on the next couple of rounds will be about getting better track position early in the race.

Aaron Tanti (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) – Sixth: 
It was an up-and-down day for me as I was able to put in some good laps in each of the sessions and races, but not enough to really threaten the best guys on the night. My start wasn’t great in the main event and its so easy to get shuffled around as there are bikes and riders going everyone for the first few laps until things settled down. We are back to a regular-size track and the next round so looking forward to that and getting back on the podium where I should be.

Josh Hill (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) – Fourth:
It was an ok ride. I didn’t quite have the pace to match the top three and I’m not sure where they were able to edge away from me. In the heat of the battle, it’s hard to spot where those extra tenths of a second are coming from so I will go back and look at the race and see where they were putting some time on me.

Kyle Webster (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) – Seventh:
Seventh in the main isn’t where I wanted to be. I got t-boned hard by another rider and fell in the main. I dusted myself off and charged through the pack but it was a challenge. I know I can be on the podium and I will regroup and focus on round two.

Dean Wilson (Froth Honda Racing) – First: 
I felt good all day, I am glad I flew in early to get settled, everything went well and this is a great start to the championship for Honda, the team and I. I can’t remember the last time I had the red plate, and to do it with my family here is even more special.

Justin Brayton (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) – Second:  
Dean rode well, I said it all night, you need a start in these small arenas, once Dean got a gap it was hard to reel him in. My Boost Mobile Honda was solid, I just didn’t execute my start as well as I needed to in the main. I want to congratulate him and the team for their win and I will take a few days to get settled in the Sunshine Coast before knuckling down and preparing for round two.

Bailey Malkiewicz (WBR Yamaha) –  10th: 
I would have liked to have finished slightly better in the main event, but a crash just took the wind out of my sails, and I couldn’t get back up to full speed again. My goal was to get into the final, so it was good to tick that off, but now I know I can achieve more than that, so I will be looking to take some steps forward at round two and see if I can climb up a few positions there. Thank you to everyone on the WBR Yamaha team as it was a busy day under the truck with all three riders in action.

SX2

Image: Foremost Media.

Noah Ferguson (GasGas Racing Team)  – Eighth: 
Tough night in Adelaide for the Australian Supercross opener, I just didn’t have the starts I needed and that’s what this track was all about. Happy to come away from the event healthy and with points on the board, so we’ll work hard from now until the next round and come out swinging in Newcastle. Big thank you to the GasGas Racing Team for all the work we’ve done in the lead up to the championship and throughout the opening round.

Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team) – Ninth:
Not a lot to say on my end from round one of the AUSX championship – I didn’t get the start and that sort of dictated how my main event played out. We showed plenty of speed today in qualifying and the LCQ, although it’s tough to have a ninth-place finish in such a short championship. We’ll put our heads down, run through some starts with the team, and make sure we arrive on our game for the next two rounds.

Cole Thompson (Serco Yamaha) – Fourth:
I wanted to finish on the podium as that was my goal tonight, but just took too long to find my flow on the track. I felt better as the race went on and I think my best lap was late in the race, but it was too little, too late and I couldn’t make up any ground to challenge for third. The lack of races shows in this situation as you just don’t have that race intensity right from the start. But this race will be of benefit to get back into the swing of things and we can aim for the podium at round two.

Rhys Budd (Serco Yamaha) – DNQ: 
I’m just so disappointed. I was riding well and feeling so good on the bike all day but as I just found out, if you don’t have a good track position on the opening laps, it’s difficult to use any speed you might have as the track is so tight and hard to pass. Even so, I should have made the final and not let that last corner move happen in the LCQ. I will learn from it and that situation won’t be happening to me again.

Robbie Wageman (WBR Yamaha) –  Second: 
I’m so thankful to get the opportunity to come to Australia and do the national Supercross Championship. Travis and the entire WBR Yamaha team have been awesome to deal with and it’s cool to reward them with a podium result on the first night. The track is a lot smaller than I’m used to back in the States, but it does make for some close racing and staying clear of the mayhem off the start is part of the battle. Thankfully, I was able to stay out of trouble in both the heat and the main event and happy to finish second at round one and now look forward to Newcastle and Melbourne.

Ryder Kingsford (WBR Yamaha) – Seventh: 
It felt good to be back on a supercross track and ride in front of a big crowd. I enjoy riding supercross and feel it comes a little more naturally to me. The night went well although I’m a little frustrated with how things ended in the main. I just had a couple of lapses of concentration and let a few guys passed me that I shouldn’t. I just need to stay aggressive on the track and not get pushed around in the final few laps. Still, it was a good start to the championship and I think things will continue to improve from here.

Jayce Cosford (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) – Fifth: 
Top five was the plan for the night and it was good to be able to get that done, although I did make it harder than it needed to be. I think it was important to get the day off to a good start in practice, so I focused and get the track dialled as fast as possible and putting in a lot of good laps to unsure I felt comfortable. My starts weren’t great in the heat or final, but I was able to make some passed move forward on both occasions. I had to be aggressive as the heat was only a few minutes long and the main event goes by fast as well, so there is no time to waste following anyone, you just have to make it happen right away. So a good start to the championship and hoping to take another step forward at Newcastle.

Max Anstie (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) – First:
It was a great night; the team is working well and my bike feels so strong. The crowd was really into it and my family and I have enjoyed being in Adelaide.

Wilson Todd (Terrafirma Honda Racing) – Third: 
These small indoor arenas are like a fishing expedition, you can have all of the equipment, the right bait and catch nothing. One small mistake can ruin your night. I rode to the conditions and got out safe with a decent bag of points. The bikes are great, the team and I are working well and I am already turning my attention to round two.