You can’t get any closer than the MX1 title fight witnessed in the 2024 Penrite ProMX Championship, plus there were also a bunch of standout storylines across the board. With this year’s series now in the books, MotoOnline looks back at the Top 10 performances from throughout the season.

Image: Foremost Media.

1. Webster toughs out QMP finale to win title:
Arguably the grittiest performance of 2024 came at the hands of Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster on his way to winning the MX1 title and delivering Honda its first premier class title in decades – and a first ever for Yarrive Konsky’s organisation. Heading into the final round at QMP, Webster held a 14-point lead, but a crash in Saturday’s first qualifying session saw him tear a ligament in his right hand, which caused significant swelling. Lining up for Sunday’s final two motos, Webster was clearly in pain, but he was able to tough out a P3 in the opening moto as his season-long rival, Jed Beaton then stormed to the win. In the second moto, Webster jumped into the lead early, but quickly lost positions and had to dig deep to stay in fifth as Beaton again sailed to the win. Despite only having feeling in his pinky finger of his injured hand, Webster caught a second wind towards the end of the race and he was able to grind out a P5 result, which was just enough to take the championship on countback, having won more races throughout the season. It was a superhuman effort from the 28-year-old, and a history-making climax to the champonship.

2. Beaton digs deep at MX Farm:
CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Jed Beaton entered the penultimate round with the pressure of knowing he had to pretty much win every remaining moto if he wanted to win the title. There was plenty of action at the start of the opening MX1 moto when he found himself on the ground in the first turn and remounted dead last. As Webster cruised to the win, Beaton put on a monumental charge around a track that was notoriously hard to pass on, muscling his way past 30 riders to finish the race in P6. In the second moto, Beaton then worked his way from a fourth-place start and past Webster early on, then inherited the lead from WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Maximus Purvis before the halfway mark. As Webster held off a fierce attack from Kirk Gibbs (GasGas Racing Team), Beaton would take the win and minimise the points damage. Beaton would go on to win both motos at QMP, meaning he finished the season with three wins from four races.

3. Crawford claims career-first MX1 wins:
KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford entered 2024 as one of the main contenders for the MX1 crown, and he lived up to that expectation when he claimed his first moto victory at Horsham’s second round. It was a tense race where the lead changed several times, as first Webster, then Luke Clout (Empire Kawasaki) led the field. Crawford remained on Clout’s rear wheel, then quickly pounced when the 2021 champion crashed late in the moto, taking the lead and his first-ever MX1 moto win. Two rounds later at Maitland, Crawford again shone as he stayed close to the front-runners, then was able to capitalise on their mistakes to snatch his second race win of the season. Despite a disappointing final two rounds while nursing a wrist injury, Crawford wrapped up the championship in third overall and was the only rider to take victories from Webster and Beaton.

Image: Foremost Media.

4. Connolly stamps his authority:
It’s crazy to think this year’s runaway MX2 champion Brodie Connolly only claimed his first Australian moto win last year. For most of the 2024 championship, the Polyflor Honda Racing rider was in a league of his own as he won six of the eight rounds. But perhaps the most convincing performance was his double-moto win at QMP. Having already wrapped up the championship the previous round at MX Farm, the Kiwi would’ve been forgiven for pulling things back a couple of pegs, enjoying the moment and cruising to the season finish. But Connolly was having none of it. He topped qualifying on a largely stock 2025 Honda CRF250R, then won both motos convincingly, stamping his authority on the class and removing any shreds of doubt that he was the class of the 2024 MX2 field.

5. The other MX2 winners:
While Connolly stormed to the MX2 title, you’ve got to give credit to Ryder Kingsford, who stole a critical round win from the Honda rider and was the first to take a round win otherwise. With 50 percent more points up for grabs, the two-day, three-race Maitland round proved to be a pivotal one in the series, but a start straight crash in the opening moto saw Connolly having to play catch-up all weekend. At the other end of the spectrum, Kingsford had his best weekend since he jumped up to MX2 in 2022. The Yamalube Yamaha Racing rider claimed two of the three race wins in vastly different circumstances – in the first moto he holeshot and comfortably led every lap, then in the third moto he grabbed the lead late, then held off a fierce attack from Noah Ferguson (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) to take the race and overall victories. Connolly’s team-mate Alex Larwood (Froth Honda Racing) also claimed a MX2 round win on countback at Murray Bridge, which could be a sign of things to come in his young professional career.

6. Cannon’s come-from-behind MX3 title:
Under normal circumstances, a rider can wave their championship aspirations goodbye if have a non-points score at a round. It seems those rules don’t apply to Jake Cannon. After leaving Wonthaggi without points, the Mongrel Boots Honda Racing rider had a mountain to climb to bridge the 43-point gap to championship leader Koby Hantis (Bulk Nutrients WBR Yamaha). What happened from that point on was a lesson in raw determination as Cannon rode his way back into form, then outscored Hantis every weekend after round three at Gillman. That momentum saw him steal the red plate at MX Farm’s penultimate round, then seal the title at QMP.

7. Honda Racing sweeps four main titles:
There was another piece of history made in 2024, as the Honda Racing team clinched the four major ProMX championships on offer. Led by the charismatic Konsky, Honda locked down MX1 (Webster), MX2 (Connolly), MX3 (Jake Cannon) and MXW (Charli Cannon). On top of that, every racer under the awning – with the exception of Wilson Todd who missed most of the season with injury – tasted some sort of success, as Ferguson and Alex Larwood claimed moto wins this year. It’s an incredible achievement, and if history is anything to go by it could be a long time before it’s matched.

Image: Foremost Media.

8. Metcalfe signs off illustrious career:
After 24 years of professional racing, the number 24 of Brett Metcalfe wrapped up his final outdoor campaign in 2024. With those stars aligning, and having returned to where it all began on Kawasaki, Penrite GO24 Racing’s Metty had hinted early in the season that this might be his last year as a full-time racer, but didn’t confirm his decision until the final round at QMP. The South Australian legend proved multiple times he still has what it takes to continue pushing with the country’s best racers, but it was his final outing in his home state where he really shone. Metcalfe rode a strong opening moto at Murray Bridge to come home in P4 and finished the day fifth overall – a fitting farewell for one of our most successful international racers as he went on to sign off his illustrious career. Before he hangs up the helmet altogether though, watch for him in Australian Supercross one last time.

9. Gibbs finishes season strong:
You can never count Kirk Gibbs out. Now 35, the GasGas rider still continues to be a threat and a thorn in the sides of the younger generation. While he’s always eyeing race wins and podiums, 2024 saw a rejuvenation of sorts for Gibbs, as he finished on the round podium at four of the eight rounds. It was the end of the series where he really started to come on strong, though. At Gympie he hounded Webster for much of the second moto to finish P3 and third overall, then he backed that up at the final round by finishing a hard-fought 4-2 result for another third overall. While he had his sights set on race and round wins, landing on the box at half the rounds is a great achievement, and will light the fire for an even stronger campaign in 2025. Gibbs finished 2024 fourth in the title chase, just four points behind Crawford.

10. Minear steps up:
While Connolly cruised away at the front of the MX2 pack, the battle for the minor placings went down to the wire as Kingsford, Ferguson and Kayden Minear (KTM Racing Team) battled to fill the remaining podium spots. Just seven points separated the three racers heading into the final round. A P6 result at Gympie while his rivals stumbled put Minear in the driver’s seat, then he stayed composed at the QMP pressure-cooker to take third overall there and clinch the runner-up spot on the podium, with Kingsford third. While the Western Australian finished the season strongly on the hardpack rounds his standout performance this year came at the softer Gillman circuit when he grabbed a round podium – second overall – courtesy of a 4-2 result. With two MX2 seasons under his belt and his sights set on an international career, Minear could be one to watch next year if he remains in Australia.