Image: Foremost Media.

After a tough opener, pre-championship SX2 favourite Shane McElrath has bounced back to claim the second round of the 2024 Fox Australian Supercross Championship (AUSX) at Redcliffe, Qld.

McElrath led a Honda Racing sweep of the podium, as Canadian Cole Thompson and South Australia’s Alex Larwood finished second and third respectively.

After qualifying a subdued P7 and finishing third in his heat, McElrath (Polyflor Honda Racing) suddenly stepped up when it mattered most by winning the first of the double-header finals.

Froth Honda Racing’s Alex Larwood kept his streak of final holeshots alive by leading the pack through the first turn, but McElrath moved past him and Brodie Connolly (Polyflor Honda Racing) for the lead on the opening lap.

From there he controlled the race to the chequered flags, finishing 3.3s ahead of a Honda Racing freight-train of Larwood, Connolly and Cole Thompson.

Heat winner Ryder Kingsford (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) finished P5, while fastest qualifier Jayce Cosford (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) crossed the line in sixth.

Reid Taylor (Empire Kawasaki), heat winner Kayden Minear (KTM Racing Team), Kaleb Barham (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) and round one winner Noah Ferguson (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) wrapped up the top 10.

McElrath made it a perfect night by winning the second final and claiming the round win in the process.

The increasingly dry, marbly track caused carnage in the opening turn as Kingsford, Taylor, Cosford and Ferguson all found themselves on the ground, while Larwood again surged to the holeshot.

Similar to the opening final, Larwood found himself in the early crosshairs of Connolly, and it didn’t take long for the Kiwi to move into the lead.

However, a couple of crucial errors saw him hand the advantage to McElrath during the middle stages of the final, who then maintained a comfortable gap to the finish-line.

Courtesy of a last-lap pass, Thompson crossed the line in P2, 3.6s behind McElrath, as Larwood ensured Honda swept the podium positions.

Raceline Husqvarna T-Dub Racing’s Rhys Budd bounced back from a difficult opening final to finish P4, while GasGas Racing Team rookie Byron Dennis also put in an improved ride to complete the top five.

Connolly, Minear, Barham and Myles Gilmore (Honda) filled the remaining places to P9, while Cosford recovered well from his first-turn crash to round out the top 10.

After two dramatic rounds Kingsford and Connolly share the championship lead with 50 points, while Ferguson and Taylor are just one point behind in third and fourth. McElrath is just two points off holding the red plate (on 48) in fifth.

The third round of the AUSX Championship will be held at Wollongong, NSW, on 2 November.

Detailed results