Monster Energy CDR Yamaha’s Jed Beaton has fired the first shot in the MX1 class this year, picking up the overall win at round one of the Penrite ProMX Championship in Wonthaggi. In MX2 it was all defending champion Brodie Connolly (Polyflor Honda Racing), who captured a perfect 1-1 scorecard to open his title defence. MotoOnline caught up with both riders after the races for this Debrief interview.

MX1

Image: Foremost Media.

Here with Monster Energy CDR Yamaha’s Jed Beaton. Jed, you’re leaving Wonthaggi with the points lead, it was a good day for you, take us through the motos.

Yeah, the first one was a little bit tough. I was pretty buried off the start and worked my way up to second, within like two laps, I think. So yeah, just tried to put the hammer down and I looked up and saw Kyle [Webster] was about five…six seconds up the track. So I had to put a couple of hard laps in to try and get him. And then, yeah, that took a lot of energy, so when I got close, I was still pushing, but I mean, we were kind of running the same pace. And I was looking for some spots maybe to pass on the last couple of laps.

It looked like the track was split [in two] where the first half of the track, that might’ve been where Kyle had an edge, but in the second half, you came alive. I was talking to Kyle about this in the space of, you know, being the hunter versus the hunted. At that moment, are you like, ‘Okay, I can learn something from Kyle?’ Or would you prefer to be leading?

It’s a bit hard because sometimes you can be learning stuff and it’s good to be the second guy to change a few lines and maybe see if something works or doesn’t work, where I feel like when you’re in the lead, you’re kind of afraid to move off the line that you’re already taking just in case. But no, I felt like I had some good lines out there, especially like what you said in the second half of the track. And I could sort of tell he was faster in the first half. I was changing my lines a few times, but yeah, just struggled with the first part of the track a little bit today. Obviously, we’re both riding at a very good pace, so I just had to manage it, you know, the second one, I knew I had to get a good start and pulled a holeshot, which was good. I just tried to go for it the first couple of laps, and unfortunately, Kyle had a crash.

And did you know about that? Did you know he had had a crash at that time?

Not at that time. I reckon it took me about a lap to click because I was still going for it, and then I couldn’t hear his bike. Then over the finish line, I had a look behind and couldn’t hear or see him after that. So, I sort of put two and two together and then the boys had on the pitboard that Webby was out. So, yeah, it was kind of a weird race after that. Took me about three laps to get a rhythm back because I was going so fast at the start and then I looked back and there wasn’t anyone there. Then I saw the gap on the pitboard was like 20-something seconds, so, I was a little bit head-scratching for a few laps and then trying to get back into a rhythm again.

The gap you guys had in that first moto back to third and fourth was incredible. Just take us through that first moto as well. In the second half of it, you closed up that gap quickly. Was that you changing lines? Was that using lappers maybe to your advantage? They hear Kyle coming first and potentially you can utilize that. Just take me through that.

Yeah, it’s a bit of a tough one because those boys are in a race themselves. And generally, when you get to the lappers, they’re in a pack. So, it’s hard because Kyle will get there – he gets held up a little bit, but then they go straight back into their own race. And then I’m into them. So, I mean, they don’t really look around too much. They see one guy go past and then just start racing again. And I feel like in most instances it works well for someone for one lap and then good for the other person for the next lap. It’s a bit of a 50-50 gain. There were some times there that it made me get a bit more of a sniff, which made it a bit easier. I also saw a few mistakes from Kyle as I was getting closer. So yeah, I mean, it’s just… We know that we train together every day and we both know that we’re riding at a good pace. So I think at the end of the day, we’ll just dig in deep. And I guess you don’t even realise how many laps you do when you go for it head-to-head like that, you’re not looking anywhere but at each other. So you don’t look back at third at that point. I came in and I saw we were around a minute in front of third, which was pretty crazy.

I think that the championship we’re going to have with you guys is going to be a dogfight every time. For you, is it about getting that start? You both can’t afford to give each other an inch, so just take us through the keys to managing this thing.

I mean, today is one of his strongest tracks and always has been – he rides really well here. So I felt like in that first moto, he could have ridden away, and normally my first motos aren’t as strong. To go out there and hunt him down in the first one with how evenly matched we are, it was nice to be able to pull him in. And that just gave me that confidence in the second moto to know that I can go out there and win it. So I knew I needed a good start in the second one because I know the track gets a little bit hard and sketchy for the second moto, and it’s hard to pass – being in the lead from the early laps was an advantage. I felt like I was riding a really good race, and then Kyle went down. It is what it is. We’re going to be throwing everything at it every race, like you said. And now I’m just looking forward to some hardpack races.

Last question for me, a track like this, you guys ride here quite a lot. So the expectation is for you guys to be good here. As you just mentioned, Kyle rides well here. Is it a case of, ‘Okay, we’re through Wonthaggi, that’s in the past, we don’t need to talk about it anymore? Yes, we ride here.’ But even for you, are you like, ‘Okay, that’s out of the way now?’

Yeah, I mean, I’m sick of riding here, that’s for sure – after today, I’ll be glad to not turn another lap around here for a while. But at the same time, it’s good, although race day is always different. I mean, everyone can say we ride here all the time, but it’s never the same as a race day. If you go to Toowoomba and ride all the time, you go there on a race day, it’s never the exact same. So I don’t know if that helps people sleep [better] at night after getting pumped by one minute, if so then that’s what it is, if they have to say that. I just think Kyle and I are at a high level right now, we ride together every day, so we’re pushing the limit together. I feel like it’s good for me, it’s good for him, and at the moment, we’re going for each other. So we kind of don’t think about third place at the minute – it’s a different mindset going into the races. It’s just go for the win.

Hey, a perfect weekend for you, the number 14 plates are going red. We’ll see you at Appin. Thank you, Jed.

Yeah, thank you.

MX2

Image: Foremost Media.

Brodie Connolly, kicking off 2025 just where you left off back at Queensland Moto Park. Two good motos. You made the second one interesting, which we’ll talk about, but take me through that first moto for you.

Yeah, the first moto was good. Got an okay start and I think I got past Ryder [Kingsford], second or third corner or something. And yeah, I felt good. I just rode at a nice comfy pace and managed to pull away a little bit and just keep a bit of a gap. I was pretty happy with that first moto.

One of your strengths I think is early in the moto, your sprint speed, making passes and getting away. Is that a key to the success you’ve had, the success you’re having is that early sprint speed?

Yeah, for sure. Obviously last year I was good at that. We’ve been working hard on being stronger at the end of the motos, which I was today, so I’m happy with the improvements there. Still coming to grips a little bit with our new bikes, so I wasn’t taking as many risks those first couple of laps. It was more of a steady pace.

Is that a setup, just a comfort thing for you? Control, suspension, what is it?

The ‘25 frame is a little bit different, so yeah, still got a little bit of testing to do there to get comfy with that. But I mean, we’re in a pretty good spot – I just think it can be a little bit better.

Hey, second moto, another great start, something you’ve definitely got in your wheelhouse. Then it went a little bit weird. Take us through that exchange and quickly, is your leg okay?

Yeah, leg’s good.

So just take us through that exchange. What happened?

Yeah, so like you say, I got off to a good start and was starting to get into a flow and then… just a stupid mistake by myself and ended up going down, not too bad or anything. And then I was picking my bike up but I was on a bit of a blind hill and Ryder came over and hit me and he went down as well. So yeah, sorry to him, but it’s just a racing incident.

It looked like it was a race to your bikes after that. How was it composing yourself after that situation, those next laps? 

Yeah, it was a little bit tricky, to be honest. It took me a good, you know, half, three-quarters of a lap to sort of get my breathing back right. But yeah, I was honestly, that was probably my favourite part of the weekend was how I regrouped after that.

You guys raced at Appin only a couple of weeks ago. That’ll be round two in the championship. Thoughts on Appin?

Yeah, I felt really good around there a couple of weekends ago. So I’m excited for that round. Hopefully, the track’s good for us.

For you guys getting to ride these tracks only a handful of weeks out, is that something to help with set-up as well? You guys can sort of do a bit of a shakedown, see what the track’s going to do, and how it’ll form up throughout the day. Do you like that sort of idea?

Yeah, for sure. Like I was saying before, we have a new frame and stuff, so Yarrive [Konsky] was keen on us testing up there on hardpack tracks because down here, it’s a little bit softer. It all helps.

Red plate for the number one. Number one looks great on the bike, by the way, Brodie. We’ll see you at Appin.

Yeah, sweet. Cheers. Thank you.