Image: MXN.

Following nine rounds of bar-to-bar action, the 2016 Motul MX Nationals series will head to Coolum this weekend for the season finale where champions will be crowned in each division.

In the premier MX1 class just six points separate defending champion and current series leader, Kirk Gibbs, and second place rider Dean Ferris of the CDR Yamaha team.

Gibbs, of the KTM Motocross Racing team, plans to leave it all on the track this weekend in hopes of clinching his second premier class title before heading to Italy for the Motocross of Nations event for Team Australia.

“We are taking the points lead into Coolum and we’ll put 120 percent in, and hopefully it’s good enough,” Gibbs said. “If it’s not, it’s been an amazing championship, and I’ll still look forward to heading over to the Des Nations.”

Ferris will enter the sunny Queensland event aiming for two strong moto finishes and looks forward to drawing a large crowd for the final round.

“I’m in striking distance of this championship,” Ferris said. “I’ve won a lot more motos than the other guys, so hopefully that points towards me being able to win the title.

“Either way, I’m going to put down two solid races at Coolum and hopefully that’s enough. The last round is going to be good, and hopefully we can get a big crowd along to watch the final round of the championship.”

Motul MX Nationals series promoter, Kevin Williams, also shared that in his 20 years of running events, that this year’s series has produced some of the best racing he’s ever seen, and that the final round at Coolum is shaping up to be the biggest showdown in MX Nationals history.

“If there’s one way we like finishing off the year, it’s with a real nail biter at Coolum, and thanks to the tight racing that played out at Round 9, that’s exactly what fans can expect this weekend,” said Williams.

“Coolum is always one of our favorite rounds of the series, and what’s not to love! Motorsport, sun, beaches, and champions being crowned – that sounds like the perfect weekend to me.

“We have received fantastic support throughout the years from Sunshine Coast Tourism and the Sunshine Coast Council, so we are very excited to once again be heading to Coolum to host the Grand Finale of this year’s championship.”

In the MX2 category Nathan Crawford currently leads the charge with an 11-point buffer over DPH Motorsport’s Jed Beaton. In third place, KTM Motocross Racing’s Caleb Ward sits 19 points behind the lead with a mathematical chance of claiming the title.

Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Mitch Evans continues to lead the charge in the MXD category with a 15-point lead over former series leader, Connor Tierney. In third place Cooper Pozniak sits a further 22 points back of Tierney.

On-track action at the 10th and final round of the 2016 Motul MX Nationals series will kick off this Saturday 27 August.