Source: Supplied.

HQVA press release:

Husqvarna Factory Support racer Zak Small has added the Queensland Motocross Championship to his list of achievements for 2016 after wrapping up the premier class of the series at its final round at Hervey Bay last weekend.

The Bundaberg ace was clearly the fastest man on the track on the weekend, and used 2, 1, 1 scores to power his Mega Motorcycles-backed Husqvarna FC 350 to victory in the premier MX1 category ahead of Luke Weaver and Brad Polsoni.

This clinched the championship by 10 points over Weaver with Polsoni finishing third.

Small also moved from sixth to third in the Lites championship, finishing equal second on points on the day behind Richie Evans.

Evans (201 points) won the MX2 category from Luke Weaver (178), with Small just 10 points further behind.

It’s been an impressive 6 weeks for Small, who won the premier class of the Sunshine State series in the middle of August, then finished 2-6 for fourth overall on his Husqvarna FC250 as the MXD class of the MX Nationals concluded at Coolum a week ago.

Small wasn’t the only rising star on a big bike to wrap up a championship at Hervey Bay, with 18 year-old Caboolture rider Trae Kuehn putting the Clubman MX1 to bed in no uncertain terms.

Again on a Husqvarna FC 450 the MPE Suspension rider went undefeated as he led home Kazmond Walsh and Scott Stewart, to win the crown from Brad Debaugy and Walsh.

Kuehn also finished second in the Clubman support MX2 category.

Zak Small – “I had a pretty good weekend although I made it pretty tough on myself with a few first lap crashes in almost every race. On the Saturday I crashed off the start, and winning that would have taken the pressure off my shoulders. I had to come from dead last back to second, I was three or four seconds a lap quicker than anyone else out there. Then I won the last two races and wrapped it up. I felt really good on the bike at Hervey Bay and got from sixth back up into third in the Lites as well. Nato wasn’t there, which helped a little bit too! I ended up tied for second but I lost it on a count back thanks to a crash in that last one. I don’t think it’s actually sunk in yet, I was definitely happy to cross that line the final time. It’s been six years since I’ve won a Queensland title, and that was on the yellow plate 65, so this feels good. In the sand, the track was super rough. But I rode the best in the last race when it was the gnarliest. My 350 was unreal, Paul from MPE had my suspension working so well and I felt awesome all weekend on it. I can’t wait to get a ’17 and get back on the gas. I’m really keen to step up from MXD to MX1 – I’d love to consistently be the first privateer home next year.”

Trae Kuehn – “I borrowed another Husky 450 from Paul who does our bikes, and went undefeated again this weekend. It definitely suits my style more, I just don’t ride the 250 aggressively enough. Hervey Bay I just enjoy a lot more than Mackay. I raced there a fair bit with the Sunny State and club days, so I was pretty confident going into the weekend. It was fairly straightforward, I holeshotted every race and led from start to finish. It feels great to win this championship, especially winning the Sunny States earlier and then being able to back it up with the Queensland titles as well. The next goal for me is to move up to intermediate and hopefully keep progressing like I did this year. I’m definitely going four-strokes full-time next year, so I’ll race the 250F and probably 350.”

For more information on Husqvarna motorcycles visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com.