Image: Andy McGechan (BikesportNZ).

Dean Ferris claimed his first overall victory of the 2017 New Zealand Motocross Championship and the premier class points lead at the penultimate round in Himatangi over the weekend.

Aboard his Altherm JCR Yamaha entry, the current Motul MX Nationals MX1 champion made his way to the top step of the MX1 podium using a strong 3-1-1 moto scorecard.

It was fellow Australian Todd Waters who followed Ferris onto the podium in second position, the Honda Racing contender notching a 2-2-3 score in the tough conditions.

Defending champion and former series leader Cody Cooper saw himself back in third position at the day’s end with a 4-5-2 scorecard, the New Zealander reportedly dealing with equipment issues throughout the day.

KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Luke Styke claimed fourth position on the day ahead of former Motul MX Nationals contender Rhys Carter in fifth and Australia’s Kade Mosig in sixth.

Ferris now leads the MX1 standings by one-point over Cooper with one round of racing remaining. Waters sits occupies the third spot in points followed by Styke and Carter to round out the top five.

In the MX2 category it was Kiwi Dylan Walsh who impressed aboard his Yamaha sweeping all three motos on the day and took a large chunk out of Hamish Harwood’s series lead.

Harwood, the defending MX2 champion, was unable to top his fellow Kiwi contender in Himatangi, forced to settle with second on the day with a 2-2-2 moto scorecard.

In third position it was Hadleigh Knight who continued the trend with a 3-3-3 moto score on the day to secure the final spot on the podium alongside Walsh and Harwood.

Rounding out the top five in MX2 it was Trent Collins in fourth place and Ethan Martens taking home fifth position to wrap up the weekend.

The 2017 New Zealand Motocross Championship will now head to Taupo on 25 March for the season finale event where champions will be crowned in both divisions.