Team Honda Racing press release:

Crankt Protein Honda Racing rider Todd Waters has continued his march up the 2017 MX Nationals leaderboard, with a consistent haul of points at a challenging Horsham round moving him into third place in the MX1 championship standings.

In muddy, rutted conditions that tested the best racers in Australia to the limit on Sunday, Waters and his 2017 model CRF450R set the pace early by claiming his first Super Pole victory of the year.

A crash at the start of the first moto saw him complete the opening lap in 10th place and he fought through the brutal conditions to finish the race in sixth.

Determined to make amends, Waters grabbed a top six start in the final race then, with the track drying out, made valuable passes to move into third before crossing the finish-line. His fourth overall for the round saw him take control of third in the MX1 championship standings.

Meanwhile, Waters’ team-mate and rookie Luke Clout displayed brilliant pace all day and came agonisingly close to claiming his maiden MX1 podium. Clout impressed many in the opening race as he stayed smooth and consistent through the torrid conditions to record his first-ever podium race result with an incredible second place.

When the gate dropped for the following MX1 race, Clout again rounded the first turn in second position and clicked off 10 consistent laps before an issue disappointingly forced him to pull out of the race in the taxing conditions.

As a result, Clout finished the day in 16th overall, however he currently sits eighth in the MX1 championship standings.

The fifth round of the 2017 MX Nationals will be held at Murray Bridge, South Australia, on Sunday, 28 May.