A selection of riders detail round five of the 2017 Motul MX Nationals in South Australia. Team and privateer competitors can submit comments to [email protected] by Monday afternoon after events for inclusion in the post-event Quotebook feature.

MX1

Image: MXN.

Kirk Gibbs (KTM Motocross Racing Team) – Second overall:
It was good to get another moto win, but obviously I’m chasing that first overall. The track formed up a little bit weird after the few showers we had, so the ruts formed up a bit funny and didn’t really flow that well. I qualified first but made a big mistake out the back of Super Pole and ended up fifth. It’s frustrating to keep giving away points there but we’re all working on that. In the first race I got a good start, but I rode really tight and got arm pump instantly and just didn’t flow. The second was a lot better; I just got out front and rode clean and smart. It was hard with lappers and as soon as I made any kind of mistake I would have those guys right up on me, but still, much better to be fighting at the front. We’ve worked really hard on starts lately, so hopefully this is the start of a turnaround.

Luke Styke (KTM Motocross Racing Team) – Eighth overall:
I didn’t have much this weekend; the body just didn’t give me much – it’s a bit disappointing coming off the high of last week. I struggled with the track all day long, and with the lappers, and in the first one I just couldn’t move forward – the guys that I was battling with were all kind of a similar pace and I got the worst end of the stick in the results. At least my bike was great, but I’ve got a bit of a break now to build and I’ve just got to stay positive. I don’t think I need to change too much. I can’t really put my thumb on what we did wrong today, but we weren’t good.

Aleksandr Tonkov (MEGA Bulk Fuels Monster Energy Kawasaki) – Ninth overall:
It was tough out there today. I feel like my riding is getting better, but the results aren’t showing it. In the first moto I had an okay start, but I tried to ride over what I can and lost some positions. In the second race I had to ride without goggles due to the changing conditions. I feel bad for the team as ninth overall is not where we want to be and I know I’m better than that. There’s now a break in the series and tomorrow we’ll reassess everything and try and find that thing that’s missing when I come to the races, so I can hopefully show everyone what I am capable of.

Dean Ferris (CDR Yamaha) – First overall:
Coming to South Australia is always tough as Kirk [Gibbs] and Brett [Metcalfe] ride extremely well here in front of their home town friends and family, so it was good to get the round win here and not let any of my rivals gain any momentum leading into the break. The track today was fast and with some hard pack and some soft sections. Making the right choice with the bike and tyres was important and the CDR Yamaha team again did a great job in supplying me with an awesome bike on the weekend. I liked being in the battle with Brett and Kirk in moto two and it was fun race. The rain and roost made it tough as you couldn’t sit right on the guy in front of you. I went through my roll-offs by the end of the race and I saw Brett had to take his goggles off so it was another challenge but it was good fun to race with those guys.

Kade Mosig (DPH Motorsport Yamaha) – Fourth overall:
It feels good to move forward in the championship to third. I felt comfortable on the bike, and it showed in my lap times, especially in the second half of the motos working past some fast guys in race one and sticking with the lead group in race two. I’m competitive though, so I won’t really be happy until I’m on the top step of the podium! With five weeks until Nowra, it gives me some time recover and regroup before getting back onto the bike.

Joel Wightman (Penrite CRF Honda Racing) – 13th overall:
The racing was tough at Murray Bridge, for sure, but overall I was happy to keep building momentum as I bounce back from injury. I finished 11th and 14th in my two races, which gave me equal 12th overall on points for the day. Having the next five weeks without a national round will give me the opportunity to get back into the normal rhythm of training and riding at home. I’ve got plenty to work on and focus on building my program back up before the next round at Nowra, NSW, in July.

Zak Small (Husqvarna) – 10th overall:
I’m absolutely stoked with this! It was a good day and I was really close to getting a pair of 10ths, but I kind of got a bit stitched up with this blue flag on the last lap of the second moto, so I basically handed a position to Joel Green. I was spewing about that, but 10-11 is still my best result this year and definitely a massive step forward from last week. I actually had a crash in the second moto last week and hurt my shoulder, so I’ve spent the last week taking it pretty easy and luckily it came good for this weekend. The 350 continues to amaze me – the track today was fast and I didn’t feel like I was at any power disadvantage – I got a top-five start in the second moto! I think the lighter bike definitely helped me out with the ruts and the bumps too, by enabling me to move and basically put the bike where I want to. My fitness is pretty good, but the 350 is definitely helping me to make it go even further too.

MX2

Image: MXN.

Mitch Evans (Serco Yamaha) – Third overall:
A good race, one not so good race. I thought I got a pretty reasonable jump in race one, but got caught wide in the first turn and shuffled back quickly as turns one and two are tight U-turns. From there I just had to keep moving forward and passing whatever rider was in front of me. It wasn’t an easy track to pass and the speed is on in race one as the track is still pretty smooth and a bit one-lined, but seventh was okay. I knew I had to rebound in race two and was determined to get the start – I went to gate one and just charged the first turn and came out in front. I put my head down, didn’t worry about what was behind me and I was able to win the race, so it was a good way to finish.

Jackson Richardson (Serco Yamaha) – Sixth overall:
It was an uneventful day for me and each race completely opposite to each other. In race one I went from fourth to first and back to fourth again, while in race two I went from last to fourth before my last lap mishap. But with the break in the series now, I can get home, make a few changes to what I have been doing and come back stronger in the second half of the series. Thanks to the Serco Yamaha team for their efforts for the past couple of runs as the fast turnaround after the mud at Horsham had everyone under the pump.

Wilson Todd (DPH Motorsport Yamaha) – Fifth overall:
After Horsham, my knee wasn’t great, so I spent the week off the bike. Murray Bridge has never been a good place for me, so I’m honestly happy to leave there retaining the red plate and a decent break in the championship to allow me to heal up properly.

Kyle Webster (Penrite CRF Honda Racing) – 19th overall:
It was a pretty tough day actually. In the first moto I rode well, but just couldn’t make a pass and eventually finished in sixth-place. The track conditions were tough for passing and all of us in first through seventh places were just railing around in a long freight train. Then in the second moto my bike had issues on the start line and as a result I couldn’t start the race, which was pretty devastating. But sometimes that happens and luck is cruel, no matter all the work everyone on the team puts in. I’ve just got to put that behind me now and use the break over the next few weeks to keep working hard for when the series resumes.

Jayden Rykers (Raceline Pirelli KTM) – Ninth overall:
Yesterday went pear-shaped. We saw improvement in some areas, all I’m missing is the start and that is so important this year. In moto one I was in around 25th going in to the first turn so that made things hard from there. In moto two the start was the same, and I got caught up with another and went down. After that I got back up and going and we managed to get back some points. I’m looking forward to five weeks of work and actually putting some good races together over the next five rounds.

Dylan Wills (KSF Racing Husqvarna) – Fourth overall:
Nearly got her on the box! I got a podium in the first one, so that’s good. I led the first race a little bit, but then there was a slump and they got me, but that was probably a good thing. I learned a few lines they were using, and cottoned on to that, then made a couple of passes back. I ended up third in the first one, but Mastin got docked which put me into second – no complaints here! Race two I was sitting in fourth and then unfortunately had a little goggle malfunction that was completely my fault. I couldn’t see properly then jarred my wrist a little bit, so I was pushing it uphill at the end, and just had to get it home. I ended up seventh. Other than that, I’m really happy with how I rode and I think I deserved to be on the podium today. I had the speed today, maybe not to win races, but definitely to podium. It’s a good feeling to be getting towards where I want to be.