Raceline Pirelli KTM press release:

Raceline Pirelli KTM riders Jayden Rykers, Morgan Fogarty and Jay Wilson are preparing for an outing in the south, with Round 7 of the MX Nationals taking place at Shepparton in Victoria on Sunday.

The talented trio who have each now contributed to the team’s success so far this year will be aiming to carry the same positive momentum into this weekend’s event, and have spent the last two weeks refining their programs in preparation for this Sunday.

After Rykers collected his first podium of the season at the team’s last outing at Nowra, the MX2 rider who recently relocated to Victoria is looking forward to the opportunity to race at a ‘home round’.

“I have settled in to the Victorian weather and Shepparton is one of the closer rounds for me. It’s still three hours away but it keeps the routine to plan,” Rykers shared.

“It’s amazing what the mental switch does when it comes to confidence. Nowra brought a lot of positives out, and we are looking to keep building and finish this season as strong as possible.

“I have a few familiar faces heading out to cheer me on which is good, so I’m looking forward to this Sunday.”

For fellow MX2 competitor Wilson, Shepparton brings familiar territory, and says that after re-joining the Nationals at Round 6, that he’s been hard at work to step things up at Shepparton.

“Since Nowra we’ve been doing a bit of testing just to get me feeling that bit more comfortable – Round 6 was a good gauge of where we are at so the plan will be to improve that this weekend,” Wilson shared.

“The KTM is a really nice bike, and I’ve felt good from the minute I got on it, so we’ve just been chasing those little one per-centers that will help us get a bit further up the field.

“Shepparton is a track where you need to get a good start off the concrete and you need to be sharp all weekend. Line selection is crucial this round so I’ve been working hard on my decision making, and we’re just hoping to get an improved result on Sunday.”

Pirelli MXD rider Fogarty currently sits in third in the Championship standings, and with only two rounds of racing remaining for the Under 19s category, says that this weekend’s round is business as usual.

“This weekend I feel ready. I feel my riding has been good, so I’m just super keen to get after it,” Fogarty shared.

“I don’t tend to think about the points, at this stage just want to focus on getting through these next two rounds clean and with good results. The plan for Shepparton is to have two solid races and finish on a high.

“It’s a home round I guess you would say, so I do have a little more confidence on my side and having a few mates there will make it feel more like home too.”

The 2017 MX Nationals will continue at Shepparton in Victoria on Sunday, July 16. Visit the official series website at www.mxnationals.com.au for further information.

To follow Raceline Pirelli KTM’s progress this year, like ‘Raceline’ on Facebook or follow @raceline_motosport on Instagram.