Kawasaki Motors Australia press release:

It was a strong and positive weekend for the Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing team at rounds seven and eight of the 2018 MX Nationals, held at Ranch MX in New South Wales this weekend.

MX2 contender Aaron Tanti earned his second MX2 overall victory of the year along with another podium result, as Rhys Carter lodged a season-best race result of fourth to earn a pair of sixth-place finishes in the MX1 category.

Tanti was left satisfied in front of a home New South Wales crowd aboard the KX250F, recording an ultra-consistent 3-2 scorecard in round seven’s two motos for the number one spot overall.

He returned in fine form for the back-to-back races of round eight, going 4-3 for third overall, which now places him second in the championship standings.

“It was a different format this weekend, but I was pretty happy with how I went,” Tanti explained. “I had good starts in every single race and I was pretty consistent, going 3-2 for the overall win in round seven and in the back-to-back races I went 4-3 for third overall.

“I’m just happy with my consistency and starts. We knew the chase would be on in the second half of the season and I’ve stayed consistent where some other guys haven’t, so now we are looking forward to the final two rounds in Queensland next month.”

Consistency was a familiar aspect for the squad this weekend, as Carter displayed while piloting his KX450F. A pair of fifth-place results for round seven sealed sixth overall for the New Zealander, before he put in an excellent effort of 7-4 moto scores in round eight, granting him sixth overall once again. Carter sits sixth in the standings.

“It was a decent weekend here at round seven and eight of the MX Nationals,” Carter commented. “I went 5-5 for sixth overall in round seven and then 7-4 for sixth overall again to finish the weekend. I messed up a start in the first back-to-back race, which cost me a lot, but I’ll just go home, work on my starts and hopefully get inside the top five again at the last two rounds.”

Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing team manager Jay Foreman expressed his delight in the consistency and strong performances from the duo, acknowledging they’re both on the right path for a strong finish as the championship heads into its final stages.

“It was a good weekend,” said Foreman. “Aaron is building confidence and he’s riding better and better – he’s not making those little mistakes that he was making at the beginning of the season. He’s moved to second in the championship now, so it’s good. Rhys looked really great in that last race, he was fourth in that, although his starts let him down a little bit today. We’ll keep working and move onto the next one with confidence.”

The Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing team will now turn their attention to the upcoming penultimate round at Gladstone in Queensland on 5 August, which marks round nine of the series. Head to www.mxnationals.com.au for further details on the series.

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