Ross Beaton has starred on home soil, focusing on the Victorian state titles in 2011.

Yamaha’s Ross Beaton has continued his strong form in the Victorian State Motocross Championship despite opting out of the nationals for season 2011.

Beaton has been missed during the 2011 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals series after taking second in the Under 19s last season, instead taking over the role of Victorian team manager of Yamaha Junior Racing.

During the Queen’s Birthday long weekend Beaton was able to finish second overall in the Open Class of the state titles at Swan Hill behind factory Honda contender Cheyne Boyd, his highlight coming with an opening moto win.

“It’s always handy to have a little buffer and be ahead on points, but obviously I can’t afford to come second in every race, so I do need to continue to ride with the same amount of aggression and determination as I have been to come away with the win,” commented Beaton.

“It’s always good racing against Boyd, he’s quite a good competitor, and he’s obviously now within the top five best riders in the country too.

“To be able to race against someone like him, and be competitive against him is definitely a big confidence booster for someone like myself who hardly gets to ride.”

Beaton is content with his position this year, meeting the goals he set out ahead of the season.

“It’s been one of my goals to win the Victorian titles, and also the Gippsland Centre Regions, of which I’m leading at as well,” he added. “So from Yamaha’s point-of-view, and also from my point-of-view, I think we couldn’t be in a much better position at the moment.”

Beaton now sits in first place in the overall standings on 198 points, just nine points clear of former two-time Australian champion Cameron Taylor.