Motorcycling Australia PR:

After a missing most of the 2008 Series due to injury, Matt Moss (Suzuki) is back with a vengeance, taking the red leader plates in the Pro Lites class at the 2009 Australian Motocross Championship.

As the Championship heads first to Murray Bridge, South Australia, then to Wanneroo, Western Australia over the next fortnight, Moss has been training hard on western sand in preparation for the double header.

With only 10 points separating Moss from second placed Luke George (Kawasaki), and both riders at the top of their game, it is anyone’s guess who will take the lead following the sixth round.

After finally stepping into the Series lead, Moss is thrilled at finally getting his hands on the red plates.

“It feels great, it’s actually my first red plate in a Motocross Championship so I’m excited to have it and will hopefully hold onto it for the rest of the year,” Moss said.

The 21 year old, who took out the Pro Lites Supercross Title last year, is feeling confident and rightly so, after finishing at least 40 seconds clear of third place in the first moto at Mackay.

“Luke and I have always been a lot quicker than everyone else,” Moss said.

“Not so much last year but this year, he [Luke George] knows how hard I train and I know how hard he trains…so I think that the 40 second gap is just that we train so much harder than everyone else.

“I think we’ve got the edge over everyone but I think that come the next couple of rounds there’s going to be a lot of guys getting between me and Luke that’s for sure.”

Returning to the fray this round are Dean Ferris (Honda) and Kade Mosig (KTM), both of whom have been out due to injury.

Mosig, who finished third in the Championship last year, injured his hand at the Albury Wodonga round, is keen to stick it to the front-runners when the gates drop on Sunday.

“I know I’ve got the pace to ride with those guys and I definitely won’t be cutting the track!” Mosig said.

“My hand is still giving me a little bit of grief but it just gets better and better every time I ride so I should be close to 100 per cent by Murray Bridge this weekend and definitely there by Wanneroo.

“I know Matt Moss and Luke George have been riding some seriously fast laps and they’re defiantly at the top of their game at the moment, so I’m a bit uncertain as to how I’m going to go but I definitely want to be in there and try to mix it up.

“I had good speed last year and I had an awesome lead up to this year and I’ve got my bike set up really great at the moment, my bike feels good and I’m pretty confident so after a few laps in the first moto they should be watching their backs.”

The fifth round of the 2009 Australian Motocross Championship will be held at the Murray Bridge Sporting Car and Motorcycle Club on Sunday 14 June.

Sign posted from the Monarto exit, South Eastern Freeway, about 45 minutes southeast of Adelaide.

The sixth round of the 2009 Australian Motocross Championship will be held at AJS Motocross Club on 1 June.

AJS Motocross club is located north of Perth on Wattle Avenue East.

Admission:

Sunday (on-track action from 8:30am):

Gates open from 7am
Adult $30
Family (Two adults, two kids) $70
Kids (5-15 years) $15