MOTORCYCLING AUSTRALIA:

Cheyne Boyd (Yamaha) has taken out the seventh round of the 2009 Australian Motocross Pro Opens Championship while his teammate, Jay Marmont, retains the Series lead albeit by only 14 points heading into the final round in a week’s time.

In the first moto Boyd quickly broke out to an early lead ahead of Marmont while West Australian expat and privateer Michael Addison (Honda) battled it out with Cody Mackie (Kawasaki) and local favourite Craig Anderson (Kawasaki) who crashed and fought his way back from 20th place.

Putting a disappointing season behind him Anderson began to pick his way through the field in a valiant effort while Boyd and Marmont put even more space between each other and the rest of the pack.

Boyd took the flag ahead of Marmont while Mackie held off Anderson for third place with the Speers Point local in fourth.

The second moto saw surprise packets, Mackie and Addison, fly out of the gates taking the first turn ahead of the field.

Soon, however, the blue bikes settled into what must seem like routine, with Boyd taking the lead from Mackie, leaving him to fend off Marmont.

It wasn’t long before Marmont made a pass stick on Mackie and he was soon breathing down Boyd’s neck with Anderson catching up and making life difficult for Mackie.

Boyd made it one-one, winning the race ahead of Marmont with Anderson working his way back up to third.

In little under a week the Series will head to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast for an epic show-down, and  with three motos and 75 points up for grabs, the Pro Opens Championship is going to come down to the wire.

Quotes

Cheyne Boyd – “The last four rounds have been great, Jay kept me honest all day and I’m just trying to ride smart, smooth and fast,” Boyd said.

“Those first two rounds put me back and I was fairly disappointed and when I started winning everyone said ‘what have you changed’ but I did nothing – I went home and worked hard like I normally would.

“I just want to take each race as it comes and the Championship has tightened up a lot and Jay is riding awesome and it’s great to see Ando up here as well so hopefully going into the last round I can do the same and walk away a Champion.

“It’s going to come down to the wire and I can’t wait.”

Jay Marmont – “Today was a fun day racing,” Marmont said.

“I rode a little bit tight in that first race and Boydy pulled a gap on me and I wasn’t able to bridge it back in but that second one was a cat and mouse battle.

“I just had to try and get around him somewhere and I was trying in the middle section but it was really tight.

“Boydy’s lost the mistakes he was making at the start of the year so he’s learned how to win races and to try and take that away from him is going to be hard.

“I’ve just got to go into next weekend and see what happens.

I’ve had this red plate since the second round now and I obviously don’t want to lose it but Boydy, he deserves it if he’s going to try and take it off me but I surely don’t want to let that happen.

“The talent in Australia has really picked up at the moment and it’s a credit to all the riders and WEM and the great tracks that have been prepared and are making the racing so good.”

Craig Anderson – “It’s been a long year and we’ve just had to keep on working. Promoting this race scared the hell out of me actually!” Anderson said.

“I really didn’t know what to do, I was a bit lost but everyone’s been supportive.

“It’s been a big job and it’s been fun – I’ve seen the other side of the sport and it’s definitely not all roses but there are a few there.

“Today was really good – we’ve been having a problems with the bike all year and we’ve finally got them sorted.”

Matt Moss (Suzuki) has taken out the seventh and penultimate round of the 2009 Australian Motocross Pro Lites Championship and retains his Series lead while reigning Champ Luke George (Kawasaki) has stepped up into second place in the Series points ahead of Tye Simmonds (KTM).

In what has to be the most exciting race of the year, the first Pro Lites moto demonstrated just how much the standard of racing in the class has lifted recently.

Within the first lap of the first moto Simmonds, Moss and George had already broken away from the rest of the field and the next 30 minutes of racing took the Pro Lites Championship battle to another level.

Eventually Simmonds dropped back into third and settled into his own rhythm while a clash of the titans ensued ahead, with Moss and George continuing to smash each other’s lap times and banging bars at every turn.

Taking it down to the line, George got a small break but was only half a second clear of Moss at the chequered flag with Simmonds finishing comfortably in third.

The second moto threw out a few surprises, with Dean Ferris (Honda) returning to form, taking the holeshot and an early lead, follow closely by Ryan Marmont (Yamaha) and Kirk Gibbs (Yamaha), while the three Series leaders all experienced poor starts and had to fight their way through the pack.

The race leaders tried valiantly to hold off the three top rider’s, however, by lap nine Moss had broken through the pack and created a handy lead to take the flag while George and Simmonds fought all the way to the finish line to take second and third places respectively.

Quotes

Matt Moss – “Everything is coming good, my team is working great, Jay is a good mentor and he tells me what to do and keeps me safe,” Moss said.

“My whole family and my girlfriend came here today which makes it easy and it’s been a good weekend.

“One more round to go, three more races and with a 22 point lead it’s looking good – I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing.

“I think me and Luke and Tye fight so much because we all want it just as much and its going to make for some great racing in this last round and whoever gets it, hats off to them but I’m going to be fighting to the end.”

Luke George – “The first moto went to plan,” George said.

“We had a great battle and I knew that it was coming, but the second one I struggle on the start and was behind and it’s tough when you get a start like that to get back in it, but I got back up to second so it wasn’t too bad.

“It’s too close yet to call but we go to Coolum next weekend and I’m looking forward to it.”

Tye Simmonds – “That first moto was awesome, it was a good fun race,” Simmonds said.

“I finally got a start which I haven’t had in a long time which I’m pretty pleased with.

“Those boys were on me the whole moto and definitely put the pressure on and I struggled a little bit at the end but it was good to get up there and battle with those guys.”

Tori Dare (Yamaha) has taken out the first round of the 2009 Australian Women’s Motocross Championship and now leads the Championship standings heading into the final round at Coolum, QLD in a week’s time.

With qualifying underway it was reigning Champ Kristy Gillespie (KTM) who clocked the fastest time ahead of Emma Davis (Yamaha) and Nicole Davis (Yamaha).

In the first moto, Dare was first out of the gates, taking the holeshot and the lead with Gillespie back in third place behind Nicole Davis.

As it started to rain the track became very slippery, however this didn’t stop Gillespie from catching and passing Nicole Davis and Dare for the lead in the second to last lap, to take the flag and the moto win.

As the second moto got underway it was Nicole Davis who took the holeshot however she was soon passed by Dare, Gillespie and Emma Davis.

Dare continued to lead and while at times it looked as if Gillespie was close enough to make a pass, however she was forced to settle for second place with Emma Davis in third.

The third moto once again became a battle between Dare, Gillespie and Emma Davis, with Gillespie challenging the leader multiple times in the moto but unable to make any moves stick.

At the flag it was Dare, Gillespie and Emma Davis in first, second and third places respectively, who now lead the Series as it heads into its final round at Coolum on the Sunshine Coast.

Quotes

Tori Dare – “Today was good, and I’m looking forward to the next round,” Dare said.

“I’d like to thank all my sponsors for their support.”

Kristy Gillespie – “I got off to a fairly good start in that first moto and I just couldn’t get a start in the second and then finally in the third moto I got a start and couldn’t hold it together,” Gillespie said.

“I’ve always been a slow starter but hopefully next week will bring better things.

“I knew Tori would be fast just out of juniors and I haven’t raced against her before but I definitely knew she’d have the speed, which she’s proved today and I’m looking forward to some more good racing next week at Coolum.

Emma Davis – “It was a good day out there today and I’d like to say thank you to Kevin and his team, I really enjoyed the track, I had a lot of fun and I have to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped me get over here from New Zealand for the Championship.”

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