Image: Jeff Crow.

GYTR Yamaha’s Wilson Todd swept Gladstone’s penultimate round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals in the Pirelli MXD division, raising the spirits of the official Yamaha team after former title leader Jed Beaton was ruled out through injury.

Todd was in fine form at Gladstone on board the vintage-themed yellow YZ250F, winning both 20-minute motos to maintain a top five position in his rookie championship campaign.

Second overall was new series leader Egan Mastin for the factory-supported Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team, as his second and third place finishes granted him a 30-point lead entering Coolum’s final round next weekend.

KTM privateer Jayden Rykers completed the podium today with a 3-4 showing, heading title hope Jack Simpson (Tunetech Racing KTM) and Zak Small (Husqvarna) for the round.

Hard luck story of the round went to Queensland championship contender Nathan Crawford, who after claiming pole on board his Husqvarna, fell victim to mechanical dramas in moto one and a costly crash in the second. His 15th overall now sees him 45 points from Mastin entering Coolum.

Practice and qualifying threw up the first drama in the tightly contested class, with Simpson rolling his ankle, an unable to post a qualifying time – relegating him to the last pick of the gates.

At the first corner of the opening race it was Dylan Wilson (Raceline Pirelli Suzuki) who took the holeshot from a fast-starting Simpson who rocketed into second. Soon after Crawford showed why he is a top title contender passing Simpson and then storming by Wilson to take the lead, with Mastin also making his way up the field and into third.

On lap two the unthinkable happened to Crawford, and with his Husqvarna machine suffering mechanical problems he was eventually forced to retire from the race and register a DNF. Mastin made his move shortly after and took the lead from Wilson, while Todd moved into third.

The top three were all within two bike lengths of each other going into lap four, and shortly after Todd passed Wilson into second place. On the turn immediately after the finish on lap seven, Wilson dropped his Suzuki and was relegated back to fourth behind Rykers.

With three minutes remaining in the moto, Todd placed incredible pressure up front on Mastin and shortly after made the pass to take the lead. It was a lead he never surrendered taking out the race in first place ahead of Mastin, Rykers and Wilson, while Simpson’s fifth placing was important in the context of the overall championship series.

In the second moto it was privateer Brock McLeary who got the surprise holeshot, but he soon surrendered the lead as Mastin, Todd and Crawford came through to try and take control of the race.

Kyle Webster (GYTR Yamaha) moved into fourth, privateer Aaron Tanti settled in fifth while Simpson rounded out the top six. Mastin and Todd were neck and neck throughout the whole first lap, while Crawford just held off behind the pair, content to see how the jostle for first place played out.

On the third lap Mastin slipped back to third and Todd moved to the lead, while Crawford moved into second and took the challenge right up to the back of Todd’s rear tyre. With only a few laps to go, Webster – filling in on the GYTR Yamaha team in place of Beaton – overbalance at the second last turn on the track and was relegated back to 14th.

Tanti was an unfortunate victim of arm-pump on the day, and over the closing laps drifted back to finish in seventh. In the end, Todd held onto his lead to record his second race win for the day, while Crawford snuck home in second, Mastin held onto third, with Rykers and Simpson finishing in fourth and fifth respectively.

In the overall championship results, Mastin has moved into the series lead and holds a 30-point lead over Simpson heading into the final round. Crawford is a further 15 points behind in third.

The final round of the 2014 Monster Energy MX Nationals takes place in Coolum on 30-31 August.

2014 Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship
Round nine – Gladstone, QLD

MXD overall results:
1. Wilson Todd 70
2. Egan Mastin 62
3. Jayden Rykers 58
4. Jack Simpson 52
5. Zak Small 47
6. Dylan Wilson 47
7. Brock McLeary 45
8. Aaron Tanti 44
9. Jett Anderson 43
10. Bailey Coxon 43
11. Kyle Webster 41
12. Jesse Madden 39
13. Ty Pearce 38
14. Brad Polsoni 35
15. Nathan Crawford 32
16. Luke Abela 30
17. Lochie Latimer 29
18. Trent Wheatley 28
19. Lachlan Archibald 25
20. Kayne Duncanson 22

MXD championship standings:
1. Egan Mastin 513
2. Jack Simpson 483
3. Nathan Crawford 468
4. Jed Beaton 459
5. Wilson Todd 444
6. Jayden Rykers 395
7. Aaron Tanti 386
8. Brock McLeary 354
9. Kyle Webster 343
10. Jett Anderson 263
11. Bailey Coxon 257
12. Zak Small 253
13. Ty Pearce 242
14. James Alen 181
15. Daniel Price 179
16. Dylan Wilson 176
17. Izak Maule 156
18. Trent Wheatley 140
19. Jesse Madden 133
20. Wayde Carter 132

Click here for detailed results