KTM Australia press release:

Image: Jeff Crow.

KTM Motocross Racing Team riders Kirk Gibbs and Luke Styke will visit one of Australia’s most famous homes of motocross as the 2015 MX Nationals continues at Victoria’s Broadford circuit on Sunday.

Gibbs will enter round three with the championship leader’s red plate and good form on his side after four very impressive rides in the championship so far, including back-to-back wins in the opening round.

Gibbs’ KTM team mate Luke Styke may hold a rookie status in the MX1 ranks, but he is also firming as a genuine title threat after two masterful rounds which aptly demonstrated his speed, composure, and potential.

Gibbs currently holds a 14-point lead over Kade Mosig as he targets his first ever premier class championship, while Styke is poised just seven points behind second place.

Rob Twyerould, KTM Motocross Racing Team Manager – “Broadford’s been a good track for us, it was the site of Kirk’s first podium in 2013, and last year he was on the podium for the first round of the series as well. It’s a real motocross track, and a more traditional style of track with good undulations and a lot of history. We’ve had a fantastic two weeks so we are going in with confidence but taking one round at a time. The guys in the workshop haven’t really had a day off – they’ve just put in a huge effort. Kirk is just at another level this year, his confidence is growing and his speed and fitness has never been questioned. He’s a complete package, and Luke’s just getting stronger and stronger and learning how to race that 450. I think he’s a real contender – he’s right there.”

Kirk Gibbs – “I’ve done well in Broadford in the past but we’ll see what the weather turns up for us this weekend. It could mix things up a little bit, so I’m just going to keep an open mind the same as every other week and go there to do my best.
This year it’s definitely coming together better. I had the best pre-season ever and didn’t have to have too much time off the bike, which shows that once you get that little bit of extra time, and a bit of the base, it just starts to click.”

Luke Styke – “I feel well and the health is good after another two weeks of building. We’ll just go into this third round with the same approach as all the others and hopefully be on the box. I hope to get one of my first wins soon, because I haven’t got there yet and it’s definitely coming. I feel like I’m due for it soon.
Mostly though, I’m just looking for a safe ride and a good result, and we are going to hopefully get excited with the sand rounds coming up. I think Rob is happy with me and it makes it easier gelling with the team, it’s hard to not get the results when everyone is putting in 100%.”

In MX2 Racing: Dylan Wills is the highest placed KTM rider coming into the round, while Factory Support rider Caleb Ward has withdrawn from the round with a knee injury sustained at Appin. Hamish Harwood has reached his highest level of readiness yet in the wake of the abdominal injury he suffered late in 2014 and is expecting good things from Broadford, while Jack Simpson will redouble his efforts to obtain a good qualifying result after lessons learned at Appin.

Caleb Ward – “I’ve decided not to race this one. It sucks but it’s the best decision for now. I can ride alright but there’s still a tiny bit of pain and I’m a bit timid so I think with Broadford being slippery in places and tacky in others and having big ruts it’s not really worth the risk of ruling myself out for the season. It’s similar to what I did last year with my other knee, damaging the ACL and doing a little bit of damage to the MCL. That one has been fine this year so I’m just trying the same rehab plan and hopefully I can be back strong by Murray Bridge and close to 100 percent.”

Hamish Harwood – “It’s been a really productive couple of weeks for me – I think it’s the most progress I’ve made since my injury. I feel more comfortable and better on the bike. It’ll be a long time before my abs are back at 100%; they had to cut them in half to actually operate on me, so even though it’s healed, it’s just weak.
Broadford sometimes gets a bad rap but I love it. I love the up and down hills and I like how it forms up with the ruts and all that. The last two years I have been there, I have finished on the podium, so I’m hoping we can keep that going and get it back on the box.”

Jack Simpson – “Appin was bloody tough for me. I felt awesome in Practice, went back out in Qualifying and the track was completely different. I dropped it in the mud and had crap all over my hands and arms, missed two laps and came in 22nd. Someone said there were 15 of us on the same second, so if you start in 20th you’re not going to just come through them all.
I’ve never been a real good qualifier but I need to change that fast. Last year I qualified 13th at Raymond Terrace and won both motos by 15 seconds. It didn’t matter in U19, but in Lites, it sure does.”

In MXD racing, 16-year-old KTM support rider Kaleb Barham (QB4 Toowoomba) is the highest placed KTM rider in the class after an eye-opening runaway victory in the opening moto. A fall in the second Moto denied him the chance of an overall victory, but he still elevated himself to sixth in the championship.

For more information on KTM Motorcycles, visit www.ktm.com.au or www.facebook.com/KTMAustralia.