KTM Australia press release:

KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Kirk Gibbs has stretched his lead in the MX1 championship of this year’s MX Nationals series out to a formidable 52 points as the series reached its halfway point at Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Gibbs made ground on his closest championship pursuers, collecting 4-1 moto scores to finish second on the day behind Lawson Bopping. For some (if not the man himself) the highlight of the day was Gibbs’ first moto ride, where he fell in the first turn, remounted dead last, and then set about cutting his way through Australia’s best riders back to fourth place.

Current championship number two Luke Styke maintained KTM’S 1-2 standing in the championship, impressively salvaging fifth place points for the day despite poor luck in both motos. Styke’s first moto began with him tangled up in first corner mischief, and firmly entrenched mid-pack on the opening lap, but somehow the Jervis Bay rider managed to resurrect a podium finish.

In the second however, an impact with another rider left him with a pinched nerve in his back and semi-numb right arm. Despite having to ride the last 10 minutes seated on one of the roughest race tracks in Australia, the MX1 rookie again exceeded all expectations, bringing home seventh place points.

Rob Twyerould, KTM Motocross Racing Team Manager – “Gibbsy’s ride in the first one was really amazing, he went down in the first turn, got up literally last and just set to work, setting fastest lap after fastest lap, and worked his way right up there.
Luke rode solid the whole race, didn’t put a foot wrong, and worked his way back up to third.
Second moto Gibbsy took the lead and after battling with Townley he just slowly crept away. Luke had a little get off and got hit from behind, and it pinched a nerve in his back; he couldn’t feel his hand, and had to pretty much sit down the whole way for the last 10 or 15 minutes of the race. That made it really difficult and for him it was really disappointing to finish like that, but he showed in the first race that he has made a big jump from Murray Bridge.”

Kirk Gibbs – “That first moto was a little bit tough – I had a great start and just went down. It was hard to know where people wanted to be on the track, so it was hard to pass, but I finally got up to fourth so I was reasonably happy, but at the same time disappointed. I knew with a good start I could do well in the second moto, and I did that, and led every lap. We’ve got a big points lead now. Coming off a strong year last year and a great off-season, I knew that I’d be right there, and obviously going 1-1 in the first round just further boosted my confidence. Aow when I go to the line I believe I’m going to win every race. It’s a good feeling.”

Luke Styke – “I got tangled up with a few riders in the first one and had a bit of a moment where I was wheelying over bikes and carrying on. I was 15th after a lap but I put a charge on and got third in that moto which I was real happy with. Then in the second I started about fourth, but on the third or fourth lap I can together with another rider, and he kind of corked my shoulder blade and triggered a dead-arm so I kind of had pins and needles in that for the whole race. So I was just sitting down trying to compensate and feeling like my arm was falling off, and the track was really beating me up. I feel a lot better about everything though, I just had a bit of bad luck. I’ve got a few things to work on over the break, but I’ll just have some fun and we’ll come back strong.”

In MX2 Racing: KTM Factory Support rider Caleb Ward made good his intention to win at his ‘home’ track of Coolum, with 1-2 scores on the day giving the North Queensland the victory ahead of Husqvarna’s Nathan Crawford. Fellow KTM Factory Support rider and MX2 rookie Jack Simpson had two of his best rides of the series, finishing eighth on the day with 10-6 finishes, after running as high as third in the first moto and leading the second.

Caleb Ward – “It was a pretty good day. The first moto was awesome, the second one I wasn’t really happy with, but I still got the overall so I’m pretty happy with that. Once I got into the lead in the first one I sort of just rode smart and did my own thing and won by about 15 seconds or so. In the second I got caught up with a big pack of riders but I kept pushing the whole way and managed to pass Jay Wilson on maybe the last lap and got up to second. It’s going to be good to have time to get my knees a lot stronger and get my fitness back up to 100%, and come out swinging in the second half.”

Jack Simpson – “I had a crash in the first race, passing for third, so I corked my leg, but other than that I’m feeling good. I enjoyed myself today, bloody oath. I haven’t really had that much success there at Coolum before, but today I turned it around. The two-stroke was pulling like a train down the straights and was set up well. I ran as high as third in the first Moto, and if I didn’t have that stack I would have stayed in fourth in the first race and got a podium today.”

In MXD racing, KTM Factory Support racer Jayden Rykers moved up to fourth in the championship with an impressive 2-3 score that him third on the day behind Husqvarna’s Connor Tierney and Wilson Todd. Fellow KTM Factory Support riders Kaleb Barham and Wayde Carter finished eighth and 10th respectively at Coolum.

Jayden Rykers – “Qualifying didn’t go too good, but in the first moto I actually went down and was dead last, and fought all the way back up and caught up to first place, nearly got the win on him. The second moto didn’t go too good, the back brakes faded out so I ended up going down while I was chasing first so I finished third. I’ve moved up to fourth in the championship but I’m not too happy there, I just want to keep moving forward. I want to win, and that’s what I need to do.”

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