HQVA press release:

Husqvarna’s Factory Support squad came home with mixed results as the Monster Energy MX Nationals came out of its winter half-time break and began the race to the finish at Raymond Terrace, north of Newcastle.

In the MX1 category, exciting youngster Jesse Dobson couldn’t quite click with the conditions and made a few small errors which cost the Husqvarna FC 450 rider a shot at another top five finish – he had to be content with 11-8 scores on the day for ninth overall.

Despite running as high as fifth early in the first moto, Husqvarna FC 350 pilot Aaron Tanti also fell in both premier class races, but it was the flat tyre in Moto 2 that completely compromised his points haul for the day and he was credited with 23rd overall.

Husqvarna FC250 rider Luke Arbon’s fifth overall finish in the MX2 category would seem like a win to all but four other riders, however last year’s number three was highly critical of his performance, believing it was a tentative showing at best and much less than his potential. His teammate Nathan Crawford slipped to ninth place in the championship standings and after a tenth in race one he did not start the second.

After two MXD National wins in a row, Connor Tierney scooped up another huge bag of points at Raymond Terrace taking second on the day behind championship leader Wilson Todd. The Craig Anderson Racing rider powered his Husqvarna TC 250 to fourth and first place results for the day, to leave the round just 10 points away from the championship lead.

Jesse Dobson – FC 450: “Not real pumped on today. In moto one I had a bit of a wild ride through the whoops on the first lap and crashed to be dead last – like …I couldn’t get any more last than I was. I ended up coming through the pack to 11th. I felt like I rode good, but I probably should have been a bit more decisive with some of my passing which left me short time to get inside the top 10. In the second moto and okay start, passed a few guys and sat around seventh, but I ended up dropping down the bottom, just a silly mistake when the rut kind of blew out a little bit and spun me wide. We ended up eighth in that second moto, but it just wasn’t the result is that I wanted.”

Aaron Tanti – FC 350: “I had one of the best starts I’ve had this season, about five laps, and then I just put it down in a corner and got back up and rode my way to 13th. It was just a little mistake… In the second one I got caught in the first lap pileup, and then I had a flat tyre really early in the moto, and I couldn’t do anything about it so I had to pull in. A few guys got flats in that race too. I don’t know whether it was from the rocks or from the steel pipe that was hanging out in one corner. Next round I have to try to eliminate these little mistakes and stay on the bike.”

Luke Arbon – FC 250 “I didn’t ride well. In the first moto I just pumped up real bad, and in the second I just rode like a squid for the first half and then bent my gear lever, so then I couldn’t change gears in the last half. After my injury in the break, I think it’s in the back of my head to be a bit careful, and I think that is making me struggle a bit. If you don’t make a pass at the right time you get stuck in somebody’s pace. That happened to me that second race, I was behind second place and if I had been able to make that passed straight away, I would be able to finish up there.”

Connor Tierney – TC 250 “I didn’t lose too many points to the leader so I’m happy with that. It’s all about consistency and we’ve still got another four rounds. I think in the first one I was thinking about the points and the championship a little bit, more than just riding and having fun and I pumped up a little bit. You have shit races sometimes. I came back in and talked to Craig and Katrina and they told me to stop worrying, go out and have fun. I went back out, didn’t think about anything else, rode 20 times better and got the win.”

For more information on Husqvarna motorcycles visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com