Wilson MX press release:

Penrite Honda Wilson MX recorded mixed results at round nine of the MX Nationals at Echo Valley last weekend, and will now charge on to Coolum optimistic that the privateer effort can finish the 2015 motocross season strong.

With MX2 pilot Luke Wilson returning from injury at Toowoomba and Geran Stapleton having had a solid two weeks of training prior to the round, the Honda backed Wilson MX team took to the track at Echo Valley quietly confident.

In moto one, Stapleton got to a mid-pack start and was battling for eighth position when a mistake saw him hit his chest on the handle bars, forcing him to circulate winded and eventually cross the line in tenth.

For Wilson, moto one proved harder than expected. Having had limited time on the bike prior to round nine, Wilson fought through pain for the duration of the race, and determined to finish he crossed the line in 19th.

In race two, Stapleton looked to redeem himself, however luck was not on his side. After getting to a solid start Stapleton lost his shifter in the early stages of the moto, leaving his Honda machine stuck in fourth gear, and forcing him to roll around to cross the line in 21st

For Wilson, moto two gave him one of his most encouraging results of the season. After being fourth into the first turn Wilson looked to move up the field before making a small mistake seeing him drop back to 15th position by the end of the moto.

At the conclusion of the round, Stapleton’s bad luck on at Echo Valley saw him finish in 14th overall, while Wilson finished round nine in and encouraging 16th position.

Geran Stapleton MX2 – 14th Overall – (10th, 21st): “It was a pretty bad weekend for me to be honest – I made a mistake in that first moto which cost me, and then was stuck in fourth gear for the whole of moto two,” he said. “The track at Toowoomba was tough, but I was actually really enjoying It – it’s just a shame that I had bad luck. “I’m staying up in Queensland from now until Coolum, so it will be good to get some sunshine and have a bit of fun. “Coolum is always a tough track, but hopefully I can pull my finger out next weekend and have a crack before the season finishes.”

Luke Wilson MX2 – 16th Overall – (19th, 15th): “In that first moto I hadn’t had a lot of time on the bike and I felt it – I pumped up a lot, but the goal on the weekend was to finish both motos no matter what,” he said. “In the second moto I got the best start that I had got all season and I was actually catching up to Clouty (Luke Clout) and I hit the back of his bike. I just lost balance and dropped back to 15th which was a bit of a shame. “All in all, it wasn’t a bad weekend considering how much time I’ve had off the bike so I’m pretty happy. “With the last round at Coolum this weekend, I’m pretty excited to get the motocross season done. Coolum isn’t my favorite track but I had a pretty good result there earlier in the year, so fingers crossed we can pull off something similar this weekend.”

Neale Wilson – Wilson MX Team Manager: “It was an up and down weekend for us, Geran had a bit of bad luck in that second moto, but I think it was smart riding to continue to circulate,” he said. “Luke struggled in the first race with his hand, due to lack of bike time, but in that second race he got the best start he’s got all year which was very exciting. “Both of the boys are happy and healthy, and we’re just looking forward to getting to Coolum now. “Coolum is always very exciting, but one of the things we enjoy at Wilson MX most is supporting the Breast Cancer Foundation, and raising money for charity. “As always we will be turning the bikes and gear pink to support the initiative, and the boys and the whole team are really looking forward to the final round of the MX Nationals this weekend.”

The Wilson MX Team will now head to Coolum on August 29 and 30 for the final round of the MX Nationals. For spectator information head to www.mxnationals.com.au. To stay updated with all team progress, ‘like’ Wilson MX on Facebook, follow their Instagram via Wilson_Mx, or on Twitter via Wilson_Mx_

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