KTM Australia press release:

KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Luke Styke demonstrated podium-level speed in his best showing so far in the Australian Supercross Championships, but the result didn’t come at round three in Adelaide.

With the absence of Australian Motocross Champion Kirk Gibbs who had suffered a fractured pelvis in training during the week, Styke was the team’s sole representative as the night-time sport returned to the Wayville Showgrounds.

Still in his rookie season of premier class Supercross racing, Styke was nonetheless in scintillating form off the back of a couple of weeks’ quality riding and testing. Styke illustrated the fact clearly when he used his KTM 450 SX-F to split championship leader Daniel Reardon and international ace Brett Metcalfe and finish second in the second heat of the day.

In the final however, Styke was unable to capitalise on a fantastic second place start, when, after contact with another rider baulked his approach, he came up short on a triple and severely winded himself.

The KTM rider forged on bravely as he attempted to regain his breath, and after slipping as low as 10th place, fought back to salvage eighth in a race won by Reardon, ahead of Metcalfe and defending champion Matt Moss.

Rob Twyerould, KTM Motocross Racing Team Manager – “Luke was a bit unlucky tonight. I was really impressed with his speed through the stutters – all the boys said he looked like a different guy – and he had the pace to be on the podium for sure. He’s really come on in leaps and bounds in the last couple of weeks. We’ve really got his bike working well for him and he’s spent a couple of weeks on the Central Coast practising on a really cool track and got his starts sorted. Tonight he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time – he didn’t actually fall, he just came up short on a jump and hit his ribs on the ‘bars. He winded himself really hard and was really struggling to breathe as the race went on.
Kirk Gibbs update: Kirk’s home but he’s got to keep weight off his hip for about 4 to 6 weeks, and then they start rehabilitation. It’s a real tough blow for him, he’s absolutely devastated. He will be ready to go in January though and begin next year’s preparation.”

Luke Styke – “Not too bad tonight. We’re riding a lot better than we did in the first two rounds. I qualified better, and I felt comfortable with the bike. I was in a comfortable second and everything was working, but I just got baulked a little bit and my back wheel got clipped a little bit on this section and I came up short. I kind of collapsed on my handlebars and it winded me badly – took me eight laps to get my breath back. My eyes were watering and everything, everyone was just smashing me on the inside – I was pretty wounded. After I pulled off I was throwing up and stuff, just hating life! There were some positives for us here, but obviously the results could have been so much better, I’d put myself in a podium position.
I’ve put a lot of seat time in on the new bike, that’s all it really is. I feel I’ve got a good combo now, I’ve just got to put myself in that good position again, and don’t mess it up!”

In SX2 Racing: KTM Newcastle’s Dylan Wills rode to an impressive top five position after a bare minimum of seat time between championship rounds, courtesy of a troublesome shoulder injury. The KTM 250 SX rider was fourth in a race won by Jimmy Decotis, ahead of Luke Clout and Jackson Richardson.
KTM Factory Support rider Caleb Ward was absent from the round, suffering a combination of the effects of his round two concussion and recent illness.

Dylan Wills – “This is a big surprise after getting no bike time between last round and this round! I had a shoulder injury that took a bit of figuring out to get on top of, so to come out and do what I did here was bit of a surprise. I just enjoyed the track and had a good night and it all kind of clicked together. I finished fourth in the main and was probably just a little bit off the pace of the boys, but they didn’t pull much on me, so I was really stoked about that.”

In SXD Racing: KTM QB4 Toowoomba rider Kaleb Barham maintained his podium position in the standings of the SXD championship powering his KTM250SX-F to 6, 5 placings in the U19 the category which was won by Brock McCleary over Mitch Evans and Trent Wheatley.

Kaleb Barham – “It was a good night, the track was really technical and definitely one to put in the books, we learned a little bit more as we went so it was good fun! I had a fall in my heat so I got the last gate pick coming into the first final. I worked my way up from a real bad start to sixth, and then in the next, got a much better start and just got out of the traffic, it was good!”

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