MX1/MX2/MX3 Race Reports, Results and ProMX points from Appin

2023 Penrite ProMX Championship
Round Two – Appin, NSW

Thor MX1 Moto One

Dean Ferris went into the opening 25-minute plus one lap Thor MX1 contest after taking out the AMX Superstores MX1 Pole Shoutout and he capitalised on that to break away to a handy lead in the opening minutes of the opening Moto.

Ferris had ten-seconds over Matt Moss after only eight minutes into the contest on what as a very rough and rutty MacArthur Motorcycle Complex. At this juncture Kirk Gibbs was in third, Aaron Tanti fourth, Jed Beaton fifth and Todd Waters sixth ahead of Brett Metcalfe.

The Appin roost was brutal and Kirk Gibbs had already thrown away his goggles which made life tough for him when he was in close proximity to other riders. That didn’t stop Gibbs from moving past Moss for second place before half-race distance. Defending champ Aaron Tanti then stalked Moss for a number of laps before taking that third place.

Jed Beaton was the next rider to start challenging Moss for position but the veteran held him out for almost ten-minutes. The Boost Mobile Honda rider was able to find a way through with five-minutes left on the shot clock and then managed to pull away and secure fourth place.

Making things even tougher for riders was an ambient temperature nudging 35-degrees.  Out front Dean Ferris had clear air though and as the race entered its second half the Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha rider led by 15-seconds. By the chequered flag that gap over Gibbs was a huge 33-seconds while Aaron Tanti completed the podium a further five-seconds behind.

Todd Waters and Brett Metcalfe both got the better of Matt Moss on the final lap to push Moss back to eighth place at the flag.

Thor MX1 Moto One Results

Thor MX1 Moto Two Part One

The two-part MX1 Moto Two saw Dean Ferris get away to an early lead but a couple of minutes in Ferris went over the bars. By the time he was back up to speed Ferris was way down in 13th place. Inheriting the lead was Aaron Tanti, Luke Clout second and Jed Beaton third.

With three-minutes remaining in the first half of this two-part bout Tanti led Clout by three-seconds. Jed Beaton was right behind Clout while five-seconds further back in fourth place was Kyle Webster. Hamish Harwood was fifth, Kirk Gibbs sixth and Dean Ferris was up to seventh after passing Todd Waters, Brett Metcalfe and then Matt Moss.

Ferris then moved past Gibbs to take sixth place but with only three laps left would need to find seven-seconds to get on terms with Harwood to challenge for fifth. By the last lap board though Ferris was all over the back of Harwood and got the better of the Davey Motorsports KTM rider before the flag to secure fifth.   Tanti the victor over Clout and Beaton, Webster fourth.

Thor MX1 Moto Two Part One Results

Thor MX1 Moto Two Part Two

Riders had to try and prevent themselves overheating in the short ten-minute break before the second part of the final moto got underway. That ten-minute countdown started when the winner crossed the line so riders further back in the pack would get as much as two-minutes less before fronting the gates once again in what was by now 39-degree heat.

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Dean Ferris scored the holeshot again when they left the gates for their final contest of the day. Jed Beaton second, Aaron Tanti third, Luke Clout fourth and Kirk Gibbs fifth ahead of Todd Waters.

Matt Moss was sixth early on but started losing positions in the latter half of the race before finally retiring with a couple of laps remaining.

Ferris was never challenged in this one. Taking victory by six-seconds over Jed Beaton. Aaron Tanti was a further 5.5-seconds behind in third place.  Luke Clout fourth ahead of Todd Waters and Kirk Gibbs.

When the results from the two legs were tabulated Aaron Tanti was declared the overall victor.

Aaron Tanti and Dean Ferris leave Appin as joint championship leaders with 45-points apiece. Jed Beaton in third with 40-points, Kirk Gibbs fourth on 37.

Thor MX1 Moto Two Part Two Results

Kirk Gibbs

“Today was up-and-down because it started quite well in the Shootout with third, then I got into second quite quickly in moto one and pretty much rode my own race. I rode solid to come away with second, which I was happy with, but in the final moto I made an error in where I started, so that cost me two bad starts. On a track like that, with so many fast guys, it makes things tough. I felt like I rode well, I’m right there in the hunt and am super-keen for the next round. I want to come out and nail these starts, give them something to chase around.”

Todd Waters

“Today was just about getting a race under the belt, as we had no pre-season racing and haven’t had much time to set the bikes up. I was off the pace and didn’t have anything for the front guys, as I’m still trying to get my confidence back after dislocating my shoulder last year and coming back from the nerve damage I experienced in my fingers. I only got back on the bike about six weeks ago, but I’m happy with my fitness, and with how the team went. It’s a good starting point and we’ll only get stronger from here.”

Thor MX1 Round Points

Thor MX1 Championship Points

Pirelli MX2 Moto One

Nathan Crawford bounced back from his Wonthaggi disqualification in the best possible fashion by blitzing the field in the opening 25-minute plus one lap Pirelli MX2 Moto at a muddy Appin on Sunday morning.

Honda team-mates Brodie Connolly and defending champ Wilson Todd clashed at times while battling for second place. Todd eventually broke away from his team-mate and put in some quick laps, including the fastest lap of the Moto, but couldn’t chase down Crawford, the KTM man taking the victory by 11.5-seconds at the end of the 14 lap race distance.

Alex Larwood went down out of fourth place nine-minutes into the Moto which promoted John Bova into fourth and young WA star Kayden Minear into fifth.

Jayce Cosford worked his way forward up into that fourth place in the latter half of the Moto and took that result to the flag.  Minear held on to secure fifth place despite a late charge by Jesse Dobson.

Kaleb Barham seventh, Ryan Alexanderson eighth and Reid Taylor ninth.   Rhys Budd rounded out the top ten while John Bova slipped to 11th by the flag in the trying conditions, crossing the line ahead of Ryder Kingsford.

Pirelli MX2 Moto One Results

Pirelli MX2 Moto Two

Rhys Budd scored the holeshot in the second MX2 bout to lead Wilson Todd, Alex Larwood and Kaleb Barham around the opening turns of the Appin lay-out.  Race one victor Nathan Crawford was outside the top ten at the start but rapidly worked his way forward to be fourth by the end of the opening lap.

A lap later Crawford pushed Larwood back to third and Wilson Todd took the lead off Rhys Budd. Moments later Crawford then relegated Budd to third place and set about chasing down Todd. Crawford did exactly that and once past the defending champ he cleared out.

Crawford and his KTM SXF 250 were clearly a step above the rest of the competition in the Pirelli MX2 category today at Appin. Crawford the victor over Todd by 7.5-seconds.  Rhys Budd completed the podium ahead of Larwood, Connolly and Barham.

A perfect 50-point score for Crawford catapults him into third place in the championship standings. Two-points behind Brodie Connolly, and 19-points behind championship leader Wilson Todd.

Nathan Crawford

“The track formed up really well today, it was super-technical and I gelled with the ruts quite well. I’ve got quite a good track record going here at Appin, so I like it here a lot and the results have been strong here. I feel like I let my riding do the talking today, put my head down, worked hard and now we’re here. We’re third in points now, which is really good at the moment, and now we look ahead to the next one!”

Kayden Minear

“Round two at Appin today, it was definitely a good day. The track was very tricky in the morning, which I really enjoyed. The team had the bikes dialled in and my mechanic did an absolutely amazing job keeping my bike light and not holding lots of mud, so going 5-8 for equal fifth overall. I’m very happy!”

Pirelli MX2 Moto Two Results

Pirelli MX2 Round Points

Pirelli MX2 Championship Points

Maxxis MX3 Moto One

15-year-old Ky Woods won the opening Maxxis MX3 contest in convincing fashion on what was a rough and rutty MacArthur Motorcycle Complex.

Woods had a huge lead over Dennis but on the penultimate lap the Sydneysider tucked the front which saw him lose more than six-seconds.  Woods regathered himself to take the chequered flag 2.5-seconds ahead of Dennis.

Jack Mather piled the pressure on Byron Dennis over the final laps but Dennis held on to take that second place to give GASGAS a 1-2.

Maxxis MX3 Moto One Results

Maxxis MX3 Moto Two

Connor Towill was the early leader but was hounded by Jack Mather. Ultimately though Mather’s left ankle injury proved too painful and he started to slip down the order as the race progressed.

Connor Towill looked fairly safe up front but in the closing minutes Ky Woods, Liam Owen and Jet Alsop all moved forward to within striking distance. That quartet all pushing hard and trading small mistakes that saw the gaps stretch and shrink accordingly on what was by now a brutal track.

Towill maintained his lead to the last lap board and survived a big moment early on in that final lap to hang on to the lead.

Woods and Towill then touched late in that final lap as the 15-year-old tried to take the lead, both remained upright, however the clash had allowed Owens to steal second place from Woods, who had to settle for third place ahead of Jet Alsop.

Winning the round though was Ky Woods, 45-points ahead of Liam Owens and Byron Dennis who both scored 38-points for the round.

Maxxis MX3 Moto Two Results

Maxxis MX3 Round Points

Maxxis MX3 Championship Points