Australian Monster Energy MX Nationals resume this weekend

The restart is a spectacular five-round race, to this year’s Australian Motocross Championships.

The premier Monster Energy MX1 category is currently led by experienced New Zealander Josh Coppins, who has spent the mid-season break in Europe training and contesting a number of races in a bid to boost his form during rounds six through 10.

Coppins, who is a former world championship runner-up, has a handy 21-point lead in the series for CDR Yamaha. After finishing second in the series on debut last year, he’ll lead the MX Nationals into the second half at Hervey Bay.

Chasing Coppins is top Australian contender Todd Waters, the Motul Pirelli Suzuki rider coming off a spectacular victory at round five in South Australia before the layoff. The 21-year-old has been relentless since switching to Suzuki, applying pressure on Coppins every step of the way.

"We’re not even halfway and, as I’ve found out previous to this, I’ve had the red plate and it just gets snatched away very quickly,” said the Gold Coast-based Waters. "It’s not over until that last race. That’s what I’m going for, just to get to that last race, keep chipping away and doing what I’m doing.”

Another international in reigning two-time British champion Brad Anderson sits third for Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing, six points shy of Waters. Anderson picked up a victory in Western Australia’s prestigious Manjimup 15,000 earlier this month, now certain to carry that form into the MX Nationals’ final five rounds.

Two more Aussie rising stars are ranked in positions four and five, with Lawson Bopping (CDR Yamaha) and Tye Simmonds (Simmonds Racing Honda) already picking up multiple podiums this season. Bopping has been located in the United States for the past month refining his form, hopeful that the investment will pay off as soon as the gates drop at Hervey Bay.

Defending four-time Monster Energy MX Nationals Champion Jay Marmont has confirmed that he’ll sit out Hervey Bay. Marmont has been plagued by injury all season long so far, recently undergoing surgery in a bid to regain full fitness by season’s end.

The Motul MX2 category is shaping up to be an all-out war in the battle for supremacy, with surprise series leader Luke Styke not yet putting a foot wrong in his first full season with the factory Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing squad.

Maintaining a 32-point margin in the standings, the Nowra-based New South Welshman has been a revelation in 2012, but understands that there is a long way to go if he is to clinch the national title. Recent time spent at Hervey Bay will benefit him for the race weekend.

"It’s definitely a good position to be in,” said Styke. "That’s the goal, to extend the points lead so it makes it easier at the end. But I’m just taking it one step at a time, chipping away and trying to keep on that box. There’s a long way to go and anything can happen, but I’m just going to keep trying my hardest.”

Behind Styke at this stage is Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing’s Ford Dale, the Sunshine Coast resident who has long been a favourite for this year’s MX2 title. Dale is accustomed to the conditions riders can expect to experience on race day, elevating him as a pre-race favourite.

Victorian-based DPH Motorsport Honda privateer Cheyne Boyd is a solid third in the series after claiming back to back podiums in Western and South Australia, now focused on claiming his maiden round win of the year upon return to the MX2 ranks.

The man who denied Boyd the overall victory in South Australia is Josh Cachia, who will enter Hervey Bay with confidence on his side after having five full weeks to relive his first career win for JDR/KTM Factory Racing. Cachia’s currently fourth in the series, with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Kade Mosig completing the top five to date.

Brisbane’s Brenden Harrison is scheduled to make his anticipated debut in the MX2 series for this season, coming off pre-season surgery. After waiting to return when 100 percent fit, Harrison could be a dark horse for victory at the Hervey Bay round.

The Pirellli MX Development division is shaping up to be the tightest title chase of all, with just nine points separating series leader Dylan Long (Choice Motorsports KTM) and Kiwi rival Kayne Lamont (KTM). Long is on a 250 SX-F four-stroke while Lamont made a mid-season switch to the 250 SX two-stroke, setting up an intriguing battle of both man and machine.

"I don’t really like to race with them that much, but I do think the guys are doing a really good job on them,” Long said of his multiple two-stroke competitors. "Even if there is an advantage, disadvantage or whatever, it’s making us ride a lot faster. That makes the sport better when we’re racing fast and battling together.”

Another KTM rider in Dylan Leary sits third, eight points in arrears of Lamont, while the first non-KTM rider is GYTR Yamaha’s Sam Martin in fourth. Raceline Pirelli Suzuki’s Jay Wilson is currently fifth following a mixed start to his campaign.

Series Calendar:
Rd7 – 15 July – Horsham, VIC

Rd8 – 29 July – Appin, NSW

Rd9 – 19 August – Moree, NSW

Rd10 – 25-26 August – Coolum, QLD