Testing conditions bring out the best
Mud, mud and more mud! Throw in howling engines, brilliant sunshine and top-class riding and you have the Horsham leg of national motocross titles.
Heavy rain leading up to the fourth round of the Motul MX Nationals guaranteed fans at Dooen raceway a display of skill and strategy with conditions testing both riders and machines.
As spectators basked in sunny and mild autumn weather on the sidelines on Sunday, riders navigated through their first wet-weather test of the year.
In the end, the class of CDR Yamaha’s Dean Ferris, from Kyogle, NSW, and overall MX1 points leader going into the round, again shone through.
Ferris relished the testing conditions to win both blue-ribbon motos in a day of spinning wheels and driver creativity in junior as well as senior divisions.
Ferris said he was happy to rise to the occasion in the difficult conditions.
“The track was tough at Horsham, it was one of those days where you had to be smart. I’m glad that we were able to maximise our points,” he said.
“It was all about getting a good start, and I got two holeshots – I’m not sure if I’ve done that before but it really counted here.
“The team and I have made really good decisions at the right moments and that’s paying off – that is what’s making the difference at the moment.”
Ferris won overall with 70 points from Kirk Gibbs of Mt Gambier, fellow NSW rider Luke Styke, both 58, and Queenslander Todd Waters, 55.
Wimmera rider Corey Watts finished 15th.
An MX2 250 Pro division went to DPH Motorsport’s Wilson Todd from Queensland, who won from New Zealand rider Hamish Harwood and Kyle Webster, Western Australia.
The Pirelli MXD class went to Jy Roberts from overall leader Cody Dyce and Hugh Mckay.
Australia’s elite motocross riders will turn their attention to round-five action in the 10-round series at Murray Bridge in South Australia this weekend.
Elite motocross will return to Horsham with national junior championships in September and world junior titles in the middle of next year.