Brayton wins the opening match of the 2022 Australian Super Cup in Melbourne

Round 1 of Australian Bull Racing Championship 2022 – Melbourne

Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, was flooded with red during Round 1 of the Australian Cycling Championship, with Honda Racing Australia CRF450R and CRF250R machines proving unbeatable.

Armed with the number one plate as defending champion, Justin Brayton is back on the podium at the top of the SX1 class.

Melbourne’s layout had deteriorated rapidly by the time the first division final began – Brayton used his experience to methodically get through the field after starting at the top of the top five.

After taking the lead in round fourteen, he hit checkers with a seven-second advantage.

Justin Brayton – SX1 P1

“It’s a game of chess out there. The track is really, really challenging. The priority is just finding smooth lines and putting my CRF450R where it’s needed. It’s great to be back here in Australia. I love racing here and spending time with the team.”

Aaron Tanti took the second step on the podium, ahead of Dean Wilson, who had the fastest lap time in qualifying and then climbed from fifth to third in the final.

Hayden Mellross of Team GASGAS took a tough 4th place, ahead of Matt Moss.

Hayden Mellross – SX1 P4

“As the first super lap we’ve raced in a few years, I was nervous early today, but I’m getting more comfortable and confident day by day. I went pretty well in my heat race to finish third and I think we put on a good performance in the main event. I didn’t get off to a good start as I expected and I tightened up the situation very early on. The track was pretty slippery, but I was able to hold on and take advantage of the mistakes ahead to finish fourth! It wasn’t a pretty good Wednesday, but it was a good result and I’m happy to come out healthy and get my butt under the belt. “

Husqvarna Racing Team’s new SX1 racer Dylan Wills finished in a stunning sixth place on his debut in the FC 450. Wills placed seventh in the opening round and advanced into the top five through the early stages of the encounter. forehead 20 rounds. As the track got tougher and more technical, Wills made a small mistake with only three laps left and dropped one spot to eventually finish the final in sixth.

Dylan Wills – SX1 P6

“Finished sixth in the main race and third in my heat race was more than I expected and I am really pleased with the result. I felt like I did well at the start of the final, but I was tired due to the limited number of rounds I had done above 450, the stress of the first round and the pressure I put on myself. me. I’m really excited to have made it through the first round of the championship and it’s nice to know that I belong with those guys, plus my initial pace was really good. I will be very confident from tonight when we get to Adelaide. “

Kyle Webster, Jackson Richardson, Dylan Wood and Joel Cigliano completed the top 10.

KTM Racing Team signing Brett Metcalfe unfortunately crashed during his heat race and sat out the main event as he underwent medical evaluations, who held third place in the heat of the race. him until then.

2022 Australian Supercross SX1 – Finals / Standings

SX2

Max Anstie was present with his CRF250R from the second start of the event. Winning the first SX2 heat race of the night set the tone, as he carried that form into the fifteen-round final.

Although he missed the shot due to the thinnest edge, he took the lead immediately and has been unchallenged since.

Max Anstie – SX2 P1

“Today I love it! I can’t thank the guys at Honda Racing Australia enough for getting me to this championship. Having the first round win was a great way to repay them and it was important for me to blow away the cobwebs, after the long flight to Melbourne! “

Second place was Col Thompson, while KTM Team contender Nathan Crawford claimed his first career podium at the ASX after qualifying for the sixth time. The Queenslander got off to a strong start in the 250th main event and came in second.

A few laps later he dropped one place in P3, but continued to time laps consistently for the rest of the race, as many drivers made mistakes during the 15-lap main event and that’s where he will hold the checkered flag.

Nathan Crawford – SX2 P3

“I spent six or seven weeks on the new 2023 KTM preparing for the supercar and I feel very comfortable using it. Honestly, I didn’t know where I would fit in the SX2 class, so it felt great to step on my first supercar podium and get that monkey off my back! I’m not very happy with the way I’m going tonight… we can always get better, but I know the areas I need to work on and where I can improve before next weekend. The first lap is always tough when everyone is shooting and there’s usually a bit of carnage, but I’ve managed to minimize my mistakes, avoid getting into trouble, and get as good a score on the track as I can. say slippery. I’m definitely happy to start the season with this result! “

Kaleb Barham finished fourth, ahead of Jai Constantinou and Rhys Budd, while Noah Ferguson secured a solid point in the four-round championship by finishing seventh in his first cross-country run.

Noah Ferguson – SX2 P7

“The seventh place result wasn’t quite what I was aiming for, but I’m happy to come out of my first super with that result. It was fun and a lot going on, but it was very well done and the crowd was amazing. I was pretty nervous throughout the day as I’ve never ridden anything this big, plus I’ve never raced before! P5 is my target, but I’m happy with seventh place and will look to improve next weekend in Adelaide. “

Jy Roberts, Geran Stapleton and Tomas Ravenhorst complete the top 10.

Wilson Todd has been in good form all day, winning the heat race (SX2 Heat two) and has high hopes for the finals. However, the dragon’s back swept him into his lap and he had to retire early.

The second round of the 2022 Australian Bulldog Cycling is scheduled to take place on October 29.

2022 Australian Supercross SX2 – Finals / Standings