Brief all category recap from ProMX Round Eight at Coolum

2022 Penrite ProMX Championship
Round Eight (Final) – Coolum

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A great crowd welcomed riders and teams to the picturesque Coolum circuit on the Sunshine Coast, with a contrasting race track of deep and treacherous sand that kept riders on the edge all weekend.

Thor MX1 Race One

Red Plate holder Aaron Tanti, on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, entered Coolum with a comfortable advantage over his rival, HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Dean Ferris. However, with qualifying and two Moto’s to get through, it was not a sealed deal until Tanti delivered under pressure on race day.

In Moto 1, Wilson Todd claimed the holeshot, continuing his momentum from setting the fastest time in the AMX Superstores Top 10 Pole Shootout earlier in the morning.

As Todd began to sprint away from the field, there was a freight train of Factory riders battling for the podium spots early on. Husqvarna Australia’s Todd Waters blitzed through the field from outside of the top 5 into 2nd position early on, closing in on the race leader in the process.

Dean Ferris ran in 3rd position, whilst Tanti rode a smart race and stayed out of any possible complications to his Championship run, electing to circulate in 6th position for the majority of the Moto.

Todd claimed victory from the opening Moto, with Todd Waters in 2nd and Dean Ferris in 3rd. Aaron Tanti crossed the line in 7th.

Thor MX1 Race One Results

Thor MX1 Race Two

In Moto 2, it was the HRC Honda Racing Australia team-mates Kyle Webster and Wilson Todd who battled on the first lap from the gate drop.

Webster emerged from the first lap battle with the lead and begin to break from the field early.

Todd Waters again surged through the field, passing into 2nd position and then into the lead at the 10-minute mark of the Moto. But it was not over, as Todd caught Webster, the HRC team-mates worked together to catch a slowing Waters, with Webster reclaiming the lead with four minutes to go. Wilson Todd tried to follow suit, however Waters would cross rut in the sand and run wide, pushing Wilson off the track and to the ground in the back section of the track.

At the chequered flag, it was Webster taking victory from Waters in 2nd and Todd remounting for 3rd.

1-3 Moto scores would give Wilson Todd his first overall victory in THOR MX1, whilst the Championship belonged to Tanti who crossed the line in 6th position, one behind Ferris, to claim the title.

Thor MX1 Race Two Results

Thor MX1 Round Points

Thor MX1 Championship Points

Pirelli MX2 Race One

The Pirelli MX2 Championship may have been decided at QMP, but there was no shortage of riders looking to make a claim on the top step of the podium at Coolum.

KTM Australia’s Nathan Crawford picked up where he left off a week ago at QMP, taking the holeshot in Moto 1 and establishing solid track position early in the Moto. As Crawford pulled away, New Zealand wild card Hayden Smith on the GAS GAS 250 two stroke factored into the front pack early, running in 2nd. SERCO Yamaha’s Jesse Dobson would pass Smith for 2nd, however a nagging shoulder injury would reappear for Dobson forcing him out of the Moto by the halfway point.

Jayce Cosford on his Yamaha YZ250f was having another incredible Moto, moving into 2nd position following Dobson’s exit with the Yamaha duo of Yamalube Yamaha’s Rhys Budd in 3rd and SERCO Yamaha’s Bailey Malkiewicz in 4th respectively.

As Crawford claimed the Moto win, the Yamaha riders would remain in the same order in the final laps to close out the Moto, as GAS GAS Noah Ferguson fought through to 5th position at the flag.

Pirelli MX2 Moto One Results

Pirelli MX2 Race Two

Moto 2 saw a repeat holeshot from Crawford who again, began to sprint away from the field early. Dobson returned to the front after his first Moto DNF running impressively in 2nd place, but it was not Dobson’s day as a big crash at the 10-minute mark would end his 2nd Moto and his run at 3rd place in the Pirelli MX2 Championship standings.

In the final Moto of the season, we saw the emergence of WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Levi Rogers. Rogers would close on Crawford and make the move to seize control of the Moto and open up a comfortable lead to the chequered flag, with Crawford in 2nd and Malkiewicz in 3rd for the Moto. Budd crossed in 4th and Empire Kawasaki’s Haruki Yokoyama finished in 5th.

Pirelli MX2 Moto Two Results

Pirelli MX2 Round Points

Pirelli MX2 Championship Points

Maxxis MX3 Moto One

Red Plate holder and 15-year-old phenom, Kayden Minear on the KTM Australia machine entered Coolum on the verge of claiming his first Championship title in Maxxis MX3. After a quiet but consistent few rounds of racing for Minear, the renowned sand specialist from WA looked to make a statement at Coolum in Moto 1.

As Husqvarna Australia’s Brock Flynn took the holeshot in Moto 1, Minear would execute an impressive pass for the lead on the big double jump following turn 2. However, in turn 3 Minear would carry too much entry speed, losing the front end and going down. As Minear scrambled back to his bike, Flynn would retake the lead, from KTM privateer Myles Gilmore in 3rd.

Later in the Moto, it was Flynn’s turn to crash whilst leading as he ploughed the front end in the deep sand, going over the bars. Gilmore would take the lead and not look back, taking the chequered flag from Flynn in 2nd and Ryan Alexanderson on his KTM in 3rd. Minear fought back to 5th position and enter Moto 2 with a comfortable lead in the Championship chase.

Maxxis MX3 Moto One Results

Maxxis MX3 Moto Two

Moto 2 put any nerves and doubt aside that Minear was ready to win, the youngster took a huge holeshot with impressive speed early. As the Moto progressed, Minear succumbed to a late race charge from Flynn with two laps to go. At the chequered flag it was Flynn first, Minear in 2nd and Myles Gilmore in 3rd.

Flynn claimed the overall victory on the day as Minear took third overall for the round which was good enough to secure him his first Maxxis MX3 Championship crown.

Maxxis MX3 Moto Two Results

Maxxis MX3 Round Points

Maxxis MX3 Championship Points

EziLift MXW

The EZILIFT MXW storyline was the dominance of Yamalube Yamaha’s Charli Cannon versus the returning Taylah McCutcheon from injury.

In the first Moto, McCutcheon grabbed the holeshot as Cannon got held up in the gate. With Cannon fighting through traffic on the opening two laps, McCutcheon would seize the opportunity to sprint from the field and open up a small margin as Cannon found her way to 2nd place by lap two.

The lead duo would battle until lap five, where Cannon’s speed and fitness overcame the resilience of McCutcheon who fought hard to stay closer to Cannon than any other MXW competitor has this season.

At the chequered flag, Cannon took victory with a comfortable margin over McCutcheon in 2nd. Emma Milesevic braved a return from injury to claim a solid 3rd in Moto 1 on the HRC Honda Racing Australia ride, with Kawasaki’s Megan Rutledge in 4th and Ride Red Honda’s Maddy Brown in 5th.

EziLift MXW Moto One Results

EziLift MXW Moto Two

In Moto 2, Cannon was determined to not be challenged and round out the season with a perfect string of Moto victories.

After a brief holeshot and challenge from McCutcheon, Cannon would take control of the Moto and open up a massive buffer over her competitors to claim the final Moto win of the season. McCutcheon would finish 2nd, with a resurgent Maddy Brown in 3rd.

Charli Cannon claimed the EZILIFT MXW championship crown and the overall victory on the day with another 1-1 Moto score.

EziLift MXW Moto Two Results

EziLift MXW Championship Points

EziLift MXW Round Points

Veterans 30-39 / 40+

In the VMX 30-39 class it was a case of split Moto victories between Ryan Hardman and Beau Ralston that would decide the overall and Championship on the day. After winning Moto 1, Hardman would suffer an unfortunate mechanical issue that would see him DNF the Moto and derail both his chain and Championship hopes. Ralston would capitalise with a win in Moto 2 and with a constant 2nd place in the opening Moto, he would be crowned overall winner and 30+ Champion at Coolum in the VMX class. Oliver Smith and Charles Brett round out the Championship podium in 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

In the VMX 40+ Class, it was America’s Mike Sleeter who would dominate proceedings on his GAS GAS. Taking 1-1 Moto scores on the day, Sleeter was not challenged as he ran times highly competitive in the younger 30+ class. Behind Sleeter, it was Ashley Erbacher who would take 2nd position and Travis Regeling in 3rd.

Veterans 30-39 / 40+ Moto One

Veterans 30-39 / 40+ Moto Two