CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team rider, Luke Clout, has charged into the ProMX championship lead in the MX1 division, after another scintillating performance at the Maitland round of the series, contested over the weekend. Clout now holds a three-point lead in the championship.

Lukes achievements have been made even more remarkable by the fact he was unable to finish one of the six races so far.

Clout entered the Maitland round confident of continuing his recent run of good form and knowing the circuit suited his riding style. He wasted no time in stamping his authority on the day taking a wire-to-wire victory in race one.

The afternoon races saw the MX1 field compete in two, fifteen-minute back-to-back races with points across both legs combining for an overall moto score. Clout again took control in race two and raced to victory and then finished a very close second place in the third and final leg. The combined 1-2 results in the back to back races, gave him the maximum 25 points and as a result, shot him to the top of the leader board.

The Maitland event was a must win round for Clout as he was at a disadvantage due to his DNF earlier in the season.

“When I saw Maitland on the calendar this year, I pencilled it in as a must win round for me knowing that I ride the track well, so it was pleasing to achieve that goal,” Clout says, “but to combine that with coming away with the championship lead makes it a great day for myself and the team.

“I was able to get great starts all day and put myself in good positions very early in the race. I grabbed the lead in race three, but Kirk was able to sneak by me, but I kept the pressure on and chased him all the way to the finish.”

He also took victory in the Elimination shootout which was a one lap dash that saw the last five riders drop out of the race until the final leg.

“The bike and team were again awesome today and a feel my riding is good at the moment. I have been able to work on things during the week and then see that work rewarded on weekends. It’s a month until the next round at Albury, but the plan is to continue doing what I have been doing and ride this momentum for as long as I can,” Clout ends.   

It was another consistent yet frustrating day for Hayden Mellross who finished the day in sixth place. He took a fifth-place finish in race one, then a combined 7-5 results in the back-to-back races to end the day on 30 points. He now sits in fifth place in the championship, just 19 points from the series lead and with plenty of rounds still to come, Mellross has the time to charge up the leader board.

It has been a frustrating season for CDR Yamaha rider Hayden Melrose, sitting in fifth in the championship.

With the postponement of the Adelaide round, it’s now a month break between ProMX rounds. Round five of the championship is slated down for July 24-25 and with the top six riders all within 24 points in the MX1 division, things are starting to heat up.

H-D
 

 

 

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