Yamaha embrace the return of Aussie motocross racing

It’s been a long four months between gate drops for motocross racing enthusiasts but things got back underway in both Queensland and New South Wales with Yamaha racing excited to be track side and getting muddy again…

Aaron Tanti taking the win at round two of the Sunshine State Series.

Queensland picked up at round two of the Sunshine State Series, held at Kingaroy, with good rider attendance and a great atmosphere in the pits. With most riders desperate to get back to the race track, Yamaha was well represented with Aaron Tanti, Jay Wilson, Levi Rogers, Kota Toriyabe, Jayce Cosford and Rhys Budd all flying the flag in the senior divisions while the juniors had Charli and Jake Cannon, as well as supported riders in Zac Watson and Peter Wolfe. 

The MX2 Pro race was the pick of the weekend and produced some tight, intense racing. Jay Wilson and Aaron Tanti continued their magnetic relationship on the track and again fought it out over the three motos contested, this time Tanti taking the win with his 2-1-2 results over Wilson in third with 7-2-1 finishes which included a couple of falls. 

Kota Toriyabe got some valuable track time in a racing environment and improved as the day progressed.

Kota Toriyabe got some valuable track time in a racing environment and improved as the day progressed. He finished with 10-7-8 results that netted him seventh overall in a highly competitive field. 

Unfortunately, the news for Jayce Cosford wasn’t good as a fall in the first race saw him taken to hospital with a broken leg that will have him sidelined for some time. 

Levi Rogers had his first race in seniors and dominated the MX2 Expert class with three emphatic victories. Rogers was hurt at the opening round back in February but was happy to be back on track again and hopes to be moved into the Pro class for the coming rounds where he can test his speed and endurance against the likes of Tanti and Wilson. 

Rhys Budd also made the trip up from New South Wales and had some issues in the MX2 race on Saturday but was able to get back on track on Sunday and contest the MX1 Pro class on his YZ250F. Budd finished third overall on the back of his 4-4-3 results. 

Round three of the Sunshine State Motocross series will hit the picturesque MX Farm at Gympie on August 1-2. 

In the junior divisions, Jake Cannon claimed fourth in a fast and furious 12-15 years 85 class that saw the top five riders laying it on the line. Cannon finished with 3-5-4 results with a fall in race two costing him a possible podium result. After two rounds, Cannon leads the series on his YZ85. 

In the 13-15 years 250cc class, Zac Watson dealt with poor starts and some crashes to finish fifth while Charli Cannon again gave it to the boys to charge home in seventh. Round three of the Sunshine State Motocross series will hit the picturesque MX Farm at Gympie on August 1-2. 

Levi Rogers had his first race in seniors and dominated the MX2 Expert class with three emphatic victories.

Good numbers all attended the re-start of the NSW racing calendar and they all converged on the Dargle MX complex to contest round two of the East Coast MX Series. The venue provided the perfect setting for not just to motocross riders to get back into the swing of things, but also the off road riders and the likes of Luke Styke, Jeremy Carpentier, Blake Hollis and Jess Gardiner all enjoyed the hit out alongside the motocross regulars. 

Styke, Carpentier and Hollis contested the MX Open class with Styke and Carpentier making it a Yamaha 1-2 on the podium. Style finished with 2-1-1-1 results in his four motos while Carpentier claimed 1-2-5-3 finishes to take second. 

Jess Gardiner showed she just isn’t all off road and charged to a second place finish in the Women’s class.

Blake Hollis was a front runner in the MX250 Pro class but an 11th in race two slowed his march to the podium. He finished with 3-11-4-3 to round out the day in fifth place. 

Jess Gardiner showed she just isn’t all off road and charged to a second place finish in the Women’s class. The off road champ finished with 2-2-3-2 results to give her second on the day and valuable track time before the resumption of the AORC. The next round of the East Coast MX will be held at Nowra on August 8-9.