ALL TIED-UP: AUS MX TO THE WIRE

In a dramatic twist, Kyle Webster has clinched the 2024 Australian MX1 Championship, edging out a determined Jed Beaton on countback. This thrilling conclusion marks the first tie in Australian motocross modern history, with Webster taking the title by virtue of more race wins over the season.

The finale saw Webster grappling with the aftermath of a heavy crash the previous day, which left him nursing a hand injury. Despite this setback, Webster was in damage control mode throughout the day. Beaton, however, was relentless, securing victories in both of the final motos. The pair ended the season tied on 382 points, but Webster’s superior number of race wins sealed his championship triumph.

The excitement of the day began early as WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Maximus Purvis ended Beaton’s impressive streak in the AMX Superstores Top 10 Pole Shootout. Purvis stunned the field with a blistering lap time of 1m47.729s, over half a second faster than Empire Kawasaki’s Luke Clout.

GASGAS Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs delivered a remarkable final lap performance to finish third, narrowly edging Beaton by 0.26 seconds, while Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team) rounded out the top five.

The opening MX1 moto was packed with action. Beaton took the win, closing the gap on the championship leader. Clout initially claimed the WP Holeshot, but Purvis soon surged past him, only to suffer a huge crash that allowed Clout to briefly regain the lead. Beaton, starting from sixth, worked his way past Clout and dominated the race, finishing 8.6 seconds ahead. Clout secured second, and Webster, despite his pain, managed to finish third.

Wilson Todd (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) played a crucial role by defending Webster from a late charge by Gibbs, ensuring Webster retained valuable points going into the final moto. Gibbs finished fifth in the opening race.

In the final moto, with everything at stake, Webster seized the holeshot, but Beaton quickly moved ahead, establishing an 8.9-second lead by the finish. Despite struggling with pain, Webster fell back as Clout, Gibbs, and Purvis overtook him. However, he managed to stay ahead of Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team), securing Honda’s first MX1 championship in decades, and marking a historic win under the management of team owner Yarrive Konsky.

Kyle Webster has now travelled to the USA in preparation to represent Team Australia at the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) alongside Jett and Hunter Lawrence.