Gallery: Enduro-X @ Sydney Dragway

In previous years, the IMR Australian Enduro-X Nationals has been staged at speedway circuits, motocross track compounds and the vast expanses of Melbourne’s Calder Park, but never had the series gone to a drag strip. Well, all that changed when the second and penultimate round of the 2015 Enduro-X Nats debuted at Sydney Dragway on a balmy evening in late February. For a full race report and results, click here, or check out the series’ comprehensive website: www.enduro-x.com.au

But we thought you might also like an up-close-and-personal insight into the action at Sydney Dragway, as the series goes into its third and deciding round at Calder Park this weekend. So, get your meat pies into this captioned image gallery…

The track cleverly utilised both sides of the drag strip, creating a real amphitheatre set-up. The view from the bar wasn’t bad, either.

Right from the opening heats, American Mike Brown picked up where he left off at Round 1. With a flawless combination of aggression and finesse, the full-time endurocross specialist was in a league of his own, winning all three finals.

It’s great to see an official Sherco team back in the off-road pits in Oz. It’s managed by former magazine guy, Stephen Tuff.

Recently engaged, Scotty Keegan and Krystal Bond. Funny enough, Krystal didn’t try a lap of the gnarly track. Not even once!

When he’s in race mode, Mike Brown’s demeanor screams intensity. He’s developed a great working relationship with one of the mellowest characters in the game, Husqvarna Australia’s Christian Horwood.

With temperatures in the mid 30s, the afternoon heats were just as intense as the evening’s finals under lights.

It was a more calculated Toby Price at Round 2 of the series, as he somehow juggled Saturday’s Enduro-X with stadium truck racing at Adelaide’s Clipsal 500 on Friday and Sunday.

Active8 Yamaha’s Josh Green was one of the few riders who could match Mike Brown’s speed. But Mr Green couldn’t match Mr Brown’s ability to avoid pile-ups. Greeny went 5-2-3 for third, and holds down second place in the title hunt.

Australia’s ISDE-winning team of Jess Gardiner, Tayla Jones and Jemma Wilson filled the Women’s class podium at Sydney, with Jones taking the top step.

Fraser Higglett dominated the Junior class, ahead of and Luke Strauch and Jack Williams.

New Team KTM signing, 20-year-old Daniel Sanders, was aboard one of the few two-strokes in the Pro class field. He had top three speed, but lacked consistency.

Teammates, Toby Price and Daniel Sanders made light work of the tractor tyres – an obstacle that brought lots of riders unstuck.

Recently back from his recent standout Dakar Rally performance, Toby Price was a crowd favourite.

Josh Green leads the snarling pack through the loose log garden.

After two career-threatening neck injuries, wasn’t it great to see Sherco’s Mitch Harper not only back, but back on the pace?!

Having fought his way to the finals via the LCQ, Stefan Granquist didn’t start the evening program too well…

But (after a change of gear) he made that water feature his bitch by the end of the night. Keep an eye on the likeable Swede this season. He’s definitely stepped up.

The Over 35s class was a classic hare and tortoise story: trials bike-mounted, Adrian Harry, ahead of the crashfest that was Damian Smith. Here, Smith bins it on the way to the finish line…

Not fazed by being beaten, Smith bagged up his Husky to the appreciative crowd on the purpose-made burnout pad, claiming it for all he was worth…

And then did what he’s practiced all night again: crashing! That was followed by some vintage “let me thank the man above” talk on the mic.

Three Lukes: supreme stunt rider, Lukey Luke, and General Manager of Sydney Dragway, Luke Smith.

Josh Green and former Enduro-X series winner, Peter Boyle (#18) huck the first gap of a tricky log section. The two riders got tangled right here in the third final, which prompted Green’s last-to-third charge.

This pesky series of logs was all about confidence. While most riders doubled the first two, only Mike Brown consistently doubled gaps through the lot of them.

The three-final format gave riders a short breather between starts, and their team mechanics a little time to straighten out their often jacked-up race bikes.

Father and son duos – Toby and John Price and Tye and Greg Simmonds – talk strategy between finals.

The start gates wouldn’t have been out of place on a Thumper Nats track. Mike Brown used the outside line to great effect all night, sweeping across the field through the first turn.

Having spent 18 months off the bike – playing footy, mustering and telling yarns down at the local in Bourke – the bigger, stronger and more relaxed Tye Simmonds is relishing being back in racing circles. He ran second Overall and is a real chance for this year’s AORC.