MX Nats: Conondale – Round 6 Results

What an exciting weekend of racing at Conondale’s picturesque Green Park venue in the Hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast for Round 6 of the MX Nationals championship. Back from the five-week mid-season break Dean Ferris continued his sixth consecutive victory streak right where he left off in the MX1 class, MX2 championship leader Wilson Todd dominated, and young gun Hugh McKay took a hard-fought overall victory in the Motul MD class. Check out the race recaps and results from MX Nationals below…

MX1

At a thrilling Round 6 of the 2018 Pirelli MX Nationals at Conondale, Qld, CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team’s Dean Ferris continued to take the Thor MX1 class by storm as he claimed his fifth perfect round of the year.
The paper results don’t tell the entire story though, with Ferris having to run down the front-runners in each race. At the end of the day, though, the defending champion took a spotless 1-1 scorecard from Conondale, ahead of Penrite Honda Racing’s Brett Metcalfe and DPH Motorsport Husqvarna’s Kade Mosig.
KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Luke Clout charged to the front of the opening Thor MX1 moto, but relinquished his lead on the third lap to a rampant Ferris. A mistake soon after saw Mosig slide by Clout on his way to second place, while Metcalfe fought his way to third. Raceline Pirelli KTM’s rookie star Mitch Evans and Clout filled the top five.

In the second Thor MX1 outing, Evans snagged the holeshot, but Mosig led the field through the opening laps, despite a temporary assault from Clout. Overcoming a dismal start, Ferris sniped his way past Mosig for the lead on the eighth lap. Behind him, Metcalfe got involved in a small tangle with Clout but remounted and took the bit between his teeth as he charged to second, just one second behind Ferris. Clout rounded out the podium, with Caleb Ward (Davey Motorsport Husqvarna) fourth and Mosig fifth.

MX1 Results:
1. Dean Ferris (Yamaha) 70
2. Brett Metcalfe (Honda) 62
3. Kade Mosig (Husqvarna) 58
4. Luke Clout (KTM) 56
5. Mitch Evans (KTM) 53
6. Caleb Ward (Husqvarna) 52
7. Rhys Carter (Kawasaki) 49
8. Connor Tierney (Yamaha) 44
9. Robbie Marshall (Honda) 42
10. Keiron Hall (Suzuki) 40

MX2

Fresh off the five-week mid-season break, Serco Yamaha’s Pirelli MX2 championship leader Wilson Todd has continued to extend his series lead with a brace of race victories around the fast, flowing Conondale hills.
While Todd stood atop the day’s overall podium, early championship leader Aaron Tanti (Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing) showed a return to form with second overall, ahead of Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster.
After setting the pace in qualifying, Todd claimed the holeshot of the opening race but was quickly overtaken by Tanti before a small crash on the sixth lap allowed Todd to again earn the lead. Todd pulled an impressive 14-second lead over Tanti by the end of the race, with Yamalube Yamaha pilot Jay Wilson in third. Dylan Wills (DPH Motorsport Husqvarna) and Webster rounded out the top five.

In the Pirelli MX2’s second outing, Tanti and Webster diced several times in the opening lap before a surging Todd took command of the race in on lap two and was never headed on his way to a 9.5-second victory. Tanti stormed home to a second runner-up place for the day, with Webster third. Davey Motorsports KTM’s Hamish Harwood and Wills finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Pirelli MX2 Results:
1. Wilson Todd (Yamaha) 70
2. Aaron Tanti (Kawasaki) 64
3. Kyle Webster (Honda) 56
4. Dylan Wills (Husqvarna) 54
5. Hamish Harwood (KTM) 53
6. Jay Wilson (Yamaha) 49
7. Richie Evans (Yamaha) 48
8. Egan Mastin (KTM) 47
9. Kale Makeham (Honda) 43
10. Cody Dyce (Yamaha) 41

MXD

Bulk Nutrients WBR Yamaha young gun Hugh McKay took a hard-fought overall victory in the always-tight Motul MD class around the picturesque Green Park circuit.
Mackay traded race wins with Kiwi Maximus Purvis (JCR Altherm Yamaha) on his way to the day’s overall, with Yamaha’s Brodie Ellis and KTM’s Mason Rowe enjoying consistent days on their way to overall podium positions.

In the opening Motul MXD race, Davey Motorsports KTM’s championship leader Morgan Fogarty claimed the holeshot, but a mistake on the second lap saw Honda pilot Rhys Budd take over the lead before he too surrendered it to McKay on the fourth lap. Fogarty finished second, ahead of Ellis, Riley Dukes (KTM) and Jye Dickson (Raceline Performance KTM).

In the second race, Purvis led the opening laps before Fogarty moved past for the lead on lap three. Fogarty led several laps before a mistake again let Purvis by. Purvis raced to a 10-second lead over Queensland local Mason Rowe (KTM) and McKay, who clawed his way back from a horror start. Ellis crossed the line in fourth and Dukes in fifth.

Motul MXD Results:
1. Hugh McKay (Yamaha) 65
2. Brodie Ellis (Yamaha) 58
3. Mason Rowe (KTM) 57
4. Morgan Fogarty (KTM) 56
5. Maximus Purvis (Yamaha) 55
6. Riley Dukes (Husqvarna) 54
7. Callum Norton (Honda)
8. Rhys Budd (Honda) 44
9. Liam Walsh (KTM) 42
10. Mat Fabry (Yamaha) 40

The 2018 Pirelli MX Nationals will recommence at Ranch MX, NSW, for the second double-header event, on 14-15 July.