Imports Billie Mackenzie and P.J Larsen took the opening round of the 2010 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals at Horsham, Vic, in the Pro Open and Lite classes respectively, while Josh Cachia upheld some Australian pride with a solid win in the Under 19's class. All three winners qualified fastest for their respective classes.
Mackenzie faced the toughest day at the office of the three winners with the Kawasaki Racing Team rider taking the days overall win despite only winning one of the three 20 minute motos, the Scott ended the day with a 2-1-3 result.
After a flying start in moto one Mackenzie was chased down by young Cougar Bourbon Honda Thor Racing rider Todd Waters. Moto two saw Mackenzie greet the checkered flag first while Waters struggled through from a bad start and crashes to take third. Defending champion Jay Marmont got the start he had been missing in the first two motos and lead from start to finish. Mackenzie kept the consistent theme going and finished third behind Motorex KTM's Tye Simmonds.
At the end of the day these three stood on the podium with Mackenzie getting the start he wanted to Australian Championship campaign with the outright win. Waters finished 8 points adrift in second while Marmont put his CDR Rockstar Yamaha on the final step of the podium.
“It’s a good way to start the season,” Mackenzie said. “I was a little bit upset with my performance in the first race and I also had a small problem in that last race - I went to let the clutch out and the bike was in neutral! So it was my own fault, and I also went down so I made it hard for myself, but I liked the track today. There’s been such a good atmosphere ever since I got here, I’m enjoying Australia, and I’m just enjoying riding my bike again. I had a bad year last year and I just came here to get refreshed and it’s definitely working," he concluded.
Waters was happy with his day but admitted the persistent drizzle that started in the second round of racing affected his day. “It was a really tough day of racing today but what a great first up result,” Waters acknowledged. “I feel fantastic and couldn’t be happier with the way I rode. I felt really comfortable on the bike in the dry, I could push hard and find good lines but by the final race the rain made if feel like I was trying to ride on ice. It was insane! I crashed three times and could hardly see the track I had so much mud all over me. Full credit must go to the Cougar Bourbon Honda Thor Racing team who all worked so hard over the off season to make sure we were fully prepared for this weekend,” Waters added.
It wasn't the easiest day for Marmont but he was happy to come away with good points. “It’s been a very hard day,” Marmont said. “Last night we were pumping in the cold and flu tablets, and I knew it was going to be a tough day and then the rain set in! I made that second race hard for myself, crashing on the last lap, but I brought it home strong in that last one and it’s almost like trail riding out there it was so slippery – it was like riding on ice! But I didn’t get roosted, and at the end of the day I got some good points and I’m looking forward to going to the next round," the defending champion said.
In the Pro Lites it was almost all about another import, P.J Larsen. The American dominated qualifying and was almost a second and a half faster than second fastest Ford Dale and over two seconds quicker than third fastest Luke George. When the gate dropped in Moto 1 the Motorex KTM rider was still sitting at the gate after he hit neutral of the start. Miraculously he went from dead last to second within the space of a lap. Once he dispatched his team-mate Ryan Marmont he was gone and cruised to a 22 second win.
P.J. did struggle in moto two where he crashed three times in the slimy conditions. As Larsen struggled up to eleventh, Serco Yamaha's Kirk Gibbs and Kawasaki Racing Teams Cody Mackie where waging war at the front of the pack with Gibbs eventually winning on the last lap. Moto three it back to the Larsen show as he put on an exhibition out front. At the end of the day Larsen took the Silver wear ahead of his team-mate Ryan Marmont, Gibbs stood on the final step of the podium. “Today was a really good day,” Larsen said. “In the first moto I came from a long way back to win it and my teammate came second. In the second moto I had a few crashes and a bad start, but I had the holeshot to start with and ended up 11th. So coming into the third moto I just thought I needed to ride smart and that’s what I did. The team has gone one and two this round, and it’s a great way to start the season," Larsen added.
In the Under 19s, MXRad Coastal KTM rider Josh Cachia dominated proceedings, qualifying fastest and winning the first two motos. Cachia only came unstuck in the final moto, when he crashed in the first turn and was forced pick his way back from last place. New Zealander and Raceline Pirelli Suzuki rider Hamish Dobbyn took advantage of the Series leaders misfortune and streaked ahead to a massive win, while Cachia managed to pick his way through to sixth place. As he did last year Cachia took the day's oveall win ahead of Dobbyn and Queenslander Dylan Peterson.
“I had the same feeling as I did last year coming into the first round, and I pretty much put down the same results and hopefully by the end of the year I can put a whole season together and come out with a Championship win,” Cachia said. In the last moto, I went down in the first corner and was in last place, but my team did a really good job of telling me what position I needed to get to, in order to get the overall. I ended up crashing three times in that race, but my consistency in the other races got me the overall and I’m stoked!” he concluded.
The second round of the 2010 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals will be held on Sunday, April 18th at Fairburn Park, Canberra.
PRO OPEN Round 1
1: Billie Mackenzie
2: Todd Waters
3: Jay Marmont - ONE Industries
4: Dean Ferris
5: Tye Simmonds
PRO LITES Round 1
1: PJ Larsen
2: Ryan Marmont
3: Kirk Gibbs
4: Codie Mackie
5: Michael Phillips
UNDER 19's Round 1
1: Josh Cachia
2: Hamish Dobbyn - ONE Industries Racewear
3: Dylan Peterson
4: Ross Beaton
5: Matthew Phillips - ONE Industries Racewear
