CDR Yamaha’s Dean Ferris has taken his sixth consecutive perfect weekend, obliterating the field once again with pole position and two wins at the 6th round of the MX Nationals at Conondale on 1 July
In the opening moto, KTM’s Luke Clout nabbed the holeshot, but it was Husqvarna’s Kade Mosig and MX veteran Brett Metcalfe (Honda) who took the fight to a bad-starting Ferris. It was a short-lived fight, however, the Yamaha rider found his way through to the front by lap three to go on to take the chequered flag by almost eight seconds ahead of Mosig, with Metcalfe a further six seconds adrift.
#1 Dean Ferris
Photo: Marc Jones Photography
It was a similar story in the second moto, KTM’s Mitch Evans took the holeshot as Mosig lead the way for the first eight laps, after Ferris took longer to regain composure before snatching the lead from the Husqvarna rider, where he remained.
“I still want challenges, and I want to race and that’s what I got today and I’m excited about that,” Ferris said. “My starts weren’t what they needed to be and the speed of the top five guys was good so it made for hard work.”
Further back, Metcalfe and Clout had a coming together which left the Honda rider on the deck, though the 32-year-old remounted and used his experience and determination to fight back through the field to finish in second place, over six seconds ahead of Clout and just over one second behind Ferris.
#24 Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Honda) during Moto 1 at Round 5 2018 Australian Mx Nationals, Murray Bridge, South Australia Australia on May 27 2018 Photo: Marc Jones Photography
Ferris now has a commanding 68-point lead in the series ahead of KTM’s Kirk Gibbs. A battle is heating up for second overall, with second to sixth place separated by just 17 points.
Yamaha’s Wilson Todd took the MX2 round win, winning both races from Aaron Tanti (Kawasaki). The Serco Yamaha rider won the opening moto by almost 15 seconds and the second by almost 10 seconds, to increase his lead in the standings over KTM’s Hamish Harwood (4,5) to 31 points. Kyle Webster (Honda) claimed both final podium spots.
Wilson Todd
The MXD round spoils went to Yamaha’s Hugh McKay (1,3), Yamaha’s Brodie Ellis (3,4) with KTM’s Mason Rowe (6,2) rounding out the podium. Bailey Malkiewicz (Yamaha) leads the standings on equal points with KTM’s Morgan Fogarty (292) with Max Purvis (Yamaha) a further five points adrift in third.
Kellie Buckley