Suzuki Dominates Under 19 Supercross Opener

RACE REPORT

2011 Australian National Supercross Championship (Round One)
Melbourne (VIC)
22 October 2011

Team Raceline Pirelli Suzuki riders Errol Willis and Joey Savatgy dominated proceedings at the opening round of the 2011 Australasian Supercross Championship held at Melbourne Knights Stadium, Melbourne.

Errol Willis - Suzuki

Despite volatile weather and treacherous track conditions, the Suzuki RM-Z250 mounted team mates were never headed during the Under 19 final, finishing 1 - 2.

Willis, the reigning Australian National Motocross Under 19s Champion, placed second in his heat and grabbed the opportunity in the final by scoring a thrilling victory.

U.S import Savatgy made an impressive debut, dominating his heat race for an easy victory before finishing a close second in the final.

Pro Open rider Lawson Bopping, still in his rookie 450 season, looked fast and aggressive on board his fuel injected RM-Z450.

Finishing first in his heat, his night was cut short after a broken clutch lever ruined his hopes of completing the final.

Round two of the Australasian Supercross Championship will take place at WIN Stadium in Wollongong next Saturday October 29.

CHRIS TISDALE, GENERAL MANAGER, TEAM RACELINE PIRELLI SUZUKI

"The U19s result for the team was a great start. Both Joey and Errol put on an exciting battle. To be honest, I was glad to see them both get over the line after such an intense last lap. It was really disappointing to see Lawson suffer a broken clutch lever after such a strong first heat win. But the conditions were terrible and unfortunately Lawson didn't have luck on his side in the final. He will be one to watch in the next few rounds."

Round 1 2011 Australian Results Championship Results

U19 - Top 10 Championship Standings
1. Errol Willis (Suzuki RM-Z250) 25
2. Joey Savatgy (Suzuki RM-Z250) 22
3. Matthew Phillips 20
4. Corey Lucas 18
5. Geran Stapleton 16
6. Jake Williams 15
7. Jay Wilson 14
8. Tristen Cachia 13
9. Jarrad Davis 12
10. Kale Makeham 11

OPEN - Top 10 Championship Standings
1. Tye SIMMONDS: 25
2. Billy MACKENZIE: 22
3. Ryan MARMONT: 20
4. Cheyne BOYD: 18
5. Dan MCCOY: (Suzuki RM-Z450) 16
6. Michael PHILLIPS: 15
7. Todd WATERS: 14
8. Jay MARMONT: 13
9. Daniel REARDON: 11
10. Jake MOSS: 12
Lawson Bopping DNF

Jay Marmont And CDR Rockstar Yamaha Rewrite Record Books At MX Nationals

Jay Marmont produced a superb performance to win the final round of the 2011 Rockstar MX Nationals and in turn create history by being the only rider to win the conveted national motocross championship four years in a row.

Marmont takes championship # 4

Marmont entered the final round 18 points down on series leader and team mate Josh Coppins. But in typical, 'never say die' Marmont racing and with 'Queenslander' blazed across his racing pants, the 28 year old New South Wales rider produce four scintillating motos to win the final round and take the Pro Open championship.

Marmont racked up 1-2-1-1 results in the four races while Coppins fell early in race three and had to withdraw from a shoulder injury.

The four national motocross crowns now has him equal with motocross legends Stephen Gall and Craig Dack for the most wins in the premier division but the only rider to have won four MX Nationals Motocross Championships in a row. His name is now among the greats of Australia's sporting landscape and so is that of his team after success the past four years. Once again the CDR Rockstar Yamaha crew has proven to be the bench mark of Australian motocross.

"From where we started at the beginning of the year, it is hard to believe I have won it," Marmont says emotionally. "Even coming into today and with the form Josh has been racing with lately it was a long shot but I wanted to win the round and hope for a bit of luck."

"Unfortunately for Josh, his fall with another rider in race three was the bit of luck I needed and I feel for him as he rode a great championship and was a fierce competitor."

Marmont was as far back as ninth in the championship after the opening round and struggled to find his mojo in the early rounds. But extensive testing with the CDR Rockstar Yamaha team and development on his YZ450F was the catalyst to get Marmont back on track and he stormed home in the final four rounds, winning three and claiming second on the other to claim a popular and well deserved win that has seen Marmont lift his game to a new level.

"I can't thank my CDR Rockstar Yamaha team enough. The entire season they kept working to make the bike better and gave me everything I needed to go out and get the results I needed. The support of Dacka, Gary, Shaun and Jason has been vital in the success of this team and in this championship."

"I also need to thank my wife Abbey and my family for all their support and we are going to be back in 2012 shooting for number 5," Marmont finishes.

The hard luck story of the round goes to Josh Coppins. After the opening two legs in the morning session, Coppins maintained his 18 point gap and with two races to go, he looked at short odds to take the championship. But fate dealt him a nasty hand when a rider fell directly in front of him and as a result Coppins was part of the collateral damage. The fall popped his shoulder out of place and try as he might, he was unable to finish race three or race four and dropped to second in the championship.

Coppins debut year in the MX nationals has been nothing short of remarkable and even after the pain of his injury and the disappointment of his crash, Coppins was one of the first people track side to congratulate Marmont in a massive show of sportsmanship and a credit to his character.

"That's life! Coppins laments moments after the final race. "I gave it everything I had but sometimes things happen and I guess it just wasn't to be."

"I'm obviously upset about not winning the championship but well done to Jay as there is no one else I would rather see win it than him."

"But my goals are not over yet and I want to come back in 2012 and get this championship."

Team manager, Craig Dack, finished the day experiencing the highest highs and the lowest lows of racing as his team riders duked it out for the championship victory.

"Those final two motos were tough as I felt almost every emotion possible. The pain of Josh and his injury forcing him to not even be able to race for the championship while Jay taking the win and making it four in a row for him and the team."

"I am continually amazed at Jay Marmont the athlete. He is the warrior of Australian motocross and fights for every point on every corner of every lap of every race he enters. His fighting spirit has no end and as a result his ability to win championships is unmatched."

"Josh did everything right and was in perfect position to win this year. A rider fell directly in front of him and through no fault of his own he couldn't avoid the fallen bike and was taken down in the crash. It is a gut wrenching way to lose a major championship."

"But a 1-2 result is exceptional and a real credit to all the staff, sponsors and people involved in the team. I thank Yamaha for their continued support of this team and the opportunity to showcase their products. It has been a tremendously rewarding year for everyone at CDR and we look forward to the rest of 2011," Dack explains.

Round Nine Results - Coolum
Pro Open

Rider	Manufacturer	Results	Points
1st Jay Marmont	Yamaha	1-2-1-1	97points
2nd Billy Mackenzie	Kawasaki	3-6-2-3	77points
3rd Todd Waters	Honda	9-9-4-2	64points
4th Lawson Bopping	Suzuki	8-8-3-4	64points
5th Cody Cooper	Suzuki	7-5-10-8	54points

ROCKSTAR PRO OPEN FINAL 2011 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1 Jay Marmont 682 Points
2 Josh Coppins 650 Points
3 Billy Mackenzie 636 Points
4 Dean Ferris 601 Points
5 Cheyne Boyd 537 Points
6 Michael Phillips 510 Points
7 Lawson Bopping 497 Points
8 Cody Cooper 449 Points
9 Louis Calvin 340 Points
10 Beau Ralston 246 Points

Championship Battles Loom For Yamaha Racing

Kirk Gibbs

Yamaha Racing enter the final round of the nine round 2011 Rockstar MX Nationals in the enviable position of battling for two championship wins and locking down two podium positions in what has been a successful campaign for Yamaha.

After eight rounds and 30 individual motos, only 18 points separate the CDR Rockstar Yamaha duo of Josh Coppins and Jay Marmont in the Pro Open class. 33 points is the gap Kirk Gibbs must bridge if he is to take the crown in the Pro Lites division while Luke Arbon and Shaun Redhead will look to put the finishing touches on their season and nail down second and third respectively in the Under 19 category. Add to that some serious challengers in the Veterans classes and it promises to be a huge weekend for Yamaha.

CDR ROCKSTAR YAMAHA
CDR Rockstar Yamaha is shooting for their fourth successive MX National championship in a row. That feat alone is remarkable and a credit to the entire team for their continued commitment to racing and the culture they provide for their riders.

Josh Coppins will hit the black soil of Coolum holding an 18 point lead over team mate Jay Marmont and trying to win his first Australian Championship. Coppins has been a model of consistency all year and his relentless pursuit of victory is what has got him to this position with one round remaining. With the Moree and Coolum round on consecutive weekends, Coppins stayed in Australia but maintained his regular routine.

"It's actually been nice to stay here and enjoy the warm weather," Coppins commented. "With the team also staying in Queensland I have been able to get some riding in and hit the gym so for me its business as usual this weekend and try and post the four best motos I can."

Jay Marmont is gunning for a record equaling four Australian motocross championships and a record breaking four in a row. Marmont has been the diesel engine of the championship, building momentum slowly but coming home strong and showing no signs of slowing down. His past three rounds have seen two victories and an equal first so his form is first class.

"Coolum has been a happy hunting ground for me the past few seasons and I always enjoy the weekend up there. I did a race at the track during the year and managed to win that so I'm looking forward to the race."

"I have nothing to lose, so it's all or nothing for me this weekend."

SERCO YOSHOMURA YAMAHA
After being as far as 80 points behind the championship leader, Kirk Gibbs has now reduced that margin down to 33. With four races and 100 points remaining the Pro Lites championship is well and truly alive. Gibbs is a fan of the Coolum circuit and was the round winner here just 12months ago and hopes to continue that form this weekend.

"My goal is nothing more than to win the round. There is no point working out points and positions so it's just win the day, get as many points and race wins that I can and see how we end up when it's finished."

"I like Coolum as it's a great track to ride and being close to the Serco team base, it's always good to do well there," Gibbs finishes.

Guest rider Luke Styke is also back for the final round and looking to improve on his ninth last weekend at Moree. Styke is filling in for the injured Jake Moss and now with a race under his belt and more seat time on the Serco YZ250F, he is looking for an improved performance.

"I was pretty angry after Moree as I didn't get the result I wanted. I have been hitting the practice track pretty hard this week to make sure I'm prepared for this weekend. The sandy surface of Coolum is to my liking and I want to give the Serco team a good result to thank them for the opportunity they have given me," Styke comments.

GYTR ROCKSTAR YAMAHA
With their championship aspirations exhausted, the GYTR Rockstar Yamaha duo of Luke Arbon and Shaun Redhead are out to restore a bit of pride this weekend. Both riders are hurting from the disappointing round at Moree and have had a week to regroup and come out swinging at Coolum.

"No one likes to be beaten like we were at Moree," Redhead states. "This weekend is all about gaining back some respect and showing everyone that Moree isn't what this race team is about."

VETS
The Coolum weekend will also see the 30 to 39years as well as the 40 plus class in veterans racing. Cameron Taylor, last years' winner in the 30 to 39 years group is back on his YZ450F and looking to make in back to back wins while New Zealand's ageless warrior Darryll King will be back to defend his 40plus championship.

The ever green King will also contest the Pro Open class and will no doubt get the iron man award as he will line up for eight races over the weekend.

Action gets underway at 8.30am on Saturday morning at the Coolum pines circuit. Veterans and Quads will be on track Saturday as well as practice for the professional classes. Sunday will see the pros race in ager and the 2011 champions decided. Visit, www.mxnationals.com.au for more information.

Championship Standings - One Round Remaining

Rockstar Energy Pro Open
1 Josh Coppins 603 Points
2 Jay Marmont 585 Points
3 Dean Ferris 563 Points
4 Billy Mackenzie 559 Points
5 Cheyne Boyd 494 Points
6 Michael Phillips 460 Points
7 Lawson Bopping 433 Points
8 Cody Cooper 395 Points
9 Louis Calvin 313 Points
10 Daniel Reardon 226 Points

Motul Pro Lites Championship
1 Matt Moss 567 Points
2 Kirk Gibbs 534 Points
3 Brenden Harrison 478 Points
4 Phil Nicoletti 477 Points
5 Daniel McCoy 461 Points
6 Kade Mosig 440 Points
7 Josh Cachia 423 Points
8 Cody Mackie 419 Points
9 Justin McDonald 403 Points
10 Luke Styke 372 Points

Pirelli Under 19's Championship
1 Errol Willis 656 Points (2011 Champion)
2 Luke Arbon 550 Points
3 Shaun Redhead 466 Points
4 Dylan Peterson 425 Points
5 Jay Wilson 385 Points
6 Jake Emanuelli 380 Points
7 Kyle McKeddie 370 Points
8 Sam Martin 305 Points
9 Kale Makeham 280 Points
10 Dylan Long 270 Points

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Jay Marmont Wins 2011 Manjimup 15 000

Three time Australian Motocross Champion, CDR Rockstar Yamaha's Jay Marmont added to his legendary status by winning the grueling Manjimup 15 000 event in Western Australia over the weekend.

Jay Marmont takes out the Manjimup 15000

Long seen as one of the toughest and most challenging events in Australia, the Manjimup 15 000 isn't for the weak, the unfit or the faint hearted as it pits the best riders in Australia in a four moto shootout on one of the toughest tracks going round. That is the perfect scenario for the never say die, tough as nails Marmont.

Jay Marmont battled with an international field that included the UK's Bryan Mackenzie and Jamie Law, the USA's Bryce Vallee and Michael Phillips from New Zealand as well as a host of East Coast and local hot shots to take the victory and write his name on the trophy for a record third time, the only rider to have won the event three times.

Marmont claimed three race wins, including the all important double points final race, and a second to take the victory on the day, 13 points clear of Bryan Mackenzie.

"I love racing at this event," Marmont said after a long day. "The track is easily one of the best in Australia, the club do a great job promoting it and there is always a good atmosphere here."

"Winning an event like this is just what I needed to get my season back on track and get some momentum going my way in the MX Nationals."

"I now head back to Queensland where I'm going to race at a local event up there before heading to Coonabarbran for round six of the MX Nationals.

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Manjimup 15,000 - 2011 Results
1st Jay Marmont - 122 (CDR Rockstar Yamaha)
2nd Bryan Mackenzie - 109
3rd Michael Addison - 100
4th Jamie Law - 94
5th Louis Calvin - 76

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CDR Rockstar Yamaha Restore Pride At MX Nats

A three week team soul searching mission and some extensive testing on the race bikes has paid huge dividends for the CDR Rockstar Yamaha duo of Josh Coppins and Jay Marmont as they pulled off a sensational 1-3 result at round two of the MX Nationals held at Appin over the weekend.

Josh Coppins break through for 1st MX Nationals Victory

After the huge disappointment of round one where the team struggled to seventh and ninth places, Coppins and Marmont showed the fight and spirit team boss Craig Dack was looking for with Coppins taking the round win and Marmont nailing down third for the round.

Fighting off an ankle injury sustained at a recent round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships, Coppins limped his way into the Appin circuit but the Kiwi gritted his teeth and got down to business of re-establishing himself in this championship.

In the two by back to back race format, Coppins produced consistently good results to take the round win with 2-3-4-2 positions in the premier Pro Open class. The rough and rutty track spells danger for any rider carrying an ankle injury but Coppins smooth style and world championship experience saw him take the round win, rocket up to third in the championship and keep his ginger ankle out of harms way.

"Things obviously went a lot better today than the opening round," said Coppins. "I was able to keep clear of trouble in all four motos and focused on putting in the best laps I could given the conditions and my ankle."

"I also must give credit to the CDR Rockstar Team. Everyone worked tirelessly since round one to ensure the bike was perfect and that I had no excuses."

"This is also my first win in Australia, the championship points got a lot tighter and I think we are starting to pick up some momentum," Coppins signs off.

Jay Marmont entered round two with the motocross community questioning if he has what it takes to win this years' championship. Marmont answered in the best way possible, by slamming his number 1 plated YZ450 at the head of the field and racing with his heart on his sleeve.

After the opening three motos, Marmont was right in contention to take the round win day but a first turn crash in race four left him well down the field and the round win slip through his fingers. Still he fought on and charged back inside the top 10 to finish the day with 4-4-2-8 places and the final spot on the podium in the Pro Open division.

"I came into today determined to get a better result, one that I was proud off and while I didn't win the day it was a huge step in the right direction and I feel like I put in a good effort," Marmont said.

"It was a shame that I could quite seal the deal for the round as I crashed in the first turn of the last race, but I think I have clawed back a lot of points and look forward to the next round at Raymond Terrace," Marmont enthuses.

Craig Dack, Team CDR Rockstar Yamaha Manager, was in a much happier frame of mind leaving the Appin venue and is proud of the effort and energy his riders and team put in.

"We were under the pump at round one and had plenty of work to do to get back in the hunt. The team pulled together well and got the improvement out of the bikes we needed and the riders showed good mental strength to fight back from a disappointing round one."

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"We still have a long way to go and but we leave Appin with a positive frame of mind and ready for the next challenge at Raymond Terrace.

For a full list of results and more information, please visit www.mxnationals.com.au

Round Two Results - Appin
Pro Open.

Qualifying: Jay Marmont- P1 / Josh Coppins - P3

Rider	Manufacturer	Results	Points
1st Josh Coppins	Yamaha	2-3-4-2	80points
2nd Dean Ferris	Kawasaki	10-6-1-1	76points
3rd Jay Marmont	Yamaha	4-4-2-8	71points
4th Michael Phillips	Honda	3-8-3-5	69points
5th Ryan Marmont	KTM	0-1-8-2	60points
6th Cheyne Boyd	Honda	5-5-6-14	54points
7th Lawson Bopping	Suzuki	6-2-0-7	51points
8th Billy Mackenzie	Kawasaki	8-10-5-13	48points
9th Louis Calvin	KTM	7-9-12-9	47points
10th Lewis Woods	KTM	12-15-9-6	42points

Championship Standings- After Round Two
Rockstar Energy Drink Pro Open
1. Dean Ferris 139
2. Billy Mackenzie 137
3. Josh Coppins 134
4. Ryan Marmont 128
5. Cheyne Boyd 123
6. Lawson Bopping 121
7. Jay Marmont 118
8. Michael Phillips 113
9. Louis Calvin 99
10. Cody Cooper 96