On a night when the heat of the on-track action matched the blistering
ambient temperature, tonight’s GoPro fourth round of the 2015
Australian Supercross Championship presented by Penrite Oils at
Jimboomba X Stadium in south-east Queensland delivered an absolute
feast of action that ultimately saw CDR Yamaha’s Dan Reardon and Davey
Motorsports KTM’s Lewis Woods wearing the biggest smiles of all after
taking the wins in the SX1 and SX2 Championship classes respectively.
For SX1 Championship leader Reardon, tonight’s Jimboomba event saw him
capture his third straight round win of the series and extend his
advantage over arch rival and defending champion, Team Motul Suzuki’s
Matt Moss.
Reardon was in blistering form all night long, much to the delight of
the partisan local crowd, setting the fastest qualifying time and
winning both SX1 heat races.
But in the main event Moss grabbed the vital holeshot, however Reardon
was immediately on his tail out of the first turn, the pair soon
locking horns through the first lap before Moss lost control of his
front end coming into a hairpin turn and fell.
The drop left Moss with no option but to put his head down and charge
back through the pack on the technical and hard packed track if he
wanted to keep his Championship hopes alive.
And for the third straight round, that’s just what Moss did, the gutsy
Suzuki ace working right back through the field to take an eventual
second place finish.
But out front Reardon was also doing what has now become his habit –
winning – the SX1 Comeback King gapping the field to take his third
straight round win as he slowly but surely stamps his domination over
the Championship, with just two rounds now left to run.
Behind Reardon and Moss, second CDR Yamaha rider Kade Mosig rode
strong all race to nail down a solid third place finish, while NPS
Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing’s Adam Monea and DPH Motorsports Peter
Stevens Yamaha’s Lawson Bopping filled the top five.
Atop the post-race podium, Gold Coaster Reardon was once again
delighted to get another Jimboomba win for the south-east Queensland
fans, who again turned out in force, despite roasting temperatures
approaching 40 degrees centigrade through the afternoon.
“This one is a really critical round in the Championship, so I’m rapt
to get the win for all the fans here in Queensland that have come out
to support me, as well as keep the momentum and open up a few more
points lead in the series,” Reardon explained.
“We’ve got two more rounds to go in the Championship and the next one
next weekend at Sydney is indoors at the AUS-X Open event, which I’m
really looking forward to.
“My plan is to keep doing whatever it takes to get this Championship
won.”
Meanwhile a clearly dejected Moss was disappointed in the race,
despite coming through from so far back after his fall to finish
runner-up.
“That’s three straight rounds I’ve been on the ground,” said Moss
philosophically, “and when you’re racing for a Championship, you can”t
afford to do that.
“But I’ve just got to cop it on the chin and come back stronger at the
next one.”
Next weekend the 2015 Australian Supercross Championship presented by
Penrite Oils moves onto the AUS-X Open event at Allphones Arena in
Sydney, where Saturday night’s points paying Championship event will
feature the added dimension of the appearance of global Supercross
superstars Chad Reed and James ‘Bubba’ Stewart in the SX1 class.
In the SX2 Championship racing at Jimboomba, the win streak of
American invader Jimmy Decotis (Penrite Honda Racing) was finally
broken, and it was young Victorian rider Lewis Woods from the Davey
Motorsports KTM team who took the prized scalp.
Woods used a blistering start in the SX2 main event alongside fellow
Newcastle KTM runner Dylan Wills to quickly open a gap over the pack,
while a crash just off the elevated startline that involved SX2
Championship runner-up Luke Clout (Serco Yamaha) left him at the back
of the pack.
Woods set a cracking pace at the front of the field, as all eyes
looked for Decotis, who was running top five in the opening laps and
slowly but surely making his way forward until catching second placed
Wills, when the pair tangled. Decotis managed to keep his place, while
Wills had to fight back to an eventual fifth place finish.
In the closing laps of the race, Woods proved his mettle and kept
making the front running, despite Decotis moving ever closer, but this
time around the American couldn’t pull off one of his come from behind
wins, and instead had to settle for runner-up behind the KTM rider.
An elated Woods was rapt to take the SX2 win, which came after he
earlier in the night won the Best Whip contest.
“It’s been a great night,” Woods smiled.
“Getting a great start in the final makes all the difference and then
all I had to do was get into a rhythm and just keep it going.
“I knew late in the race Jimmy would be coming, because that’s what he
does, but I just kept at it and that’s what got me the win and it
feels awesome.”
For runner-up Decotis, the pint-size American ace was gracious in
taking his first defeat of the series, giving Woods full credit for
his performance.
“Lewis rode so good tonight,” Decotis offered.
“I got close there at the end but not close enough, simple as that.
“Second tonight keeps me right at the top of the Championship, and I’m
happy with that, but that’s not to take anything away from Lewis, as
he absolutely earned that win tonight.”
Behind Woods and Decotis, South Australian SD3 Husqvarna rider Luke
Arbon turned in another solid performance to finish third, while
Penrite Honda Wilson MX’s Geran Stapleton, Wills and CRF Honda
Racing’s Joel WIghtman filled out the top six placings.
As for Clout, he staged a valiant comeback from the startline mishap
with DPH Motorsports Peter Stevens Yamaha rider Wade Hunter, to get
back up into the top five, before crashing again and DNFing.
In SXD class racing at the Jimboomba event, GYTR Yamaha rider Jordan
Hill made his return to the series a winning one, by taking the
overall win on the night, ahead of Mathews Motorcycles sponsored Trent
Wheatly and SS Racing’s Lachlan Holroyd. Raceline Pirelli Suzuki’s
Brock McLeary finished fourth, while championship front runner Mitch
Evans (GYTR Yamaha) finished eight overall after crashing heavily in
the final moto.
2015 Australian Supercross Championship
Round four – Jimboomba, Queensland
SX1 Main Event Results:
1. DANIEL REARDON
2. MATT MOSS
3. KADE MOSIG
4. ADAM MONEA
5. LAWSON BOPPING
6. LUKE STYKE
7. DANIEL MCCOY
8. GAVIN FAITH
9. DANNY HAM
10. JOEL NEWTON
11. THOMAS HILL
12. AARON TANTI
SX2 Main Event Results:
1. LEWIS WOODS
2. JIMMY DECOTIS
3. LUKE ARBON
4. GERAN STAPLETON
5. DYLAN WILLS
6. JOEL WIGHTMAN
7. LUKE WILSON
8. TOMAS RAVENHORST
9. JESSE MADDEN
10. JACKSON RICHARDSON
11. JED BEATON
12. JACK SIMPSON
13. BRODY CASSIDY
14. KYLE WEBSTER
15. JAMIE HARVEY
16. BOYD HOCKING
17. JAKE WILLIAMS
SXD Results:
1. JORDAN HILL
2. TRENT WHEATLEY
3. LACHLAN HOLROYD
4. BROCK MCLEARY
5. TOBY STEVENS
6. TYLER BULLEN
7. JAIDEN CORRIGAN
8. MITCH EVANS
