KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford grabbed his second MX1 moto win of the season and finished the weekend third overall at Maitland.
The first of the two-day rounds in the 2024 Australian ProMX Championship proved a winning formula for KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford at Maitland, as he grabbed his second MX1 moto win of the season and finished the weekend a strong third overall. In the MX2 class, Kayden Minear put in three consistent results to earn himself sixth overall.
Crawford made his intentions clear early on with an impressive third-quickest qualifying time aboard his 2024 KTM 450 SX-F, before powering to the front of the opening MX1 moto on Saturday. After an eventful race where the lead changed on multiple occasions, the Queenslander prevailed to take victory.
Sunday again saw a strong performance from Crawford in his return season to the MX1 category, as he held tough for a pair of P3 results in the pair of motos to finish his weekend third overall, just one point outside of first place to conclude round four.
Crawford remains third in the MX1 standings at the halfway mark of the championship.
In the MX2 class, Minear set the fourth-fastest qualifying time aboard his 2024 KTM 250 SX-F to commence the weekend in convincing fashion and went on to take a sixth-place result in Saturday’s opening encounter.
The Western Australian made a fast start to the second outing on his way to a P5 result on Sunday morning, then backed that finish up with eighth place this afternoon around a rough and rutted circuit to finish his weekend sixth overall.
Teenage talent Minear now sits fourth in the MX2 championship standings as the ProMX series prepares to head to Murray Bridge, South Australia, on 23 June for the fifth round.
Nathan Crawford: “Maitland wasn’t bad at all! Yesterday was a really good day and I was happy to get the win in the opening moto. Today looks alright on paper with a 3-3, but I just had nowhere near the feeling on the track that I did yesterday, which was the only that frustrated me a little bit. I need to remind myself that I’m on the podium, it’s my first year back in this class, and I’m racing guys who’ve been here for a while. I’m competitive and at the front most of the time, so I’m happy to get this result for the team.”
Kayden Minear: “This weekend went decent for me. We came away equal fifth for sixth overall on countback and I’m happy with that. I’m improving on hardpack and I’m confident in my riding, but I’d say my expectations have changed after the previous round, where I’m not going to be satisfied if I’m not on the podium at this point of the season.”
2024 Australian ProMX Championship – Maitland, NSW
MX1 round results:
1. Kyle Webster (Honda)
2. Jed Beaton (Yamaha)
3. Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team)
4. Kirk Gibbs (GASGAS)
5. Luke Clout (Kawasaki)
MX1 championship standings:
1. Jed Beaton (Yamaha) 202
2. Kyle Webster (Honda) 201
3. Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team) 176
4. Kirk Gibbs (GASGAS) 148
5. Luke Clout (Kawasaki) 146
MX2 round results:
1. Ryder Kingsford (Yamaha)
2. Noah Ferguson (Honda)
3. Alex Larwood (Honda)
4. Haruki Yokoyama (Honda)
5. Jayce Cosford (Yamaha)
6. Kayden Minear (KTM Racing Team)
MX2 championship standings:
1. Brodie Connolly (Honda) 182
2. Noah Ferguson (Honda) 170
3. Ryder Kingsford (Yamaha) 163
4. Kayden Minear (KTM Racing Team) 139
5. Jayce Cosford (Yamaha) 123