It was complete Honda domination for the top categories at the Penrite ProMX Retro Round in Coffs Harbour.
The official “Retro Round” 6 of the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship held at Coffs Harbour was quite a technical track which lent itself to some epic on-track battles.
Thankfully the rain cleared and left the racers and fans with blue skies but the rutted track made for intense concentration as the riders were chasing lines throughout the day.
Catch up with all the action below.
“Retro Round” 6 – Coffs Harbour NSW, 24th July 2022
THOR MX1
The THOR MX1 Moto opened the days entertainment and did not disappoint.
HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Dean Ferris #111, made his trademark Holeshot with Aaron Tanti on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Yamaha close in 2nd place from lap 1. The pair did not hold back as they banged bars around the fast Coffs Harbour track. Matt Moss on the BBR Yamaha 102 Motorsports unfortunately binned it on lap 1 in 5th position and then, to add insult to injury, was clipped by another rider, ending the day for the fastest qualifier from the morning’s Pole Shootout. Five minutes into the battle, Tanti put his head down and passed Ferris for the lead, as Brett Metcalfe on the GO 24 KTM would do the same to Todd Waters for 3rd position. The middle of the race began to settle in and Ferris then knuckled under, closing back in on Tanti and with 2 laps to go, made an aggressive pass to retake the lead. Tanti then unsettled, tipped over with 1 lap to go and lost 2nd position to Metcalfe as he remounted. KTM Australia’s Kirk Gibbs was in the zone and went from 7th position on lap 1 to pass Tanti and take 2nd on the final lap. At the chequered flag it was Ferris with the win, from Gibbs, Metcalfe, Tanti and Husqvarna Australia’s Todd Waters.
The start of Moto 2 of THOR MX1 saw Ferris taking the Holeshot yet again, followed again by Tanti in 2nd. Ferris and Tanti dueled early in lap 1 before Ferris made a big error in a technical turn giving Tanti room to make the pass. Todd Waters, Kirk Gibbs and Empire Kawasaki’s Jayden Rykers would also battle for 3rd position in the opening laps. The track was deteriorating quickly and the lead pair took several laps to find lines and find a race pace before the 2nd half of the race battle began. Ferris began to gain on Tanti and then, with 8 minutes to go made an aggressive inside pass, cutting off Tanti’s run in the ruts to the next corner. Behind the leaders, Kirk Gibbs established 3rd position early and laid down consistent laps to solidify another Moto podium finish. GAS GAS Australia’s Hayden Mellross put on an inspired ride to charge through to 4th position late in the Moto, battling with Todd Waters. As the laps wound down, the chequered flag flew for Dean Ferris going 1-1 on the day and taking the overall victory. With Kirk Gibbs in 3rd position, he secured 2nd overall and Aaron Tanti’s 2nd place in the final Moto gave him 3rd overall, maintaining the Red Plate as he leaves Coffs Harbour.
THOR MX1 Overall Podium
1st – Dean Ferris
2nd – Kirk Gibbs
3rd – Aaron Tanti
Pirelli MX2
The Pirelli MX2, riders were gifted a race track with many more lines and passing options than when they were last on track for the first qualifying session. Rhys Budd on the Yamalube Yamaha made his motivation clear by taking the Holeshot and retaining strong track position early, with a several bike length lead. Kaleb Barham on the MPE Husqvarna was running first in 2nd place and then 3rd for half the race before a small mistake would see him move out of the top 5 by the chequered flag. Wilson Todd on the HRC Honda Racing Australia Crf250r once again put on a show of pace and precision, passing Budd for the lead on lap 4 and never looking back. A battle began between several podium contenders with KTM Australia’s Nathan Crawford, the SERCO Yamaha duo of Jesse Dobson and Bailey Malkiewicz and Empire Kawasaki’s Haruki Yokoyama. Crawford would be the first to fall from the top 3 and Barham would quickly follow suit a lap later. Malkiewicz would also fall from contention in this same cluster of laps as the technical Coffs Harbour track claimed more victims. As the racing settled down, it would be Todd who would cruise to victory, with Budd in 2nd, Yokoyama who took control of 3rd position, with Crawford rebounding to 4th from his fall on his first gate drop since returning from pre season injury. Dobson would round out the top five in 5th at the 2022 ProMX retro round.
Moto 2 saw Pirelli MX2 Red Plate holder Todd take the Holeshot with Crawford close in tow. Todd then put his head down to open up a 5-second lead in the opening laps. Yamaha mounted Jayce Cosford continued to return to form running in 3rd position early. Todd took his second victory of the day and the overall Round win. Crawford took 2nd in the Moto, mounting a late race charge to Todd which saw him close in to a couple of bike lengths at the finish. Cosford posted his first podium Moto finish of the season in 3rd, with Dobson and Rogers finishing 4th and 5th respectively. With another overall victory, Todd marches closer and closer to clinching the 2022 Pirelli MX2 Championship crown.
Pirelli MX2 Overall Podium
1st – Wilson Todd
2nd – Nathan Crawford
3rd – Haruki Yokoyama
MAXXIS MX3
Jack Mather on the Husqvarna Australia machine claimed the opening Moto Holeshot to focus on building a gap early in the race. KTM Newcastle’s Connor Towill hung onto the back of Mather and took the lead around the outside of Mather, 5-minutes into the Moto.. Fastest Qualifier, KTM Australia’s Ryan Alexanderson, started outside the top 5 and efficiently picked off each rider on his way to the front. With 5 minutes to go, Alexanderson would make the move stick on Connor Towill to take the lead and stretch out his authority on the MAXXIS MX3 field to the flag, taking the win. Behind Alexanderson it would be Towill in 2nd, as Mather crashed out of 3rd with only minutes remaining, allowing GAS GAS Australia’s Byron Dennis through to the final podium spot in Moto 1 at the ProMX retro round.
Moto 2 would see a repeat of the opening race with Mather taking the Holeshot from Connor Towill. In Moto 2 however, Towill would waste no time in mounting another attack on Mather, scrubbing past to the lead only 3 turns into the race. As Towill stretched a 3-second lead by the halfway mark, Husqvarna Australia’s Brock Flynn would move to 2nd and keep Towill honest, eventually closing the gap to just 1-second as the laps progressed. HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Cambell Williams and Ride Red Honda’s Ty Kean formed an epic battle for 4th position, before Kean would collect Williams in a slow turn mistake, handing 4th to Alexanderson. With 5-minutes to go, Towill would make a mistake giving the lead to Flynn, whilst bunching up the field at the front. Ultimately Alexanderson was too strong and the Moto 1 winner would pass through to 1st position in the final 2 laps, taking 1-1 Moto scores and the overall victory. Flynn would ride to a solid 2nd position, as Towill would go down trying to make a pass for 2nd on the final lap. With Towill’s crash, Flynn would take 3rd overall, as Mather claimed 3rd place, taking 2nd overall on the day. MAXXIS MX3 Red Plate holder, KTM Australia’s Kayden Minear posted a consistent day away from his recent podium speed, posting 5-4 Moto scores, giving him 4th overall and keeping the Red Plate as he leaves the ProMX retro round.
MAXXIS MX3 Overall Podium
1st – Ryan Alexanderson
2nd – Jack Mather
3rd – Brock Flynn
Pre 95 & Classic Evo Cup
The nostalgia and two strokes of yesteryear were on display to the delight of race fans at the ProMX retro round. In Moto 1, it was Brenton Inglis on the replace Chesterfield Yamaha Yz250 from the early 90’s who would briefly battle Paul Grant before checking out for the win. A change of fortune in Moto 2 would see Inglis crash whilst leading the field into the first turn, taking a big impact and a DNF. Grant would dominate Moto 2 on his way to the chequered flag. In the final Moto, Grant and Inglis would battle early, with Inglis falling from contention, giving Grant his 2nd Moto victory of the day.
Pre95 Cup Overall Podium
1st – Paul Grant
2nd – Robert Byrnes
3rd – Alex Middleton
Classic Evo Cup
1st Overall – Steve Sweeney
The Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores now heads to Queensland Moto Park for Round 7 on August 14th
2022 Penrite ProMX Championship Presented By AMX Superstores
Round 1 – Wonthaggi VIC, 27th March
Round 2 – Mackay QLD, 10th April
Round 3 – Wodonga VIC, 1st May
Round 4 – Gillman SA, 29th May
Round 5 – Maitland NSW, 26th June
Round 6 – Coffs Harbour NSW, 24th July
Round 7 – QLD Moto Park, 14th August
Round 8 – Coolum QLD, 20-21st August