The opening round of the MX Nationals proved successful for Yamaha Racing, winning all three championship classes with Dean Ferris (MX1), Wilson Todd (MX2) and Cooper Pozniak (MXD) taking victories.
In addition to that, Kade Mosig, Mitch Evans and Cody Dyce also stood on the podium making it a day to remember for Yamaha riders and teams.
With the dust settled, the Team Managers of each respective team had a chance to reflect on what was a very encouraging start for Yamaha to the 2017 MX Nationals championship.
CDR Yamaha – MX1
1st – Dean Ferris
9th – Dylan Long
Team Manager: Craig Dack
“The opening round is always busy and this year was no different,” states team manager, Craig Dack. “Dean had a mishap in practice and caused plenty of bike damage but he was able to pull an amazing lap out with a twisted bike to take the Go Pro Superpole so it was a very positive start for him but creates a lot of work back at the truck as the boys not only had to do the routine maintenance between rides but also address the damaged parts.
“As a result, we had to scramble and things felt a bit messy but as always, the crew did an amazing job and Dean got the job done to take the win. He has had a great off season and in a good headspace so we are confident he can attain an even higher level of racing in 2017.”
“Dylan had not long been on the bike after his injuries and while he had been riding, it’s not the same as racing so we knew he would be a little off. But to his credit, he put in two good rides to finish inside the top 10 and things can only get better as he returns to full speed and fitness.
“All up, I think things are looking good for CDR Yamaha in 2017. The bikes were working well, the vibe in the truck is good and the riders are motivated to race well so we look forward to seeing how this championship unfolds,” Dack ends.
DPH Motorsport – MX1 / MX2
2nd Kade Mosig – MX1
1st Wilson Todd – MX2
Team Manager: Dale Hocking
“It was a weekend to remember for us as this is a local round and we had plenty of support for the riders and team,” states Dale Hocking. “We expected both riders to do well here but to finish with the results they did is a credit to them and a very successful weekend for DPH.
“Kade is very good on a surface like Wonthaggi and has been rejuvenated since returning to Yamaha. He is as motivated as I have ever seen him and his performances over the weekend were exceptional. He put himself in good positions in both motos and then managed to ride with good speed all the way to the finish.
“For Wilson, this is his first-round win in MX2 and it was great to share that with him. He showed a maturity this weekend where each of his races were well thought-out and exactly what was required at the time. He is now taking his racing seriously and it showed in his results this weekend.
Two riders and we finished with a first and a second. It doesn’t get a much better than that,” Hocking signs off.
Serco Yamaha – MX2
3rd – Mitch Evans
4th – Jackson Richardson
Team Manager: Gavin Eales
“We came away from round one satisfied with our results knowing that both riders achieved good points and are well placed heading into round two. Any result inside the top five is a good start and both riders were able to make that happen and now with the first round jitters out of the way, we can go about chasing the MX2 championship.
“Mitch impressed me with attitude and consistency on the weekend. He put in the work during the off season and showed up in a positive frame of mind and ready to go. He was rewarded with a good result and the boost in confidence that standing on the podium brings. He was proud of his result and so he should be. He is a talented, hard-working rider that will continue to develop as the year progresses.
“Jackson was on track for a good day but a fall early in race two cost him. We spoke about the importance of not making costly mistakes at important times in races and I think he has learnt from it. He has the speed and fitness to win so we expect him to again be a contender at round two,” explains Serco Yamaha manager, Gavin Eales.
Yamalube Yamaha Racing – MXD
1st – Cooper Pozniak
3rd – Cody Dyce
team Manager: Scott Bishop
“Any time you have both riders standing on the podium, it is a good day,” says Scott Bishop. “The goal is always to get off to a good, common sense start in any championship and not take any unnecessary risks and both riders did well.
“Both being new to the team was also a good chance to get to know and understand each other. We had planned to do a couple of lead up races as a team but Cooper was injured so that was unable to happen but overall, I think things gelled well between us all.
“Cooper did a great job. He is a great starter and always puts himself in a good position early in the race. He rode with good speed and race craft to do exactly what needed to be done to win. He had a month off the bike leading up to round one but he obviously had done plenty of off bike training as his fitness was also good.
“Cody was a bit nervous as he lives not too far from Wonthaggi and plenty of people had come to watch him race. He was determined to do well and apart from a couple of over enthusiastic mistakes, he rode extremely well.
“Round two will come a little easier for the team as we all know each other that much better and our working relationships with the riders will be a little bit tighter. We look forward to the Appin round,” Bishop ends.