Boyd wins Marmont seals
Marmont and Yamaha win 2008 Australian MX Champs
Yamaha Racing has taken its first Australian Motocross Championship in four years after CDR Rockstar Yamaha rider, Jay Marmont won the Pro Open category at the final round of the series at Coolum this afternoon.
As Marmont clinched the title it was his team-mate Cheyne Boyd who took the round honours with the YZ450F rider recording the perfect score of 50 after taking victory in both races. The points haul saw the Victorian advance up onto the podium for the series with CDR Rockstar Yamaha occupying first and third overall. In the Pro Lites Ford Dale rounded out the perfect performance for Yamaha with the Serco Yamaha rider claiming the overall victory in front of his home crowd after soaring to victory in the final 30 minute moto.
It is the first time the Queenslander has finished at the top of the round points sheet in the Pro Lites category. In the Yamaha Under 19s Championship, Matt Ryan proved that he is a star of the future with the young Victorian finishing third in the series which is designed to uncover the next biggest start of Australian motocross racing. After nine rounds and traversing the country for the last four months, the Yamaha Racing squad will now commence preparations for the 2008 Australasian Supercross Championship [Super X] which commences in Perth on Saturday October 4 2008.
Pro Open Report
Careful planning has seen CDR Rockstar Yamaha achieve its goals with Jay Marmont taking victory in the Pro Open category and Cheyne Boyd wrapping up a superb weekend for the team by claiming the overall win at Coolum today. In the opening moto Marmont and his CDR Rockstar Yamaha team had a 38 point advantage and after obtaining points in the first moto the Wollongong-based rider created an unbeatable lead with one race to spare. As his team-mate made sure his title was in the bag, Boyd advanced ahead at the front of the field and after being third into the first corner the Victorian took the lead in the first lap before being the first to the chequered flag.
In the second race, Boyd continued with his stellar form with Marmont backing his team-mate up ensure that CDR Rockstar Yamaha finished the final race of the motocross season in the top two positions. Marmont was fifith overall for the round. Despite being a multiple Supercross Champion, today’s victory is Marmont’s first motocross title and the first seized by Yamaha since 2004 when Darryll King collected the coveted silverware for the blue brigade.
“It feels great that it has all finally come together today and now reality is starting to set in that I have actually won the Australian Motocross Championship,” an elated Marmont said after clinching the coveted title. “It did get a bit rough out there today and after the start I was mixed up with all the riders who could and did bring me down, however I just put my head down during the race and focused on that championship victory. “It’s my first outdoor championship and motocross has always been something I have struggled in but with the help of the CDR Rockstar Yamaha team we have absolutely dominated the competition between myself and my team-mate Cheyne Boyd.”
CDR Rockstar Yamaha Team Principal, Craig Dack said the championship title was the result of a plan which was developed at the end of 2007 with his team dominating the Pro Open Championship by claiming victory at six of the nine rounds of the series.
“Jay showed the true form of a champion today and after getting a bad start he got caught up with the back markers and crashed, some of the guys hit him causing muffler damage and it was very tense watching him pick his way through the field and just hoping the damaged bike would make the distance,” Dack said. “I am really relieved to have this championship under our belt. We started this program way back in October last year and it has been fantastic to watch it all come together throughout the series. I really wanted to make this championship owns, not only for the sake of the team but also to help Jay realise his dream of a holding a motocross title. “I really like motocross and I really take the discipline really seriously. We haven’t had much success in the in the championship over the last few years and today’s result definitely puts a bit more spark in everybody’s step.”
In just his first motocross season since returning from injury, Danny Ham got his best start of the year for the opening moto and after being fifth into the first turn he became tangled with Lee Ellis on the second lap. After falling to dead last the Newcatle based rider then forced his way through the field to finish in 19th position. Ham completed another climb through the field in the second moto and after falling on the second lap he once again picked off the field before finishing in 19th. For his team-mate, Tom Jones it was as good a race and after completing a solid ride and holding 10th position the front brake on his bike jammed on the final lap of the final race which resulted in him damaging the ligament in his knee. He was unable to finish or start the next race. After raising a few eyebrows at the start of the season, Simon Thompson returned to the Pro Open category for the final round of the 2008 Rockstar Yamaha MX Nationals with the young rider finishing the opening moto in 25th.
2008 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals Round Nine Overall
1. Cheyne Boyd 50 points
2. Daniel McCoy 40 points
3. Cameron Taylor 34 points
4. Michael Addison 33 points
5. Jay Marmont 31 points
6. Todd Waters 29 points
7. Daryl Hurley 29 points
8. Luke Burkhart 26 points
9. Mitchell Hoad 25 points
10. Dean Porter 22 points
19 Danny Ham 4 points
29. Tom Jones 0 points
30. Simon Thompson 0 points
2008 Pro Open Championship Overall Results
1. Jay Marmont 369 points
2. Daryl Hurley 329 points
3. Cheyne Boyd 323 points
4. Craig Anderson 306 points
5. Cameron Taylor 248 points
6. Daniel McCoy 247 points
7. Michael Addison 240 points
8. Luke Burkhart 201 points
9. Mitch Hoad 165 points
10. Dean Porter 159 points
16. Tom Jones 85 points
21. Danny Ham 50 points
26. Nick Geck 24 points
31. Simon Thompson14 points
Pro Lites Report
After missing the first half of the season due to injury, Serco Yamaha rider, Ford Dale completed the kind of home coming that all sports people dream of with the Budrim resident clocking up his first Pro Lites round victory in front of a home crowd. Dale got his round off to a great start and recorded the second fastest time around the Coolum Pines track during qualifying. From there the YZ250F rider continued the form into the first moto and 20-year-old was the third to cross the finish line after working his way through the field after the start of the race.
He managed to go two better in the final moto and after working his way through the field for the first two laps he held the lead despite arm pump and being challenged by other riders to cross the finish line and claim his first Pro Lites race victory. “It was absolutely awesome to get my first race and round win in front of a home crowd,” said Dale who was 12th in the Pro Lites Championship. “I like to thank Serco Yamaha for being behind me 100 percent throughout the year and it was good to get out and record a win for the team today just to recongise the support they have shown me.”
After finishing inside the top three in the 2007 Under 19s Championship, Team Seven Fly Yamaha rider Kirk Gibbs was the highest placed Yamaha in the Pro Lites Championship with the young South Australian finishing the championship inside the top six. In Gibbs’ first year in the Pro Lites championship, Gibbs recorded the first round victory for Team Seven Fly Yamaha and was on the podium on three occasions. An injury sustained prior to the half way point of the season cost the YZ250F rider dearly after he was left watching from the sidelines at Murray Bridge.
Today Gibbs was 13th overall for the round after finishing fifth in the first moto before his engine blew in the final lap leaving him with a DNF (Did Not Finish). “It was really encouraging at the start of the year to compete with the top three in the field but unfortunately I had a big crash at Raymond Terrace which meant I missed a few rounds due to injury, which really put a massive dent on my season,” Gibbs said. “Today I felt the best I have in ages and as though I am back on top of things again – I can’t wait to come back next season and give it a full shot without any injuries hanging over me.”
Yamaha was well represented in the overall standings for the round at Coolum with Brock Winston10th , Rickie Girwood 14th, Paul Humberston 15th and Wade Thompson 23rd.
2008 Pro Lites Championship
1. Luke George 345 points
2. Adam Mondea 345 points
3. Kade Mosig 336 points
4. Dean Ferris 242 points
5. Ryan Marmont 238 points
6. Kirk Gibbs 199 points
7. Danny Anderson 194 points
8. Lewis Woods 190 points
9. Matt Moss 177 points
10. Todd Waters 168 points
11. Lewis Stewart 150 points
12. Ford Dale 139 points
13. Damien King 108 points
25. Matt Ryan 39 points
26. Robbie Marshall 37 points
2008 Pro Lites Championship Round Nine Overall
1. Ford Dale 45 points
2. Matt Moss 45 points
3. Kade Mosig 35 points
4. Luke George 34 points
5. Adam Monea 32 points
6. Dean Ferris 31 points
7. Ryan Marmont 30 points
8. Lewis Woods 25 points
9. Takeshi Katsuya 24 points
10. Brock Winston 22 points
14. Rickie Girwood 13 points
15. Paul Humberston 12 points
23. Wade Thompson 1 point
Yamaha Under 19s Championship
Yamaha Junior Development Team rider, Matt Ryan showed he is one of the superstars in the future of Australian motocross after finishing third in the Yamaha Under 19’s Championship. After finishing inside the top three at three rounds of the series Ryan was fifth overall today after finishing the two in seventh and fourth positions. On the podium for the round was Tasmanian Ross Beaton who after qualifying in 18th position put on a stellar effort in the first moto to finish in second position. The following race he finished in third and sealed up a top two for the round. He was eighth in the championship.
Team Seven Fly Yamaha rider, Shaun Williamson also put in a fantastic effort and was able to finish the championship just one position behind Ryan in fourth position. Williamson put on a strong performance in the first moto and finished in third position. The following race the South Australian produced a gallant effort and fought illness in order to finish 14th.
New South Wales Yamaha Development Team Rider, Luke Styke finished inside the top six and was 14th for the round after his bike blew an engine in the first moto which left him to resort to his practice bike for the majority of the day. New Zealander Kieron Hall helped Yamaha fill half of the top 10 positions for the series with the YZ250F rider finishing the championship in 10th position. He was also 10th for the round after finishing eighth and 15th in the two races.
2008 Yamaha Under 19s Championship
1. Tye Simmonds 230 points
2. Lawson Bopping 219 points
3. Matt Ryan 213 points
4. Shaun Williamson178 points
5. Josh Cachia 174 points
6. Luke Styke 168 points
7. Michael Menchi 153 points
8. Ross Beaton 152 points
9. Matt Hunt 123 points
10. Kieron Hall 121 points
2008 Yamaha Under 19s Championship Round Six Overall
1. Lawson Bopping 43 points
2. Ross Beaton 42 points
3. Tye Simmonds 40 points
4. Josh Cachia 38 points
5. Matt Ryan 32 points
6. Jake Pengelly 28 points
7. Shaun Williamson27 points
8. Jarryd McNeil 24 points
9. Brendan Duck 20 points
10. Kieron Hall 19 points
14. Luke Styke 14 points
