Team Shift Motul Suzuki report from Lakes MX
Team Shift Motul Suzuki racer, Daryl Hurley produced another tenacious performance to finish fourth in the penultimate round of the 2007 Australian Motocross Championship at Lake Macquarie
Riding with a recently plated collarbone, Team Shift Motul Suzuki racer, Daryl Hurley produced another tenacious performance to finish fourth in the penultimate round of the 2007 Australian Motocross Championship at Lake Macquarie (NSW), this weekend.
Having broken his collarbone just four weeks ago, Hurley was unable to ride in preparation for the Lakes event. Running eighth in the opening lap of moto one, Hurley charged his RM-Z450 into fourth place by the halfway mark and chased the leading trio to the finish line. Starting strongly in the day's second moto, Hurley was in fourth spot on lap one before being passed by fellow Suzuki rider Troy Carroll on the second tour of the Lakes Motocross Track.
Testing the limits of his injury, Hurley battled through the second 30-minute moto to hold on to fifth place, securing fourth overall for the day. A strong result given his circumstances nevertheless saw Hurley slip to third place in the championship, while main rival Daniel Reardon wrapped up the 2007 Pro Open title.
With only one round remaining, the chase for second place is red hot with three riders separated by just five points, as Hurley trails compatriot Cody Cooper by a mere two points and leads fourth-placed Jay Marmont by three points. RM-Z450-mounted Troy Carroll, rounds out the Pro Open top five having locked away fifth place in the 2007 series, making Suzuki the only manufacturer with two riders in the top five.
Meanwhile, in the Under 19's class, Lawson Bopping enjoyed his maiden round win aboard the Suzuki RM-Z250. Unchallenged in the first race, Bopping led from start to finish, while race two saw him deliver a mature performance and settle for second place to win the round outright. Concluding the 2007 Australian Motocross Championship next weekend at Coolum (QLD) on Sunday 12 August, Hurley and the Team Shift Motul Suzuki crew will be on the hunt for second place in the Pro Open class.
DARYL HURLEY – TEAM SHIFT MOTUL SUZUKI
"As the track got a lot rougher in today's second moto I was struggling to hang on, especially on the steep downhills which put a lot of pressure on my arm and shoulder. "Coolum is one of my favourite circuits in Australia, but it's a pretty demanding sand track that's going to be really tough with my collarbone still mending, but then at this level there are no easy tracks with an injury. "With another week to get a bit stronger, I'll be giving it everything I've got to get back second place in the championship."
JAY FOREMAN – TEAM SHIFT MOTUL SUZUKI TEAM MANAGER
"Congratulations to Daniel Reardon and the Kawasaki team for their championship win; they made such a strong start to the season and did a great job to wrap up the series with a round to spare. "It's unfortunate that we couldn't push Daniel to the final round to challenge for the title, but given Daryl's injury and the fact that he hadn't been on the bike at all since the last round, he rode really well today. "We know the final round is going to be tough with Daryl not at 100%, but with just two points between us, we're all determined to get Team Shift Motul Suzuki back into second to finish the season. "
In the Under 19's, Lawson did an excellent job on the RM-Z250 and the experience that he gained in the Pro Lites class showed; he was fast and composed and rode a smart race in the second moto to win the overall day."
2007 AUSTRALIAN MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 9:
PRO OPEN 1 Daniel Reardon 390,
2 Cody Cooper 331,
3 Daryl Hurley 329 (Suzuki RM-Z450),
4 Jay Marmont 326,
5 Troy Carroll 240,
6 Kade Mosig 175,
7 Nathan Crawford 160,
8 Nathan Brochtrup 158,
9 Matt Moss 150,
10 Ford Dale 143
