The Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals will descend on Wodonga in Victoria this Sunday, 3 July, for round seven of what has been an action-packed 2011 season.
This year has so far seen tight racing across the board, and when it comes to the Under 19s category, Raceline Pirelli Suzuki’s Errol Willis has proven the in-form man through much of the season to date.
Willis, who hails from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, credits the Wodonga round of the MX Nationals series as his home round on the calendar, and he’s excited to race ahead of family and friends come Sunday.
“I’ve been looking forward to this round because the Raceline Pirelli Suzuki team and I have been working really hard,” 17-year-old Willis said. “We’ve been doing a lot of testing at my place, which has the same type of dirt as what we’ll race on this weekend.
“There will be a lot of family and friends there, plus I have a lot of motivation to do well for the round. I had a cousin pass away last week and I was really close to him, so I’m definitely looking to try and win for him.”
Willis currently maintains a 38-point lead in the Pirelli-sponsored Under 19s over GYTR Rockstar Energy Yamaha’s Luke Arbon, while Coastal KTM’s Jay Wilson will enter the round with momentum after scoring two round wins in succession.
The premier Rockstar Energy Pro Open class sees 20-year-old Australian Dean Ferris on top of a truly international line-up in the series, 13 points ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Billy Mackenzie, of Scotland.
Ferris is yet to win a round, while Mackenzie has won two, but both will have to keep the CDR Rockstar Energy Yamahas of Kiwi Josh Coppins and Jay Marmont at bay over the final rounds.
Marmont won the Coonabarabran round by a single point from Ferris earlier this month, now setting up to push for what could be his fourth straight Australian motocross title.
The top four are separated by just 54 points with three rounds remaining, including Coolum’s double-header round to be staged next month.
Last season at Wodonga, it was New Zealander Cody Cooper who won for Rockstar Motul Suzuki, however he’s eighth in the series this season after suffering an injury in the early stages.
The Motul Pro Lites field will again feature a battle between talented twins Matt and Jake Moss, with JDR Motorex KTM’s Matt Moss leading the series into Wodonga by a healthy 54-point margin.
Moss opened his account for 2011 with three wins on the trot, but since then he has battled injury while watching his rivals excel at the front. The most recent round winner was Monster Energy Kawasaki’s American import Phil Nicoletti.
Serco Yoshimura Yamaha’s Kirk Gibbs sits second in the series, with teammate Jake Moss quickly climbing the championship ladder after standing on the podium for three-straight rounds.
Round seven of the 2011 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals will be contested at Wodonga in Victoria on Sunday, 3 July. Practice and qualifying will commence at 8:30am with the official opening ceremonies taking place at approximately 10:30am.
Visit www.mxnationals.com.au on the web for complete series and round information on the 2011 season, the official series website recently undergoing a major overhaul from the ground up.
Spectator Entry Information:
Adults – $30
Children (5-15yrs) – $15
Children (Under 5yrs) – Free
Family (2 adults, 2 children) – $70
2011 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals
Championship Standings (after 6 of 9 rounds):
Rockstar Energy Drink Pro Open
1. Dean Ferris 461
2. Billy Mackenzie 448
3. Josh Coppins 429
4. Jay Marmont 407
5. Cheyne Boyd 384
6. Michael Phillips 348
7. Lawson Bopping 323
8. Cody Cooper 263
9. Louis Calvin 227
10. Ryan Marmont 206
Motul Pro Lites
1. Matt Moss 419
2. Kirk Gibbs 365
3. Daniel McCoy 345
4.Brenden Harrison 344
5. Phil Nicoletti 339
6. Josh Cachia 312
7. Justin McDonald 302
8. Cody Mackie 294
9. Kade Mosig 292
10. Luke Styke 273
Pirelli Under 19s
1. Errol Willis 464
2. Luke Arbon 426
3. Shaun Redhead 366
4. Dylan Peterson 338
5. Jake Emanuelli 296
6. Kyle McKeddie 286
7. Jay Wilson 285
8. Kale Makeham 215
9. Dan Banks 182
10. Ben George 173