MotoOnline.com.au breaks down the specifics from race day Sunday at Shepparton’s eighth round of the 2016 Motul MX Nationals season in Victoria.

MX1

Super Pole: Kirk Gibbs 1m40.273s

Moto one results:
1. Todd Waters
2. Dean Ferris
3. Kirk Gibbs
4. Kade Mosig
5. Jacob Wright
6. Jesse Dobson
7. Jay Wilson
8. James Alen
9. Joel Green
10. Daniel Banks
11. Kurt Gow
12. Izak Maule
13. Michael Menchi
14. Luke Wilson
15. Travis Tough
16. Jayson Tough
17. Corey James
18. Brodie Sims

Race time: 32m45.866s
Margin of victory: 7.945s
Laps completed: 19
Fastest lap: Todd Waters 1m41.161s

Moto two results:
1. Kirk Gibbs
2. Dean Ferris
3. Todd Waters
4. Kade Mosig
5. Jesse Dobson
6. Daniel Banks
7. Joel Green
8. Jacob Wright
9. Kurt Gow
10. Izak Maule
11. James Alen
12. Luke Wilson
13. Michael Menchi
14. Brodie Sims
15. Travis Tough
16. Jayson Tough
17. Jay Wilson

Race time: 30m54.740s
Margin of victory: 1.811s
Laps completed: 18
Fastest lap: Dean Ferris 1m41.231s

MX1 overall results:
1. Kirk Gibbs 65
2. Todd Waters 65
3. Dean Ferris 64
4. Kade Mosig 56
5. Jesse Dobson 51
6. Jacob Wright 49
7. Daniel Banks 46
8. Joel Green 46
9. James Aen 43
10. Kurt Gow 42
11. Izak Maule 40
12. Luke Wilson 36
13. Michael Menchi 36
14. Travis Tough 32
15. Jayson Tough 30
16. Jay Wilson 24
17. Brodie Sims 17

MX1 championship standings:
1. Kirk Gibbs 538
2. Dean Ferris 529
3. Todd Waters 522
4. Kade Mosig 437
5. Matt Moss 381
6. Dylan Long 359
7. Jacob Wright 340
8. Jay Wilson 320
9. Michael Menchi 301
10. Daniel Banks 299
11. Izak Maule 263
12. Brett Metcalfe 225
13. Jesse Dobson 209
14. Luke Wilson 207
15. Daniel Reardon 171
16. Michael Mahon 171
17. Kurt Wightman 163
18. James Alen 155
19. Joel Green 142
20. Kurt Gow 122

Verdict:
The tacky, rough and technical Shepparton circuit was KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs’ domain all day. The defending champion and current red plate holder has more than stepped up to the challenge presented by returning MXGP duo Dean Ferris and Todd Waters this year and was in blistering form. After snapping up the three Super Pole points, Gibbs went 3-1 for the round win on countback from Todd Waters’ 1-3 result. It was a frustrating outing for CDR Yamaha’s title contender Ferris, after he left the door open to Gibbs with a crash on the final lap to claim both the moto and round win, and stretch out his slender championship lead to nine points in the process. Ferris’ 2-2 result saw him finish the day in third overall, ahead of an equally consistent Kade Mosig (4-4). The depth of the MX1 class might be lacking in the late stages of the series, but the pace and drama we’re seeing unfold at the front of the pack is first-class.

MX2

Pole position: Nathan Crawford 1m37.717s

Moto one results:
1. Jed Beaton
2. Wilson Todd
3. Nathan Crawford
4. Jayden Rykers
5. Caleb Ward
6. Kale Makeham
7. Dylan Wills
8. Hamish Harwood
9. Wade Hunter
10. Keiron Hall
11. Joel Wightman
12. Ricky Latimer
13. Bailey Coxon
14. Tom Jones
15. Lachlan Davis
16. Allister Kent
17. Hadleigh Knight
18. Jayden Conforto
19. Meghan Rutledge
20. Calib Best

Race time: 33m31.188s
Margin of victory: 12.027s
Laps completed: 19
Fastest lap: Wilson Todd 1m43.461s

Moto two results:
1. Caleb Ward
2. Jed Beaton
3. Nathan Crawford
4. Jayden Rykers
5. Wilson Todd
6. Kale Makeham
7. Keiron Hall
8. Dylan Wills
9. Joel Wightman
10. Hamish Harwood
11. Wade Hunter
12. Aaron Tanti
13. Tom Jones
14. Bailey Coxon
15. Tomas Ravenhorst
16. Lachlan Davis
17. Hadleigh Knight
18. Ricky Latimer
19. Jayden Conforto
20. Jake Lowe

Race time: 22m50.617s
Margin of victory: 2.387s
Laps completed: 13
Fastest lap: Caleb Ward 1m43.117s

MX2 overall results:
1. Jed Beaton 67
2. Caleb Ward 61
3. Nathan Crawford 60
4. Wilson Todd 58
5. Jayden Rykers 56
6. Kale Makeham 50
7. Dylan Wills 47
8. Keiron Hall 45
9. Hamish Harwood 44
10. Joel Wightman 42
11. Wade Hunter 42
12. Tom Jones 35
13. Bailey Coxon 35
14. Ricky Latimer 32
15. Lachlan Davis 31
16. Hadleigh Knight 28
17. Jayden Conforto 25
18. Allister Kent 23
19. Aaron Tanti 19
20. Brandon Gray 18

MX2 championship standings:
1. Jed Beaton 507
2. Nathan Crawford 507
3. Caleb Ward 492
4. Jayden Rykers 449
5. Wilson Todd 412
6. Dylan Wills 381
7. Hamish Harwood 353
8. Joel Wightman 341
9. Wade Junter 324
10. Kyle Webster 296
11. Dean Porter 291
12. Jake Moss 278
13. Kale Makeham 272
14. Ricky Latimer 240
15. Keiron Hall 208
16. Richie Evans 207
17. Luke Arbon 161
18. Aaron Tanti 157
19. Nick Sutherland 155
20. Bailey Coxon 149

Verdict:
There was all sorts of drama in the MX2 class at Shepparton, as DPH Motorsport Yamaha’s Jed Beaton again proved he has a knack for technical conditions on his way to chalking up the round win. In the process he’s also found himself tied on championship points with Husqvarna’s Nato Crawford. Beaton’s moto one victory was at the expense of both Wilson Todd and Crawford who were penalised 15 seconds for jumping while under yellow flag conditions and were shuffled back to second and third respectively. In the second race Caleb Ward took the win from Beaton, but a fifth in his opening race saw him finish the day in second overall, sandwiched between Beaton and Crawford. With some on-track antics between Beaton and Crawford also taking place during that eventful first moto, the stage is set for an enthralling end to this championship fight. With two rounds left to run, there are only 15 points separating the top three racers.