Cougar Bourbon Honda Thor Racing’s Todd Waters braved the pain of a recently plated collarbone at Raymond Terrace’s fifth round of the 2010 Rockstar Energy MX Nationals yesterday, courageously finishing two of the three Pro Open motos in the points.

A first turn pile up in the opening race forced the 19-year-old title contender to the sidelines but he pushed on and rode conservatively through the final two motos to finish 13th and 14th respectively.

“I made it through the day but it was definitely one of the toughest events I have ever had to ride through,” Waters admitted. “I was severely winded in the first race pileup so I had to sit that one out as there was no point going back out there and risking further injury when I was already a lap down.

“Because I was back in the pack today I really was in the firing line and had to make sure I avoided other peoples incidents. In terms of the championship, I have slipped back a bit further in the standings but I have 12 races over three events still to go so I am not giving up by any means.”


Waters now welcomes the three-week break to the sixth round of the MX Nationals in Albury acknowledging it will give his collarbone a chance to heal properly.

“I have three weeks to recover now before Albury which is one of my favourite tracks and it was an event that I won last year,” he concluded.

Teammate and current New Zealand Motocross Champion Michael Phillips claimed his first Pro Lites podium at Barleigh Ranch with third overall.

In the opening moto brake problems hampered the second half of his race and he finished ninth. The team made some minor changes to the bike for the next two races where he finished third and second.

Phillips, who by his own admission has struggled a bit through the opening half of the season, said he took a different approach to today’s races.

“I felt a lot more focused out there today,” Phillips explained. “It was a rough track and there was really only one dry line but I attacked it a lot harder than normal and it worked for me.

“This result is just what I needed. My goals haven’t changed, I still want to finish in the top five so with three rounds to go this is a great confidence builder.”

While Waters continues to recouperate, Phillips and the Cougar Bourbon Honda Thor Racing Team will be back at their test track preparing for the round six of the MX Nationals which will be held on 27 June at Albury Wodonga in Victoria.