The Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, will return to Horsham in Victoria for the first time in two years when round seven is hosted on Sunday, 15 July.

The 10-round series will reach the vital final rounds of season 2012 this weekend, a time when every result is important for the landscape of all three championship categories.

In the premier MX1 division it is experienced New Zealander Josh Coppins who leads the way for CDR Yamaha, in what is shaping up to be his final season of racing before retirement.

Coppins finished off the podium in fourth place last time out at round six, but knows that he needs to step up if he’s to hold onto his 12-point lead in the series standings.

“It wasn’t the day I was wanting,” Coppins said, reflecting on Horsham. “I didn’t really get a good grasp of the track and never flowed the way I needed to ride my best. It’s now up to me to head home, get back into my routine and come back strong at Horsham.”


Pressuring Coppins are Australian rising stars Todd Waters (Motul Pirelli Suzuki) and Lawson Bopping (CDR Yamaha). The pair have been victorious in recent rounds, determined not to let Coppins take the Australian national title back to New Zealand.

Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing’s Brad Anderson is another in with a shot at the championship, the dual British Motocross Champion currently sitting equal third in the championship standings.

Horsham will also see the return of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s current four-time Australian Motocross Champion Jay Marmont, who sat out the sixth round with post-surgery infections that he suffered during the mid-season layoff.

In the MX2 category it is Serco Yamaha Metal Mulisha Racing’s Luke Styke who is running away with the title, winning three of the six rounds contested so far. Styke’s margin out front stretched to 46 points with his win at in Queensland earlier this month.

“I’ll think about the championship when it’s done,” Styke admitted. “I’ve got a pretty good points lead, but you can’t rely on that. You’ve just got to keep pushing hard, working hard and not slacking off.

“I’m not going to do anything different for the rest of the season, just go into every weekend like I don’t have a points lead, keep training hard and hopefully it all works out.”

Chasing Styke is Queenslander Ford Dale for the Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing team, while Victorian Cheyne Boyd sits a stellar third for the brand new DPH Motorsport Honda program.

A new leader arose in the Pirelli MXD class at Hervey Bay, with Kiwi Kayne Lamont leading the way thanks to three straight round wins. Behind him is fellow KTM rider Dylan Long, while GYTR Yamaha’s Sam Martin is third.

This weekend’s Horsham round marks the series’ first visit to the venue since the opening round of 2010.