CDR Yamaha’s Craig Dack has defended the track preparation process in the lead-up to Broadford’s fourth round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals, believing it resulted in a pure Motocross track to challenge Australia’s top professionals.

The circuit was awash during practice and qualifying with thick mud throughout, eventually turning into a bump-filled track which rated as the toughest of the season to date.

Dack, a four-time Mr. Motocross winner and multiple-time national champion with international experience, believes it was positive for the sport and maintained that the conditions created spectacular on-track action throughout the round.

“I’ve worked with John, the caretaker of Broadford, before on preparing that track,” Dack told MotoOnline.com.au. “It was probably me who instigated the amount of water on it, because Broadford is quite difficult to get right – you can lose a track really quickly there, as far as having it dry out.

“I’m really passionate about the Broadford round, it’s the last of the ‘real’ Motocross tracks in Australia – a heritage round of sorts. It’s a gnarly, hardcore, traditional Motocross track. The way the sport is going, a lot of the old great tracks are sort of disappearing.

“I just think it’s nice once a year at least to visit a real Motocross track. If you go to Europe or America, that’s how the tracks start off at the beginning of the day, how wet and rutty it got. The tracks over there just have ruts everywhere.

“But I must say, the first few turns were probably a little bit too wet for the start of the races, a little bit too over-watered. My opinion on the whole though is that it was great, I really enjoyed the round. Then again, I’m probably a little bit biased because I’m a purist as far as Motocross goes.”

While practice was a treacherous affair, the track developed into a real challenge during the motos, as ruts formed and dust was kept to a minimum – another factor that Dack’s in favour of.

“There’s nothing worse than going to an event that’s really dusty,” Dack added. “I generally am of the opinion that the tracks we visit are under-prepared, as far as water goes.

“I’ve always said, with Motocross tracks they almost have to be unrideable in practice and by the time the racing comes they usually end up good as long as it doesn’t rain.

“That’s the sacrifice you have to make and that’s what I’ve seen in my years racing GPs in Europe and working in America. I know Todd Waters wants to go grand prix racing and I really admire that, so for someone like him it’s what he’s going to have to put up with.

“A lot of the riders struggled on the day, there were complaints everywhere because it was hard, it was tough. That’s Motocross in my eyes anyway, maybe I’m getting too old!”

Former GP race winner Billy Mackenzie picked up CDR’s first moto win of the season at Broadford in the second MX2 moto on his way to second overall.