Carlton Dry Honda Racing’s Monster Energy MX Nationals MX1 contender Gareth Swanepoel was left to rue a frustrating day at Toowoomba’s Echo Valley where he struggled with a lack of race rhythm.

The experienced South African proved a revelation upon his last visit to Queensland, taking a moto win at Hervey Bay in just his second outing, but has been unable to match the form since on the harder surfaces.

He took ninth in moto one and eight in moto two, finishing ninth overall, a disappointing performance by his own evaluation.

“My starts were a lot better today but I struggled all day to get a comfortable rhythm going,” said Swanepoel. “I felt great through some parts of the track but didn’t flow through other parts.

“It was really frustrating, I gave it all I had and tried a lot of different things. I kept searching all day to get a good rhythm flowing but I couldn’t put it all together.”

The loamy surface at this weekend’s Coolum finale should suit Swanepoel, who is eager to put together two solid motos to round out his season.

“I am looking forward to next weekend, I have to write this one off as a disappointing day,” he added.

Swanepoel joined the team prior to the Appin round of the MX Nationals and has been able to progress to 17th on the MX1 ladder, earning 179 points to date.

Teammate Peter Boyle faced similar struggles finding a rhythm in both motos, and was also forced to content with a bout of arm pump.

“My starts were not the best today and I struggled with arm pump, especially in the first race,” Boyle said. “I couldn’t get a flow in the opening race I kept taking the inside line into the corners and found myself stopping and starting.

“I felt a lot better in the second moto. I was flowing through the corners better and it was all going well until I crashed fighting for 11th position.”

He finished 15th outright with 15-14 moto scores.