The first round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals is always a highlight of the season as the energy built over the off-season reaches fever-pitch. The weekend’s opening round of 2014 at Broadford was no exception, with world-class racing across all three classes. MotoOnline.com.au looks back at the key talking points from one heck of a series opener.

The dark horses
While all this year’s attention was on Matt Moss and to a slightly lesser extent, Luke Clout, several dark horses bolted out of the blue at Broadford. NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates Adam Monea and Jake Moss claimed an MX1 scalp each, DPH Yamaha’s Kade Mosig surprised many with fifth overall in the MX1 class, current Kiwi MX2 champ Kayne Lamont stunned everyone with a 1-2-1 result for the MX2 overall, while KTM privateer Brenden Harrison – who happily slid under most people’s radars entering the series – finished runner-up for the day and comfortably won the second race wire-to-wire. If this is anything to go by, we’re going to see a lot of different winners this year.

Honda’s absence
With MX2 title contender Josh Cachia a late scratching from the series opener as he battles to overcome a niggling wrist injury, then Cody Cooper suffering a freak qualifying accident that left him with a busted cheekbone and eye socket, the Penrite Oils Honda Race Team’s pits were a veritable ghost-town all day. But the absence of red ran deeper than that. In MX1 there was only one Honda rider in a 30-strong field (Will Angel), there were just three in a field of 40 MX2 racers (Jake Emanuelli, Luke Wilson and Matt Van Slooten), and three in MXD. This trend must be a big concern for the once unstoppable Honda brand.

Two-stroke domination
The 2011 law change that allows 250cc two-strokes to race against 250cc four-strokes has seen a resurgence of dingers at the races. This year more riders than ever are opting for two-strokes and the results are telling: all three MX2 podium spots were filled by two-stroke racers, and two of the three in the MXD class. As you’d expect some teams have been outspoken over the issue, called for the two-strokes to either be banned or given a separate class, and said the power differences are unfair. We think it’s a great thing that riders who aren’t factory-backed can still have a half-decent crack at the sport on competitive machines, but the more victories that end up in two-stroke racers’ hands, the louder the voices of protest will become.

Luke Clout’s mechanical
Most people widely expected Serco Yamaha teenager Luke Clout to leave the rest of the MX2 field in his dust this year. After all, he was the only lad to beat his (then) teammate Luke Styke in 2013. Things looked promising early on when he grabbed moto one by the horns and built a healthy lead before his bike became lodged in first gear. Kayne Lamont pounced, but Clout hung his 250cc machine tapped out for second, while his team panicked that their bike wouldn’t go the distance with its neck wrung. Clouty then crashed in the second moto, but a third in the day’s final race saw him tied on points for third with Hamish Harwood, but was relegated to fourth on countback.

Billy Mackenzie’s moto two charge
On paper, Billy Mackenzie’s second race 12th result was a purple patch on an otherwise respectable outing. What it doesn’t show was the Scotsman’s aggressive charge after crashing early in the race and taking almost an entire lap before he got going again. Billy stormed past close to 20 riders in 11 laps and set the third-fastest lap time of the race. That’s a damn impressive effort for someone manhandling traffic all moto! Billy also claimed maximum Super Pole points early in the day.

Track changes
This year’s Broadford round saw some significant changes to the track layout, with a couple of S-bends removed to encourage greater flow and speed, a double-double built along the top of the hillside circuit and a couple of step-ups added. While the changes were welcomed, the new obstacles fell apart by the end of the day. Only the top few MX1 riders could clear the double-double and one of the step-ups blew out and became impossible from qualifying. Good to see the State Motorcycle Club stepping up and improving the track, but more work will be needed again next year.

Gutsy Gibbs
Motorex KTM’s Kirk Gibbs could leave Broadford satisfied. His third overall with a 3-3-5 moto result was made even more impressive by the fact he was riding with a busted knuckle he gained just one week earlier at the final round of the NZ MX Nationals at Taupo. If that’s the level he can ride at around a brutal track with a rooted pinky finger, the rest of the MX1 field would do well to keep an eye on him.

Caning Lamont
Holy smokes, Kayne Lamont has picked up some serious speed in seven months. After finishing his rookie MX2 championship in eighth place last year, the quiet-spoken Kiwi has found an extra gear or two in 2014. His 1-2-1 performance was the most dominant display by any rider all weekend, and his moto three holeshot was nothing short of huge. The scary thing for the rest of the class is Lamont was still recovering from having his appendix removed less than 10 days prior, and is still not riding during the week.

Kale Makeham hates Broadford…
Or maybe Broadford hates Kale Makeham. Whatever the case may be, Tunetech KTM’s MX2 main title hope Kale Makeham had a(nother) Broadford outing to forget. At last year’s event the likeable Victorian finished a disappointing 16th, and this year the 2014 favourite struggled to eighth overall. His case wasn’t helped by a huge first-turn crash in the third moto that claimed himself, Raceline Suzuki’s Geran Stapleton and Queensland privateer Wade Hunter. Makeham remounted and sedately rotated around the circuit to finish 29th, all but destroying the hard work of 6-3 finishes in the opening two races.

Moss brothers on fire
While Motul Suzuki’s Matt Moss was always a firm favourite to continue his scorching form into the 2014 MX Nationals opener, no-one really knew where his NPS Monster Kawasaki-mounted twin brother Jake stood. As it turns out, Jake is just as fast, if not faster than Matt. If it weren’t for crashing out of the opening race while leading, Jake might’ve actually beaten Matt to the top step of the podium. Jake’s lap-times in motos two and three were the fastest of the whole weekend, and Matt himself admitted that his brother rode like that all season, he’ll be hard-pressed to stop him. If Broadford is any indication, we might see a Moss 1-2 in the MX1 championship.