News 6 Aug 2014

Winston speaks out about split with Anderson's team

Queenslander looking to remain on board Husqvarna brand.

Image: Jeff Crow.

Image: Jeff Crow.

Queensland’s Brock Winston has spoken out about his sudden departure from the factory-supported Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team on Sunday, now evaluating his prospects in a bid to complete the 2014 MX Nationals season.

Winston, who was one of the sport’s major revelations last year on his way to third in the MX2 standings, quit the Craig Anderson-managed operation at Raymond Terrace after the 12-time national champion made controversial remarks regarding a clash between Kade Mosig and Winston in moto one.

Anderson told MotoOnline.com.au on Tuesday that the statement was a “a tongue-in-cheek comment”, however it came off the back of building tensions between he and Winston in the weeks leading up to Raymond Terrace and ultimately ended the pair’s association.

“We had a few issues at the start of the year and kind of got through them – things weren’t going too badly,” Winston explained today. “A lot of things happened at the start that I wasn’t happy about, so I suppose there were some teething issues. I’m only in it for one reason and that’s to do well.”

Winston is currently working on a deal that could see him remain on board a Husqvarna FC 450 in MX1, hopeful that he can put a structure in place to finish out the season at Gladstone and Coolum – his home circuit on the schedule that he’s renowned to be ultra-competitive at.

“I’m focused on doing well, not anything else, and I just want to be the best I can,” he continued. “The future’s still up in the air a little bit, but I’m positive I will be at the last two and that’s what I am hoping to do. It’s not like I want to quit racing or anything like that, I just want to keep moving forward.

“I like the Husqvarna brand and obviously the management there; I don’t want to switch brands or anything like that. I at least want to do Coolum and I will be doing anything I can to race Gladstone as well.”

Winston had steadily been progressing in his rookie MX1 campaign as Husqvarna’s lone premier class entry, highlighted by a top five finish at Conondale’s seventh round last month and he currently sits 10th in the standings despite skipping the final moto at Raymond Terrace. It’s that progress that motivates him to cement a deal moving forward.

“My results were improving and I felt like every round I was getting better and better,” Winston said. “The bike was becoming how I like it, I was happier with the set-up, and that side of it was honestly a struggle at the start of the year just getting everything how I like it.

“I was progressing and trying to do what I could do, so I was stoked with that top five at Conondale in my first home round of the year. I was really happy right up until a week before Raymond Terrace and then obviously it turned for the worse there.”

The Gladstone round of the MX Nationals will take place on 24 August, with Coolum scheduled one weekend afterwards on 31 August to conclude the season in Queensland.

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