Features 13 Aug 2023

Racefeed: 2023 ProMX Rd7 Queensland Moto Park

Direct updates from round seven of the season in Queensland.

Follow the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship with direct MX1 and MX2 updates from the seven round of the season at QMP through Racefeed.

Image: Foremost Media.

MX2 qualifying:
Terrafirma Honda Racing’s MX2 series leader Wilson Todd topped the qualifying charts as racing got under way. In sunny, cool conditions, the Queenslander chopped 1.5s off the lap-time of early leader Noah Ferguson (GasGas Racing Team) to take the top spot with a time of 1m50.905s. Ferguson put in a last-lap charge to try and retake the top spot, but finished 1.021s off Todd’s best time. KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford finished the session in third, ahead of team-mate Kayden Minear and Serco Yamaha’s Rhys Budd. Polyflor Honda Racing rider Brodie Connolly finished sixth-fastest, the Kiwi beating GasGas privateer Taylor Reid, while returning riders Jayce Cosford (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) and Ryder Kingsford (WBR Yamaha), and KTM’s Ryan Alexanderson completed the top 10.

MX1 qualifying:
CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s defending champion Aaron Tanti hit front early during the first MX1 qualifying session, and retained that position throughout. Tanti’s lap-time of 1m50.801s was 0.29s quicker than that of  Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Jed Beaton, who laid down a solid final lap to take the P2 position. Series leader Dean Ferris (Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha) claimed third-fastest, ahead of Kyle Webster (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) and Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team). Positions sixth through to 10th were filled by Brett Metcalfe (GO20 KTM), Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing), Hamish Harwood (Davey Motorsports KTM), Zachary Watson (Honda) and Jai Walker (KTM).

MX2 moto one:
KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford prevailed to take the opening MX2 moto win. It was Wilson Todd who claimed the holeshot, with Crawford and Brodie Connolly (Polyflor Honda Racing) in hot pursuit, but the red plate holder lost the front wheel on the fourth lap and let those two racers past. Todd remounted and recovered to squeeze his way past his team-mate, Connolly, but by that stage Crawford had checked out on his way to an eight-second margin. Todd and Connolly finished in the top three, ahead of Noah Ferguson (GasGas Racing Team), who recovered impressively from a slow start, and Reid Taylor (GasGAs). Serco Yamaha’s Rhys Budd finished P6, ahead of Yamalube Yamaha Racing pairing Jayce Cosford and Kaleb Barham, as Ryan Alexanderson (KTM) and Ryley Fitzpatrick (KTM) completed the top 10.

MX1 top 10 pole shootout:
Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Jed Beaton put in a scorching qualifying lap in the top 10 pole shootout to claim MX1 qualifying honours at QMP. Beaton was the only rider to dip below the 1m49s mark, with a 1m48.584s, the best part of a full second better than early pole-sitter Aaron Tanti (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy). Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster finished the shootout in third, ahead of Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) and series leader Dean Ferris (Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha). Davey Motorsports KTM’s Hamish Harwood finished sixth, as Zach Watson (Honda), Brett Metcalfe (GO24 KTM) and Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing) finished P7 through P9. Top 10 qualifier Jai Walker (KTM) didn’t take part in the shootout.

MX1 moto one:
Ferris took an emphatic start-to-finish victory in the opening MX1 moto. After claiming a big holeshot from Jed Beaton (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) and Zachary Watson (Honda), Ferris relentlessly punched out fast, consistent laps to stretch out a 11.6-second lead over Beaton by the time the checkered flag flew. Kyle Webster (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) put in a consistent performance to round out the podium, ahead of the evergreen Brett Metcalfe (GO24 KTM). CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s defending champion Aaron Tanti recovered from slower start to finish P5, ahead of Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) and Hamish Harwood (Davey Motorsports KTM). Watson put in one of his best races of the year on his way to P8, ahead of Honda privateers Jai Walker and Joel Evans. Former champion Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing) suffered a hard crash with just a couple of laps remaining and DNFed.

MX2 moto two:
Crawford made it four race wins in a row and ensured the MX2 championship will be decided next weekend at Coolum, after another comfortable win in moto two. It was Budd who scored the holeshot, but Crawford wasted no time getting into the lead, with Connolly on his heels. The pair would stretch out a handy gap over the rest of the field and retain that for the remainder of the race, while Todd recovered from a mid-pack start to work his way up to third before settling for another consistent podium performance. Ferguson finished fourth despite a crash, while Budd rounded out the top five. Cosford, Barham, Caleb Ward (Husqvarna), Ryder Kingsford (WBR Yamaha) and Kayden Minear (KTM Racing Team) finished inside the top 10.

MX1 moto two:
Scheduled for 3:15pm local time.

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