Composed Coolum performance sees Ferris take MX1 crown
Boost Mobile Honda Racing's Webster blasts to emphatic double-race win.
Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha rider Dean Ferris has brought the curtains down on both the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship, and the famous Coolum Pines circuit, by claiming his fourth Australian MX1 title.
On a day where Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster stormed to a statement double-moto victory, Ferris remained composed and consistent as he finished with a 2-2 scorecard to wrap up the 2023 series. Third on the day – and the series – went to KTM Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs
In the opening MX1 moto, Webster proved his sand-riding mastery with a good win.
It was Gibbs who claimed the holeshot, but within half a lap Webster had secured the lead and threw down a frantic pace to build a gap early.
Ferris started the moto in fifth, as his nearest championship rival, Jed Beaton (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) made his way into P2 early on.
The three-time champion put on a gritty charge to dispatch of Aaron Tanti (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy) and Beaton to take control of second place, but Webster was too far gone and completed the moto six seconds ahead of Ferris, with Beaton a distant third.
Tanti and Gibbs finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Davey Motorsports KTM’s Hamish Harwood recovered from a 15th-place start to place sixth, ahead of a similarly fast-finishing Levi Rogers (Yamaha). Privateers Jai Walker (KTM), Joel Evans (Honda) and Luke Zielinski (Yamaha) completed the top 10.
Capping off a dream day for the Honda Racing camp, Webster again put on a clinic in the second MX1 moto.
Thirteen seconds behind him, Ferris kept things under control around a brutally rough Coolum Pines circuit to win an emotionally-charged fourth MX1 championship, courtesy of a consistent runner-up result.
A further 24 seconds back, Gibbs finished his season on a high note with a hard-fought P3 performance.
Harwood again worked his way forward through the pack to finish fourth, with Metcalfe completing the top five.
A sixth-placed Beaton saw his title hopes dashed early on when he rode through a trackside banner and was forced to stop and remove it from his bike.
Tanti also hit the dirt midway through the moto and recovered to finish seventh, ahead of Zielinski, and Honda riders Dylan Wood and Jayden Rykers.
In the final championship standings, Ferris finished with 315 points, with Beaton second (291) and Gibbs third (258).
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