Melbourne WSX qualifying led by Roczen and Anstie

News 25 Nov 2023

Melbourne WSX qualifying led by Roczen and Anstie

Section: Competition Post: Simon Makker

Championship frontrunners fill top spots in both classes ahead of the season final.

Image: Foremost Media.

Pipes Motorsport Group Suzuki’s Ken Roczen and Fire Power Froth Polyflor Honda Racing’s Max Anstie have qualified at the top of their respective classes at the third and final round of the FIM World Supercross Championship at Melbourne.

Roczen was at his aggressive best around the Marvel Stadium indoor circuit, logging a fastest time of 46.44s, which was 0.27s quicker than WSX Championship leader Joey Savatgy (Mobil 1 Rick Ware Racing).

MotoConcepts Honda’s Mitch Oldenburg topped the non-seeded group session and slotted into third – a scant 0.001s behind Savatgy, despite the track deteriorating quickly.

Gregory Aranda (Team GSM) finished fourth ahead of Dean Wilson (Firepower Froth Polyflor Honda Racing), who was performing double-duty after wrapped up the Australian Supercross Championship the night before.

Positions sixth through 10^th were filled by Colt Nichols (Mobil 1 Rick Ware Racing), Jordi Tixier (Honda Nils WSX), Vince Friese (MotoConcepts Honda), Cedric Soubeyras (Team Bud Racing Kawasaki) and Justin Brayton (Firepower Froth Polyflor Honda Racing).

Image: Foremost Media.

Fresh off winning the Australian Supercross Championship the night prior, Firepower Froth Polyflor Honda Racing’s Max Anstie began the final round of WSX by topping the WSX2 qualifying timesheets.

Anstie led most of the qualifying session, quickly responding if any riders came close to challenging his times, eventually stopping the clocks with a 47.169s lap – 0.66s quicker than his nearest challenger, Shane McElrath (Mobil 1 Rick Ware Racing).

MotoConcepts Honda’s Carson Mumford finished the session third-fastest, ahead of Cole Thompson (FXR Club MX Yamaha), while CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Luke Clout, who won the SX1 final of the Australian Supercross Championship the night prior, finished the session in fifth.

Pipes Motorsports Suzuki’s Cullin Park finished qualifying in P6, ahead of Wilson Todd (Firepower Froth PolyflorHonda Racing), Chris Blose (Honda Nils WSX), Henry Miller (Mobil 1 Rick Ware Racing), and Anthony Bourdon (Team Bud Racing Kawasaki).