KTM lead the way after 2011 Super X season opener

The 2011 season opener was held at Melbourne Knights Stadium on Saturday, October 22, where heavy rain throughout the day and into the evening made for gruelling and treacherous track conditions for all competitors.

Back in Australia after contesting a full season of competition in the United States, Tye Simmonds started the right way by showing impressive pace in the practise sessions and winning his heat race in sloppy track conditions ahead of the final. Heavy rain drenched the track earlier in the day and during the heats, which forced a restructuring of the planned 'Double Header' format of two races into a single, 12-lap final for the Open class.

In extremely slippery conditions for the final, the 19-year-old from Bourke in NSW backed up his qualifying form to record his first ever victory in the Pro Open category aboard the 450 SX-F. In the modified format for the main event, Simmonds stuck close to early pacesetters, Billy Mackenzie (Monster Energy Kawasaki) and Cheyne Boyd (Carlton Dry Thor Honda). When Mackenzie slid out of the lead, Simmonds proved to be able to handle the difficult track best, riding away to a comfortable victory at the end of the 12-lap final.

"It feels good to come here and do good, get the result that we were really hoping for," Simmonds explained. "I really want to contend for the championship, try to be there week in, week out, and see where we end up.
"I just rode my own race, tried not to do anything silly and we ended up getting the W. I'm excited right now and have to say thanks to the whole JDR Motorex KTM team."

Simmonds was joined on the podium by team mate Ryan Marmont, who rode the 350 SX-F to third position in what was the Wollongong rider's debut in the Open ranks. Queenslander Dan Reardon was ninth, suffering bad luck in the treacherous conditions.

In the Lites class, it was double joy for JDR Motorex KTM, with two time series champion Matt Moss also victorious. In a perfect start to his 2011 championship campaign, Moss took 2-1 results in the pair of six-lap finals that made up the Double Header main event.

"I was disappointed that it was raining after training so hard in the dry, but I came in with an open mind and felt really solid on the KTM," 23-year-old Moss said.
"The whole JDR Motorex KTM team was right behind me and I finished second in the first final, then won the second one. I am stoked to win my first supercross with KTM and can't wait to hopefully race in the dry at round two."

In his first ride for JDR Motorex KTM, Queenslander Brenden Harrison scored third overall for the round behind Serco Yoshimura Yamaha's Luke Styke. Harrison finished fourth in both the first and second legs of the Double Header final. Victorian rising star Josh Cachia was right behind Harrison, finishing in fourth position overall, a superb start that will pay dividends for the KTM team in the remaining four rounds of competition. Cachia, 19, got a great start to the opening race, and scored a consistent 3-5 for the round.

In the Under 19s class, former 85cc World Champion Jay Wilson was top KTM for the Coastal KTM team in seventh, with teammate Tristen Cachia one position behind him in eighth. The Junior Development category saw Scott Mann finish in ninth position for GMR Motorex KTM, while Nathan Denny completed the top 10 for Wodonga KTM overall.

The 2011 Monster Energy Super X Australasian Supercross Championship series heads north to WIN Stadium in Wollongong for round two of five on Saturday, October 29.

2011 Super X, Australasian Supercross Championship
Round One - Melbourne, Victoria

Pro Open Results and Standings
1. Tye SIMMONDS (JDR Motorex KTM) 25
2. Billy MACKENZIE 22
3. Ryan MARMONT (JDR Motorex KTM) 20
4. Cheyne BOYD 18
5. Dan MCCOY 16
6. Michael PHILLIPS 15
7. Todd WATERS 14
8. Jay MARMONT 13
9. Daniel REARDON (JDR Motorex KTM) 11
10. Jake MOSS 10

Pro Lites Results and Standings
1. Matt MOSS (JDR Motorex KTM) 25
2. Luke STYKE 22
3. Brendan HARRISON (JDR Motorex KTM) 20
4. Josh CACHIA (JDR Motorex KTM) 18
5. Dean FERRIS 16
6. Steven CLARKE 15
7. Adam MONEA 14
8. Kirk GIBBS 13
9. Robbie MARSHALL 12
10. Casey TURNER 11

Visit www.ktm.com.au for further information on KTM Australia, as well as KTM's full model line-up of off-road and road motorcycles available for 2012.

images: Shayne Rice