ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MX NATIONALS - ROUND 5, RAYMOND - JUST BIKES

Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals - Round 5, Raymond Terrace, NSW

After being the man to beat in previous rounds of the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals, Team Kawasaki Racing's Billy Mackenzie had one of his countrymen to deal with for round 5 of the championship, in the form of current British Motocross Champion, Brad Anderson. As part of a flying visit to Australia that also included the Manjimup 15,000 in WA, Anderson dominated the Pro Open class, winning all three motos.

Poor results from Tye Simmonds (JDR Motorex KTM) and Todd Waters (Cougar Bourbon Honda Thor Racing) moved Mackenzie further up the championship table, while CDR Rockstar Yamaha's Jay Marmont did enough to retain the series lead.

With heavy rain and cyclonic weather conditions in the lead up to the event, organisers were relieved when the forecast for clear race day conditions came through. With the sodden track beginning to dry out, qualifying got underway and Anderson showed the Aussies what he was made of, posting the quickest time by more than two and a half seconds.

The racing at Raymond Terrace took the traditional 'long' format across three motos. In the first of the three, privateer Dean Ferris (Honda) easily scored the holeshot before he was overtaken by Mackenzie. Ferris kept pace with the Scottish rider, followed closely by CDR Rockstar Yamaha's Cheyne Boyd until Anderson pounced, picking his way through the field from fifth place. Anderson made light work of both Boyd and Ferris and, mid-way through the race, began to hunt down Mackenzie. With the gap steadily closing, Anderson made his move on the Scot, but things didn't go exactly to plan when the two made contact, and it was Mackenzie who came off the worse, crashing in the turn and dropping back to fourth place. Unable to close the gap before the chequered flag, Mackenzie had to settle for fourth behind race winner Anderson, Ferris and Boyd.

The second moto saw several leaders including Ferris, Boyd and Mackenzie, before Anderson once again took the lead at the halfway mark. The reigning British Champ held a comfortable lead over Boyd, Mackenzie, Ferris and Team Rockstar Motul Suzuki's Cody Cooper, who fought it out for the remaining podium places. In the end, it was Boyd who placed second with Mackenzie finishing third.

In a repeat of the previous round at Toowoomba, Jay Marmont again struggled to find the pace early, before coming good in the final race. With one lap down, Marmont had dropped back to third place with the two internationals out in front. By the seventh lap, the reigning champ had reined in Mackenzie and passed him, and then began to close on Anderson. By the time the chequered flag dropped, Marmont was within five seconds of Anderson, and had a safe distance between himself and Mackenzie, who finished third.

"I've been riding over in the UK and I've done a few GP's, and we just decided to come out here and try it all out and it's been pretty good," Anderson said after his impressive local debut. What made Anderson's victories even more impressive was the fact he achieved them on a virtually stock Honda CRF450R supplied by Brisbane Motorcycles.

"I like it nice and rough like how it is here, the track was pretty good and the people are good, and hopefully I can be back again", Anderson concluded, hinting at a potential return to the championship fulltime in 2011.

Despite a podium and second overall for the round, Mackenzie was less than impressed with his performance.

"It was a tough day for me out there. I haven't had a lot of bike time since my injury and I struggled at the last round a bit, but I had a lot of track knowledge which helped.

"I might have a little regret in inviting Brad over actually, but it's alright and I was still the first guy behind him!" Mackenzie joked.

Motocross fans at Raymond Terrace were also treated to Danny Ham's first appearance at a national level outdoor meet for close on 18 months. The former Suzuki star was Kawasaki-mounted this time, and despite barely a fortnight's preparation for both him and the JK Motorsports/UEA Racing team, managed to post solid top 20 finishes across all three Pro Open motos.

Pro Lites
In the Pro Lites, P.J. Larsen (JDR Motorex KTM) was virtually unstoppable, repeating Anderson's efforts in the Pro Opens to win all three motos in his class. Larsen was fastest in qualifying, followed by Kade Mosig (KTM), Ford Dale (Serco Yamaha) and Luke Styke (GYTR Rockstar Yamaha).

In the races, Luke George (Kawasaki) started strongly, scoring the holeshot in the first moto and challenging Larsen for the lead before he was knocked out of the race by a lapped rider, allowing Larsen a comfortable win ahead of Styke and Ryan Marmont (JDR Motorex KTM).

In moto two, Larsen recovered from another poor start - sixth at the end of the first lap - to reel in early race leaders, Cody Mackie (Kawasaki Racing Team), Styke and Kirk Gibbs (Serco Yamaha). The extremely muddy conditions took their toll on Mackie, who fell back behind the final podium trio of Larsen, Styke and Cougar Bourbon Honda Thor Racing's Michael Phillips.

Larsen's last race of the day was his best, securing the holeshot and building a lead of more than ten seconds, which he held, off and on, to the finish. Behind him, a cluster of riders fought out the minor places, with Phillips and Marmont eventually securing second and third. Larsen now holds a 55 point lead going into the final three rounds of the season.

Under 19s
In the Under 19s, Josh Cachia (Coastal KTM) maintained his stranglehold on the leader's red plate, winning two of the three motos and increasing his Series lead to 33 points. Despite challenges from GYTR Rockstar Yamaha's Ross Beaton (who won the second moto) & Harley Quinlan, as well as KTM Race Team's Ethan Martens, Cachia powered through the rough, rutted conditions at Raymond Terrace and seems unstoppable at this stage of the championship.

RESULTS
Round 5 - Raymond Terrace, NSW

PRO OPEN
1. B. Anderson (Honda) 1-1-1
2. B. Mackenzie (Kawasaki) 4-3-3
3. C. Boyd (Yamaha) 3-2-5
4. D. Ferris (Honda) 2-5-4
5. J. Marmont (Yamaha) 7-6-2

PRO LITE
1. P. J. Larsen (KTM) 1-1-1
2. L. Styke (Yamaha) 2-2-6
3. M. Phillips (Honda) 9-3-2
4. R. Marmont (KTM) 3-9-3
5. C. Mackie (Kawasaki) 6-4-5

UNDER 19
1. J. Cachia (KTM) 1-2-1
2. R. Beaton (Yamaha) 3-1-2
3. H. Quinlan (Yamaha) 4-3-4
4. E. Martens (KTM) 5-5-5
5. M. Phillips (Honda) 8-6-6

Championship
PRO OPEN
1. Marmont - 241, 2. Simmonds - 228, 3. Ferris - 223, 4. Mackenzie - 215, 5. Boyd - 214.

PRO LITE
1. Larsen - 282, 2. Gibbs - 227, 3. Marmont - 215, 4. Mackie - 213, 5. Styke - 184.

UNDER 19
1. Cachia - 273, 2. Beaton - 240, 3. M. Phillips - 203, 4. Arbon - 197, 5. Peterson- 195.