Webster, Kingsford, and Cannon on top after epic Maitland Penrite ProMX battle

Maitland’s fourth round of the 2024 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores, delivered world-class racing on an immaculate track today, as Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster retained his single-point lead in the Thor MX1 standings.

It didn’t all go Honda Racing’s way though, with Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Ryder Kingsford securing a first-career round win, halting the momentum of Pirelli MX2 series leader Brodie Connolly.

The drama continued in the MAXXIS MX3 division, as Mongrel Boots Honda Racing’s Jake Cannon claimed another round victory, as the red plate changed hands to WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Koby Hantis.

Sunday also saw Seth Thomas win the Fox Racing MX85 Cup and Lewis-Jay Carafa the KTM Group MX65 Futures.

Thor MX1

Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster won two of the three Thor MX1 races to take the Maitland round win on countback over title rival Jed Beaton (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy), with yesterday’s moto winner, Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team, just one point further back.

Webster rebounded from his fifth-place result yesterday to win Sunday’s second Thor MX1 moto of the weekend. Crawford beat the pack to the first turn, but Webster shot into the lead and was never headed from, finishing 5.1 seconds ahead of Beaton.

After losing spots early as he struggled to get into the flow of the race, Crawford regrouped to finish third, making a last lap pass on Kirk Gibbs (GASGAS Racing Team) for the final spot on the podium. Empire Kawasaki’s Luke Clout rode a solid moto to complete the top five, more than 30 seconds behind Gibbs.

In the final MX1 moto of the round, Webster capped off a great weekend by taking a 3.16s win over Beaton after a race-long duel.

Gibbs stole the show off the start by scoring a great holeshot and leading the opening laps, but was passed by both Beaton and Webster on the third lap, as the two series front-runners went toe-to-toe.

After stalking Beaton for most of the race, Webster pulled the trigger with 10 minutes to go to make a pass and take the victory. Crawford finished a distant third after eventually getting the upper hand on Gibbs, while Clout finished a lonely P5.

In the championship standings, the one-point gap between Webster and Beaton remains as we head to Murray Bridge next month (202 points to 201), while Crawford is 25 points further back on 176.

Thor MX1.

Pirelli MX2

Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Ryder Kingsford took two wins from three Pirelli MX2 races to claim his first round win of the year and put a stop to Polyflor Honda Racing Brodie Connolly’s dominance.

However, in Sunday’s first MX2 moto, Boost Mobile Honda rider Noah Ferguson quickly dispatched of holeshot winner Rhys Budd (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team) to take the lead and win by 7.9s over a reinvigorated Reid Taylor (Empire Kawasaki).

Behind them, the minor placings chopped and changed constantly, but it was Alex Larwood (Froth Honda Racing) who overcame a top 10 start to take the final step of the podium. A hard-charging performance from Japan’s Haruki Yokoyama (Honda) saw him surge late to take P4 over Kayen Minear (KTM Racing Team).

In the third and final MX2 race of the weekend, Kingsford capitalised on late issues for long-time race leader Taylor to take the win and round victory. Taylor jumped to the front early and led until the final two laps when a late issue allowed Kingsford by, while he would cross the line in 10th.

Kingsford then had to hold off a frantic late charge from Ferguson to take a narrow 0.964s win, while Connolly finished his weekend with a third. Larwood bounced back from a P12 start to take fourth, ahead of holeshot winner Yokoyama.

For the round, Kingsford stood on top of the box, joined by Ferguson and Larwood, while Connolly endured a tough weekend to finish seventh overall. He still leads the series, but his 38-point lead has been slashed to 12 over Ferguson (182 points to 170), with Kingsford a further seven markers back.

Image: Ryder Kingsford.

MAXXIS MX3

Mongrel Boots Honda Racing rider Jake Cannon continued his strong mid-season form by claiming the round victory after three entertaining MAXXIS MX3 motos. Joining him on the Maitland podium were WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha riders Koby Hantis and Seth Burchell.

Cannon cruised to victory in the second of the weekend’s three MX3 motos, taking the lead from Hantis on the third lap and went on to comfortably win by 5.565s. The moto’s P3 placing went to Burchell, ahead of Jackson Fuller (KTM) and Jack Deveson (Husqvarna) with a satisfying P5 result.

GASGAS rider Ky Woods bounced back from a tough second moto to take the final MX3 race win of the day, leading a of WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha riders to take a 2.667s win over Burchell, followed by Kobe Drew and Hantis. Cannon overcame a bad start, then an early off-track excursion to finish strongly in fifth and claim another round win.

In the MX3 points chase, Hantis has taken over the series lead with 170 points, ahead of Kingsford (163) and Drew (162), while Cannon continues to close the gap on the front-runners, now on 152 points.

Jake Cannon.

Fox Racing MX85 Cup

A perfect weekend for GASGAS rider Seth Thomas saw him win the three-round Fox Racing MX85 Cup title, as he dominated Sunday’s final moto.

Thomas scored the holeshot and never looked back as he relentlessly stretched out his lead, eventually finishing 20.7 seconds up the track from his nearest rival, Heath Davy (Yamaha).

Davy also put in an impressive ride as he overcame a mid-pack start to finish a distant P2, while GASGAS rider Cooper Danaher made the most of a good gate-jump to complete the race podium.

Zander Kruik crossed the line in P4, just 0.650s ahead of a hard-charging Levi Townley, who was involved in a multi-rider tangle on the opening lap and had to fight back from 26th place.

The round points reflected the final series standings for the top three, with Thomas taking the title from Davy, with Danaher finishing the day and championship in third. Danaher’s strong Maitland round saw him pip Townley for P3 in the series, while Cooper Bowman (Husqvarna) ended the series in fifth.

Seth Thomas.

KTM Group MX65 Futures

Young Victorian rider Lewis-Jay Carafa took the second of the KTM Group MX65 Futures races to take the round victory, capping off a stellar first appearance for the new-look category on the ProMX calendar.

The Husqvarna rider led from the opening lap to come home with a 4.178s lead over second-placed Blake Bohannon (Yamaha). Bohannon, who won yesterday’s opening race, dug deep to make a last-lap pass for P2, and finish the weekend tied on points with Carafa.

Mason Ezergailis (KTM) came across the finish-line in third place in both the race and the round, ahead of KTM riders Oli Chandler and Kye Sproule. The introductory new three-round MX65 Futures series will recommence at Gympie, Queensland on 11 August.

Lewis-Jay Carafa.

Maitland’s fourth round of the 2024 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores, delivered world-class racing on an immaculate track today, as Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster retained his single-point lead in the Thor MX1 standings.

It didn’t all go Honda Racing’s way though, with Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Ryder Kingsford securing a first-career round win, halting the momentum of Pirelli MX2 series leader Brodie Connolly.

The drama continued in the MAXXIS MX3 division, as Mongrel Boots Honda Racing’s Jake Cannon claimed another round victory, as the red plate changed hands to WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Koby Hantis.

Sunday also saw Seth Thomas win the Fox Racing MX85 Cup and Lewis-Jay Carafa the KTM Group MX65 Futures.

Thor MX1

Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster won two of the three Thor MX1 races to take the Maitland round win on countback over title rival Jed Beaton (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy), with yesterday’s moto winner, Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team, just one point further back.

Webster rebounded from his fifth-place result yesterday to win Sunday’s second Thor MX1 moto of the weekend. Crawford beat the pack to the first turn, but Webster shot into the lead and was never headed from, finishing 5.1 seconds ahead of Beaton.

After losing spots early as he struggled to get into the flow of the race, Crawford regrouped to finish third, making a last lap pass on Kirk Gibbs (GASGAS Racing Team) for the final spot on the podium. Empire Kawasaki’s Luke Clout rode a solid moto to complete the top five, more than 30 seconds behind Gibbs.

In the final MX1 moto of the round, Webster capped off a great weekend by taking a 3.16s win over Beaton after a race-long duel.

Gibbs stole the show off the start by scoring a great holeshot and leading the opening laps, but was passed by both Beaton and Webster on the third lap, as the two series front-runners went toe-to-toe.

After stalking Beaton for most of the race, Webster pulled the trigger with 10 minutes to go to make a pass and take the victory. Crawford finished a distant third after eventually getting the upper hand on Gibbs, while Clout finished a lonely P5.

In the championship standings, the one-point gap between Webster and Beaton remains as we head to Murray Bridge next month (202 points to 201), while Crawford is 25 points further back on 176.

Thor MX1.

Pirelli MX2

Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Ryder Kingsford took two wins from three Pirelli MX2 races to claim his first round win of the year and put a stop to Polyflor Honda Racing Brodie Connolly’s dominance.

However, in Sunday’s first MX2 moto, Boost Mobile Honda rider Noah Ferguson quickly dispatched of holeshot winner Rhys Budd (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team) to take the lead and win by 7.9s over a reinvigorated Reid Taylor (Empire Kawasaki).

Behind them, the minor placings chopped and changed constantly, but it was Alex Larwood (Froth Honda Racing) who overcame a top 10 start to take the final step of the podium. A hard-charging performance from Japan’s Haruki Yokoyama (Honda) saw him surge late to take P4 over Kayen Minear (KTM Racing Team).

In the third and final MX2 race of the weekend, Kingsford capitalised on late issues for long-time race leader Taylor to take the win and round victory. Taylor jumped to the front early and led until the final two laps when a late issue allowed Kingsford by, while he would cross the line in 10th.

Kingsford then had to hold off a frantic late charge from Ferguson to take a narrow 0.964s win, while Connolly finished his weekend with a third. Larwood bounced back from a P12 start to take fourth, ahead of holeshot winner Yokoyama.

For the round, Kingsford stood on top of the box, joined by Ferguson and Larwood, while Connolly endured a tough weekend to finish seventh overall. He still leads the series, but his 38-point lead has been slashed to 12 over Ferguson (182 points to 170), with Kingsford a further seven markers back.

Image: Ryder Kingsford.

MAXXIS MX3

Mongrel Boots Honda Racing rider Jake Cannon continued his strong mid-season form by claiming the round victory after three entertaining MAXXIS MX3 motos. Joining him on the Maitland podium were WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha riders Koby Hantis and Seth Burchell.

Cannon cruised to victory in the second of the weekend’s three MX3 motos, taking the lead from Hantis on the third lap and went on to comfortably win by 5.565s. The moto’s P3 placing went to Burchell, ahead of Jackson Fuller (KTM) and Jack Deveson (Husqvarna) with a satisfying P5 result.

GASGAS rider Ky Woods bounced back from a tough second moto to take the final MX3 race win of the day, leading a of WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha riders to take a 2.667s win over Burchell, followed by Kobe Drew and Hantis. Cannon overcame a bad start, then an early off-track excursion to finish strongly in fifth and claim another round win.

In the MX3 points chase, Hantis has taken over the series lead with 170 points, ahead of Kingsford (163) and Drew (162), while Cannon continues to close the gap on the front-runners, now on 152 points.

Jake Cannon.

Fox Racing MX85 Cup

A perfect weekend for GASGAS rider Seth Thomas saw him win the three-round Fox Racing MX85 Cup title, as he dominated Sunday’s final moto.

Thomas scored the holeshot and never looked back as he relentlessly stretched out his lead, eventually finishing 20.7 seconds up the track from his nearest rival, Heath Davy (Yamaha).

Davy also put in an impressive ride as he overcame a mid-pack start to finish a distant P2, while GASGAS rider Cooper Danaher made the most of a good gate-jump to complete the race podium.

Zander Kruik crossed the line in P4, just 0.650s ahead of a hard-charging Levi Townley, who was involved in a multi-rider tangle on the opening lap and had to fight back from 26th place.

The round points reflected the final series standings for the top three, with Thomas taking the title from Davy, with Danaher finishing the day and championship in third. Danaher’s strong Maitland round saw him pip Townley for P3 in the series, while Cooper Bowman (Husqvarna) ended the series in fifth.

Seth Thomas.

KTM Group MX65 Futures

Young Victorian rider Lewis-Jay Carafa took the second of the KTM Group MX65 Futures races to take the round victory, capping off a stellar first appearance for the new-look category on the ProMX calendar.

The Husqvarna rider led from the opening lap to come home with a 4.178s lead over second-placed Blake Bohannon (Yamaha). Bohannon, who won yesterday’s opening race, dug deep to make a last-lap pass for P2, and finish the weekend tied on points with Carafa.

Mason Ezergailis (KTM) came across the finish-line in third place in both the race and the round, ahead of KTM riders Oli Chandler and Kye Sproule. The introductory new three-round MX65 Futures series will recommence at Gympie, Queensland on 11 August.

Lewis-Jay Carafa.