|
Motorex KTM rider Craig Anderson’s prediction that 2002 will be “his
year” is part way to coming true, after he wrapped up the Australian
Open motocross championship at the final round of the championship at
Penguin, Tasmania. The Newcastle native, who also leads the Thumper Nats series after one round and currently lies a single point off the lead of the Supercross Masters series, won the title from defending champion Darryll King (Yamaha), 303 points to 295. Ando finished second in the first two rounds of the championship at Appin and Connondale, then won rounds three and four at Horsham and Gilman to take a comfortable 23-point buffer into the final. Motorex KTM rider and former world champion Shayne King out-pointed Honda’s Cameron Taylor to lock up third place in the championship, while the team’s third open rider, Jay Marmont, was unlucky to be beaten out of fifth place in the series by last round winner Shane Metcalfe (Honda). The day’s honours went to Metcalfe from D. King and Daryl Hurley (Suzuki), while Anderson did what he had to, taking 3, 5, 6 scores to wrap up his ninth major title – his fifth with KTM Australia. “It’s a little disappointing not to finish with another win,” said Anderson, “but I had a job to do today and that was to win the championship, so that’s what I did." Twenty-four year-old Anderson, who has won three motocross championships, three supercross championships, one Supercross Masters crown and two Thumper Nats titles, rated this win “as good as any of them”. “I really wanted this title bad. Darryll kicked my ass pretty good last year and I wanted to return the favour.” “It got a little tricky in the second race when I broke my roll-offs and had to ride with no goggles, then in the third it happened again and I was running around in sixth, but Rob started giving me the thumbs up so I knew it was all good.” Race one went to Taylor from Hurley and Ando, with the second going to D.King from Hurley, Metcalfe, Taylor and Anderson. Only two points separated Shayne King and Taylor going into the final, which finished with Metcalfe ahead of D.King, S.King and then Taylor. In the 125cc class Honda's Troy Dorron clinched the championship after dominating much of the year. In “Roost Rookies” junior action, Motorex KTM racer Cody Mackie took
a perfect three wins from three starts to lead home Chase Mosic and
Justin Curry, after regular sparring partner and team mate Danny
Anderson crashed heavily in race one, later opting to sit out the final
moto. Australian 125cc Motocross Championship Points (provisional) after
final round: |

The above image is from our
galleries, posted after round one of the ThumperNats
- Gallery A - Gallery B - Gallery C - Gallery D - Gallery E -
|
FREE classifieds - Late Braking News - 2002 New Bike Catalogue
Product News - Wallpaper - Racing - Bike Tests - Discussion
MCNEWS.COM.AU