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2005 Australian Motocross
Championship - Round Seven - Gillman (SA) - Honda Report June 26th, 2005 |
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2005 Australian Motocross
Championship - Round Seven - Gillman (SA) - Honda Report June 26th, 2005 |
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| It was all smiles for team No
Fear Honda at round seven of the Australian Motocross
Championships with Craig Anderson having a superlative day of
racing and team mate Cody Cooper returning to round winning form
in a display that reminded all why he convincingly conquered
last year’s Pro Lite Championship. Under sunny skies, lead rider Anderson finished second overall for the day in the Open class at the ever popular Gillman, South Australia track after keeping current championship leader Daryl Hurley at bay in moto one and finishing fourth in moto two. Showing no residual signs of his mid season hindering foot injury, Anderson took the holeshot in the morning’s premiere race with Hurley applying plenty of pressure for the entirety of the duel. Ando then managed to create a gap of a few seconds in the final few laps, allowing him to secure the win. The second moto of the day was a tighter affair with Ando getting away in the top three and dicing closely with Hurley and Team Moto Honda’s Shayne King. Craig managed to get the lead but a small upset over one of the jumps disrupted his rhythm, causing him to lose precious time and relegating him to fourth. With a second place podium finish, Ando remains in fifth position on the ladder going into the final round in two weeks time. “There was some tough, close racing going on today and I really enjoyed it,” Anderson noted. “All of the guys at the top are extremely competitive, and I’m looking forward to having another go with them at the final round in Conondale.” In the Pro Lite contest, Cooper moved himself four places up in the Championship in one hit after collecting 43 points on Sunday with privateer Honda rider Warren Smart finishing in a close second. Cody was clearly fit and focused as he set the fastest lap time in qualifying, ultimately translating that to an overall round win - the first for the flying Kiwi this season. With an average start in moto one, Cooper slowly but surely worked his way up through the throng of riders to finish in fourth. Second time around, however, the 21 year old talent got away much more effectively into the top three. By the third lap, he had taken the lead and simply took off in pace-chasing style. “I knew I had the speed today and I just had to try and get the best starts I could. No one likes having to work their way up from the back, but sometimes you don’t have a choice,” Cooper said. “It felt good to get a win under my belt, that’s for sure. This season has been a tough one for me so when you have a weekend where everything feels right, it is a huge bonus.” The results were definitely a “great morale booster for everyone,” according to Team Manager Pip Harrison. “Cody was in great form this weekend. When everything falls into place for him, it is quite an amazing thing to watch. He is an incredibly talented motocrosser.” Whilst enduring Honda man Troy Dorron sat out the weekend due to an injury sustained in Tasmania, the Team took on guest rider and enduro racer extraordinaire Jamie Cunningham. Jamie had a capricious but enjoyable experience, proving that he has the pace to mix it up with this country’s top riders. A crash within the first couple of laps in race one put the 32 year old at odds with the pack, however he managed to finish just inside the points. Jamie’s second race was looking much more promising as he worked his way up into fifth until a technical problem caused his early demise. “Jamie has not ridden in a professional motocross series for some time but he is still one hell of a rider,” Harrison said. “We’re really pleased to have him on board again for the final round in Queensland.” Anderson, Cooper, Cunningham and Rebecca Lipsett (National Cup) are all definite runners for the series decider in two weeks. Dorron will continue to recuperate from a separated rib, and will make the decision on whether he will ride closer to the day. In a worthy mention, Full Throttle Sports Honda junior rider Kade Mosig also wrapped up the national rookies class in SA after a perfect three round score of 150 points. Kade recently secured two Victorian State Titles including A grade 125cc (CR 125) and A grade 250cc 4-strokes (CRF 250), proving he is a young talent destined for greatness. According to Team Manager Yarrive Konsky, “Kade is an exceptional athlete. He has a positive mental attitude and continually moves toward a higher level of excellence which constitutes an unbeatable force. Just like Honda, our primary supporter, we never forget that shared team values take us from strength to strength”. |
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