Axis Motorsports Race team’s first outing in the Pro Open class at 2006 Supercross Masters championship opener held at Adelaide’s Wayville showground last weekend did not go to plan according to team rider Danny Ham.

“Obviously a big disappointment to what we thought was going to be a successful showing of the CRF 450 Honda, but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control, I got taken out on the first corner in race 1.

In last place with an out of shape bike and feeling the effects of the first corner carnage, Ham took off trying to claw his way through the pack. With a lap time of 45.855 sec in lap 2, Ham was still on the pace throughout the race. Danny made it up to 13th position before running out of laps, just one place behind defending champion Troy Carroll.

“That first corner put a dampener on my whole night; I aggravated a rib cartilage injury carried over from pre season racing at the German supercross series”.

A rough and tumble race 2, saw Ham recover from a couple of small crashes to make it back to 14th position behind Suzuki’s Daryl Hurley.

“The Pro Open class has really grown this year and it is the premier class once more. When you are racing guys like Troy Carroll and Daryl Hurley in the middle of the pack you know the depth is back”.

Race 3 was to be Ham’s best of the night with a solid 6th place leading home some of the big names in the Pro Open Division. Race 3 was an insight to where Ham should be and set up the platform to build off for Round 2 in Perth.

“The bike was perfect, I am very comfortable on it and know it has been prepared well by Team manager Andrew Hopson. Its quite fast through the whoops. It just comes to me adapting to the track early and making the most of the opportunities”.

Danny Ham placed 11th overall after Round 1 of he Supercross Masters championship.