Metcalfe takes top honours at Port Adelaide SX

2018 Australian Supercross Championship

Metcalfe claims his first round win of 2018 season

Hayden Mellross tops SX2 & closes in on leader Jay Wilson

Images by TBG

SX1

Brett Metcalfe dominated the Dunlop presented Round 4 of the 2018 Australian Supercross Championship at Gillman Raceway on Saturday, as Luke Clout was penalised to fourth in Main Event 1.

Australian SX Port Adelaide TBG SX Start TBG — SX1 Start – Australian Supercross Round 4 Port Adelaide 2018

Metcalfe took a 5-1-1 score, leading to a eight point win over Justin Brayton who retains his championship lead, now by 6 points, with both riders running Dunlop Geomax tyres. Kawasaki’s Jace Owens took third overall, with Yamaha mounted Dylan Long and Dan Reardon filling out the overall top five.

Australian SX Port Adelaide TBG Brett Metcalfe TBG — Brett Metcalfe – Australian Supercross Round 4 Port Adelaide 2018

For Brett Metcalfe it was his first overall win for the season as teammate Brayton took second overall, with Penrite Honda continuing to have a surreal season, finishing first and second in the first four rounds of the 2018 season.

The night’s three races saw Luke Clout penalised in SX1 Main Event 1, relegating him to fourth, and handing the win to Brayton, with Jace Owen and Dan Reardon completing the podium. SX1 Main Event 2 saw Metcalfe claim an early lead and go on to win from Jace Owen and Luke Clout, while Main Event 3 once again saw Metcalfe take command, with Dylan Long and Justin Brayton completing the podium.

Brett Metcalfe

“In the first 3 rounds of the SX I finished 2nd to my teammate Justin Brayton. This round has been a huge step forward for me, I wanted to win and it could not have been at a better time. It’s my first year with the team and with Honda in Australia, so it can take some time to work everything out and we are really finding our feet. Big thanks to everyone on the team, they have worked nonstop and its showing as
Justin and I have finished 1st and 2nd at every round. Race 1 was tough, I got an average start and worked my way through. I came together with Reardon in the race which set me back and I had to accept 5th. Race 2 and 3 were dream races, I go great starts and was able to capitalise on them. This is an amazing feeling, this is my home town, my family is here, my kids are here tonight and winning in front of them is unbelievable. Overall I am happy for the team, each week we have been chipping away at it and its showing. I am excited to keep the championship alive and am happy for everyone involved” Said Metcalfe

Justin Brayton

“Tonight was tough, there was some close racing and some bar banging. It didn’t help that my starts weren’t great and crashing certainly made things harder. I tried to ride clean but found myself in the thick of things with some of the other riders this evening. Whilst I am bummed I am happy to come away with a decent points lead going into the final round. Overall its been a tough month as I have been fighting pneumonia since round 2 and its taken its toll a little. I will rest up and focus on Sydney. I want to congratulate my teammate, Metty has been consistent and is riding well and I happy for him and the whole Penrite Factory Honda Team.”

Jace Owen (Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing) stormed to third overall, piloting the all-new 2019 Kawasaki KX450, the American displaying strong speed from the get-go, and scoring a direct ticket to the trio of Triple Crown main events after finishing second in his heat race.

Australian SX Port Adelaide TBG Jace Owen Brett Metcalfe TBG — Jace Owen & Brett Metcalfe battle it out – Australian Supercross Round 4 Port Adelaide 2018

Owen led a number of laps in the first two finals, settling for second on both occasions while positioning himself nicely for an overall win entering the third race on Saturday night at Gillman Speedway.

Unfortunately, the number five was forced to take evasive action in the final encounter when a rider crashed in front of him, causing him to fall in the process. He remounted for eighth, granting him third overall – the team’s first premier class podium – while also boosting his standing to third in the championship.

Jace Owen

“Today is the best day I’ve had over here in Australia. In the first three rounds I struggled to get going, but finally today I felt like myself all-day long and it feels good with a third overall. I led a lot of laps in the first two mains and ended up second. But in the third main I was coming through and [Luke] Clout went down in front of me and I smacked right into him and I went down as well. It’s unfortunate for me, I knew I could’ve fought for the win tonight, but at the end of the day we’re still up on the podium. I couldn’t be happier with the team and the new KX450.”

SX1 Final 1

Justin Brayton 7:31.421
Jace Owen +2.580
Daniel Reardon +5.996
Luke Clout +
Brett Metcalfe +6.452
Dylan Long +9.327
Mitch Evans +14.987
Lawson Bopping +30.005
Robbie Marshall +34.018
Gradie Featherstone +42.703

SX1 Final 2

Brett Metcalfe 7:19.563
Jace Owen +5.806
Luke Clout +7.993
Dylan Long +8.551
Mitch Evans +12.817
Lawson Bopping +19.444
Daniel Reardon +22.209
Justin Brayton +34.892
Robbie Marshall +36.961
Rickie Girdwood +38.970

SX1 Final 3

Brett Metcalfe +7:17.725
Dylan Long +1:39.677
Justin Brayton +1:39.678
Daniel Reardon +1:39.679
Robbie Marshall +2:19.862
Mitch Evans +2:20.096
Lawson Bopping +2:20.831
Jace Owen +2:21.049
Rickie Girdwood +2:21.440
Zak Small +2:21.831

Australian Supercross Standings – SX1 Round 4 Overall

Brett Metcalfe 66
Justin Brayton 58
Jace Owen 57
Dylan Long 55
Daniel Reardon 52
Mitch Evans 45
Lawson Bopping 42
Robbie Marshall 40
Luke Clout 38
Rickie Girdwood 31

Australian SX Port Adelaide TBG SX Podium TBG — SX1 Overall Podium Brayton, Metcalfe, Owen – Australian Supercross Round 4 Port Adelaide 2018

Australian Supercross Standings – SX1 – After Round 4

Justin BRAYTON 97
Brett METCALFE 91
Jace OWEN 72
Daniel REARDON 70
Dylan LONG 64
Luke CLOUT 58
Robbie MARSHALL 47
Lawson Bopping 42
Jesse DOBSON 41
Nicholas SUTHERLAND
Zak SMALL 36
Joshua KILVINGTON 31
Jamie Harvey 23
Rickie Girdwood 22
Jesse MADDEN 21

SX2

In the SX2 category Dunlop clad machines swept the top two steps of the podium, with Hayden Mellross (DPH Motorsport Factory Husqvarna Racing) charging to wins in the night’s first two finals, then coming home second in the third final, to seal the round victory. Jacob Hayes snared second overall at Gillman, from Joshua Osby, with both finishing the weekend with a score of 56 points for the round.

SX2 Main Event 1 saw Melross claim victory ahead of Hayes and DPH Motorsport teammate Dylan Wills, a standout performance for the #5 this season.

Melross was then able to go back to back as he stormed ahead of Serco Yamaha’s Wilson Todd and American Joshua Osby in SX2 Main Event 2 claiming victory and a tidy lead for the night ahead.

Current red plate holder Jay Wilson fought back in SX2 Main Event 3 taking the victory ahead of Melross and Hayes to keep the championship points lead alive and disrupt what would have been the perfect night for Melross.

Hayden Mellross

“What an incredible and near perfect day. We finally got the overall round win and I couldn’t be any happier. To overcome the setbacks and challenges I have been faced with this season, felt amazing. This truly has been the sweetest and most rewarding win yet. The whole team and I have been working so hard to achieve this result and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of such an amazing team.”

SX2 Final 1

Hayden Mellross 5:53.964
Jacob Hayes +1.270
Dylan Wills +4.829
Joshua Osby +5.507
Dakota Alix +11.613
Wilson Todd +15.766
Aaron Tanti +16.951
Jay Wilson +18.050
Jackson Richardson +19.653
Tomas Ravenhorst +20.944

Australian SX Port Adelaide TBG Jacob Hayes Joshua Osby TBG — Jacob Hayes & Joshua Osby – Australian Supercross Round 4 Port Adelaide 2018

SX2 Final 2

Hayden Mellross 5:59.891
Wilson Todd +3.882
Joshua Osby +10.216
Aaron Tanti +11.485
Jackson Richardson +12.080
Dakota Alix +12.718
Jacob Hayes +19.637
Jay Wilson +21.751
Lorenzo Camporese +22.028
Hugh McKay +22.314

Australian SX Port Adelaide TBG Jacob Hayes TBG — Jacob Hayes – Australian Supercross Round 4 Port Adelaide 2018

SX2 Final 3

Jay Wilson 5:54.050
Hayden Mellross +1.811
Jacob Hayes +2.958
Joshua Osby +7.184
Jackson Richardson +8.065
Dakota Alix +12.295
Wilson Todd +14.829
Richie Evans +22.585
Tomas Ravenhorst +23.630
Aaron Tanti +23.886

Australian Supercross Standings – SX2 Round 4 Overall

Hayden Mellross 72
Jacob Hayes 56
Joshua Osby 56
Jay Wilson 51
Wilson Todd 51
Dakota Alix 46
Jackson Richardson 44
Aaron Tanti 43 14
Dylan Wills 32
Lorenzo Camporese 28

Australian Supercross Standings – SX2 – After Round 4

Jay WILSON 88
Hayden MELLROSS 77
Wilson TODD 75
Jacob HAYES 75
Dakota ALIX 61
Joshua OSBY 54
Jackson RICHARDSON 52
Bradley TAFT 50
Aaron TANTI 49
Dylan WILLS 42
Kyle WEBSTER 39
Richard EVANS 36
Tomas RAVENHORST 33
Hugh McKay 23
Cooper POZNIAK 22

Junior Lites

In the Junior Lites division local SA rider and freshly crowned Australian Junior Motocross champion, Alex Larwood made his supercross debut at Gillman, and promptly swept all three moto’s in his class to deliver another convincing victory.

Australian SX Port Adelaide TBG Gillman TBG — Australian Supercross Round 4 Port Adelaide 2018

Denzel Woulfe took third overall but retails a 3-point lead in the standings, while Jai Walker was second overall for the round, and is now fourth in the standings.

Australian Supercross Standings – Junior Lites Round 4 Overall

Alex Larwood 75
Jai Walker 62
Denzel Woulfe 56
Brandon Steel 52
Jake Cuka 48
Kai Bonning 45
Kipp adams 38

Australian Supercross Standings – Junior Lites – After Round 4

Denzel WOULFE 238
Jake CUKA 235
Brandon STEEL 225
Jai Walker 192
Zackariah WRIGHT 138
Kai BONNING 135 103
Reece CRUTCH 81
Alex Larwood 75
Blake FOX 72
Kipp adams 38

Junior 85/150

Ryder Kingsford took top hours in the Junior 85/150 categories with 72 points to his name, with Jack Mather second on 69. Mather sits second in the overall standings, behind championship leader Brad West, who took third overall, and saw Mather close the gap by 11-points.

After four stunning outdoor and stadium rounds in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, the 2018 Australian Supercross Championship now moves indoors for the fifth and final round, the Aus-X Open at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, NSW, on Saturday, November 10.