Monday 23rd July 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
Sun Shines on Honda at Wonthaggi
Honda Australia had plenty to celebrate after Sunday’s round of the Australian Motocross Championships held at a crisp, clear Wonthaggi track.
After qualifying in three of the top four positions, the factory No Fear Team grabbed the round win with an in-form Cody Cooper at the helm.
HRA Junior Team rider Ross Beaton was also unstoppable in the Rookie’s class, giving the manufacturer more joy after claiming the series title.
Cooper, who struggled with a ligament problem in his leg earlier in the day, overcame any associated pain to take out a first and second place finish at the well attended event.
It is the Kiwi’s second round win, and sixth top three race finish for the season, putting him solidly into third position overall prior to the last two rounds.
“I felt fantastic out there today,” the 23 year old said.
“That leg pain was a bit out-of-the-blue and worried me a bit, but it wasn’t really an issue once the racing got underway.”
With only 11 points now standing between him and second position, currently held by Daryl Hurley, Cooper has his sights set firmly on moving up a notch at Lakes’ penultimate round in two weeks time.
“Cody’s starts are getting a lot better now which was obvious today,” said Team Manager Pip Harrison.
“Once he gets away well, he puts in lap times as quick as Reardon so it was great to see him ride consistently and get another win on the board.”
No Fear Honda’s Craig Anderson also made an impressive comeback from injury, finishing fifth in the moto one.
“I am relatively happy with that,” Anderson said.
“My upper body strength isn’t what it should be yet after this shoulder injury, so it was good to be able to get through a whole race and not feel too bad at the end of it.”
Anderson struggled to keep that form all day, however, and had to settle for finishing outside the top ten in moto two.
After his best qualifying result of the season in third place behind team mate Cooper, Kade Mosig also continued to better his results in his rookie year in the Open class.
After an average start in moto one, the Victorian teenager worked relentlessly up through the pack to finish seventh. He bettered that with a fifth in moto two, making it his biggest round points haul yet.
“I think I got away around 12thposition, and rode extremely hard in that first moto.”
“I made a bit of a mistake, otherwise I would have finished stronger,” Mosig said.
While the senior Team enjoyed their time in the sun, Honda’s junior rider Ross Beaton, was also a star for the day after a perfect score final Rookie’s round.
The 16 year old Tasmanian wrapped up the class on his CRF250 with five out of eight race wins.
The first place trophy backs up his national Supercross title as well as the Victorian State Junior Motorcross title. He is clearly a young man on the way up.
“It’s my fourth moto win in a row so that was a real boost,” Beaton said after his win.
Beaton, who is injury free and physically at the top of his game said that although we “create our own luck sometimes”, it also wouldn’t be possible without a leg up.
“I have had a lot of local support to help me with my career from guys like Ajay (Johnson) from Honda and Kevin Williams. I also spend a lot of time here in Victoria training on local tracks which has helped me improved in a big way.”
“My next goal is to take out the national junior motocross championships where I had two third places last year.”
- For more information on the Australian Motocross Championships, go to: www.ozmotox.com.au
- For information on the Junior Titles to be held in Coolum, September, www.suncoastjmc.com.au
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