Queensland Motocross Championships - Round 1 Review

>Waters Takes First Blood
>One down, Two to go for Queensland women

Waters Takes First Blood
Story by: Scott Bishop
Photo by: Motorcycling Queensland file

Motorex KTM’s Todd Waters from Cairns put together a near perfect weekend at Townsville to claim the win in both the Pro Lites and Pro Open classes at the opening round of the Yamaha Queensland Motocross Championship held over the Easter weekend.

A huge line up turned up at the Townsville Club’s Lang Park Circuit and saw some of the best state racing in years in the pro classes as Waters, Adam Cini, Dean Ferris, Nick Geck, Harley Quinlan, Nathan Crawford, Matt Haworth and Simon Thompson all ran up the front and made the Cairns boy earn his victory.

The hot and steamy conditions were tough on the riders with many finding the fast pace and grueling 20-minute motos hard work. The Townsville club worked hard to get the track in best possible shape and it must be remembered that only a matter of weeks ago, the entire area was under water from recent floods.

Both championship classes received plenty of entries with qualifying races determining the final 40-rider line up. A strong contingent from down south as well as the best local representation in years meant the Townsville pits were as busy as they have ever been.

In the Pro Lites, Waters took an impressive three wins from three starts to take the day from Adam Cini (Husqvarna), Dean Ferris (Honda), Harley Quinlan (Yamaha) and Nick Geck (Yamaha). Waters combined good fitness with great starts and a fast pace to out ride, out smart and take out the day.

It was much the same story in the Pro Opens with the usual suspects involved. Waters notched up two wins and a second to take the win from Cini, Ferris and Geck.

“I love doing the Sunshine State and Queensland Championship races as they are the perfect warm up for the nationals, Waters offered via a KTM media release.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing in the Pro classes with the last leg of the Lites championship marred by a huge pile up not long after the start. As the field thundered down towards the tabletop, riders collided and ended up on the blind side of the jump. With no time to react and the speed carried into that section, a massive crash ensued with several riders sustaining serious injuries.

Jamie Bain was at the bottom of the pile and was seriously injured. Doctors are cautiously optimistic regarding Bain. Harley Pezutti and a number of other riders were also involved, although the extent of their injuries was not known at the time of writing. The entire motocross fraternity wishes all of the injured riders a quick and full recovery and our wishes are also with their families.

In the Women’s Championship, Tamara Gray is getting back to her best form after an 18-month period of injury and she dominated the girls class. Behind Gray was a tight knit bunch of Kiera Smith, Stacey Griffiths and Renae Evans. It was also good to see a busy start line with plenty of girls keen to take part in the action.

The junior fields are red hot at the moment and the immediate success of riders like Todd Waters, Dean Ferris and this year Harley Quinlan prove that Queensland junior motocross is on the right track. Dylan Peterson took out the 15 years Lites and also the 13 to 15 years 125cc after a hard fought battle with long time rival, Shaun Redhead.

Redhead dominated the 13 to 14 years Lites, as young teammate Joel Dinsdale did in the 9 to 11 years Mini Lites. All manufacturers are also showing support for the younger age groups with every brand represented by a high profile rider now that Honda has Nicholas Scott. Jackson Richardson took out the 12 to 14 years Mini Lites after a tight five-way battle that included Jacob Wright, Dylan Hickling, Jay Wilson and Scott Mann.  

North Queensland boy Wilson Todd assumed his usual position out front of the 65cc class. Dylan Wilson did likewise in the 10 to 12 years 65cc, while Jake Gook claimed the overall win in the 14 to 15 years Mini Lites

This weekend sees the action head to Gladstone for round two and the points are wide open. The Pro class will be even more so as the current points leader, Todd Waters is fulfilling a KTM commitment to race in an event in Western Australia.

For all results of round one, check out www.orion-timing.com or look for the links via the MQ website.

One down, Two to go for Queensland women
Story by: Tamara Gray
Photo by: Tamara Gray

It was a rough and hot weekend that greeted the Women’s Lites Championship class at the Yamaha Queensland Motocross Championships at Woodstock, Townsville over the Easter long weekend.

With 19 entrants, the largest number to date in the Championship, the competition was tight, especially with the introduction of some very quick young girls who have recently moved out of the junior ranks into the senior classes.

The girls endured three 12 minute motos over the two day meeting on a testing, well watered and rutted out track.  All girls made an exceptional effort and for the most part made it through the day unscathed.

Moto one - Saturday lunchtime, former Queensland Champion Tamara Gray grabbed the hole shot, only to be passed around the outside by 2007 #2 rider Kiera Smith.  Smith managed to hold her lead only briefly as Gray slipped past her at the very next corner.

Smith took chase to Gray over the following laps.  Young gun Stacey Griffiths pushed hard on Smith’s tail, unfortunately falling in the process.  Griffiths managed to remount with minimal time lost and managed to finish in third place. 

Gray streaked away to win by over ten seconds, Smith settling for second.

Moto two – Sunday morning, mimicked much of the race from the day before. Gray snuck past Kiera Smith after being rounded in the first corner.  Stacey Griffiths and Renae Evans were also able to get by Smith. 

Griffiths hung on to Gray’s back wheel for the opening laps, with both girls opening up a large gap on the competition. 

It was Gray with more race experience, who managed to pull further away from the younger Griffiths to take the win.  Evans rounded out the top three.

Moto three – Sunday lunchtime saw Tamara Gray grab the hole shot only to lose time in the first corner.  This time she was rounded by Kiera Smith and Renae Evans. 

Smith took the lead with Evans and Gray in hot pursuit.  Gray made short work of Evans and began the pursuit of Smith.

Gray reeled Smith in over the opening laps.  Stacey Griffiths had also been busy making her way through the pack and got herself up in to second behind Gray. 

Unfortunate Griffiths dropped her bike in one of the later laps letting Smith and Evans slip by and take second and third respectively.

There is now only a one week gap before the girls go head to head at the Gladstone circuit for round two of the Yamaha Queensland Motocross Championships.

Yamaha Queensland Motocross Championships Round 1 - Women’s Lites Class top 10:

1.         Tamara Gray                  Gold Coast                   75 points
2.         Kiera Smith                    Townsville                    62 points
3.         Stacey Griffiths             Goondiwindi                 60 points
4.         Renae Evans                  Kingaroy                      58 points
5.         Prue Maeyke                  Gladstone                    43 points
6.         Tania Millard                 Townsville                   42 points
7.         Brooke Thiemann          Kilcoy                          40 points
8.         Kirstie Brooks                Clermont                      38 points
9.         Ashleigh Davey            Townsville                   37 points
10.       Kelly Mauger                Mundubbera                33 points

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Australian Superbike Championships underway
Story by: Tom Williams
Photo by: Tom Williams

The 2008 season of the Australian Superbike Championship has come in for its share of media scrutiny in recent times, with suggestions the series is in financial trouble, lacking sponsorship and has questionable new rules.

There were predictions of upset wins from new teams and established riders departing for foreign shores and good news in the way of a very popular revamped Formula Xtreme class and numerous juniors reaching 15 years of age, thus swelling the field in 125GP.

All the rumors, predictions and controversy of the pre-season led up to the Kawasaki sponsored round 1 and quickly settled down after the 187 entrants took to the track. A larger than usual Sydney crowd witnessed some of the best racing they’re likely to see from most classes.

31 Queenslanders in total ventured south to challenge the best riders in the country, hopeful of success in their chosen classes. Some enjoyed a fruitful weekend while others came home thinking things can only improve from here.

The surprise package of the year so far is Honda’s Jason O’Halloran, the reigning Supersport champion who after a strong showing at the WSBK support races continued to show he’s more than ready for the step to Superbikes with a pair of third places.

Queensland’s star Robbie Bugden, fresh from defending his New Zealand Superbike crown with an almost perfect score, repaid Suzuki for the improved level of support offered this year by achieving 2 strong fourths. He notably outperformed full factory rider Craig Coxhell throughout the weekend.

But it was the experience and mastery of Jamie Stauffer and Shaun Giles who led the way. Jamie had a near perfect weekend with pole in Superbike and Supersport, all 4 race wins, a new lap record in each class and the fastest recorded top speed.

When commenting on his perfect score he said: “It was OK but I’d like to have done better – I could have done it without sweating so much!”

Sydney was feeling the effects of the heat wave from further south, which at least meant the rain stayed away this time. Giles pushed him all the way with his Suzuki noticeably less stable than the Yamaha on cornering.

Three more Queensland riders are entered in the premier class this season, Jon Cartwright having made the move from Naked Bikes on a Yamaha, again sponsored by Anchor Steel. His 13th position in qualifying delivered a 13th and a 12th in racing.
Alex Buxton and Mick McMillan have both recently been upgraded to B after some impressive results in FX last year. Alex managed to qualify his Kawasaki in 16th which is where he was placed after each race.

Mick McMillan had “a weekend to forget” which is the toned down description he offered when finding out it was going into print. He had a positive to take with him with 15th in qualifying making him first B grader and 4th privateer on the grid, this being despite falling. He fell again at turn 12 in race 1 and suffered a broken gear lever and consequent retirement in race 2, thus only completing 18 laps of the track all weekend.

Jamie Stauffer only completed 3 laps in first qualifying for Supersport but that was enough to produce a 1:32.009 lap, almost 2 seconds under his own lap record and fast enough to have put him on the front row of the Superbike grid after the morning’s qualifying sessions were over.

He chose not to go out in the second qualifying session, confident that he’d still have pole and choosing to save his tyres for the races. With only 2 sets available to each rider, this was a significant move. In the races his younger team mates seemed to have the wood on him until late in each race when he slipped by for narrow wins.

After the Yamahas the best of the rest each time was the factory Suzuki of the ever improving Josh Waters who had his own battle keeping Sunstate Motorcycles’ (Maroochydore) Judd Greedy at bay. Judd has become a regular party spoiler for the factory riders with his hard charging style, and his team has the Honda outperforming its factory counterparts this year.

The other Queensland riders were Ben Attard, having returned from a few seasons in the United States who DNF’d in race 1 and managed 6th on his Yamaha in race 2, and Cole Odendaal, who has moved from the bigger class. Cole had Krusty Ferguson doing the mechanical work on his ex factory Honda.

The new look Formula Xtreme class hosted the biggest grids of the meeting, popular because of its relatively inexpensive costs, compared to SBK racing. Modifications allowed are similar to Superstock as are control tyre restrictions. The front end of the field looked like the front of last year’s Superstock, with so many stepping up to this class. Chas Hern won the round with Suzuki GSXR 600’s the weapon of choice for the top 6 riders. Our state’s entrants were Joel Reed, Josh Houwen, Adrian Pierpoint and Scott Osbourne, none of whom had a particularly successful weekend.

Best of Queensland’s riders in Superstock, and a possibility for the championship this year was Timothy Durie, on another Sunstate Honda who after 2nd in qualifying followed up with 5th in the first race and second by only 0.1 seconds in the next race after several lead swaps, with Jamie Aitken winning all three.

Race 1 had been red flagged when Stephanie Redman rammed the tyre wall exiting turn 1, and landing on top of it, putting an end to her racing for the round. Race 3 saw a similar accident at exactly the same spot, unusual once, unheard of twice in one meeting.

Des Darby improved after qualifying scoring two 9th placings and an 8th.  Liam Daniels is another of our youngsters, and despite becoming the victim of a faulty control tyre and consequent tyre rule penalty still attained two 13th’s  and a 14th in racing. Our other representatives were Shane Gale and Arthur Cohen with Kit Parlane having a difficult weekend and only one race finish.

With nearly half the 125GP field coming from our side of the border this was always going to be an exciting class to watch. Add to that several of the riders are still only 15 or 16 years old and the future looks bright for the purest of all racing classes in the country.

Talk of the town was Dylan Mavin who qualified 2nd and followed up with 3rd twice and 2nd in the final race after Brad Gross (Qld) got a shocker of a start. Dylan only missed out on 2nd in the first race by 0.2 seconds after running wide on the final turn. Not bad for a 15 year old in his first race in a senior category!

Brad thus took second place in races one and two, to Gold Coast’s Blake Leigh-Smith who did a characteristic clean sweep of the meeting. His Brother Jackson was the next Queenslander in each race with 7th, 10th and 6th. Jake Horne improved with every race bagging 12th, 9th then 7th.  Andrew Lawson was happy with his results with 10th overall for the meeting, ahead of a few of the class’s regular A graders.

James Mutton and Cameron Madders were our next place getters while Daniel Youl was out of the points. On review of old race programs the names read like a 2007 junior class race. I’m sure we all wish Dylan success as he ventures to Europe soon to further his promising racing career via the Red Bull Rookies Cup program.

The combined Pro Twins and Naked Bike races were again a Craig McMartin benefit, with Craig Trinder making 2nd place his for the meeting, although having to fight for it with the MV Augusta’s clutch still causing him start line dramas. Daniel Wheeler continues to improve on his new Ducati 1098 and whittled away at his lap times throughout the 3 days, now a couple of seconds quicker than his last outing at the track. With three third places he’s quickest of all the Ducatis other than McMartin.

Beau McKenzie was the only one of our state’s riders to contest the Yamaha FZ6 Cup where he finished 5th overall, and was cross entered into Naked Bikes finishing 4th in the class behind Adrian Pierpoint whose 6th and 7th places overall netted 3rd in the class. Bruce Fyfe was the other Queenslander in the Pro Twins.

Next round of the ASC is in South Australia at Mallala on 18th to 20th April. Catch it on Speedweek on SBS a week after the event or get live timing from www.formula-xtreme.com.au 

Before that, spectators can witness for themselves several of the above mentioned riders and many more locals in action for the Southern Downs Challenge at Morgan Park (Warwick) on 29th to 30th March. Details are available at www.motorcyclesportsmen.com.au Racing is on both days.

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Cane Toads Kick-off National Season in Style
Story by: Leigh Hutton
Photo by: Leigh Hutton

Queensland riders were out in force on March 15 and 16 for the opening rounds of the nation’s premier off road titles, the Yamaha Australian Off Road Championships (AORC).

The Sunshine State was represented in several classes at the event held about seven hours south of Brisbane at Port Macquarie, from Championship E2 and E3 to juniors, clubmen and Championship Women.

The top placing Queenslander was Bribie Island’s AJ Roberts, who has won the highly sought after championship for the last three years.

Roberts, who had spent the weeks before the event recovering from a broken tibia, was happy to have been able to race and finished third in Yamaha Championship E2 and outright on day one and third in E2 and fourth outright on day two.

Port Macquarie local Chris Hollis beat the record 210 riders to win outright both days.

“I was slightly off my pace and a bit underdone,” Roberts, who rides for GHR Honda Racing, said. “My hands were sore and in the double lap at the end I felt fatigued.”

Championship E1, E2 and E3 riders did an extra lap to the rest of the field (of the two tracks linked together) at the end of the day to give the other riders a chance to watch.

“Now I just need to spend more time on the bike and harden up a bit. The depth of the pro riders this year is big and I will need to work hard to stay on top,” Roberts said.

GHR Honda Racing Team Manager Glenn Hoffman said considering AJ’s injury, the result he achieved was “better than we could have hoped for”.

“The depth of competition has certainly expanded, which is the sign of a healthy sport,” Hoffman said.

“There were many name riders outside of the top-10, including the likes of   Brad Williscroft, Kirk Hutton and Craig Carmichael.”

Yamaha Queensland Off Road Team’s ‘King’ Kirk Hutton was the second placed Queenslander, bringing home second in the CTI Championship E3 class both days.

“I was happy to get the first national of the season under my belt, my nerves are always pretty bad before the first national because it has been a few months since any of us has raced together and you don’t really know what to expect,” Hutton said.

“Port Macquarie is a great venue, the tracks were really rough though and eight laps on Saturday and seven on Sunday really took it out of you, I was glad that I have been training hard and riding a lot.

“I am really looking forward to the A4DE now, which is my next national race, and then the next AORC which is going to be held at Conondale in Queensland on May 17 and 18, after the four day.”

Other Queenslanders who had exceptional results at the first and second AORC included Jemma Wilson, Alison Parker, Nick Beattie, Jake Reading and Nigel Heap.

Yamaha Queensland Off Road Team racer Wilson came third on both days in the Incite Graphics Championship Women’s class, beating the national number one woman Alison Parker on the first day.

Wilson was also beating Parker on the second day, however Parker allegedly had an issue with one of her times, which she took to officials, and ended up finishing ahead of Wilson.

Beattie finished day one in 10th spot in Championship E2 and 13th on day two, only one spot behind Australian titleholder and factory Honda rider Ben Grabham. Nick even beat Grabham in four of the seven heats on Sunday and looks as thought he has the potential and speed to be challenging more of the established front runners.

Reading finished a commendable third in the UFO Clubman E1 on Sunday, after coming sixth – one placing behind Nigel Heap – on Saturday. Heap came fifth on Sunday.

Kaitlynn Sprenger also did extremely well – although junior girls didn’t have their own division, Kaitlynn finished ahead of at least one on day one and managed to compete the demanding track on day two to beat several of the junior boys in the outright stakes.

Rounds three and four of the Yamaha Australian Off Road Championships will hit the legendary Conondale track in the Sunshine Coast hinterland on May 17 and 18.

To enter or to view results from the opening rounds please visit: www.dirtbikepromotions.com.au

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Review of 2008 Australian Speedway Sidecar Championships
Story by: Gavin Elmes
Photos by: Gavin Elmes

Could he be Australia's best ever sidecar rider? Darrin Treloar, that is, and a lot of pundits would say he is. The Sydney-sider romped home to his third consecutive Australian Championship victory at Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, on Easter Saturday. It was also a record-equaling fifth title; Dennis Nash (WA) won his fifth crown at Mildura in 1989.

Treloar and his trusty passenger Justin Plaisted (SA) tasted their only defeat of the night at the hands of Townsville duo Scott Christopher and Trent Koppe in Heat 1. The North Queenslanders were in blistering form and who knows what the end result might have been had they not been thwarted thereafter by fuel pump woes. Christopher was leading his second outing when his motor died and his night and Championship aspirations were over.

Treloar, however, shone brightly through his remaining heats to top the score chart. His clash with Warren Monson (Vic) was short lived but quite spectacular, with Monson flipping his outfit coming into the first turn. Monson suffered a broken collar-bone.

The final took three attempts to complete, with mayhem causing two stoppages. At the first attempt, Treloar was shunted high and spun against the fence. The other three, Mick Headland (SA), Dave Bottrell (SA) and Grant Bond (NSW), bunched and bumped along the back straight, with Bond being forced off the track. The race was stopped and all four brought back to the tapes for a restart.

Treloar shot straight into the lead, as Bottrell and Headland fought tooth and nail behind him, neither giving any quarter. After two laps of argy-bargy, Bottrell was excluded, the race stopped, and the remaining three lined up for the third attempt. This time, Headland quickly reined in Treloar's early lead and got the better of him. However the defending champion soon regained the pole position to take his title hat trick. FIM Gold Trophy winner Headland was second and Bond third. Bottrell was officially placed fourth.

It just wasn't Queensland's night. Our three contenders suffered mechanical distress from the outset. With Christopher's hopes left in tatters, Gary Moon and Mick Ing found themselves dogged by clutch trouble, which twice forced them onto the grass when the tapes rose. They borrowed Josh Sinnott's bike for their third race, where they met Treloar who promptly rattled off the fastest time of the night. Moon then called it a day.

At this stage, Ayr brothers Justin and Joel Aldridge were also packing up their gear. Dirt had got into their fuel and found its way to the fuel pump and carburetor.

Christopher and Aldridge secured their places in the championship via the qualifying rounds two nights earlier. Rob Patterson/John Van Eerde just missed out after tying on points, then losing a run-off.

Other Queenslanders who missed out on qualifying were Josh Sinnott/Hamish Golding, Stuart Firth/Darren Fleming, Scott Lohmann/Melody Carragher and Paul Newman/Daniel Newman. Bill Sewell withdrew from the line-up in advance after his son and passenger, David, broke an arm.

However, it wasn't all doom and gloom for the Sunshine State. Our junior sidecar teams did us proud by finishing first and third in the Glenn and Nathan O'Brien Cup, which was staged over six rounds.

Dylan Blain/Robert Gottardi (pictured) came from behind to clinch the final from the local brother and sister pairing, Aaron and Teagan Hartwig. Tyler Moon/Denny Cox were third. It was interesting to see diminutive Australian Under 16 Solo Champion, Arthur Sissis (SA), piloting a junior sidecar around the circuit.

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BEN SCHODEL MOTOCROSS COACHING

COOLUM & KILCOY TRACKS

Ben Schodel is a Level 2 motorcycle coach operating out of the Coolum & Kilcoy Tracks. Ben has his privately owned Motocross Track on his own private property near Woodford licenced by Motorcycling Queensland to conduct permitted coaching and practice.

Contact Ben on 0410 690 392 for all your coaching needs.

Developments at North Brisbane
Story by: Drmsby Middleton
Photos by: Drmsby Middleton

The Mick Doohan Motorcycle Racing Complex at Northgate in Brisbane is soon to have a brand new race track.  The North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club has sub-leased a section of the complex to road race club The Motorcycle Sportsmen of Queensland, for a purpose built road race / Supermoto track.  Ride eNews caught up with project leader Craig ‘Fuji’ Alick at the new track.

Ride! eNews:   How is the track construction progressing so far?

Craig Alick (CA):  It’s going really well, we are pretty much on schedule.  We are building a new Clubhouse here as well as the track, and I hope to have the Clubhouse finished by September, for the Sportsmen’s 50th Anniversary.  The race track is a great opportunity, as the club has not had its own track in its entire 50 year history.

Ride eNews:   What is the first stage in the evolution of the track here?

CA: We are starting with a dirt track, which will be 500 metres long.  This track will have both left and right hand corners, and ideally will be completed by May this year.

Ride eNews:  What are the long term plans?

CA:  Building a limited capacity road race track.  This will cater mainly to the rapidly growing junior road racing competition, as well as small capacity senior road race machines.  The road race track will be 860 metres long, but we also have plans for a Supermoto track, which will be an extra 100 meters long and will incorporate a dirt section with jumps. 

Ride eNews:   Who designed the track, and what are the features of the design? 

CA:  The main [road race] track was designed primarily by me, with technical advice from Tom Williams.  Many racers and racing enthusiasts had input for the initial design as well.  The track will have nine turns, both left and right.  A great feature built into the track design is the ability to race in either direction.  The track construction is being done by myself and other volunteers, there is a lot of work that needs to go in to a successful race track. 

Ride eNews:   How important are volunteers in this project?

CA:  Very important, it wouldn’t be possible without them.  In fact today Brett and Peter Cox, and Lloyd Carsons are all here working with me.  Everyone that has helped out so far has done great work, but we always need more hands on deck to keep the track on schedule. 

Ride eNews:   What are the safety features of the road race track?

CA:  We will have good run off in all the appropriate areas, and there will also be tyre barriers in place on the infield of the track to prevent potential cross-track intrusions.  It will be a good safe track when completed.

Ride eNews:   Will the upkeep of the track require a lot of maintenance when completed?

CA:  Dust control will be important for the dirt track side of things, but the bitumen surface is relatively maintenance free apart from the need to be kept clean, that is the good thing about bitumen.  The drainage is already done, so all in all it should be pretty easy to keep in good shape when construction is finished.

Ride eNews:   Do you think the track will be cost effective to run, and be of reasonable cost to competitors and other users?

CA:  Yes on both counts.  Because the track will be owned by the club, track hire costs can be managed well and kept in check.

Ride eNews:   Do you believe this track has a value to the community?

CA:  The track will have many benefits, and the biggest one is safety.  Rider and driver training will be conducted here, and that will have a positive impact.  It will be a safe environment for people to learn how to ride.  We will also be doing officials training here, so that means more safety personnel in the racing industry.

Ride eNews:   Do you foresee any potential negative impacts resulting from the use of this track?

CA:  Not really.  Water restrictions will be tough, but that is the only real problem facing us.  As far as the environment goes, the area is an old landfill site, so we are having a positive impact by improving the site.  Instead of the land going to waste it is getting used for a constructive purpose.  And the surrounding area is an industrial estate, so noise concerns during the track’s hours of operation should be minimal.

Ride eNews:   How will this track affect motorcycle racing in South East Queensland?

CA:  It will provide a much needed venue for racing and training in Brisbane. The track is only 10.2 km from Brisbane GPO, and is located close to the Gateway Arterial.  It will be convenient for many people, and should see a further increase in junior motorcycle road racing in Queensland.

Ride eNews:   How do you see the current state of racetracks in Queensland?

CA:  At the moment people have very limited choices for road racing, and many have to travel a long way to watch or compete.

Ride eNews:   Lastly, will you personally get to use the track you designed?

CA:  Eventually, yes!

*If you would like to be involved and can lend a hand with any part of the track construction, please contact Craig at Motorcycle Sportsmen on (07) 3262-6677 and express your interest in being part of this great project.  The sooner the track is finished, the earlier the fun can begin.

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Since he was 12 Gary McDonald, has had a passion for motor bikes. Now aged 51 those bikes he once read about, looked at pictures of, dreamt of riding, are now his reality, the only difference is now they’re vintage bikes and Gary finds great pleasure in both riding and restoring them.

Ride! eNews: Okay Gary, so what was your first motocross bike and do you still have it?

Gary McDonald (GM):  It was a Montessa 125 Capra 1972 model. I remember Mum and Dad lent me the money, it cost $700. I don’t have it any more, I sold it and bought a 74 - 250 WR Husqvarna.

 Ride! eNews:  Where was your first race, and how old were you?

GM:  It was at Tivoli, I was 16. There was no watering system back then; the dust was horrendous, all you could smell was diesel, which they put around the outside of the track to keep dust down. We raced for 30 minutes at a time, the track was only prepped once a year, so you can well imagine, it was rough…

Ride! eNews:  Have you been racing since then?

GM: No. I stopped racing in my early twenties. I worked for myself, and had a family so I couldn’t afford any broken bones. I’m retired now, and the kids have grown up, so I thought I’d give vintage a go.

Ride! eNews:  How long have you been racing vintage motocross?

GM: About seven or eight years now. I joined both the Brisbane Motor Cycle Club and QVMX.

Ride! eNews: What bikes do you ride these days, and which one is your favorite?

GM: I only ride Huskies. I’ve got a 125 CR 72 model, 250 70 model, and a 400 73 model, but my nephew Ryan rides that one. My favorite is definitely the 125. I bought it from Ray Ryan in 2001, that’s a story in itself…

Ride! eNews:  If we were to look in your shed, would it be clean or full of unfinished projects?

GM:  Half and half, half clean, and half full of unfinished projects.

Ride! eNews:  Are you working on any projects now?

GM:  I’ve just rebuilt my 250 Husky. My next major project is the building of my mag Husky, I’d like to have that done this year, see how I go

Ride! eNews:  Do you have a favorite track?

GM: Yeah, Coles Creek by a long shot. But at the same token, Nudgee is also an excellent track that’s well maintained, I think the Brisbane Club deserve a huge pat on the back for getting this track up and running, and its so close to the city - how good is that!

Ride! eNews:  Since racing Vintage, have you noticed any changes in the sport?

GM: Yes, the increasing amount of Evolution bikes.

Ride! eNews:  Does that bother you?

GM:  No, not really.

Ride! eNews:  Is there anyone you would call your hero?

GM:  I wouldn’t say hero, there are a couple of riders that I admire, Torsten Hallman and Joel Robert. However, I envy Col Metcher, lucky bugger rides all over the world.

Ride! eNews:  Gary thanks for your time, and we’ll see you on the track.

GM:  No worries, see you then.

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Mind Games: Being in the Zone
Story by: Matt Ahlberg (Sport & Exercise Psychologist)

The primary aim for many sport psychologists is to work with athletes to improve their performances. This work can take many shapes and forms but when all is said and done what we are trying to achieve is to get athletes “In the Zone” as frequently as possible.

Most riders will have had experiences when everything on the bike seems to come so easily. Decisions seem simpler, techniques feels flawless, and the rider feels as though they can do anything with their bike. It has several different names (e.g., flow, optimal performance state) but what we are talking about is “Being in the Zone”. At Mental Notes Consulting we call this your ‘A’ Game and it’s what we work with our athletes to achieve.

This feeling or state is one where the rider’s mind and body are working together at their peak so that performance feels natural, easy and as close to perfection as it can come. The rider is completely absorbed in the “process” or the ride and all other distractions seem non-existent. The rider’s focus is purely on the task at hand and nothing seems to faze them.

Unfortunately, riders experience this state all too infrequently and most have no idea how they achieved it in the first place. Whilst it is true that you will not always experience this state it is also true that there are things that riders can do to prepare themselves and greatly increase the chances of being in the zone.

Below are some things for all riders to think about in terms of increasing their chances of being in the zone.

Achieve optimal activation levels. Feeling relaxed but excited, at ease and looking forward to enjoying the different aspects of a ride can greatly increase the chances of you getting into the zone.

Motivation to perform well. Clearly you have to really want to be there if you are going to get into the zone. Being motivated by high quality performance as opposed to winning can create the focus on task that you need to perform well.

Focusing on the present. Thoughts about the future or the past tend to reduce the chances of being in the zone. Keeping a narrow focus on the here and now can help you to become absorbed in the ride.

Pre-competitive and competitive plans. Having a clear understanding of what you are about to do and how you will do it (e.g., a race plan) can increase confidence and focus your thoughts on the ride and the ride alone.

Train hard. Very simply if your body feels ready to ride well then you are more likely to feel relaxed, confident and ready to enjoy the ride.

Accepting thoughts and feelings. All athletes experience a myriad of thoughts and feelings. Sometimes they are comfortable with them and sometimes they are not. It is important for riders to accept these different thoughts and feelings as natural and for them to understand that regardless of the thought or feeling that they can still work towards achieving their performance goals.

The ‘A’ Game or The Zone is a place where a rider will perform at their peak. As a result it is something that athletes, coaches, and sport psychologists will work towards achieving. There are certainly things that athletes can do to give themselves every chance of being in the zone and that is what we must consistently work towards.

The great athletes are those who have done everything they possibly can to mentally and physically prepare for a ride. Because when they’re in the zone they are flawless but when they are not in the zone they are still performing extremely well.

Mental Notes Consulting has offices in Brisbane and on both the Sunshine and Gold Coasts. We have a number of consultants that can help you achieve your sporting and performance goals. For more information or to ask any questions please feel free to email us at info@mentalnotesconsulting.com.au

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Five minutes with... Kiera Smith
Story by: Tamara Gray
Story by: supplied

Round one of the Yamaha Queensland Motocross Championships is done and dusted, and whilst in Townsville I thought I would catch up with one of the local female racers from up here in North Queensland.

19 year-old Kiera Smith from Ayr is deserving of being called one of the fastest women on two wheels in North Queensland.

She finished in second place overall on the weekend at her home track – the same position she occupied at the completion of last year’s Queensland Women’s Motocross Championships. 

Two years ago, at only 17 years of age, Kiera managed to finish 4th overall in the Australian Women’s Motocross Championships and 2nd overall in the Go Girls Series in the same year.

Our daring northern (Queensland) counterparts sometimes appear a little crazy to us, as they rack up the miles in their buses and transporters and continuously load up and head to South East Queensland to race whatever women’s events they can find.  What drives them to do the miles?  Let’s find out.

Ride! eNews:  So Kiera, let’s start at the beginning.  How did you first get in to riding motorcycles?

Kiera Smith (KS): My family lived on a farm, so I started on a Yamaha MX80 when I was 12 years old but I always wanted more.

Ride! eNews: How did you get into the racing scene?

KS: I started out doing dirt track at our local club.

Ride! eNews: You still do dirt track now, what is it that you enjoy about that racing?

KS: Pushing hard into the first corner and battling so close with the other competitors.

Ride! eNews:  So what was it that drew you to give motocross a go?

KS: I love the adrenalin rush on the start line, all the different tracks in Australia I get to ride at, and the awesome people I have met.

Ride! eNews: Tell us about your favorite race meeting and why?

KS:  The 2006 Australian Women’s Motocross round 1, it was my first ever big meeting. The track got rained out in the first day; I had no expectations and came away with a good result of 4th overall.

Ride! eNews:  Do you think the two disciplines (Dirt Track and Motocross) complement one another?

KS:  Yes, definitely. Dirt Track helps with starts and cornering. Motocross helps out with bike control and fitness.

Ride! eNews:  Well I can definitely vouch for those starts.  What have you enjoyed about your racing so far?

KS:  The whole atmosphere like the travelling, fellow competitors and watching other riders.

Ride! eNews:  That brings me to the travelling.  I only have to drive up here once maybe twice to go racing, then off to the Nationals down south.  How many kilometres a year do you think you travel in that van of yours to go racing?

KS:  I travel around 50,000kms a year in my “bus”.

Ride! eNews:  How on earth do you keep yourself amused when you travel so much?

KS:  Driving occasionally (Smith jokes), watching DVDs or playing play station and sleeping but it really helps to have good company.

Ride! eNews:  Surely you have seen some odd stuff in all your travels.  What has been the weirdest thing you have ever seen or been involved in while traveling?

KS:  Plenty… I have hit a lot of wildlife from birds to cows. The worst I would have to say was being hit in the windscreen by a massive tree branch whilst going through the Great Alpine Range which went for over 2 hours in Victoria on our way to the Australian Motocross round at Newry in 2007.

Ride! eNews:  I remember that. You used a bunch of KTM stickers to hold it all together till you got it fixed!  Does your family get in and support you with travel and such?

KS:  They help me out in every way possible. Although all bike running costs and riding accessories are out of my own pocket.

Ride! eNews:  You are a bike shop bandit like me.  You work at Burdekin Motorcycles in Ayr, a Yamaha dealer.  Apart from riding blue how do you find working in a bike shop helps you?

KS:  Being employed by Burdekin Motorcycles helps me out with all bike maintenance and I also get support through different suppliers such as Thor, Berik and Shell Oils.

Ride! eNews:  I know working all the time can make it hard to get time to train, what do you do to keep your fitness up? 

KS:  Watch DVD’s Ha ha (Smith jokes). I go to the gym, cycle and ride my motorbike as often as possible.  I also play touch football, water ski and wakeboard.

Ride! eNews:   I have also heard you have taken up fishing (Gray jokes).  So where will we see you travelling to this year to compete?

KS:  I will be competing in the remaining two rounds of the Queensland MX Series, the North Queensland MX Series, The Central Queensland MX Series, The Go Girls Series and the Queensland Dirt Track Championships.

Ride! eNews:  Oh, so I will be seeing you at North Brisbane for the Queensland Women’s Dirt Track Championships in a couple of weeks time.  I think that weekend is going to turn out some awesome racing.  Well good luck with the rest of the year Kiera.  I will be seeing you trackside.

KS:  I’ll look forward to it…

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The General
Story by: Lindsay Granger (Motorcycling Queensland General Manager)

New database and website contract to be signed.
Over the next few months MA and all the state bodies will introduce a new database and website system. The system is run by Sporting Pulse which currently provides a range of similar services to other national sports including AFL and basketball.

As well as helping to improve our data systems and sharpen up our web presence at national, state and club level, the system is being designed to allow a number of new services for members.

Riders will be able to obtain or renew their MA licences on-line and clubs will be able to take event entries on-line, including credit card payment of entry fees. Clubs will also be able to provide websites which are fully linked to the state and national sites at no cost. None of our existing website services will be lost.

Keep an eye on our website to watch these changes unfold.

MQ licensing delays
Substantial increases in the number of MQ licence holders and recent staff changes at the MQ office have created some problems getting licence renewals processed in our usual quick time frame. We apologise to those riders who have been inconvenienced by these delays, however we are getting back up to speed quickly. Our staff are working overtime to keep up with demand and three casual staff members have been brought in to help clear the backlog.

Please assist us by applying as early as possible for your licence renewal. Don’t forget that we will always issue a fax confirmation of your licence if you need it for a particular event, but getting your application in early will solve this problem and it also helps if you don’t leave it until 3.55pm on Friday afternoon to try to resolve any delays.

Minikhana to get a start in Queensland
Negotiations are well under way to establish a Minikhana facility for junior riders in Queensland. Motorcycling Queensland and the previous Pine Rivers Shire Council (now part of the Moreton Regional Council after the recent council amalgamations) are planning to create the facility on a 4 hectare site which borders an industrial estate at Brendale.

Minikhana evolved in New South Wales as a response to that state’s legislation which limited the type of motorcycle racing which young riders could participate in, however it has become so successful that MA and the SCBs are moving to introduce it nationally.

Minikhana is a low-stress skills development and competition program for young riders on 50, 65 and 85/150 classes which blends bike control activities with basic motocross. There’s a whole chapter of the GCRs devoted to it (see Chapter 26) so you can get an understanding of what’s involved.

It’s a great event for young riders getting started in the sport because it gives riders maximum time on their bikes whilst encouraging sportsmanship and just having fun.

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April Speedway Wrap
Story by: Gavin Elmes

*Three young Queenslanders, Darcy Ward, Tyson Nelson and Clinton Dennis competed in the inaugural Australian 350cc Solo Championship at Gosford on Easter Sunday. Ward went through the heats unbeaten and was joined by Nelson in the final. Unfortunately the two came together and fell in the final, with Ward excluded from the rerun. Nelson then fell while holding down second spot, leaving Todd Kurtz (NSW) to take the honors, ahead of Alex Davies (NSW).

*Scott Smith won the annual Solo Silver sash at Gold Coast Speedway, with Nick Morris collecting the Junior Silver Sash. Geoff Tomkins took the Evolution Solo Challenge trophy at the same meeting.

*Our two young Glasgow Tiger "cubs" from Townsville, Mitchell Davey and Josh Grajczonek, were the heroes of Glasgow's first home fixture of the year. Facing defeat at the hands of the Berwick Bandits, Glasgow's fate rested on the heads of the two lads as they teamed up in the second last race. It was a fairytale run as Mitchell raced to the lead and Josh consolidated second, to draw the scores level. Fellow Aussies Trent Leverington and Shane Parker then wrapped up the win for the Tigers in the final heat.

*Former Queensland Champion Troy Batchelor is one of Motorcycling Australia's three selections to contest the World Under 21 Championship which starts in May. The others are Australian Champion Chris Holder (NSW) and Robert Kseizak (SA). The selections for the three places in the World Championship Grand Prix  Qualifying Meeting are Holder, Batchelor and Rory Schlein (SA).

*Twenty year-old Batchelor was unavailable to defend his State title last December, however in January he became the first Queensland rider to win the South Australian Solo Championship. Batchelor has made a steady start to the 2008 British League campaign, where he has linked up with World number two Leigh Adams in the Swindon Robins team. Batchelor switched from Poole, where he rode alongside Jason Crump.

*Jason Crump has also left the Pirates and has rejoined the Belle Vue Aces. Crump, together with team captain Joe Screen, signed his new contract in the surrounds of success at the Manchester United museum.

*Filling the void in Poole's team are Chris Holder and Brisbane's Dave Watt. Poole is Watt's parent club and he returns after two years with Eastbourne. "Coming back to Poole is something I'm looking forward to," he said. "My very first day in England was spent at a Poole Press Day, as it was Poole who first helped me to come over here. So coming back feels like coming home to me." Watt is also popular in Poland and has been chosen as captain of the Rzeszow team for the next two years. The selection was made by the club's supporters via an internet poll.

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The 'Cool Air' Returns
Story by: Scott Bishop
Photo by: Blainey Woodham - Yoursportshots

After a sensational debut year that kept the factory teams honest and turned plenty of heads, Cool Air Racing returns for season 2008, but there have been a few significant changes during the off season. The new name - Team Cool Air Troy Carroll Kawasaki Racing gives a lot of it away.

The most obvious is the change of bikes, from Suzuki to Kawasaki. Despite the great Cool Air showing in 2007, the team and Suzuki were unable to come to an agreement and they looked elsewhere. That eventually led to Kawasaki and the riders and team are excited to be on the green bikes.

Troy Carroll is also part of the naming rights in the team. Although debuting the new bikes and a massive team transporter at the season opening Stadium motocross events at Toowoomba and Archerfield, the team has since gone to ground to prepare for the upcoming Rockstar MX Nationals. With Troy in the Pro Open, Adam Monea in the Lites and Jake Pengelly contesting the Under19 division, the Cool Air guys look the goods on paper.

With the start of the National Motocross Championship less than a week away, it was time to catch up with Troy to get his views on the team, the year ahead and what’s in store for Cool-Air Troy Carroll Racing Kawasaki.
 

Ride! eNews: There have been several changes with the team since last year, talk us through them.

Troy Carroll (TC): We approached Suzuki with a proposal for 2008 and they wouldn’t offer any more support than 2007, which was limited. So we then went on the market and Kawasaki stepped up with a great offer and we have been working closely with them ever since. Having my name on the team is to assist attracting sponsors and raising the profile of the team. Kevin is still the owner and has wanted to do this for some time. We just thought it might assist us commercially.

As for the riders, with Kyle heading back to the USA, I wanted to find a young guy with real good raw speed that we can help develop. I watched Adam race last year and he was fast enough, he just needed to concentrate on not making as many mistakes and I think with our guidance, he will be able to step up this year and challenge for the Pro Lites championship. Jake was a simple choice. I have assisted Jake for years now and he was the perfect fit for our Under19 rider. He lives here in Toowoomba, is dedicated and riding really well at the moment.

Ride! eNews: With a successful debut season with Cool Air, has it been easier to chase down support for 2008?

TC: I wouldn’t say getting any support in this industry is easy. Kawasaki and Monza Imports have been fantastic with the assistance they have given us and as a team we would like to build long-term relationships with them. But the size of the Australian market means a lot of people just can’t afford to hand over product or money so we have to work hard and continue to work hard to keep bringing in sponsors.

Ride! eNews: After contesting the early season stadium events, you have kept a low profile since then, what has been going on?

TC: I just wanted to break up my off season a little with a couple of races. Since then I have just had my head down and been working hard to be ready for the Motocross Nationals. We have done a heap of testing, got a good fitness base and I feel like I am ready to race. I also think I am as prepared as I can be and don’t want to show all my cards before the first round of the nationals.

Ride! eNews: You told me last year, that after a year off with injury, 2008 was going to be your season to win. Do you still feel that way?

TC: Yes. I feel as though I’m on track with that. Our bikes are working very well, everyone in the team has put in a big effort and for me personally, I can’t wait to get this thing started. Sure, it will be a tough championship with lots of riders going fast but I feel I am ready to go and I’m looking forward to a tough championship.

Ride! eNews: There have been stories of you looking into managerial roles in motocross teams, is this some kind of plan for the future?

TC: Well, that is something that I am doing now. As I said earlier, Kevin is the owner, but he leaves the majority of racing decisions to me, as he knows I have the knowledge and the experience in the industry. During the week I do plenty of the work in the team, Kevin runs the show on the weekends. But, it is something that interests me and I hope that it will continue with Cool Air because what we are doing now is only the tip of the iceberg.

Ride! eNews: Ok, let’s talk MX nationals, what are the goals for you and the team?

TC: The team is there to win, no doubt. The depth of rider talent in Australia is probably as good as it has been, but I think our team has the riders, the bikes and the people in place for all of us to be serious contenders in every Championship class.

Ride! eNews: From your point of view, how is that championship going and is there anything you would change to make better?

TC: I think the series is going to be great. The only thing I think everyone would like is some TV package or coverage. To have TV time and the chance to really get into more corporate support would really open the doors for our sport and I think that is the only change needed. 

Ride! eNews: It also looks like Supercross will be back on the agenda with a new Australian Supercross Championship. What are your views on that?

TC: I am pumped about that. I spent most of the off season riding Supercross to just sharpen up my skills and be prepared. I think with the promotion team behind it and Chad Reed’s name attached to it, we should have a great series and the chance to really grow our sport into the mainstream.

Ride! eNews: Thanks for speaking to Ride! eNews.

TC: No problem at all.

*Stay tuned to the Motorcycling Queensland website www.mqld.org.au  for details on an exciting competition that Motorcycling Queensland is set to launch in conjunction with Troy Carroll’s Cool Air Racing Team.

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Team Maroon to defend Title
Story by: Leigh Hutton
Photos by: Leigh Hutton

Queensland’s best enduro racers will make the trek to southern Victoria in April to contest one of the world’s most prestigious off road events – the 30th annual Hog’s Breath Café Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE).

Queensland’s Senior Trophy Team won the coveted state Senior Trophy Team crown at last year’s contest, snatching the honor from the southern states for the first time in more than two decades.

Queenslander and three-time Australian champion AJ Roberts and two-time Australian champion and eight-time Queensland champion ‘King’ Kirk Hutton will be among the senior riders on this year’s team and will also be battling for individual national titles.

GHR Honda Off Road Team rider Roberts said he was aiming to win the event, which was taken out by enduro world champion David Knight last year and Juha Salminen in 2006.

“Winning the four day is my goal for this year… it’s something I haven’t achieved and I want to take the trophy home this year,” Roberts said.

“It’s a very prestigious event, every year it attracts more big-name riders – this year five-time Motocross World Champion Joel Smets is coming out and world enduro racers Bartosz Oblucki and Antoine Meo.

“Even though these riders are really fast, I want to win the four day for Australia, I am sick of all the Europeans winning it.”

Roberts managed to place fourth outright in the race last year, dropping several positions in the final moto. This is not uncommon as the event - even though it is four days long and includes six timed special test phases per day - is normally won and lost by mere seconds.

Hutton also had an exceptional result at the 2007 A4DE, nabbing his second Australian title on his YZ125 and sixth outright.
While Hutton said winning as an individual was one of the best accomplishments of his decade-long career, winning the highly sought after team category was “even better”.

“It was really amazing to win the senior team trophy last year,” Yamaha Queensland Off Road Team front man Kirk Hutton said. “New South Wales usually has the fastest riders and Victoria is normally not far behind… we had a very solid team and everyone had a good event, it was such a thrill to beat the other states that have always won.

“It just goes to show that the level of talent in Queensland is growing, and with the amazing field of juniors we have coming through the ranks I only expect our sides to get stronger and stronger.”

This year’s Queensland Senior Trophy Team will consist of Kirk Hutton, AJ Roberts, Michael Oliver, Brad Peterson, Kristian Sprenger and Chris Reading.

The Junior Team will be made up of Nick Beattie, Michael Hand, John Day and Brent Carlson. Reserve for both teams will be Rob Hand.

The Queensland Junior Trophy Team got third at last year’s event and team organisers are expecting an even stronger result from the “extremely talented team” this year.

Another Queenslander who will be defending a national title is Yamaha Queensland Off Road Team’s Grant Siebenhausen, who won the Over 35’s class last year.

Also flying the Queensland flag in 2008 will be a record four of our most talented women, including Queensland Women’s number one and Yamaha Queensland Off Road Team racer Jemma Wilson, who placed second in the Women’s Championship Class last year, and fellow Yamaha rider Jacqui Beattie.

“I am certainly looking forward to the four day,” Wilson said. “A four day is really exciting... I really want to finish again this year and do well... I want to have less crashes this year, not get tired and do my best and come out feeling like I couldn’t have done any better.

“The four day is extra exciting because it’s the biggest thing on my enduro calendar and it’s so far to go this year too. There are lots of girls riding this year too so that will be awesome.”

Yamaha’s Alison Parker, who now resides in the Glass House Mountains, will be riding with Team Queensland for the first time this year. This will be Parker’s seventh A4DE – she has ridden more than any other woman and was the only female to win a gold medal last year.

‘Racin’ Rosie Lalonde is another Yamaha vixen who will be wearing maroon this year. Lalonde said she was looking forward to the event which is “so much fun”.

Race organisers, Dirt Bike Promotions’ Phil Sargent and DeTour’s Lyndon Heffernan, said this year’s event was in a “great s