ProMX ’23: Penrite ProMX Championship gearing up for great round five at Gillman
The 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores, resumes this Sunday, 28 May, as riders and teams are gearing up for a great round five at Gillman, South Australia, with the premier Thor MX1, Pirelli MX2, MAXXIS MX3 and EZILIFT MXW categories to take to the track.
If you can’t make it to Gillman, we have got you covered, check out our comprehensive guide on how to watch and follow all of the action with the Official ProMX Event Program.
Get your copy of the Official ProMX Event Program HERE
Thor MX1
Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha rider Dean Ferris is the man to beat entering the fifth round of the season, delivering scintillating form at Maitland to capture three from three moto wins. As a result, the triple one fired to the top of the standings and leads by nine points ahead of Gillman. Will he be able to extend in South Australia, or will someone rise and challenge his dominant form?
CDR Yamaha Monster Energy duo Aaron Tanti and Luke Clout will be looking to build on their podium performances from last time out. It is crucial that reigning champion Tanti finishes ahead of Ferris this weekend to help reduce the 26-point deficit he faces to the red plate, and he can draw confidence from taking the Thor MX1 overall last year at the venue.
For Clout, three second place finishes at Maitland were a promising sign of his return to form following an injury-shortened 2022 campaign, and he is hungry to go one step better on Sunday. He is just five points from teammate Tanti in the Thor MX1 standings, so the inter-team battle could be an interesting dynamic once more at round five.
While Yamaha riders occupied the Thor MX1 podium last time out, Ferris’ closest challenger in terms of points is Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Jed Beaton. Despite a modest showing for the number 14 at Maitland, he has demonstrated a solid pace and has been relatively consistent in the opening half of the championship. With just nine points separating Beaton from the red plate, will Gillman be the weekend he clicks the next gear and unleashes his true potential?
The lightning-fast Kyle Webster (Boost Mobile Honda Racing) can never be counted out, and despite experiencing a great share of misfortune this season he has shown the outright pace required to mix it at the very front. Also in the battle will be home hero Brett Metcalfe, Regan Duffy (GASGAS Racing Team) along with former national champions Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing) and Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) – all proven race winners at the highest levels of Australian Motocross.
Pirelli MX2
While reigning Pirelli MX2 champion Wilson Todd (Terrafirma Honda Racing) and Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team) have been labelled by many as the key protagonists in the category this year, recent rounds have shown us that other highly-capable contenders cannot be overlooked.
Last time out it was Serco Yamaha’s Rhys Budd who took a breakthrough Pirelli MX2 overall victory, with teammate Jesse Dobson standing tall in moto two to cap off a strong day for the YZ250F-equipped outfit. Both Budd and Dobson still have points to regain to the series frontrunners, and Gillman will be a pivotal round to help set the tone of the second half of the season for each rider.
Red-plate holder Todd has been consistent throughout the 2023 season, despite battling to regain full health in the opening rounds. He leads round three winner and teammate Brodie Connolly by 27 points entering the second half of the campaign, the Kiwi rider notably struggling with the effects of tonsillitis in Maitland. It will be interesting to see the extent Todd will be willing to lay it out for victory this weekend, considering his points advantage, as Connolly will be aiming to return to the strong form that he showed across the opening three rounds.
Arguably the fastest rider outright in the first half of the Pirelli MX2 season, Crawford stood on the top step once more in the opening moto at Maitland, before a costly mistake in moto two saw him lose crucial points in P5. Speed and consistency are what Crawford needs in the remaining four races, with the former no problem for the number 199 across each round this year as he looks ahead to reduce the 31-point deficit to the red plate.
Other riders to keep an eye on this weekend in Pirelli MX2 include youthful talent Kayden Minear (KTM Racing Team), the fast-starting Haruki Yokoyama (Empire Kawasaki), Noah Ferguson (GASGAS) Racing Team), privateer standout Kaleb Barham (Husqvarna) and MX3 graduate Ryan Alexanderson (KTM).
Maxxis MX3
The racing and intensity in the MAXXIS MX3 class this year have been exciting, with GASGAS racer Byron Dennis leading the field by four points ahead of the fifth round at Gillman.
Husqvarna rider Jack Mather is second, with Empire Kawasaki’s Cambell Williams on the charge in third, entering South Australia off the back of a round win last time out at Maitland.
With three different manufacturers inside the top three, a host of Yamaha riders including the likes of Kobe Drew, Jake Cannon and Seth Burchell approach the weekend chomping at the bit to move further up the standings. Likewise, fourth-placed Ky Woods will be looking to make amends for a DNF in race three at Maitland with a strong showing in South Australia.
EZILIFT MXW
The EZILIFT MXW Championship will also be on track at Gillman, Sunday marking the second round on their 2023 national calendar.
Reigning champion Charli Cannon (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) enters the round as the hot favourite, having delivered a commanding performance at round one to remount from a fall and charge to victory.
Cannon has since been boosted by her time spent in the Women’s Motocross World Championship and has her sights firmly set on continuing her dominance on the domestic stage this Sunday.
Former international Tahlia O’Hare (Honda Racing) will be one to watch, alongside teammate Emma Milesevic as they look to put a stop to Cannon’s dominant form. Additionally, Taylor Thompson will be on the charge and ready to capitalize on any mistakes to help her move forwards from second in the standings.
Bikes will be on track from 7:45am on Sunday, commencing with Pirelli MX2 practice and qualifying. Each category will have two motos, with the first gate drop of the day set for 9:35am, being EZILIFT MXW moto one.
Watch ProMX this Sunday
LIVE TV
Sunday TX 12:30 – 15:30 ACST (Adelaide)
- SBS Sport
- Stan Sport
- Sky Sports NZ
LIVE STREAM
Sunday TX 09.30 – 12:00 ACST (Adelaide)
INTERNATIONAL
- MotorVision Europe – Check your local guides
For more information on the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship Presented by AMX Superstores, stay tuned to the website and social media channels:
Official Calendar for the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores
