For the first time in 3 years, South Australia and the Gillman MRA Club welcomed professional Motocross racing back to the incredible venue, hosting Round 4 of the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores. In what can only be described as a riders dream race track, the rain leading into the event combined with the sandy surface to create incredible conditions, allowing close battles and amazing on track action.

THOR MX1

Once again the THOR MX1 field came into Round 4 with everything to play for with just 1 point separating the Red Plate holder of Husqvarna Australia’s Todd Waters and CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Aaron Tanti. Tanti would send a message to the field in the morning claiming the fastest time in the AMX Superstores Top Ten Pole Shootout. 

In the opening THOR MX1 Moto, it was South Australian Motocross legend Brett Metcalfe on the GO24 KTM who took the holeshot to the delight of the hometown fans. Dean Ferris on the HRC Honda Factory Racing machine would quickly mount an attack passing into the lead in turn 3 of the opening lap. As the field settled into track position, Metcalfe made his intentions to the hometown crowd clear, passing Ferris back for 1st place. Metcalfe from here would proceed to shift another gear and check out from the THOR MX1 field. Ferris would begin to shuffle back through the field, with Tanti moving to 2nd, KTM Australia’s Kirk Gibbs moving to 3rd and setting his sights on Tanti. The cluster of THOR MX1 superstars would stay in this procession with Ferris in 4th and Waters in 5th for the majority of the opening moto. Towards the end, Waters would pass Ferris for 4th as Metcalfe took the win at the chequered flag, with Tanti 2nd and Gibbs in 3rd.

Dean Ferris rocketed out of the gate to the holeshot in Moto 2 before Aaron Tanti would pass for the lead in the opening lap. As Tanti established a strong track position out front, Ferris and Metcalfe would run in formation for 15 minutes with Metcalfe mounting attack after attack on Ferris without success. With 6 minutes to go, Metcalfe would finally make the pass stick on Ferris into 2nd and set his sights on Tanti. A lap later Kirk Gibbs made the pass on Ferris into 3rd and also joined the battle for the lead. A game of cat and mouse would ensue in the final 2 laps as Metcalfe would attack Tanti and then Gibbs would try to counter Metcalfe. Down the stretch it was Tanti who rode flawlessly and did not crack under relentless pressure to take the win with Metcalfe in 2nd and Gibbs in 3rd. Dean Ferris and Todd Waters round out the top 5 positions.

Aaron Tanti took the overall win for the Round with 2-1 Moto scores and also the coveted THOR MX1 Red Plate. Brett Metcalfe would match points with Tanti but claim 2nd overall on the count back with Kirk Gibbs in 3rd overall.  

Pictured: AMX Superstores Top Ten Pole Shootout winner, Aaron Tanti

THOR MX1 Overall

1st – Aaron Tanti

2nd – Brett Metcalfe

3rd – Kirk Gibbs

Pictured: Wilson Todd

Pirelli MX2

Wilson Todd had a point to prove at Gillman after conceding his first loss of the season at the previous Round in Wodonga and this was evident from the very first time Pirelli MX2 hit the track. Taking out the fastest qualifying time in the Pirelli MX2 qualifying session, Todd would capitalise on great track position in Moto 1 to dominate every lap of the moto en route to the chequered flag and the Moto win. Behind Todd, Empire Kawasaki’s Haruki Yokoyama would battle up front early as Serco Yamaha’s Bailey Malkiewicz would crash out of the moto at the end of lap 1 in spectacular fashion. The Yamalube Yamaha mounted team mates of Alex Larwood and Rhys Budd moved consistently towards the front, with SA local Larwood in 2nd and Budd in 3rd at the finish. Ride Red Honda’s Liam Andrews rode to another impressive performance in 4th position with the WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha Rider Ryder Kingsford charging from a bad start back to 5th position. 

Moto 2 would see Yokoyama Holeshot and lead on lap 1 before a freight train of Rhys Budd and Gas Gas Australia’s Noah Ferguson would battle past Yokoyama, as the pair fought hard for the lead position in the opening laps. Wilson Todd mounted a clinical attack on the Pirelli MX2 field, clawing through from a bad start to pass into the lead position at the half way point. As the race progressed, Todd would decimate the field by extending a huge lead by the chequered flag. Rhys Budd and Noah Ferguson would continue their epic battle all the way to the finish, with Budd just pinching 2nd position at the flag. Ferguson would finish 3rd, with Ryder Kingsford in 4th and Jesse Dobson on the Serco Yamaha in 5th.

In the overall standings, Wilson Todd would take maximum points to the overall win with Rhys Budd in 2nd and Ryder Kingsford in 3rd, who would capitalise on a chain issue for Alex Larwood in the closing laps to lock in the final podium overall spot.  

Pictured: Rhys Budd

Pirelli MX2 Overall

1st – Wilson Todd

2nd – Rhys Budd

3rd – Ryder Kingsford

Pictured: Kayden Minear

Maxxis MX3

In Maxxis MX3, the next generation of Australian Motocross talent again put on a display of speed and youthful intensity on the sandy Gillman track. In Moto 1 it was Connor Towill on the KTM Newcastle machine who would holeshot and lead the first half of the race, however at the halfway mark a small error in passing a lapped rider would allow KTM Australia mounted youngster Kayden Minear to take lead track position. At the same time, Maxxis MX3 Red Plate holder Cambell Williams on the HRC Honda Racing Australia would crash battling with Jack Mather and fall from outside the top 3. At the chequered flag it would be Minear in 1st, with Towill rebounding for 2nd and Jack Mather in 3rd.

Moto 2 would again see Minear lead early and establish a strong track position ahead of the rest of the Maxxis MX3 field. The Husqvarna mounted duo of Jack Mather and Brock Flynn would battle early in the top 3 spots as Ride Red Honda mounted rider Ty Kean would mount a tremendous charge through to 2nd position by the end of the moto, with Minear taking out a perfect 1-1 day and Jack Mather rounding out 3rd position in the moto. 

In the overall standings, Minear took the overall win and made up a huge 20 points margin in the Championship to close within just one point of Championship Red Plate holder Cambell Williams. 

Maxxis MX3 Overall

1st – Kayden Minear

2nd – Jack Mather

3rd – Jet Alsop

Pictured: Charli Cannon

EziLift MXW

The EziLift MXW class returned for their 2nd Round of the season at Gillman to the delight of the South Australian fans. It was Yamalube Yamaha’s Charli Cannon who picked up right where she left off at Wonthaggi for Round 1, absolutely dominating the field from the very first laps on the track, setting the fastest time in EziLift MXW qualifying. 

In Moto 1, Cannon would holeshot and begin to pull ground on the field. Ride Red Honda’s Emma Milesevic would try her best to maintain vision of Cannon whilst riding strong in 2nd. Taylor Thompson rode in 3rd until the very last lap of Moto 1, falling from position and handing Ride Red Honda’s Maddy Brown the podium spot.

Moto 2 would see a repeat with Cannon and Milesevic running 1st and 2nd to the chequered flag, with Maddy Brown a strong 3rd.

EziLift MXW Overall

1st – Charli Cannon

2nd – Emma Milesevic 

3rd – Maddy Brown