The History of MX3

Published On: April 6, 2021Categories: News

The Maxxis MX3 class holds a special place in the ProMX series and the industry itself. As the graduating class from the junior ranks, the class sees a permanent rotating roster of graduating talent, where Australian Junior Motocross Champions and contenders face off against second year veterans of the class, all chasing their racing dreams of a Maxxis MX3 championship and professional racing contract in the Pirelli MX2 class.

Formerly known as “MXD”, this development class is now fundamentally a way for both privateer racers and manufacturer backed team riders to enter the ProMX series and learn the style of racing, schedules and track conditions of the professional racing circuit.

The class age structure has been modified to riders from 14 to under 18 to be able to compete on 122cc to 150cc 2-Stroke & 200cc to 250cc 4-Stroke capacity machines. The new MX3 class structure also allows unique opportunities for riders with exceptional talent and speed to then graduate early into the Pirelli MX2 category at 15, to be more in line with FIM international age groupings.

In the latest running of the series in 2019 it was a two man battle for the title as Regan Duffy would square off against wild New Zealander Maximus Purvis. Purvis would provide nothing short of incredible speed and excitement every time he was on track, however down the stretch Duffy was too strong and stayed calm to win his first championship as a senior rider. Perhaps a strong indicator of the raw speed of this class is the fact that Regan Duffy was selected as the MX3 open class representative for Australia at the Motocross of Nations that same year. An incredibly strong showing from Duffy at this event has led to a pathway to the MXGP series whenever the youngster is ready. 

In 2018 it was a WBR Yamaha dominating year as Bailey Malkiewicz and Hugh Mckay from Tasmania would finish first and second in the championship respectively. Malkiewicz would also win the Junior World Motocross Championship in the same year that would eventually lead to a MXGP campaign in 2020 in the MX2 class. 

2017 saw Victorian Cody Dyce battle hard against Jy Roberts. Perhaps the most iconic moment of this battle came at Murray Bridge where Roberts and Dyce clashed battling for the lead, with Dyce coming off second best and being ejected from his bike and the track.  Ultimately this battle was over prematurely when Roberts was injured in practice at the final round of MXD at Port Macquarie, handing Dyce the title in what would have been a massive battle to the series title over the last two gate drops. 

The 2016 championship was clinched by Mitch Evans over Western Australia’s Connor Tierney, Cooper Pozniak and Tasmanian Wade Kirkland. 27 points separated the top 4 in the championship in this closely contested series. 

Wilson Todd laid the foundations to be a two time MX2 class champion in the 2015 season,  finishing on the podium 16 out of 19 motos including 7 moto wins. Jayden Rykers took second and Connor Tierney third. 

One of the most stacked graduating classes of talent came in the 2014 season. Egan Mastin, Nathan Crawford and Jack Simpson would all trade wins on their way to swapping red plates at the beginning of the season. Mastin and Crawford would also pull wild card rounds in MX2 and Crawford even landed on the podium in the MX2 class, illustrating how fast these young riders were going in 2014.  Egan Mastin would win the title over Crawford, Simpson would finish third ahead of Wilson Todd, Jayden Rykers, Jed Beaton, Aaron Tanti and Kyle Webster. This was one fast group of riders graduating from juniors and destined for professional success. 

In 2013 New Zealander Hamish Harwood would claim the MX3 crown from. Jay Wilson and Jack Simpson.

2012 saw another New Zealander Kayne Lamont win the title over Dylan Long and Tasmanian Dylan Leary. Jay Wilson would finish fourth ahead of Kale Makeham. 

Going back a full decade in MX3 to 2011, Errol Willis would win the title aboard his Suzuki RM-Z250 machine.

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