The Dean Ferris show continued at the third and fourth rounds of the Pirelli MX nationals in Wonthaggi, Victoria. In brutal conditions, CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team’s Dean Ferris showed why a big, bold number one is bolted to his Yamaha YZ450F when he took a clean sweep of both rounds of the MX Nationals, held over the weekend.
For the first time, riders competing at the MX Nationals were faced with two championship rounds contested over the weekend at the Wonthaggi circuit in Victoria. Saturday saw round three of the championship run in the soft, loamy soil of Gippsland Victoria while overnight rain had conditions even more challenging for round four, yet regardless of the surface, the weather, or the conditions, Ferris reigned supreme.
Saturday saw the only blemish from the 28year old Kyogle resident, when he didn’t win the Superpole event for the fastest qualifying lap but it mattered for little as Ferris then went on a two day winning rampage that now sees him with the perfect eight race wins from eight starts and a 58 point lead in the championship after four rounds.
He took two convincing race wins on Saturday, then with the Sunday Superpole win, it was two more race victories that’s see him totally in control of the premier MX1 division with six rounds remaining.
“The weekend was good for me and a couple of things happened to my rivals that really allowed me to extend the points lead,” Ferris said. “It was nice to get back in the Superpole event on both days after missing out at Appin in round two, then get the race wins on each day.
“I enjoy riding tracks like this, especially on the Sunday when the overnight rain made it very technical to ride and challenging to get good, consistent laps down. I liked it wasn’t just a pin it and leave your brain in the toolbox style track as it required a lot of concentration to get around as you had to choose lines carefully and think your way through the rolling bumps and hard pack square edges.
“My bike was again awesome as the conditions were had on bikes as well as the team and my CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team did a great job and worked hard all weekend. It was a credit to the team that we had no troubles with our bikes when others really struggled in the deep, wet conditions. The YZ450F was amazing to ride here,” Ferris ends.
Dylan Long had an up and down weekend where he struggled to find his pace and flow on Saturday and finished just inside the top 10 for the round with 6-8 results. Long admits he didn’t ride the conditions well and needed to improve the following day.
And improve he did. With some spirited racing, Long charged to a fourth-place finish in moto one, then backed that up with a fifth-place finish in moto two to take fifth for the round and hold down fifth in the championship after four completed rounds.
“Saturday was awful and I don’t even want to discuss it,” Longs states. “It was just one of those days I would rather forget.
“But I was determined to turn it around on Sunday and while not the kind of conditions I really enjoy, I just had to make it happen and I’m happy with how things went and that I was able to salvage something from the weekend. My speed was much better and I didn’t make too many mistakes.
“There is still more work to do and I need to bring my A game every weekend at this level of racing and that’s what I’m determined to do,” Long says determinedly.
And there is no rest for the riders and teams of the MX Nationals with round five this weekend in Murray Bridge, South Australia. The riders will need to make the most of their recovery time while teams will be burning the middle night oil turning bikes around to take to the track in anger next Sunday at round five of the championship.
For more information and a full list of results: www.mxnationals.com.au