Déjà vu: US riders dominate Super X
Just as they had done the week before, the no-nonsense Americans again out-smarted the locals, this time in LauncestonUS trio Justin Brayton, Josh Hansen and Kevin Windham dominated round three of the Monster Energy Super X in Launceston last Saturday, again claiming all the podium positions.
In the Survival format, which was contested over four seven-lap sprints, the bottom five riders were eliminated after each race, which created incredible excitement – and where the smallest errors proved costly for some big names.
The Yamaha-mounted Brayton, who set the fastest qualifying time, won three of the four finals, with Kawasaki’s Josh Hansen the only rider to take a win off him in the third race.
Hansen was second overall, ahead of Windham (Honda), who like Brayton is now heading back to America after their truncated campaigns.
“I am excited to go out on top, but it’s a little bittersweet because I would like to stay and race the whole series,” said Brayton. “I have had such a good time here in Australia and I really hope I can come back and compete here again next year.
“I really want to thank the team at Super X for bringing me out here and for putting on such good events as well as Craig Dack and his team for making me feel right at home.”
Local riders Jay Marmont (Yamaha) and Jake Moss (Suzuki) joined the US contingent in the final sprint. However, Moss crashed on the first corner sabotaging any chance of victory, while the always consistent Marmont was fourth.
Hansen still leads the championship on 131pts from Brayton (121) and Marmont (106).
In the Lites double-header final, Suzuki’s Lawson Bopping powered his way to victory ahead of PJ Larsen (KTM) and Matt Moss (Suzuki).
Moss raced despite injuring his knee in a big qualifying crash, and he retains his championship lead from Larsen and Ryan Marmont (KTM).
Meanwhile, Bopping’s big night was all the more meritorious, overcoming the big crash he suffered in round two at Canberra only a week prior.
Bopping’s 47-point haul lifted him to fourth place in the championship, and he was almost lost for words after the race.
“I’ve been waiting for this. It’s great to come back after the big crash last week. The RM-Z250 was great, the team was great. I’m just super pumped!” he said.
In the exhibition races Windham won the Super X Eliminator Challenge, and the Americans also won the first ever Super X International Relay Challenge. Team USA was made up of Windham, Hansen, Brayton, Mike Alessi (KTM) and Larsen, and Team Australia was Jay Marmont, Daniel Reardon (Honda), Tye Simmonds (KTM) and the Moss twins.
The Super X title now has a week off before round four in Auckland on Saturday, November 13.
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