Summarize

SA MX action heads to the Free State

It is off to the Free State for the sixth round of the 2019 TRP South African National Motocross Championship in Welkom on Saturday 21 September and while it is likely that a title or two will be won in the mining town, most titles are more likely to continue to a grandstand finale at Jozi’s Terra Topia later in the season. Either way, Saturday’s racing promises to be wild.
 
Just three points separate KZN’s open class MX1 championship leader Matthew Malan (Q4 Fuels Husqvarna) and double winner last time out, Gauteng rider Tristan Purdon (Red Bull KTM), with Cape lad Lloyd Vercueil (Florstore OnTrend Summit Yamaha) and David Goosen (Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha) also both too close for comfort in that premier fight. Husqvarna pair Wesley du Plooy and Cameron Odendaal and Royce Griffin (KTM), who missed last race and will be keen to fight back, are also open class men to watch. 

It is just as close in 250cc MX2 where Cape star Anthony Raynard (Tintswalo Yamaha) holds a slender six-point margin over Gauteng Red Bull KTM rider Kerim Fitz-Gerald, with teammate and compatriot Joshua Mlimi another three points adrift. Raynard and Mlimi will want to halt Fitz-Gerald’s recent three race winning streak, but they also need to keep an eye out for Husqvarna duo Ricky Raaff and Slade Smith and Jason Vogelsang (KTM) in their tight fight for the MX2 title fourth.
 
Over-40 KTM riders Brett Bircher and Craig Kruger lead the MX3 charge with Ian Topliss (Out Of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha) closing in fast from behind, but Bircher is in a race to be fit after a recent injury. Tyson Engelbrecht (KTM) is the top over-30 rider in fourth in that title chase ahead of Jonathan Hubbard (KTM) while Rodney Odendaal (Husqvarna) and Rod Bergstrom (Suzuki) will chase over-50 honours.

In ladies motocross, Kayla Raaff (Husqvarna) needs only score six points more than Natasha Rugani (KTM) to clinch the title, so if Raaff extends her incredible unbeaten ten-race winning streak in the Free State, she will return home champion, even if Rugani ends second in both races. There’s a close fight for third behind those two however, between Jenna Bohlig (Husqvarna), Yanke Pieterse and KTM trio Tiegan Reed and sisters Jadene and Cheyenne de Lima.

In schoolboy action, Gauteng rider Dalton Venter (CIT Husqvarna) also heads to Welkom with one hand on the 2019 125cc High School title after winning the last eight motos on the trot. Another two wins will similarly tie the junior title up and leave Arnu Saaiman (KTM) and Yamaha duo Christiaan Cilliers (Yamaha) and Zimbabwean Tristan Grainger (KTM) fighting over second with KTM two - Miguel de Waal and Thabo Verster out to disrupt them all.
 
KTM duo, Jozi lad Leonard du Toit and Swazi star Blake Young have fought flat out for the 85cc Pro Mini title lead and they head to the Free State split by all of three championship points. Nate McLellan (KTM) will be keen to get back on that podium, it remains to be seen if Dylan Kirk (KTM) will be fit to race and Yamaha trio Bryce Petersen, Garrick Henley and Hayden Tully will be keen to add a little blue to that leaderboard.

It’s super-close in 85cc Junior too, where Swazi lad Seth Young (KTM) leads Jozi pair Deegan Bloomfield (Husqvarna), but the rapidly closing winner of seven of the last eight races, Emmanuel Bako (KTM) will miss this one after fracturing a collarbone. Don’t ignore Timo Maximo Toepfer (KTM), Joshua Fletcher (Yamaha) and Pieter Brink (KTM) among these guys either. 

Cape Town lad Neil van der Vyver (Q4 Fuels Husqvarna) leads the primary school 65cc championship to Welkom, but he will want to be sure to beat KZN arch rival Jordan Van Wyk (Husqvarna), Liam Botha (Husqvarna) from PE and another KZN kid Trey Cox (KTM) in order to enjoy less pressure at the season finale next time out. KTM pair Thor Johnson and Damon Garrell will meanwhile continue in their fraught tussle for that title fifth.

Cape lad Ethan Williamson has ridden a consistent season to lead the 50cc baby motocross championship ahead of hometown rivals Jake van Schoor (Husqvarna) and Keenan Strauss (KTM), with Logan van Vuuren (KTM) next up ahead of Christian Berrington-Smith (KTM) who missed the last race, Chase Bekker (Husqvarna), Evan Frost (KTM) and Trent Valsecchi (KTM).

It is also very close in the 2019 South African National Motocross Manufacturer’s Championship, where KTM, Husqvarna  and Yamaha continue to fight it out. 

So, one or two South African national motocross champions are likely to be crowned in the Free State, while others are clearly going all the way down to the line. Find the motocross track just beyond the Phakisa Raceway main entrance on the R70 between Welkom and Odendaalsrus. Practice starts 08h00 with racing from 10h00, entrance is R60 per adult with under-12s free and there is full catering on site to help enjoy a great day of national motocross.

The 2019 South African National Motocross Championship is sponsored by TRP Distributors, in association with Dragon Energy, Prepsol, Out Of Africa, Tintswalo, Bridgestone, Thor, Gaerne, FMF, Motul, Pro-Taper, Fly Racing, 100%, Ogio Luggage, Racestar Graffix and the Race Shop.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of SA Motocross

What:SA National Motocross Round 6 Preview
Where:Welkom, Free State
When:Saturday 21 September 2019
Community:South Africa National

For further information please contact noleen@mxsa.co.za

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