Summarize

Q4 Fuels Husqvarna Racing came home from the penultimate sixth round 2018 TRP Distributors SA National Motocross Championship at Welkom’s Phakisa Raceway with Cape Town rider Caleb Tennant in a commanding lead of both the MX1 and MX2 national championships. It was however a challenging day’s racing that saw Tennant having to fight back through the day, while Maddy Malan endured a day of contrasts and young Niel van der Vyfer consolidated his fourth in the 65cc championship with a double-podium third in the Free State.

Tennant opened the day with a win in the opening MX2 moto and a strong third in the opening MX1 race, but a race 2 MX1 crash put him on the back foot and had to fight back to tenth, before coming back with a second in the MX1 finale. “With one round left of the South African championship, I have a 33 point lead in MX2 and a 16 point lead in MX1.” a delighted Caleb confirmed.

“I am so happy to be in this position with one round left, although the track this weekend was super tough, but Q4 Husqvarna Racing gave me two magic machines as always! “Pity about that Moto 2 crash — I was leading on the third lap and I high-sided coming out a corner and crashed pretty bad — the whole front end was twisted and I had to try and salvage what I could from the back and could only get back up to tenth.” 

Tennant now heads overseas to represent South Africa in essentially the Olympics of Motocross — the Motocross des Nations in the United States 6-7 October, before returning to finish off what he has started in the South African championships at Krugersdorp’s Dirt Bronco 20 October.

It was a tough start to the weekend for Maddy Malan, who ended up ninth in the MX2 opener and was forced to retire from the first MX1 race, but Malan fought back to third in the second motos of both classes. “Welkom was not the best weekend,” Maddy rued. “But somehow everyone struggled in MX2 and I have moved up to joint second in that championship, so there was a cool silver lining on that cloud and I was also happy to come back with a couple of thirds in the second motos. “We have two races left, I have the best possible machinery in my Q4 Oils Husqvarnas and I’m looking forward to finish the season off on the front foot!”

Niel van der Vyver continued his good run of form in the competitive 65cc class in Welkom with podiums all round — a third in each moto and third overall. “So I had another awesome day at Phakisa,” Neil explained. “I felt so good on my Q4 Fuels Racing Husqvarna all day and pulled off a couple of thirds for third overall on a very demanding and difficult track. "Huge thanks to the team, to our pit crew and Fred Fensham for always believing in me — I can't wait for the last round at Dirt Bronco next month!”

“Phakisa was a tough weekend of motocross, but Q4 Fuels Husqvarna Racing came back in an awesome position,” Husqvarna Motorcycles SA brand manager Fred Fensham concluded. “Caleb now heads to the ‘States to represent South Africa in the Motocross des Nations, before coming back to Dirt Bronco in the lead of two South African Championships, so we wish him the best of luck going forward. “Maddy had a tough weekend, but came out well in MX2 and Niel had another great day and just keeps on growing — well done to the lads — now we need to finish it off in style…”