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Marshall and Hurley chasing Sydney hat tricks
After two absorbing rounds to kick off this year’s Nokia Supercross Masters, the riders will re-assemble at the Sydney SuperDome on September 3 night as Daryl Hurley (Suzuki) and Robbie Marshall (Yamaha) chase rarities in the hotbed of indoor racing – a hat trick of wins.
The duo has started with a rush in the 25th instalment of the Supercross Masters, with Hurley (Shift Motul Suzuki RM250) showing the Pro Open brigade a clean pair of heels, while Marshall (Serco Yamaha YZ250F) has now set himself on a path to eclipsing his second place in the 2002 Pro Lites title.
Although Hurley, who won the opening round of the New Zealand 500cc Motocross Championship last weekend, is currently at the top of his game, he is under no illusions that there is still plenty of hard work to be done.
“There are still three rounds to go, and the championship is a long way from decided,” said Hurley, who finished second behind Craig Anderson in the 2002 Supercross Masters.
“Our team is in a good position, but we can’t get too comfortable. I have been training hard, spending a lot of time on the bike and I’m ready for some intense, close racing in Sydney.”
Hurley last competed at the massive 21,000-seat SuperDome in 2001, when he finished fifth and 10th in a double-header to round out the championship. A year after, the New Zealander was forced to sit out the Superdome final round with injury, as Chad Reed obliterated the field – just like he did in 2001.
Anderson, then KTM mounted, was prominent in those two years, while he went onto win the 2003 decider on a Yamaha after making a lightning visit back home from America. Now Anderson’s in the No Fear Honda corner on a CR250, but is languishing in the standings after finishing sixth and eighth in the opening two rounds.
Both of those modest results can be put down to the fickle nature of indoor supercross racing, and the multiple title holder will be primed to return to a more familiar spot at the front of the pack in Sydney.
Anderson’s now in equal eighth on 4pts, behind Hurley (16), Matt Moss (CDR Nokia Yamaha YZ250, 12), Troy Carroll (CDR Nokia Yamaha YZ250, 10), Cody Cooper (No Fear Honda CR250, 7), Shane Metcalfe (Kawasaki Racing Team KX250, 7), Craig Carmichael (Honda CRF450R, 6) and American Tyler Evans (Motorex KTM 250SX, 5).
Seven riders have so far qualified for both Pro Open finals in Brisbane and Adelaide, while Evans and Cooper have one appearance apiece. Undoubtedly, one of the revelations has been 17-year-old Moss, who has finished third in both rounds and left many seasoned observers agog.
“I definitely didn’t expect to be this far up, but I’ve been trying my best and the results have come my way,” said Moss.
“I am really looking forward to the SuperDome too, because you can carry a bit more speed compared to a lot of the other indoor venues, which is a nice change.
“I am really enjoying my time with CDR Yamaha, and I am hoping that we can come to a more permanent arrangement next year.”
Moss finished second in last year’s Pro Lites round at the Superdome, and ended up third in the final standings behind Cameron Taylor (Yamaha) and Ryan Marmont (KTM).
While Moss is on cloud nine, Shift Motul Suzuki riders Danny Ham (RM-Z450) and Luke Burkhart (RM250) are yet to crack a spot in a Pro Open final, and will be looking to make the accession in Sydney.
Meanwhile, Motorex KTM’s Lee Ellis (250SX) will miss round three after tearing his kidney in a practice crash last week. The Victorian has been ordered to rest for a week, and will be fit to represent Australia, alongside Ham and Andrew McFarlane, in the 2005 Motocross of Nations in France on September 24-25.
In Pro Lites, the only blip on the Marshall radar has been a coming-together with Marmont (Motorex KTM 250SXF) in round two, which saw the latter suffer a few injuries and retire to the pits.
Marshall was able to re-mount and cruise to the chequered flag, and is now shooting for three in a row on the strength of an unaltered preparation.
“Call me superstitious, but isn’t the old saying ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’,” said Marshall.
“I am feeling really confident about this weekend, but I am trying not to think about a hat trick too much. While it would be nice, my main focus is on extending my championship lead.”
At the moment, that lead is only 3pts (16 to 13) over Daniel Reardon (Whale’s Kawasaki KX250F), who has returned to the surging form he showed in the now-defunct Supercross Nationals in 2004.
After Reardon, there’s a logjam for third, with just 2pts separating Troy Dorron (No Fear Honda CRF250R, 7pts) from Cody Mackie (Academy Development YZ250F, 5pts) in seventh. In between, Cameron Taylor (Serco Yamaha YZ250F), Jye Harvey (No Fear Honda CRF250R) and Mitch Hoad (Chris Watson Motorcycles YZ250F) are all on 6pts.
Finally, the support classes at the Nokia Supercross Masters are being led by Kade Mosig (Full Throttle Sports Honda, Junior Lite), Taylor Potter (BTX Jnr Race Team KTM, 85cc 14-15 years) and Tye Simmonds (Motorex KTM Race Team, 85cc 12-13 years).
Tickets for round three are available by visiting http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=SUPERCRO05&searchId=14a390dc-3115-4dd2-81fc-cf9be511bd45, or tel (02) 9266 4800.
CURRENT STANDINGS (after two of five rounds):
