ProMX Report: Webster, Larwood, Woods & Cannon secure the wins at Murray Bridge

Murray Bridge’s fifth round of the 2024 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores, was another strong day out for red riders, headlined by Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster clean-sweeping the Thor MX1 motos and extending his points lead. Words: ProMX

The factory Honda Racing team also claimed the top two positions of the Pirelli MX2 class – Alex Larwood taking the overall on countback from his series-leading team-mate, Brodie Connolly – and enjoyed double-moto success in the EZILIFT MXW class, courtesy of a dominant Charli Cannon.

GASGAS Racing Team-supported Ky Woods was the only rider to halt a Honda sweep, winning both MAXXIS MX3 motos and taking his first round victory of the year.

Thor MX1

Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s championship leader Kyle Webster made it three round wins in a row, with a convincing double-moto victory at Murray Bridge.

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Jed Beaton threw down an absolute stormer of a lap-time to take the AMX Superstores Pole Shootout. Beaton’s fastest lap of 1m46.021s eclipsed Webster’s best effort by 2.022s and set the early tone for the day, as Empire Kawasaki’s Luke Clout finished just behind Webster as third-fastest.

Webster replied hard and fast by taking a convincing wire-to-wire win in the opening Thor MX1 moto, eventually finishing with a 9.57-second margin.

In contrast, Beaton had to scramble his way through the pack from outside the top 10, but after elbowing his way into P2, he couldn’t make any real inroads into Webster’s lead and settled for second place.

GASGAS Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs made a late-race pass on Metcalfe for the final step on the podium, while Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team) limited the damage from a P9 start to finish fifth.

Webster completed a statement double-victory weekend by claiming the second moto by 5.9 seconds over his arch-rival.

A great start by Gibbs saw him grab the holeshot, but Webster wasted no time moving to the front and holding a two- to three-second gap overall Beaton for most of the race, before extending that buffer in the final laps.

Gibbs finished a well-earned third behind Beaton – and P3 for the round – ahead of Crawford, with international Honda guest Lars van Berkel putting in an impressive fifth-place performance.

The double-moto sweep means Webster has stretched out a seven-point lead over Beaton in the point standings (252 points to 245), while Crawford remains third on 210.

Pirelli MX2

A second-moto victory saw Froth Honda Racing’s South Australian local Alex Larwood leave Murray Bridge with the Pirelli MX2 round win, tied on points with his Honda team-mate Brodie Connolly, while Kayden Minear (KTM Racing Team) put in a gritty performance to finish third overall.

Connolly (Polyflor Honda Racing) snatched the fastest qualifying time, finishing 0.637s quicker than Larwood, while Reid Taylor (Empire Kawasaki) impressed with a third-fastest lap.

In the opening MX2 moto, series leader Connolly overcame a P8 start to win by a comfortable 19 seconds. Husqvarna-mounted Brock Flynn tore off the start to grab the holeshot and led for three laps, but a spectacular tangle between himself and Minear during a battle for the lead opened the door for Connolly to take charge.

The Kiwi clocked off consistent, fast laps to take the win over Larwood, who also had to work hard to get past the early front-runners. Budd crossed the line in third after holding off a relentless battle from Flynn, while Minear staged a remarkable comeback from his heavy crash to finish P5.

The second MX2 moto win went to Larwood, who put in a relaxed, devastatingly-fast performance on his way to the round victory.

Connolly scored the holeshot, but dropped his bike in the second turn and allowed Larwood to power past and grab a memorable moto – and round – win by 8.44 seconds. Red plate-holder Connolly rapidly worked his way from 25th back into P2, but even he couldn’t match Larwood’s speed and had to settle for the runner-up spot.

Slightly further back, Minear held off a fierce late-moto attack from a fast-finishing Kingsford to take third, as Budd finished his day with a solid P5.

In the championship standings, Connolly has again extended his points lead to 30 points over Kingsford (222 points to 192), with Ferguson just two points further back.

MAXXIS MX3

GASGAS Racing Team support rider Ky Woods enjoyed a near-perfect day to take the MAXXIS MX3 round victory, courtesy of a pair of moto wins, while Jake Cannon (Mongrel Boots Honda Racing) finished second overall, and series leader Koby Hantis (WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha) third.

First blood went to Cannon, though, as he rocketed to the top of the qualifying charts, finishing an impressive 1.249s faster than Woods, with Kayd Kingsford (WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha) in third.

In the opening MX3 hit-out, Woods moved into the lead past holeshot winner Deacon Paice (KTM) on the first lap, then kept the hammer down for most of the race, eventually taking the win by 5.628 seconds.

Cannon worked his way through the pack and charged all the way to the chequered flag, making a last-lap pass on WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Kobe Drew to take the runner-up result. Hantis also worked his way forward from a mid-pack start to finish a solid P4, followed across the line by Jet Alsop (KTM).

Woods again claimed the win of the second and final MX3 moto of the day, making short work of holeshot winner Deegan Rose (Husqvarna) and taking the chequered flag by 2.7 seconds.

WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Kayd Kingsford put a first-moto mechanical DNF behind him to finish runner-up, getting the better of Cannon early on, then pushing hard to close the gap on Woods.

Hantis, who still owns the red plate, overcame a P10 start to finish fourth, with Seth Burchell (WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha) completing the top five.

In the MX3 points chase, Hantis leads with 206 points, but Cannon has jumped from fourth to second (194), relegating Drew (192) to third in the standings.

EZILIFT MXW

Two-time champion Charli Cannon could do no wrong at Murray Bridge, as she dominated both qualifying and the two EZILIFT MXW motos to continue her unbeaten run this year

After qualifying 1.1s faster than Taylor Thompson (Husqvarna), the SCT Logistics Honda Racing rider continued her winning ways in the opening moto. Cannon secured the holeshot, then quickly left the rest of the field in her wake, eventually crossing the line almost 45 seconds ahead of Thompson.

Emma Milesevic (Honda) overcame an early fall, then a fierce battle with Danielle McDonald (JGR Yamaha Off Road Racing), to take the final spot on the podium. McDonald fought her way to P4 ahead of Tahlia O’Hare (KTM).

Cannon’s strong form saw her also take the second moto win, quickly dispatching of New Zealand’s Karaitiana Horne (Kawasaki) and winning by 26.65 seconds.

Milesevic made a late pass on Thompson while working through lapped riders to claim the runner-up spot, while McDonald withstood late pressure from Horne to come home in fourth.

Cannon took the round win, with Milesevic finishing second overall on countback from Thompson. The talented Honda rider sits on a perfect 100 points at the halfway point of the MXW championship, leading Thompson (86 points) and McDonald (76).

Image: ProMX