Brayton praises Australian promoters following back to back wins, whilst Oldenburg claims his maiden victory

In what can only be described as a dominant performance, the Penrite Factory Honda Team celebrated wins in both respective championship classes last night at Round Two of the Australian Supercross Championship.  Consequently, team director Yarrive Konsky is optimistic in looking forward but noted that there are still plenty of points on offer at the remaining rounds of the championship.

“It was an impressive night for the team. Justin and Mitchell rode well on the fast and technical track, but it was a challenging night for Chris and Brett.  I was proud of their tenacity to chargeback through the pack following their respective crashes. They certainly kept their title chances alive” said Konsky.

Reigning champion Justin Brayton claimed his second consecutive victory of the season and praised the promoters of the championship.

“The promoters are definitely providing diversity, from the tight and intense indoor track in Brisbane to the fast-flowing, big and technical track tonight in Adelaide.  It’s great to be a part of the championship; the promoters are engaging the crowd and I am enjoying being a part of it” said Brayton.

Brayton took control of the final in the opening lap and quickly set about creating a comfortable buffer. From there, he controlled the gap whilst riding within himself.  The win extends Brayton’s championship lead and he looks forward to consolidating his position at Round Three in Wollongong on November 9^th.

“The night went as planned and although the track got super tricky, I was able to find my groove early.  The last two months have been hectic… racing in Canada, training and testing in California and travelling to Australia with the family to defend my title.  I am going to enjoy finding some balance over the next few weeks ahead of Round Three.  The venue for the third round looks amazing and I look forward to checking out a new city in Wollongong, New South Wales” concluded Brayton.

Despite showing the speed required to contend for a spot on the box, Brayton’s SX1 teammate Brett Metcalfe had a frustrating night. In true Metcalfe style, the veteran used his experience to rebound following a crash in the main to finish fourth.

“The night was anything but fun!  I crashed in my heat race whilst leading and I crashed again in the final.  I felt I had the pace to be on the podium, but you can’t make the mistakes I made and expect to be racing upfront. I am glad I salvaged fourth.  I only sit six points off second and I will be doing everything I can to get back up there” said Metcalfe.

The night was also a mixed bag for the teams SX2 riders.  Mitchell Oldenburg will remember his first time in Adelaide, taking his inaugural victory on Australian soil. After making a series of quick passes in the opening laps of the final, Oldenberg finished the main event with a convincing six-second gap over his next competitor.

“This is my first time in Adelaide and to take my first win in Australia was amazing! I made some mistakes in Brisbane, but we have rebounded well and I feel confident going into the last three rounds.  I have gelled really well with the bikes and the team has been awesome” said Oldenburg.

Chris Blose had a troubling night.  He was taken down in his heat race and had to charge from last in an effort to qualify.  The seventh-place finish in his qualifier resulted in a poor gate choice and consequently, Blose was struck with the same fate in the final.  After being taken down in the opening lap, the American recovered from last place to finish the main in fifth.

“The night was really trying, however, that’s racing and these things happen. I know the final result is not reflective of my racing… it’s a bitter pill to swallow when incidents like these occur for two rounds in a row.  I will take the positives and regroup ahead of Round Three” said Blose.

The team now has three weeks to prepare for Round Three in Wollongong on November 9^th.

[ALL Images: Foremost Media]