The event attracted a high-quality field from motocross, enduro, dirt track, and speedway disciplines, but it was 21-year-old Townsville plumber Kayden Downing who stood tallest.
The ex-motocrosser powered his KTM 450 SX-F to the win in the main event, leading home multiple Australian dirt track champion Jarred Brook and AORC heavy-hitter Lachy Stanford.
Downing, riding for Future Sport Motorcycles in Townsville, is still in his first full season of flat track, and had earlier added both the 450 Pro and Open Pro categories to his account. “It hasn’t even really sunk in yet, what I’ve done. Jarred is definitely the most respected one in the flat track discipline, so to beat a guy like that is unreal,” said Downing.
“In the two finals of the classes I scored the holeshot both times and sort of walked away, and then in the 20 lap main event, I got out to the holeshot and was having a really good race and pulled a little bit of a lead on Jarred, but then he reeled me back in, but with two or three laps to go, something happened, maybe he dropped it or something like that, and I finished eight seconds in front of him.
I loved the event and how it was run; the track was awesome, the day/night format, overall it was a really great night.”
Wide Bay Motorcycles/KTM Australia rider Jarred Brook found himself unable to run down Downing in the main event, despite setting the fastest time in the race.
Brook was forced to be content with the second step on the podium there as well as in the 450 Pro class, but resumed regular transmission by winning the 250 Pro ahead of Kye Thomson and Tyson Snow. “It was a good day for me. The track was pretty tough and challenging, but everyone rode the same one,” Brook explained.
“My weekend started out really good, I was undefeated going into the second round, and I knew I had the pace, and where I could make passes. In the Cup qualifier I had the quickest lap time by nearly a second, so that qualified me first but then in the 20-lap main, I was in second to Kayden, and he sort of pulled away to half the straight lead. I was making a few too many mistakes so I changed my lines a little bit and started catching back up, but I just couldn’t quite get it done, so I finished up second.
“It’s always good fun doing the North Brisbane Cup with the jump thrown in, it’s something that we’re not used to and it changes the track layout a bit. It’s good to have the other guys there from the different sports, they can show us what they can do and we can show them a few tips, so it’s good.”
