Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team’s Rhys Budd finished a demanding day of MX2 racing tied on points for the podium – finishing fourth on countback – following the Murray Bridge round of the
2024 Australian ProMX Championship.
South Australia was a major step in the right direction for Budd, who started strongly and battled hard on his Husqvarna Motorcycles
FC 250 to claim a solid third-place result in the opening MX2 moto.
Budd then placed fifth in the second and final encounter, which saw him finish just short of the podium for the weekend, but will serve as a boost leading into the upcoming three-straight Queensland rounds to complete the season. He’s ranked fifth in the standings following round five.
MX2 rookie Jack Mather endured a more difficult day at the office. He was quick in qualifying with P7, but a crash late in the opening moto while battling inside the top 10 resulted in a DNF. He returned for the second moto and recovered to finish ninth, for 14th overall on the day and he is now 12th in the series.
Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team owner and former MX1 champion Todd Waters had a consistent day out on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450, finishing the weekend with a pair of P6 results. Those finishes placed him seventh overall and he climbed to P5 in the championship.
The upcoming sixth round of the Australian ProMX Championship will be held at Toowoomba on July 21.
Rhys Budd: “I had a very consistent day and it was much better than the past two rounds. I’ve been dealing with some issues that made it hard to ride, but we’ve fixed that through the break and came out swinging this weekend. It hurts a little bit to finish fourth on countback when I was tied on points for third, but to be back in the mix, in the fight, was good for me and I needed that for my confidence. The team’s stuck with me through this process and I’m glad to be back in the mix. We’ll keep building and work to get back on the box! We’ve got three rounds to get it done.”
Jack Mather: “My day started off good, with a P7 in qualifying, but in moto one I didn’t have the greatest start. I was picking my way through, working towards the top five, but unfortunately I went down and wasn’t able to finish the moto. I bounced back to finish P9 in moto two, but it was tough being quite sore. To push through like that, I’m pretty happy.”
Todd Waters: “The track was awesome here today – really brutal and really technical. My starts weren’t there, but we’re making progress with a new training program I’m on, and I’m starting to feel a bit better on the bike. This weekend I felt there was progression and we’re moving forward, even if the results didn’t show it as much. I’m happier, I’ve got a plan and we’re working hard for it. The next three rounds are Queensland-based, and I want to get my starts dialled so I can run up front and show what I’ve got, because I’m currently not fast enough to come back to the front from where I’m currently starting. My bike’s in a good place and I’m enjoying riding it, so it’s now up to me to step up.”
2024 Australian ProMX Championship – Murray Bridge, SA
MX1 round results:
1. Kyle Webster (Honda)
2. Jed Beaton (Yamaha)
3. Kirk Gibbs (GASGAS)
4. Nathan Crawford (KTM)
5. Brett Metcalfe (Kawasaki)
7. Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team)
MX1 championship standings:
1. Jed Beaton (Yamaha) 252
2. Kyle Webster (Honda) 245
3. Nathan Crawford (KTM) 210
4. Kirk Gibbs (GASGAS) 188
5. Todd Waters (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team) 162
MX2 round results:
1. Alex Larwood (Honda)
2. Brodie Connolly (Honda)
3. Kayden Minear (KTM)
4. Rhys Budd (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team)
5. Ryder Kingsford (Yamaha)
14. Jack Mather (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team)
MX2 championship standings:
1. Brodie Connolly (Honda) 222
2. Ryder Kingsford (Yamaha) 192
3. Noah Ferguson (Honda) 190
4. Kayden Minear (KTM) 180
5. Rhys Budd (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team) 151
12. Jack Mather (Raceline Husqvarna Racing Team) 91
