Media Information: 12 April 2022
The weekend saw Ryder Kingsford again show his credentials as a star of the future with a top shelf performance in race two will fill in rider Brodie Connelly pumped out so more top ten results in his final ride for the team before heading back to New Zealand.
To view the WBR Yamaha bLU cRU round recall: https://youtu.be/YoQegiw2HR4
Brodie Connelly ended up being the highest placed WBR Yamaha rider on the day finishing in eighth position. Connelly had some issues in qualifying but was able to put them behind him when the gates dropped in moto one in the MX2 class, as he rocketed from the gates and straight into the top three.
He hung tough with the fast fleet of riders nipping at his heels and it wasn’t until the half way stage that the speed and intensity of the race began to take its toll on him. Still, he dug in and battled all the way to the finish to take a very respectable seventh place finish.
Race two and the magic didn’t strike twice on the start as he was left just outside the top 10 on the opening laps but he made some passes and moved into ninth not long into the race, a position he would stay until the finish. His 9-7 results had him finish the day in eighth place and as he now heads back to New Zealand, he holds down ninth in the championship.
“I have had an amazing time here in Australia and I can’t thank the WBR Yamaha team for giving me this opportunity. If the situation ever arises again, I would love to come back and do a full season as the racing here is great and the team are awesome.
“Today was good a little step forward from round one. With no racing in New Zealand over the summer its taken me a little while to get into the intensity of racing as well as the depth of rider in the MX2 class here.
“To finish up after both rounds and be inside the top 10 is a good result and one that I hope is a good reward for the WBR Yamaha team.
“Thank you to both Yamaha NZ, Josh Coppins and well as Yamaha Australia for making this happen,” Connelly said before flying home.
For Ryder Kingsford, it was a mixed bag with a crash in race one resulting in some bike damage and he didn’t score any points. But he more than redeemed himself in race two when he raced through to an outstanding sixth place as the 17year old continues to show up the more established names in the field.
His 36-6 gave him 13th for the day and he now sits eighth in the championship in with some very fast company.
“I crashed in race one on the opening lap and bent up my bike pretty good. I was just doing my own thing when all these bikes appeared and just took me down. I got going but had to stop in the mechanics area to get some things straightened out, but that race was a write off by then.
“Moto two was much better and where I think I belong. I got a good start and rode in the front pack and learned a few good lines from the other guys. I was able to make a pass or two at the end and finished up sixth which I think is a good result.
“It’s a tough class and all the top 15 guys in MX2 are quick so I need to limit the mistakes and put two races together each weekend,” Kingsford laments.
Round three is almost like a local event for the Echuca based team with Albury hosting round three.
In other news, Levi Rogers is now back on the bike and beginning his preparations for a return to racing, although no round is set in stone at this stage.
