KTM Racing Team rider Kirk Gibbs has lodged his second-consecutive top-five finish in the 2022 Australian ProMX Championship after another solid showing at Mackay’s second round in North Queensland.
Aboard the KTM 450 SX-F, 33-year-old Gibbs started the day on a positive note with the third-fastest qualifying time around the picturesque Gum Valley circuit, then got a decent launch off the gate to start the opening MX1 moto.
However, he found himself bunched in a large group of racers and was shuffled back early on before he consolidated and worked his way to sixth position by the time he reached the chequered flag.
In the second MX1 moto, Gibbs was again quick off the gate and rounded the first turn in second position. A small mistake midway through the race enabled two rivals past, but the former champion refused to give up.
From that point, he caught and made his way into third position late in the moto to celebrate his first race podium of the year and finish the day a hard-fought fifth overall.
Gibbs’ consistency over the opening rounds has seen him nudge up to fourth overall in the MX1 point-standings following two of eight rounds.
In the MX3 class, KTM Junior Racing Team teenager Kayden Minear broke through for his first round win since entering the MX3 ranks this year. He finished runner-up in the first outing, then held on to a comfortable victory in the second moto.
The third round of the Australian ProMX Championship will be held at Wodonga, VIC, on 1 May.
Kirk Gibbs: “Overall I’m reasonably satisfied with today. I qualified well in the Top 10 Shootout, but I struggled in that opening race and couldn’t seem to get into a groove. I ended up sixth, but it was a distant sixth. The second race was better for me – I got a good start and slotted into second, but made a little mistake and lost a couple of positions. It was really humid during that second race, but I was able to keep chipping away and make a pass for third with a couple of laps to go. The Mackay track was one of the better ones we’ve been to and made for decent, close racing, so all-in-all it was a good day.”
2022 Australian ProMX Championship – Mackay, QLD
MX1 round two results:
1. Kyle Webster (Honda) 47
2. Dean Ferris (Honda) 41
3. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 38
4. Aaron Tanti (Yamaha) 37
5. Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) 35
MX1 championship standings:
1. Kyle Webster (Honda) 85
2. Aaron Tanti (Yamaha) 79
3. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 76
4. Kirk Gibbs (KTM Racing Team) 67
5. Brett Metcalfe (KTM) 65
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