FORMER Mount Gambier motocross rider Kirk Gibbs kicked off his 2019 Australian Motocross Championship on Sunday, with a third place finish in the MX1 division at Appin in New South Wales.
Conditions were dismal, as the track was showered with over 130mm of rain before race day, which resulted in the decision to limit the season opener to a single moto.
That saw a fine line between a strong or a poor start to the championship, as riders battled through the mud bath for six laps.
Gibbs rode well despite the conditions and slotted into the top five early before he soldiered on to claim the final spot on the podium.
He finished 23.99 seconds shy of race winner, Husqvarna rider Todd Waters, who worked his way through the pack after a crash on turn one to finish at the head of the field.
In second place was KTM’s Hayden Mellross, who finished 1.45 seconds behind Waters and set the fastest lap time and speed for the race.
His top speed of 37.37km reflects the tough track conditions, while his fifth lap – completed in the fastest time of 2.38.94 seconds – was a minute slower than the quickest lap at the circuit last year.
Despite the conditions, Gibbs was pleased to finish near the pointy end of the field and said the day “was not about winning or losing”, but ensuring the team was well placed heading into the next event of the 10-round series.
He is happy to be in contention heading into the second round in two week’s time at Wonthaggi in Victoria on March 31.
The race also marked Gibbs’ first outing with the CDR Yamaha team, while teammate Luke Clout also debuted in the Yamaha colours to finish the race in eighth after he recovered from a fall at the end of lap one.
Gibbs and his team will now look to round two and hope for better conditions for a true indication of where they sit early in the championship.
