It is going to be close racing at round seven of the Australian Motocross Championships this weekend and perhaps expect to see the Kiwis to the forefront with at least four of them set to attack the Conondale track.

There are four rounds left of the 2014 Monster Energy MX Nationals and less than 20 points separate the red plate holders from second in the MX1, MX2, and MXD classes.

Many times in the past, spectators have seen championships wrapped up well before the end of the series. Take Luke Styke for example. In 2013, the Serco Yamaha rider managed to lock down the MX2 championship at Toowoomba, meaning that the following rounds were a mere bit of fun for champ.

This year though, it seems that the dominance we saw from many top riders earlier in the year has slowly dropped off, and middle pack racers have found some momentum, and are putting championships under some serious pressure.

This year the MXD class has been nothing short of thrilling, with packed gates, and young guns with some serious talent under their belts. A single point separates red plate holder Egan Mastin from Jack Simpson – and only seven points lie between second to fourth.

With the MXD class having been absent from Swan Hill, round seven of the MX Nationals at Conondale this weekend is certain to deliver some extremely close racing. One mistake at this stage could throw the whole MXD championship in another direction.

In MX2 this year, most would agree that Serco Yamaha’s Luke Clout has been a force to be reckoned with. However the two-stroke, four-stroke debate has again reared its head, with seven of the top 10 in the MX2 class racing two strokes, Clout is feeling the pressure.

Although Clout retains the championship lead heading into this weekend, questions have been raised on whether it is just a matter of time before the red plate is handed over to someone else, someone like New Zealand’s Hamish Harwood, for example, the CMR Red Bull KTM rider currently in second spot and just 12 points behind Clout.

Then there’s fellow Kiwi and BikesportNZ.com rider Kayne Lamont, the New Zealand MX2 champion who dominated through the opening rounds of the series before suffering a couple of health-related set-backs.

Lamont will take his Husqvarna Red Bull WIL Sport BikesportNZ.com TC250 into battle with fresh vigour this weekend after having shaken off his debilitating flu and recovered from his injured collarbone.

Meanwhile, in the battle of the big bikes … had you been asked to bet money on who would take out the MX1 championship at the beginning of the year, most would have bet their life savings on Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss.

Having dominated the first half of the season comfortably, Moss has since come under pressure from his brother, NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Moss, and of course KTM Racing’s Kirk Gibbs.

Having been criticised during the break for losing his ‘mojo’, Moss came out firing at Swan Hill with a point to prove, however his form again supported the rumours, taking third place on the podium at the conclusion of round 6, and dropping his championship lead to only 19 points.

Whether it’s snatching championship points in Super Pole, or finishing number one in every race, there is no doubt that the 2014 Motocross championships are coming down to the wire.

New Zealand’s Rhys Carter will be looking to move up from 11th in the championship standings and there will be a surprise, yet-to-be-announced entry from another Kiwi in the MX1 class that might stir things up a little too.

With round seven of the MX Nationals at Conondale just a few days away, and less than 20 championship points determining each class, every moto this weekend is going to count.

Words courtesy Andrew Weiss

© Photos by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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MX1 Class Overall Championship Standings:

1) Matt Moss 448
2) Kirk Gibbs 429
3) Jake Moss 403
4) Adam Monea 396
5) Billy Mackenzie 390
6) Kade Mosig 330
7) Jacob Wright 304
8) Hayden Mellross 294
9)Jay Marmont 290
10) Sam Martin 287

MX2 Class Overall Championship Standings:

1) Luke Clout 384
2) Hamish Harwood 370
3) Luke Arbon 360
4) Brenden Harrison 334
5) Kale Makeham 334
6) Kayne Lamont 333
7) Jay Wilson 320
8) Caleb Ward 313
9) Errol Willis 240
10) Ryan Marmont 234