Aaron Tanti has won the 2022 ProMX MX1 Championship at the eighth and final round of the series that concluded yesterday at the Coolum Pines circuit on the Sunshine Coast.
A nervous 26-year-old Tanti, navigated his way through two gruelling 30 minutes motos in the deep sand of Coolum to secure enough points to give him his maiden Australian Championship and one that he won’t soon forget.
Tanti and his CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team entered the final round well placed with a comfortable 24 point lead over former champ, Dean Ferris, but with the inclusion of Honda teammates Kyle Webster and Wilson Todd, the margin for error decreased as the depth of the MX1 field deepened considerably.
The worst case scenario was if Ferris won both motos, Tanti needed to place seventh in each to guarantee the championship was his. But with Wilson Todd winning race one and Kyle Webster race two, all Tanti needed to do was keep Ferris in sight and stay out of harms way and the number 1 plate would be bolted up again to the CDR Yamaha machine at days’ end.
In race one, Ferris could only manage a third, while Tanti crossed the finish line in seventh, meaning the points gap was still at a comfortable 18 points. Race two required nothing more than a finish inside the top 12 to become the ProMX Championship for 2022.
And that’s exactly what he did! He found some clear track around fifth place and maintained a consistent, yet conservative pace right until the end where he came across the finish line, with fist in the air, in sixth place, and as the new MX1 champion. Ferris had his own issues and only managed a fifth, so the final margin of victory was 17 points.
“Today certainly wasn’t my best riding and I have been pretty nervous all week to be honest,” said a relieved Tanti. “I have never been in this situation before and this is my first pro title so I was just doing my best to get the job done and make sure I didn’t make any stupid mistakes.
“It’s not the way you always like to win a championship, but the hard work was done in the earlier rounds and I was able to build a good points gap on Dean and that allowed some margin today that meant it wasn’t all on the line and I could afford to be a little conservative on the track.
“Thanks to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for their support and endless guidance and encouragement of me this year. I came to the team as I thought they would give me the best chance of success and to be able to secure the ProMX championship with them this year is amazing. Allister, Brad, Gary, Troy, and Craig do an amazing job, and once you are part of CDR, it’s easy to see why they have won so many championships over the years.
“I also want to thank my family and girlfriend for their support. They go through the ups and downs of a racer every day and they have sacrificed things in their lives for me to have success and it was awesome to have them all here today.
“And finally to MA and the organisers of the ProMX championship. This year has been a huge step forward for the championship and we have had eight great rounds. MA have done a good job since taking over the promotion of the national motocross championship and looking forward to it being bigger and better in 2023.
“But for now, it’s time to enjoy this one and soak it up with the team, family and friends,” Tanti concluded.
Tanti’s success in 2022, makes it back-to-back ProMX championships for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team after Luke Clout’s victory in 2021. Team owner, Craig Dack, has lauded the Tanti victory as a special one for CDR.
“Aaron has done a sensational job this year and had to carry the full load as Luke went out with injury at round two,” Dack begins. “Aaron stepped up and took ownership of his role in the team and from round three onwards showed real maturity in his dedication to racing and commitment to the championship.
“The team rallied around him, and we went from strength to strength through the middle part of the championship and it was so rewarding to see Aaron’s development both on and off the track.
“He thoroughly deserved to be the 2022 ProMX Champion
“I also want to take this time to thank all our team partners at CDR, most of whom have been with us for a very long time. I have decades invested with companies like Yamaha, Fox, and Dunlop who have stood by us since the team started to our newer partners in Monster and Renthal. There are many people and products that contribute to winning a championship and CDR thanks every one of them and hope they feel proud of the part they play in our success,” Dack concluded.
