Callum Norton takes second consecutive Pirelli MXD victory at Round 7

The Pirelli MXD Championship tightened up yesterday, thanks to two action packed races at Round 7 of the Motul MX Nationals at Shepparton, with KTM‰Ûªs Callum Norton taking his second consecutive round victory at one of the most crucial outings of the season.

With the title being decided in just two weeks‰Ûª time at Port Macquarie, the Under 19s competitors has one final opportunity to dash for points in Victoria, setting up their final round as a real deal nail biter.

The Pirelli MXD class got their round seven campaign underway with a chilly practice and qualifying session yesterday morning, and with the championship reaching boiling point, it was ‰Û÷on‰Ûª from the minute bikes hit the Shepparton surface.

With vital championship points up for grabs over the weekend, gate pick was imperative, and it was Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team‰Ûªs Cody Dyce who secured the first pick of the grid, thanks to a flying 1:34.909 lap time. Second fastest on track was red plate holder Jy Roberts (1:36.473), followed by Husqvarna rider Riley Dukes who set the third quickest time with a 1:36.707 hot lap.

Moto 1

When the Pirelli MXD bikes left the grid for their first race at Shepparton, it was Cooper Pozniak who was the first bike through the Raceline turn, followed by Roberts and Yamaha mounted Dyce. Unfortunately for Raceline Pirelli KTM‰Ûªs Morgan Fogarty, a small crash on the opening lap saw him lose significant positions, the KTM rider then forced to re-join the race in dead last place, and with a job on his hands if he was fight his way through the field throughout the opening 20-minute moto.

Only moments after Fogarty went down, Roberts also got cross rutted after moving in to the race lead, and what was only a small mistake then paved the way for title threat Dyce to move in to the Pirelli MXD top spot.

Immediately after Dyce had taken the lead, KTM‰Ûªs Norton began to apply the pressure on Roberts for second, and thanks to sharp focus and perfect line selection, the KTM rider made the move on Roberts and snatched up second place.

After only six laps, the MXD class had dished out plenty of carnage, with competitors being caught out all over the place by the challenging Shepparton circuit, but Dyce continued to look smooth and comfortable in the lead, while Norton and Roberts continued to maintain the remaining podium positions behind him.

By the halfway mark in race one, Dukes had made his way in to third and relegated red plate holder Roberts to fourth, while behind the number #100 Husqvarna machine, Pozniak, Bulk Nutrient WBR Yamaha rider Hugh McKay, and Liam Walsh continued to battle it out for positions within the top five.

With only a handful of laps to remaining, Dukes went down whilst battling for third, slipping from a podium position back to 12th.

And when the chequered flag flew after 20 minutes it was Dyce who not only kept his Yamaha upright, but navigated the rutty Shepparton circuit for 13 grueling laps to collect the first MXD victory of the day. Second place in race one went to KTM mounted Norton, while championship leader Roberts held on to finish in third. Pozniak and McKay completed the top five, while Jai Constantinou, Isaac Ferguson, Brodie Ellis, Fogarty and Walsh all rounded out race one inside the top ten.