Dean Wilson Claims 2025 Season-Opening AUSX Round at Kayo Stadium

Redcliffe’s Kayo Stadium was packed as the 2025 Australian Supercross Championship burst into life, with Dean Wilson charging to a statement victory in a night packed with drama, action, and comeback rides, on a slick and technical track.

The opening round of the five-stop series, presented by Monster Energy, kicked off in spectacular fashion inside the intimate Queensland venue, where fans were treated to non-stop action from qualifying through to the finals. Luke Clout set the early pace in SX1 qualifying, topping the timesheets ahead of Wilson and Frenchman Cedric Soubeyras, who was making his Australian debut.

When the gates dropped for the SX1 final, chaos quickly followed. The early laps saw elbows flying and riders jostling for position, but it was Wilson who emerged from the pack. Charging from outside the top five after a small off-track excursion, the 2023 champion stormed past Clout on lap four and never looked back, extending his lead and taking a dominant first win of the season.

Wilson’s night was flawless, winning his heat race before going on to dominate both main events — a performance reminiscent of the form that’s carried him to consecutive titles. “It’s special tonight. It’s been a tough year, and I want to dedicate this to my mum; she’s fighting a hard battle, and I wanted her to hear some good news,” said Wilson. “It didn’t come easy, I went off the track in race one but fought back to take the win. The second moto felt great; I felt great on the bike.”

Luck Clout had his chances and was clearly the second fastest, and after a few small falls regrouped to go 3-2 and claim second place.

Soubeyras made an instant impression in his first Australian Supercross Championship outing, showing his trademark smoothness to claim third overall after going 2–4 in the mains. “It was good. We came to be on the podium, and I feel we executed well,” he said. “I wanted to take no risks tonight — Round 2 is tomorrow.”

Over in the SX2 class, the pace was just as fierce, and Honda’s depth was on full display. Defending champion Shane McElrath qualified fastest ahead of Wilson Todd, while Thomas (Tiger) Wood and Alex Larwood also featured near the front.

In the heats, Thomas Wood took victory in Heat 1 with Alex Larwood second and Jace Cosford third, while Shane McElrath finished runner-up to his U.S. compatriot Lux Turner in Heat 2 after a slow start. Wilson Todd endured early misfortune but clawed his way through the Last Chance Qualifier to secure his place in the mains.

When the gate dropped for the opening final, Turner once again greeted the chequered flag, with Todd delivering a strong redemption ride to finish second, Larwood third, Wood sixth, and McElrath 17th after a crash damaged his footpeg. McElrath bounced back superbly in Moto 2, charging to a dominant win ahead of Larwood and Wood to deliver a Honda 1–2–3, while Todd crashed out while running second.

Behind the leading trio, Turner fought hard to make up ground and crossed the line in fourth, a result that secured him the overall round win by a single point over Larwood. Wood’s impressive consistency earned him third overall, rounding out the podium.

Overall in SX2, Larwood sits second in the championship, Wood third, Todd fourth and McElrath sixth — with Larwood just a single point off the red plate after Round 1.

The SX3 final capped off Honda’s strong night, with Kayd Kingsford delivering a flawless flag-to-flag performance to claim victory ahead of Ryder Malinoski and teammate Jet Alsop in third. “It was about being patient and not doing anything silly,” said Kingsford. “The bike felt amazing, and everything came together. As Yarrive always says, the rider who makes the fewest mistakes will win this championship, so we’ll stay smart and patient.”

Elsewhere, the 85cc Futures class gave fans a glimpse of the sport’s next generation, with Blake Bohannan — the youngest in the field and fresh off the 65cc ranks — putting in a composed and confident ride to take an emotional win.

With the gates officially dropped on the 2025 season, the AUSX Championship couldn’t have asked for a better start. A packed stadium, fierce racing, and no shortage of drama set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling year. The riders and teams won’t have long to rest, with Round 2 lighting up Kayo Stadium again Sunday night.