Supercross

Dectois Seals SX Title As Richardson Breaks Through For Main Event Win

Author: Aaryn Minerds

Posted:

Sunday, December 6th, 2015

11:09 AM

Dectois Seals SX Title As Richardson Breaks Through For Main Event Win

Penrite Oils Honda Racing Jimmy Decotis has wrapped up the 2015 Australian Supercross Championship at a packed Knight Stadium in Victoria overnight while Penrite Oils Wilson Racing Honda's Jackson Richardson broke through for his maiden SX2 main event win.

Like Reardon in the SX class, Decotis headed into the final round with a near unbeatable points lead and needed to only finish the nights main event to wrap up 2015 title.

Joel Wightman qualified 9th before going on to have a break out race in the main event - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

On the hard baked blue groove track presented to the riders for qualifying, it was Richardson who set the standard early in the day posting the fastest lap of the session by less than one-tenth of a second ahead of Decotis, with DPH Peter Stevens Yamaha's Wade Hunter continuing his great form with a time that was just a futher tenth of a second back from Decotis.

The SX2 riders thrilled the crowed during their heat race as Lewis Woods fired his Davey Motorsports KTM to the holeshot to lead around the first turn with Decotis, Richardson and Hunter in tow.

Lewis Woods took a wire to wire heat race win ahead of Decotis and Richardson - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

The leading three set themselves into a hectic three way race long battle. Behind them Hunter and Newcastle KTM's Dylan Wills locked themselves into an inthrawling battle for fourth while Penrite Oils Wilson Racings Geran Stapleton and Davey Motorsports KTM Jack Simpson gave race fans a reason to stand up and cheer as they carved their way through the field after early race crashes.

At race end, round four main event winner, Woods had done enough to keep both the Honda riders at bay, taking the heat race win with Decotis second and Richardson third.

SX2 Start ws smooth sailing out of the gates, but when Decotis and Stapleton found themselves on the same spot of dirt in the first turn things got messy - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

When the gates dropped on the main event all types of carnage unfolded in the first turn was Decotis and Stapleton came together at the front of the field leaving them at the rear of the field along with Richardson who also got caught up in the melee.

Wills took full advantage of the situation and lead the field across the finish line at the end of the opening lap, pursued by Woods, Honda CRF Racing's Joel Wightman, Raceline Suzuki's Jesse Madden and Simpson.

Dylan Wills was riding away to his first SX2 main event win until damage to his shock put him out of of contention - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

The lead two riders in Wills and Woods started to edge away from the field while Hunter quickly moved his way from seventh at the end of lap one to third by then end of lap six.

The other rider on the move was Richardson jumping all the way from 12th at the end of lap one to fourth by the end of lap eight when the race took a big turn that would provide a sensational final seven laps of racing.

Wade Hunter became the third race leader in the SX2 main event with this pass on Lewis Woods - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

With a comfortable lead out front Wills, the 2014 SXD Champion looked as though he was well on the way to his first main event win in the SX2 class until disaster struck and his rear shock bolt let go.

With no rear suspension to speak of, Wills though continuing to race and jump the finish line double had to surrender the lead to Woods with Hunter and Richardson both quickly moving into second and third place.

Meanwhile Decotis who started over a half a lap down moved his ay back to eight place just after the half way mark of the race.

On lap 11 Hunter moved onto the back wheel of Woods and mad the move into the lead with Richardson following him past Woods and into second position with all three racers pushing hard for the win.

Jackson Richardson celebrates his maiden SX2 win - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

The following lap Richardson made the decisive pass on Hunter for the lead, as they entered the long rhythm section front of the grand stand as the crowd once again lifted to their feet.

The North Queensland then slowly increased his lead over the final four laps to claim his maiden SX2 race win and wrap up second in the championship standings.

‰ÛÏI felt fast all day and really liked the track,‰Û

Decotis did not have the main he was chasing but with 4 wins from 6 rounds he was clearly the best rider in class this season - - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

Hunter held on to second position, while Woods crossed the line in third position and in the process elevated himself to third in the final SX2 championship standings.

Joel Wightman had a break out race to finish in a superb 4th position ahead of Simpson in fifth and another fine performance by Madden in 6th.

Crossing the line and celebrating his 2015 championship in seventh position was Decotis and while he admitted it was not the way he wanted to finish the final race of the season, he could not be more happy to pick up the Australian championship.

"Man, what a night!‰Û

Geran Stapleton had a luckless day with crashes in three of the four sessions he was on track - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

The hard luck story for the night went Geran Stapleton. After bouncing back from a huge crash during qualifying and a early race crash in the heat race. His first turn crash in the main event left him to fight through to a eigth place finish relegating him from third to fourth in the final standings, just five points behind Woods.

Suzuki privateer Jamie Harvey rode a solid race to finish 9th, while DPH Peter Stevens Motorcycles Yamaha rider Boyd Hocking rounded out the top ten.

The winning Penrite Oils Honda Racing Team - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

Round 6 SX2 Main Event Results
1. Jackson Richardson
2. Wade Hunter
3. Lewis Woods
4. Joel Wightman
5. Jack Simpson
6. Jesse Madden
7. Jimmy Decotis
8. Geran Stapleton
9. Jamie Harvey
10. Boyd Hocking

SX2 Championship Standings Final Standings
1. Jimmy Decotis - 195 Pts
2. Jackson Richardson - 176 Pts
3. Lewis Woods - 160 Pts
4. Geran Stapleton - 155 Pts
5. Wade Hunter - 141 Pts
6. Joel Wightman - 133 Pts
7. Jack Simpson - 123 Pts
8. Dylan Wills - 122 Pts
9. Luke Clout - 113 Pts
10. Luke Arbon - 111 Pts

Top Image: Jimmy Decotis crosses the finish line to claim the 2015 Australian SX2 Championship.

Credit: Aaryn Minerds