Oz motocross roars into Adelaide

However, the bona fide local challenge in round four may come from a rider who has not yet contested a round of this year‰Ûªs title ‰ÛÒ but someone who knows a little bit about winning Australian championships. That pilot is 11-time Australian motocross and supercross champion Craig Anderson, who will compete at Gilman on the Honda CRF450R vacated by Metcalfe, whose broken scaphoid has left him on the long-term injury list. Anderson, who won the 2002 motocross title before leaving for America, is making a flying trip home between a rare two-week break in the AMA 250cc Motocross Championship. He currently lies 12th in the AMA title on a Honda, including a season best of eighth in race two at Maryland last weekend. Anderson‰Ûªs past form at Gilman is exceptional, including two wins from three starts in his championship-winning 2002 year. Thirty-five riders will square off in the Pro Open races at Gilman in the two 30-minute (plus a lap) races, including former Australian supercross champion and road racing international Anthony Gobert (Honda CRF450R). In the 55-rider Pro Lites field ‰ÛÒ which will be trimmed to 40 after qualifying ‰ÛÒ Cooper is currently making all the right moves to improve on his fifth position in last year‰Ûªs title. His 145pt haul makes him a 22pt leader over Cameron Taylor (CDR/Boost Mobile/Yamaha YZ250F, 123), with two-time champion Troy Dorron (No Fear Honda CRF250R, 100) the only other rider to move into the three-figure zone. Dorron, who has finished on the podium in four of the six Pro Lites races, finished second at Coolum in 2003 behind Carroll Daniel McCoy (CDR/Boost Mobile/Yamaha YZ250F) also remains in the mix on 94pts, ahead of 18-year-old gun Daniel Reardon (Whales Kawasaki/Thor KX250F, 74), who improved three championship spots at Coolum ‰ÛÒ as did Serco Yamaha‰Ûªs Adam Cini (YZ250F). The latter is now in seventh on 68pts, just one behind No Fear Honda‰Ûªs Jye Harvey (CRF250R, 69). Gates open at 8.00am on Sunday, with the first practice session starting at 9.00am. Entry is $20 for adults, $10 for a child and $50 for a family (two adults and two children). There will also be support class races for women, where Lisa Irwin (Honda) currently leads the way from Kiwi Mary Perkins (Yamaha) and 16-year-old Kristy Gillespie (Honda). For more information on the Maxxis Australian Motocross Championship, visit the official website at www.ozmotox.com Current standings (after three of eight rounds):