Round 1 of the Nokia MX Nationals proved to be a great series opener for the newly formed Shell Honda Race team.
Young Danny Anderson returned to the track after a six month lay off due to a knee reconstruction to take the overall in the highly competitive Lites class aboard his Shell Honda CRF 250R, however the Newcastle native didn't have it all his own way.
"The first moto was scary. Mitch Hoad was pressuring me and I hadn't raced at that intensity for six months," he said.
"In the second moto I just didn't get into the same rhythm, but my mechanic Jarrod was telling me where I was, and where I had to finish to take the overall."
Danny is now looking forward to round two this weekend at Penguin, Tasmania where he has experienced success before.
"Tasmania has been good to me. I have had great results there before and I hope to continue on from Broadford. My bike is awesomely fast, so I am confident of good starts and a good finish. This is the first time I have gone into another round with the red plate so I don't want to lose it".
Shell Honda's Cameron Taylor, on the other hand, had another weekend he would prefer to forget.
"I qualified first and was feeling confident of a great result. Instead I got a flat tire in moto 1 and got taken out in moto 2. This isn't the way anyone wants to start a series."
Tasmania is another track Cameron enjoys and he is looking to get maximum points.
"I need to win or at least place to acquire enough points to get amongst the leaders, and I realise that I am going to have to consistently get top results from here on in to have any chance to win this year's championship," he said.
Peter Boyle - Shell Honda's third rider - has also had a season that hasn't gone to plan thus fur.
"I am training hard and practicing well but my results aren't showing how fast I can go."
"In the first moto at Broadford I was 4th fastest and I know I have the ability and the fitness. I need some good starts this weekend and I know our bikes can get them. Danny proved that."
Team Manager Troy Dorron is hopeful of great results this weekend, and according to all reports, has done a tremendous job running the team after retiring from professional racing last year.
"I couldn't have been happier for the team and Danny at Broadford," Dorron said.
"I felt for Cameron after he qualified first and couldn't get the results to back it up. As for Peter, he just needs to get amongst it. The team is new and everyone is doing their part to ensure that we get the best results we can."
"I know we have a chance to win again and we have three riders capable of doing the job, it would be a dream before the season is out to have all three boys on the podium."
"Shell Honda is in its first season of racing and is leading the Nokia Motocross Nationals. After Sunday they hope to still be there!"
