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TEN YEAR TURN-BACK: 15th to the 21st of July 2004

Author: Aaryn Minerds

Posted:

Welcome to the Fullnoise.com.au TEN YEAR TURN-BACK Presented by One Industries

It is amazing to think that Fullnoise.com.au has been Australia's online source for dirt bike news for the past ELEVEN years! Started back in 2003 by Garry Morrow, Fullnoise has grown to be the number one choice when it comes to Online Dirt Bike News in Australia and is a virtual online encyclopaedia of Off-Road dirt bike news and results from Australian and around the world from the start of the digital age covering every discipline of Dirt Bike Riding and Racing.

For 2014 we will be running this new weekly feature that will highlight some of the biggest news articles from the upcoming week 10 years ago! staring with the first week of January and running through to the final week in December 2004.

Thursday the 15th to Wednesday the 21st of July 2004:

Darryll King Strengthens Grip On Title:
Darryll King was leading the 2004 Australian Motocross Championship mid way through the season - Credit: Garry Morrow
CDR/Boost Mobile/Yamaha's Darryll King has extended his lead in the Maxxis Australian Motocross Championships after taking a double moto win at round six in Appin, NSW, Sunday, July 18.

Compatriot Cody Cooper (Team No Fear Honda) repeated King's feat in the Pro Lites class to make it yet another Kiwi sweep. With two rounds remaining both riders look to be on a collision course with the 2004 title.

Matt Moss took 2 wins over brother Jake to take out the Rookies class. Third placed overall Justin Carafa was the only other rider besides Matt Moss to lead a lap when he took both holeshots and lead the first lap of each moto.

Jason Bright joins Suzuki Australia:
Jason Bright partnered with Suzuki in 2004 - Credit: Garry Morrow
Suzuki Motorcycles has announced a sponsorship deal with V8 Supercar driver, Jason Bright. As part of the sponsorship arrangement, Bright has recently taken possession of a brand new Suzuki DR-Z250 trail bike and a Suzuki RM-Z250 motocross machine.

Bright, who currently sits third in the V8 Supercar Championship, joins a throng of V8 Supercar drivers who are aligned with a motorcycle manufacturer. Steven Richards, Russell Ingall and Greg Murphy where the first in the popular trend when they where associated with KTM a few years ago.

In recent years motorcycle manufacturers have been eager to capitalise on the success of V8 Supercar and its celebrity drivers with almost all the top drivers aligned to manufacturers. Recent signings include, Marcus Ambrose to Honda, Paul Morris to Kawasaki and Russell Ingall to Husqvarna.

With Australia's most popular motorsports magazine program RPM (Channel 10) running an entertaining feature on the drivers and their motorcycle riding adventures last Sunday (Jul-18), having a driver signed is certainly proving a sound marketing investment.

Gas Gas and Diener win SA Reliability Trial:
Gas Gas and Diener win 2004SA Reliability Trial - Credit: Damir Ivka
Gas Gas mounted Shane Diener has won the 2004 Truscott Hi-Fi 24 Hour Reliability Trial by six tenths of a second over Dakar, Finke and Australian Safari veteran Andy Haydon (Yamaha WR450) in one of the closest finishes in the events 81 year History.

The 2004 version of one of Australia's oldest events left the township of Kapunda, SA, at 11AM on Jul-10 in dry sunny conditions and finished in the rain 24 hours later at the same point, along the way passing through towns such as Truro, Eudunda and the North Mt Lofty Rangers.

After 25 stages and 3 fuel stops, that where this year taken at service stations instead of the usually paddock scenario for safety reasons, it was Freeling's Shane Diener on the smaller Gas Gas EC250 2 stroke who lead home the 44 finishers of the 75 starters in the Open Solo class. Haydon was earlier in the week declared the provisional winner but it was not until Friday (Jul-16) that after all stages where officially tallied that Diener was declared the official winner with Gawler's Haydon runner up.

Haydon was a clear leader at the end of the first of 4, 233 km laps with Diener displacing him on the next three circuits. Third place runner in the first two laps, Leigh Bentley, had the misfortune of losing his card near the end of the second lap. Knowing that the mistake would incur a 50 point penalty, that would have put him down to 30th, he decided to retire.

In the end it was Diener's day and the Gas Gas EC250 that proved to have the speed and reliability to get the job done. Haydon was followed by Scott Launer (KTM EXC) in third, Matt Robinson (KTM EXC 530) in fourth and fifth was Scott Irrgang on a KTM EXC450.

Other News
Mark Avard - Credit: Phil Smith
- Australian Supermoto and Off Road icon Mark Avard sustained a serious shoulder injury during practice at Sydney's Oran Park on Sunday, July 18.

- CAS Honda's Josh Coppins has won round five of the Maxxis British Motocross Championships at the historical Hawkstone Park venue in Shropshire, UK, over the weekend (Jul-18), and now holds a comfortable 47 point lead in the Open class with 3 rounds remaining.

- Wild child Travis Pastrana has won the Red Bull X-Fighters Freestyle Contest in Madrid, Spain (Jul-15). The event that took place in the Las Ventas bullfighting arena attracted 25,000 Spaniards for what many are claiming was one of the best freestyle shows ever seen.

- During the first three quarters of 2003/04, the KTM Group was able to increase sales as well as turnover by 6 percent in comparison to the first three quarters of the previous year. When adjusted for forex influences, turnover rose by 10 percent. The sales trend was very positive in Europe and Australia, where KTM was able to expand its market share.

All News from Thursday the 15th to Wednesday the 21st of July 2004:
Freestyle: Pastrana wins Red Bull X-Fighters - Fri, 16th Jul, 2004
Rallye: Gas Gas and Diener win SA Reliability Trial - Sun, 18th Jul, 2004
Supermotard: Mark Avard injured - Mon, 19th Jul, 2004
Motocross: Darryll King strengthens grip on title - Mon, 19th Jul, 2004
Industry: Jason Bright joins Suzuki Australia - Tue, 20th Jul, 2004
Motocross: Coppins and Sword on top in Britain - Tue, 20th Jul, 2004
Motocross: Australia wants a Motocross Grand Prix - Tue, 20th Jul, 2004
Enduro: Barrett scrapes in ahead of Willis at Gormandale - Wed, 21st Jul, 2004
Industry: KTM Group experience intermediate growth peak - Wed, 21st Jul, 2004
Industry: Ducati and Aprilia update - Wed, 21st Jul, 2004

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