Feature

TEN YEAR TURN-BACK: 25th to the 31st of March 2004

Author: Aaryn Minerds

Posted:

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

2:22 PM

<b>TEN YEAR TURN-BACK: 25th to the 31st of March 2004</b>

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 25th to Wednesday the 31st of March 2004:

Jay Marmont and Wade Thompson wrap up Australian SX Nationals titles:

Jay Marmont wrapped up the 2004 Australian Supercross Nationals Pro Open Class with a round to spare - Credit:: Phil Smith

With one round remaining, Jay Marmont (Motorex KTM) wrapped up the 2004 Australian Supercross Nationals Pro Open title by taking the win at Brisbane Entertainment centre on the 27th of March.

21 year old Marmont's win left him with 135 points, 26 points clear of Troy Dorron (Team No Fear Honda), with only 20 points available for a win, Marmont was officially declared the series champion.

Wade Thompson (Serco Yamaha) also wrapped up the 1800 Junior Development series after dominating the season, the only hiccup the 15 year old South Australian encountered on his way to the title was an injured wrist that was sustained at Melbourne's Olympic Park.

With six round wins Thompson held an unassailable 38 point lead over fellow South Australian Gianni Dalle-Molle (Fly Kawasaki).

Factory giant killer Daniel Reardon (Whales Kawasaki Sic Motul) and Ryan Marmont (Motorex KTM) were left to fight it out for the Pro Lites title the following weekend at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena. Reardon at that point in time held the upper hand going into the final event by a slender one point lead!

Stefan Everts Conquers Spanish Quagmire:

Stefan Everts on his way to a muddy win in Spain

13,200 cold race fans braved 7 degree temperatures to witness Stefan Everts (L&M Yamaha) master Spain's demanding muddy conditions to notch a double moto victory and his first overall for 2004 in the MX1 class at this weekends Grand Prix of Spain.

Conditions couldn‰Ûªt have been worse for the Grand Prix of Spain with over 24 hours of persistent rain reducing the technical Bellpuig hillside circuit to a quagmire. The rain stopped just before the race programme got underway but the track conditions remained treacherous for the entire day.

New Zealand's Josh Coppins was another rider to have a good day out in the Mud, finising with 2-3 results for second overall.

South African Tyla Rattray (Champ KTM) bounced back from an disappointing round one to take the overall in the MX2 class, keeping the 125cc 2 stroke in the limelight with his 2-3 race results.

Kiwi Ben Townley won the opening moto but recorded a DNF in moto two, while Aussie great Andrew McFarlane raced to a sixth place in moto one and second place finish in moto 2, leaving him in second place in the championship and just one point off the points lead after round two of the series.

Peter Melton and Scott Bishop At Home In The Sand.

Peter Melton was unstoppable at Hervey Bay in 2004 - Credit: Ikapture (Greg Smith)

The Pro Open class at the postponed third round of the 2004 Sunshine State MX Series held at Hervey Bay was a one sided affair with Queenslands favourite son Peter Melton taking out both moto‰Ûªs in quite convincing fashion, he even pulled a roll off as he went up the inside of Chris Urquhart on the straight in the second race!

Urquhart finished second overall and Scott Bishop moved from 9th to 4th in the series with a third overall.

Scott Bishop also worked hard for his win in the Pro Lites bagging a win in race one and a fifth in race two. Braith Hoopert showed that he can mix it with the leaders of the class finishing second overall and progressing from seventh to fourth in the series.

SMG‰Ûªs Shane Moroney had his highest overall this year finishing in third.

Robbie Marshall Sidelined With Leg Injury

Robbie Marshall is helped to the sidelines by mechanic Michael Marty after the accident. Credit:: Phil Smith

Team Serco Yamaha young gun Robbie Marshall was been sidelined from the remainder of the 2004 Australian Supercross Championship due to an accident at round nine of the SX Nationals in Brisbane.

The accident has left the 19 year old Queenslander with a broken leg (left fibula) as well as extensive muscle damage to his hand and right foot. Marshall, who was running fifth in the series at the time of the accident and came up short on a triple jump during Pro Open Super Pole.

Other News

David Vuillemin signed with sports management group OMS Sports

- Team Yamaha's David Vuillemin signed with sports management group OMS Sports. Vuillemin cited the need to spend more time focusing on family, training, racing and less time on the business aspect of the sport.

- An extraordinary $5000 in prizes is up for grabs over the nine classes for Australia's first "Supermoto State of Origin" that was set to be staged at the World Class karting circuit, Raliegh International Raceway and was due to feature Australia's premier Supermoto riders.

- Factory Effex in the lead up to the 2004 British MX Championship announced that it had joined forces with the newly formed RTT Honda GP MX Team. RTT Honda was headed by One of the UK's best know riders Carl Nunn and the up-and-coming Jason Dougan. British based RTT Honda competed in both the Maxxis British Motocross Championships, as well as the MX2 class FIM World Grand Prix aboard Honda CRF250's.

- The small bikes triumphed in slippery, tricky conditions in the second North Island round of the Suzuki New Zealand Cross-Country championships in Te Awamutu. Local rider Mark Pollard led virtually all the way to win the three-hour race by two minutes on his Yamaha WR250, competing in the under 300cc four-stroke class.

All News from the Thursday the 25th to Wednesday the 31st of March 2004:

Early in the 2004 World Motocross Championship Andrew McFarlane was looking like he was soon set to become just third rider after Jeff Leisk and Chad Reed to win a round of the World Championships

Supercross: Marmont and Thompson wrap up Australian SX Nationals titles - Sun, 28th Mar, 2004
Supercross: David Vuillemin signs new management deal - Sun, 28th Mar, 2004
Motocross: Factory Effex joins RTT Racing - Sun, 28th Mar, 2004
Motocross: Pichon tops the time sheets in Spain - Sun, 28th Mar, 2004
Trail: FOHVA seeking state and regional representatives: Mon, 29th Mar, 2004
Off Road: Suzuki NZ Cross Country round 2 review: Mon, 29th Mar, 2004
Motocross: Stefan Everts conquers a Spanish quagmire - Mon, 29th Mar, 2004
Supermotard: $5000 in prizes up for grabs at Coffs!! - entries closing - Tue, 30th Mar, 2004
Motocross: McFarlane looking to be next Australian winner - Wed, 31st Mar, 2004
Supercross: Robbie Marshall sidelined with leg injury - Wed, 31st Mar, 2004
Supercross: Showdown for Australian SX Naionals Pro Lites crown - Wed, 31st Mar, 2004
Motocross: Melton and Bishop at home in the sand - Wed, 31st Mar, 2004