Factory Honda challenged in round four of 2023 ProMX Championship

The Factory Honda team faced its fair share of challenges at round four of the 2023 Pro MX Championship in Maitland, NSW.

Polyflor Honda’s Brodie Connolly was diagnosed with severe tonsilitis. After a week of feeling unwell and two days in hospital in the week leading up to racing, the young New Zealander toughened it out to maintain second in the championship.

“I did what I could to make it through the weekend,” said Connolly. I was feeling average, very weak. I am far from happy with my results but I did what I could to maintain second in the championship.” Brodie is working with the team’s doctor and is on the mend to full recovery and is looking ahead to the next round of racing. “South Australia is next and I am excited to get back to full strength and race in Gilman,” Connolly concluded.

Terrafirma Honda’s Wilson Todd rode two solid races, after falling in both races he got up and finished second and third respectively to claim second overall on the day. “I am still not one hundred percent following my stomach virus. I’m working with a gastrologist and we have made many changes to my diet. I am feeling better but there is a way to go. The weekend was good, crashing never helps, but we extended our points lead in the championship,” said Todd.

The Boost Mobile Honda MX1 riders Kyle Webster and Jed Beaton had mixed results. Beaton finished fourth overall, after setting the second fastest time in Superpole, and his overall finish relegated him back to second in the championship. “The sprint pace was there – that is a positive – we have some things we need to work on before the next round so we can run that pace for thirty minutes,” said Beaton.

Webster qualified first. However, bad luck struck in moto one when a rock pierced his skin. That left him bloody and his shoulder momentarily numb.  He finished moto one in fifth and was told by ‘Race Safe’ that he could not continue racing for the remainder of the day. The wound required microsurgery. You can see the blood on his jersey above.

“I don’t know what cat I ran over but this season has not gone to plan. The bike and team are working well – we qualified first and I felt confident.  The positives are that we have the pace and the bikes are competitive. I am going to be able to race the next round and I am going to focus on that,” said Webster.

The team has a positive plan for the next three weeks and is looking forward to round five of the Pro MX Championship in South Australia.