STRONG FINISH FOR ROCKSTAR MOTUL SUZUKI

Team Rockstar Motul Suzuki closed out the 2011 Australian National Motocross Championship with another hard-fought effort at Coolum at the weekend.

The nine-round series threw up its highs and lows for the Suzuki Factory Motocross squad and the weekend's final round saw both Cody Cooper and Daniel McCoy round out a challenging season in their trademark fighting styles.

In the Pro Open class Cooper and his Suzuki RM-Z450 ground out a creditable fifth place overall for the round with a hard-fought 7-5-10-8 result. Despite a serious early-season injury, he finished the Championship in eighth position, claiming a round victory, two overall second places and an impressive six moto wins along the way.

In the Pro Lites class, Suzuki's Daniel McCoy was challenging for an overall podium until a high speed crash in the final moto of the day derailed his podium tilt. Daniel's 6-5-4-DNF result saw him finish eighth overall for the round and sixth in the Championship.

Consistency characterised McCoy's 2011 outdoor season: He claimed an overall debut win on his Suzuki RM-Z250 at Toowoomba's fifth round of the Championship and a third at the Raymond Terrace event.

Rockstar Motul Suzuki Team Manager Jay Foreman commented: "2011 was a challenging motocross season for us. Cody and Daniel put in several great performances over the season and the 2011 4-stroke RM-Zs proved to be race and round winners, but unfortunately we didn't do the job week in and week out. It's been an up and down season but I am confident that we will be challenging for a Championship next year. Recognition must also go to our sponsors - Rockstar, Motul, ONE Industries, Pirelli, NGK, RK Chains, Yoshimura, Tag Metals, Hinson, Uni Filter, Vortex, RG3 and Braking for their fantastic products and ongoing support."

Round 9 2011 Australian Motocross Championship Results:

Pro Open:

1. Jay Marmont 2. Billy Mackenzie 3. Todd Waters 4. Lawson Bopping (Suzuki RM-Z450) 5. Cody Cooper (Suzuki RM-Z450) 6. Jamie Law 7. Michael Addison 8. Michael Phillips 9. Josh Coppins 10. Beau Ralston

Pro Open Championship Standings:

1. Jay Marmont 682 2. Josh Coppins 650 3. Billy Mackenzie 636 4. Dean Ferris 601 5. Cheyne Boyd 537 6. Michael Phillips 510 7. Lawson Bopping 497 8. Cody Cooper 449 9. Louis Calvin 340 10. Beau Ralston 246

Pro Lites:

1. Kirk Gibbs 2. Kade Mosig 3. Matt Moss 4. Phil Nicoletti 5. Luke Styke 6. Justin McDonald 7. Josh Cachia 8. Daniel McCoy (Suzuki RM-Z250) 9. Brenden Harrison 10. Keiron Hall

Pro Lites Championship Standings:

1. Matt Moss 638 2. Kirk Gibbs 628 3. Phil Nicoletti 544 4. Brenden Harrison 533 5. Kade Mosig 529 6. Daniel McCoy 518 7. Josh Cachia 480 8. Justin McDonald 464 9. Cody Mackie 454 10. Luke Styke 437

U19:

1. Shaun Redhead 2. Jake Emanuelli 3. Luke Arbon 4. Jacob Wright 5. Errol Willis (Suzuki RM-Z250) 6. Sam Martin (Suzuki RM-Z250) 7. Dan Banks 8. Jay Wilson 9. Luke Reardon 10. Dylan Peterson

U19 Championship Standings:

1. Errol Willis 719 2. Luke Arbon 619 3. Shaun Redhead 545 4. Dylan Peterson 466 5. Jake Emanuelli 452 6. Jay Wilson 438 7. Kyle McKeddie 401 8. Sam Martin 359 9. Kale Makeham 311 10. Dylan Long 306