JUNIOR riders Chad Bell and Cody Bartlett are chasing Western Region Motocross Series success after shining at the Shipwreck Coast Motocross Club two-day open.
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The Warrnambool pair won their respective classes at the Lake Gillear competition on Sunday.
Chad, 11, took out the 85 small wheel B grade title and Cody, 10, the 85 small wheel C grade crown.
They were among 274 competitors who raced across multiple senior and junior categories.
Chad, who is about to start grade six at Allansford and District Primary School, said belief helped him win his section.
“I always had it in me, I was always aiming for it,” he said.
“It wasn’t easy. I had to work hard for it but it was fun and a good weekend.”
Chad, whose brother Jett also races, started riding at age three and took up competition two years later.
He said home-track knowledge helped him keep his opponents at bay on the weekend.
“I was pretty good in the ruts and the doubles – they’re single jumps pushed together and you jump from one to the other,” he said.
“I was pretty consistent through them.”
Cody was thrilled to make a strong impression in his competitive debut.
“It felt pretty good because it was my first MA (Motorcycle Australia) event,” he said.
“There was a lad, Archie Parsons, and I was battling him all weekend and he’s from Shipwreck Coast too.
“We were equal first but because I won the last two races, I got it. Archie rode really well too.”
The St Joseph’s Primary School student said he adapted well to the conditions.
“I was happy with my starts and corners,” Cody said.
“The track was actually pretty good and it got rough in a few areas coming around corners but all good.”
Chad and Cody will now prepare for the Western Region Motocross Series which starts in March.
Jake Sanderson, who won the 65cc B grade title, was the other Shipwreck Coast rider to claim his class on the weekend.
Other home-club riders to make the podium were Archie Parsons (third, 65cc B grade), Zak Sanderson (second, 50cc division two), Sophie Kidd (second, girls class), Hugh Roache (third, 85cc A grade), Michael Pickert (first, 45 and over) and Steve Mora (second, 45 and over).
Visitors Lachlan Davis (A grade), Max Closter (B grade), Jonathan De Jonk (C grade) took out their respective senior open classes.
Senior lite winners were Ryan Kenney (A grade), Morgan McNicol (B grade) and Jack Lester (C grade), who all travelled to Warrnambool for the competition.
The junior 250cc honours went to Michael Murphy (A grade), Kieran Hildebrand (B grade) and Baylan Riley (C grade).
Murphy also won the junior 125cc section, with Jordan Brown (B grade) and Harli Bryce (C grade) the other victors.
Madi Healey won the girls’ category, Emma Milesevic the ladies expert class and Samantha Beecroft the ladies clubman section.
Zack Wright was the 85cc-150cc big wheel A grade section winner.
Ezekiel Bertoni was the B grade winner and Mitchell Johnson the C grade winner in that section.
Jett Burgess-Stevens won two sections – 85cc-150cc small wheel A grade and 65cc A grade.
Ty Goddrey (65cc C grade), Darren Grattan (veterans 35-45) Nayte Powrie (50cc division one) and Ryder Woodrow (50cc division two) also won their classes.