In what proved to be an unforgettable weekend of racing, Red Bull KTM snatched up multiple victories at the third round of the National Motocross Championship in Welkom. It was a day of celebration for the entire orange team with MX1 star Tristan Purdon taking top honours, new-recruit Cameron Durow snatching the win in MX2, High School Class talent Jonathan Mlimi extending his points lead, and young gun Trey Cox defending the Pro Mini red plate.
All eyes were on 18-year-old Durow on Saturday, who made it clear from the moment the gates dropped this season that he would be a force to be reckoned with. After setting the fastest qualifying time, the youngster set off to snatch the MX2 victory he has patiently been waiting for since he last won a race in this class in 2019.
The rider started the day with a consistent pace and finished the first moto in second place. He came back swinging in the second moto and his blistering pace saw him get the holeshot. With an overall victory within his reach, Durow pulled an early lead and didn’t look back.
“This is the first time I’ve won in this class since 2019 – I’ve been injured four times since then! I even know the exact number of days since the last win and I’ve been working towards repeating that victory ever since. It meant a lot to me to finally achieve what I have been aiming at for so long,” said Durow.
Putting on yet another eye-catching performance was Red Bull KTM teammate Tristan Purdon. The rider couldn’t have asked for a better day in MX1 when he went 1-1 to take the victory overall. While MX2 proved to be a more challenging race for the rider, Purdon managed to end the day on the podium with a third place overall.
Having defended his points lead in both classes, the motocross star will once again line-up with both red plates in the next round. With his sights set on winning both championships this season, Purdon commented:
“Leading both championships isn’t easy and it comes with a lot of pressure. I’m handling it well because of the support I’ve been getting from the whole team and that makes me want to keep fighting. After MX2 this weekend I’ll be working on my starts leading up to the next round, but overall, I’m happy with the way everything played out.”
Red Bull KTM teammate Jonathan Mlimi was off to an impressive start this weekend when he took the holeshot in the first moto and lead the heat from start to finish. He had a challenging start in the second moto by his own high standards, but managed to fight his way back up to the front of the field to secure the victory overall.
“My KTM 125 SX handled so well – the setup was perfect! I learnt this weekend to be more patient when I’m in a battle to get to the front – I find when I rush the process I tend to make small mistakes. I’m really happy with the way the season is playing out and just plan to stay consistent – that always pays off in the end,” said Mlimi.
A cherry on the top of what was a successful day of racing for Red Bull KTM was yet another consistent performance from young gun Trey Cox. After setting off with the holeshot, the Pro Mini rider had an unfortunate crash in the first moto. With a determination to defend the red plate, he fought his way back up to fourth place. He came back swinging with a solid start in the second heat and held a consistent pace to finish the moto in second place.
“I’m so happy to have held onto the red plate. In the weeks leading up to the next round, I’m going to work on eliminating small mistakes. I’m happy with my pace and learnt this weekend that it’s not over until it’s over – that ‘never give up’ attitude always pays off in the end,” said Cox.
