Purdon takes double first blood at terrific Terra Topia

Splendid racing, excellent fields and a little controversy on the side were highlights of an action-packed 2021 Cannabis Energy Drink & TRP Distributors South African National Motocross Championship season opener at Terra Topia in Diepsloot, on February 20.

But it was national MX1 champion Cathcart EP hero Tristan Purdon and his Red Bull KTM who stole the headlines with overall victory in both the 15-bike strong MX1 and MX2 races.

Purdon will have the championship leaders’ red plates on both his machines when he arrives at his home province Rover races in Port Elizabeth after fighting back to win the second open class MX1 race and a dominant double in the quarter-litre MX2 moto.

Holeshot King Johan Vogelesang took the early opening heat MX1 lead with Tinswalo Yamaha rider Anthony Raynard in pursuit before Jesse Wright’s Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha took over.

But David Goosen was soon on the move after bidding his time on his maiden outing aboard his new Rockstar Energy Drink Husqvarna, and he soon passed Raynard and then fought Wright before moving ahead for the win.

Purdon meanwhile extracted his KTM from the pack after a middling start to move up and follow Goosen home from Raynard, Wright and KTM lads, SA OR3 Cross Country champion Bradley Cox and Jayden Proctor. But SA MX1 champion Purdon made no mistakes in the second moto, while Raynard beat Goosen to second ahead of Wright, Cox and Proctor. So, Purdon heads to PE with a two-point lead over Goosen, with Raynard in close attendance.

Tristan Purdon then took his turn to take a come from behind opening 250cc MX2 win from Red Bull KTM teammate Cameron Durow. He entertained in dice with Raynard and the closing Goosen’s Husqvarna, ahead of Dalton Venter’s Yamaha and Jayden Proctor on a KTM. Purdon then made it a double over Goosen, Raynard, Durow, Venter and Leonard du Toit to take a strong early title lead over Goosen, Raynard and Durow, who are split by a point.

Yamaha duo, over-30s Senior man Grant Frerichs and over-40 Masters champion Ian Topliss diced hard for the first MX3 win. Dwayne Kleynhans’ KTM and Deon du Toit on a Kawasaki were next up in over 30s and Jaco Smit’s KTM and Bruce Viljoen completed the over 40 podium.

Frerichs then held Kleynhans off to win in race two with Topliss topping the over 40 field in third as Frerichs and Topliss took their respective classes for the day.

The second round of the 2021 Cannabis Energy Drink & TRP Distributors South African National Motocross Championship goes down at Rover in Port Elizabeth on April 3.