Lawson Bopping (Team Motul Suzuki) came from the lower-end of the top five, in an improvement on his starts from Bathurst, to claim an emphatic 1-2 for Suzuki in the runner-up position, while multiple-champion Jay Marmont (Penrite Honda) scored an emotion-charged third.

Bopping made his move stick on Adam Monea (NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki) during lap seven, and then moved past Jake Moss on the other factory Kawasaki one lap later – setting his sights on new teammate Moss out front. He wasn’t able to make major inroads however, finally finishing 3.783s in arrears.

“It was a night tough tonight, ” Bopping said. “It was a really hard 20-lapper. I am stoked with my result and the team is awesome. I will go home and rest so I am ready to come back and do it all again tomorrow.

“Coming back from where I was last year, I am thankful for the opportunity. It has been a long time since I have been on the podium so I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Behind the Suzuki duo it was a tight fight for third, with Marmont using his unrivalled experience to claim the spot comfortably in the end from former teammate Monea, as KTM factory riders Kirk Gibbs and rookie Jesse Dobson were a fine fifth and sixth.

Suzuki-mounted privateer Sam Martin was the final rider to finish on the lead lap in seventh, as Josh Cachia (Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team), James Booth-Elliott (Suzuki) and Kieren Tisdale (Raceline Suzuki) rounded out a mixed top 10.

After running in a podium spot early, Jake Moss’ end result of 13th again didn’t show his true potential, nor did Kade Mosig’s (DPH Motorsport Yamaha) 15th position – both encountering difficulties in the closing laps.

Defending champion Matt Moss now holds a handy 13-point lead over Monea in the standings, with Bopping closing to within two points of him in third.

In the 15-lap SX2 main event, it was Kale Makeham (Tunetech Racing KTM) who led the early laps, until Penrite Honda’s Gavin Faith took charge on lap five and was never headed – claiming his second win of the season in succession by a commanding 9.582s margin.

“I am feeling really good,” Faith admitted. “I just needed to put all the pieces together. The track is pretty slick, but my Pirelli tyres are working really well for me so hopefully we can do it all again tomorrow.”

Behind 2012 champion Faith, countryman Kyle Peters (Wilson MX Honda) nabbed his second podium of the year to make it an American 1-2 after working his way forward from ninth on lap one, and Makeham rounded out the podium – also his second of the season.

Raceline Suzuki rider Hayden Mellross claimed fourth from opening round winner Brenden Harrison (Instant Security KTM), which results in Faith now leading the series by 11 points from both Peters and Harrison tied in second.

The three-race SXD overall was won by Brock McLeary (KTM Newcastle) for the second weekend in a row, as his consistent effort of 3-1-3 finished held out race two winner Jack Simpson (Davey Motorsports KTM) and Dylan Wills (KTM Newcastle), who won the final race of the round.