17-YEAR-OLD Sam Pelz impressively won the A Lites class by 20 points at the Honda Genuine Parts & Accessories 2016 Victorian Senior Motocross Championships Presented by Bridgestone at Swan Hill last weekend, July 23-24.
The budding motocross rider from Orbost did enough in the final round of the challenging four round competition to claim a well-earned victory over Wyatt Fogarty and Jed Cornthwaite both from Victoria. Sam also finished in fourth-place in the MXD A class.
Sam’s most notable round of the competition occurred in Round 3 at Wonthaggi in June when he won three out of three races. “After the first round I was running second in the A Lites class and third in the MXD A class,” he said.
“After the second round, I was in second place after the leader (Luke Abela) was out due to injury. I took over the points-lead after the third round winning all three races,” Sam added.
“For the last round, I came into it with a slightly injured wrist so I wasn’t sure if I was going to race or not. I thought to myself that as this was the last round I might as well try so I did what I had to do to wrap-up the championship,” he continued.
On claiming his first senior state title, Sam said: “It feels good. It was good to cross that finish line.”
Sam is also competing in the 2016 Motul MX Nationals in the MXD Under 19s class where he is currently sitting in 18th-place and he plans on finishing in the top ten. He is also leading the A Lites class in the 2016 Shell Advance Gippsland Motocross Championships.
Sam would like to thank Ross Beaton from Beaton Pro Formula, his parents, and Doyle & Shields in Bairnsdale.
Asked why he enjoys the sport so much, Sam replied: “I got into it at a really young age. I just love it really,” Sam said.
The Victorian Motocross Championships Presentation Night will take place at the Ultima Function Centre in Keilor Park on Saturday, September 17. For more information please visit: www.motorcyclingvic.com.au.