Harri Kullas secures third overall in MX2 for Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing

[totalmotorcycle]

Harri @Kullas secures third overall in #MX2 for Wilvo @Nestaan @Husqvarna Factory #Racing



Standing in for the injured Aleksandr Tonkov, Harri Kullas has claimed the best result of his career to claim a debut MX2 class overall podium result at the MXGP of Latvia.

With limited time to prepare for round 12 of the 2015 MXGP World Championship, Kullas certainly didn't disappoint in his role as stand-in rider within the Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team. Around a challenging Kegums track the laid-back rider claimed fifth and third place results to earn a well-deserved debut podium result.

Riding hard, keeping himself out of trouble and avoiding mistakes Kullas started well in both motos before battling hard to the chequered flag. In race one he started fifth and finished fifth, holding his position for each of the 17 laps. Going two places better in race two, Kullas held third from start to finish.

For Husqvarna’s MXGP class riders the GP of Latvia proved to be a tough one. With Max Nagl not competing as he works towards his return to racing at round 13 of the MXGP series in the Czech Republic, it was left to Australian’s Dean Ferris and Todd Waters to lead the way. Securing the best overall MXGP result for Husqvarna Ferris placed his Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing machine in 10th overall while Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna factory Racing’s Todd Waters placed two positions behind in 12th. 10th in moto one for Ferris and 10th in moto two for Waters were the best results from the Aussie pairing.

Nathan Watson endured a frustrating GP. 13th in the opening moto following a poor start the young Brit was forced to retire from the second moto with a rear brake issue.

The FIM Motocross World Championship continues with the MXGP of Czech Republic on July 26th.

Harry Kullas: “I’m so, so happy with this result. It’s something I’ve wanted for such a long time - to finally get it is just amazing. It’s such a positive surprise. The last few days have been pretty amazing, and very busy. Getting such an amazing opportunity like this, I just wanted to do my best. My bike was great. Once we got some stuff figured out during Saturday I felt really good out on track in both motos on Sunday. The second moto felt like the longest moto of my life. Everyone knows that a good start here is so important, and I managed to get two really good starts. The track was tough in the first moto but the race went well. I felt good in the second moto – to get third overall is just amazing. I really want to thank the Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna team, I really hope we can keep things going well like this.”

Dean Ferris: “I was really looking for more this weekend, especially after my strong results at the GP of Sweden. The first race was really one-lined, which made it hard to pass. I started ok but near the end of the moto I dropped some position. The second moto was kind of the same. I was sixth, but dropped to 10th. My speed was good but that didn't translate into results this weekend.”

Todd Waters: “Crashing hard in my qualifying race on Saturday made this a tough GP for me. I got a great start, was sat in second behind Tommy Searle and then hit the ground. Not finishing the race gave me last pick for the start on Sunday, so I always knew it would be good to get strong starts. The first moto was going ok but then I dropped it with a few laps to go and dropped to 14th. The track was pretty slick. I gave my all in the second moto and felt good. 10th wasn’t the result I was looking for, but it’s hard to come back from a big qualifying crash.”

Nathan Watson: “Frustratingly, it’s not been a great weekend for me. My speed was good on Saturday with seventh in timed practice so I was looking forward to racing. I had a shocking start in the first moto, I was way back. I got up to 14th and there were five or six guys within about 15 seconds. With the track so one lined it was really hard to pass. I knew I needed a better start in the second moto, and I got it. But I had some kind of issue with my rear brake, which meant I had to retire.”

Results – FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 12

MXGP Overall
1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) 47pts; 2. Gautier Paulin (Honda) 40pts; 3. Romain Febvre (Yamaha) 38pts… 10. Dean Ferris (Husqvarna) 20pts… 12. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 18pts… 17. Nathan Watson (Husqvarna) 8pts

MXGP Race 1
1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) 17 laps, 34:26.145; 2. Kevin Strijbos (Suzuki) 34:31.402; 3. Gautier Paulin (Honda) 35:11.843… 10. Dean Ferris (Husqvarna) 35:54.041… 13. Nathan Watson (Husqvarna) 36:01.616; 14. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 36:02.900

MXGP Race 2
1. Romain Febvre (Yamaha) 18 laps, 35:49.255; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) 35:51.644; 3. Gautier Paulin (Honda) 35:52.473… 10. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 36:38.445… 12. Dean Ferris (Husqvarna) 36:57.428

MX2 Overall
1. Max Anstie (Kawasaki) 50pts; 2. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 44pts; 3. Harri Kullas (Husqvarna) 36 pts

MX2 Race 1
1. Max Anstie (Kawasaki) 17 laps, 35:51.424; 2. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 35:59.293; 3. Davy Pootjes (KTM) 36:04.698… 5. Harri Kullas (Husqvarna) 36:15.018 … 21. Anton Lundgren (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 36:18.815… 24. Maykal Grisha Ivanov (Husqvarna) 37:32.231

MX2 Race 2
1. Max Anstie (Kawasaki) 17 laps, 34:44.364; 2. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 34:57.487; 3. Harri Kullas (Husqvarna) 35:06.183… 21. Anton Lundgren (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:48.088

Championship Standings (After Round 12)

MXGP
1. Romain Febvre (Yamaha) 457pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 416pts; 3. Gautier Paulin (Honda) 391pts; 4. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 360pts… 10. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 242pts… 13. Dean Ferris (Husqvarna) 184pts… 25. Nathan Watson (Husqvarna) 38pts… 26. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 33pts… 38. Klemen Gercar (Husqvarna) 9pts

MX2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 423pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 377pts; 3. Valentin Guillod (Yamaha) 352pts… 9. Aleksandr Tonkov (Husqvarna) 256pts… 24. Harri Kullas (Husqvarna) 51pts… 27. Anton Lundgren (Husqvarna) 33pts… 33. Grisha Maykal Ivanov (Husqvarna) 13pts