The 2011 MA Performer of the Year announced

After much deliberation and sifting through tweets, Facebook comments and emails we at Motorcycling Australia (MA) would like to congratulate the Australian Motocross of Nations (MXoN) Team on becoming the 2011 MA Performer of the Year.

The team of Chad Reed, Brett Metcalfe and Matt Moss created their own piece of Australian Motocross history, reaching the MXoN podium for the first time in our long and storied involvement in the sport.

In what was a tremendously difficult decision the Aussie MXoN Team nudged out the likes of 2011 MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner, multi-discipline
Australian Champion Mackenzie Tricker, Road Racing young guns Arthur Sissis, Matthew Davies and Jack Miller, Aussie MX/SX kings Jay Marmont and Matt Moss, and many more amazing candidates.

Coming into the event with one of the strongest and in-form rider line-ups in the world, Australia got off to the perfect start with Chad Reed winning the opening moto and Matt Moss finishing fifth in the Lites class.

Solid performances from Reed and Brett Metcalfe followed, landing Australia in third position at the end of the event and on the final podium.

Australia’s history of producing international calibre Motocross riders dates back decades, but despite the amazing amount of talent to come from our shores we have been unable to produce on the MXoN stage until 2011.

After making the bold move to start his own privateer team, Reed returned to the sort of form that saw him win the 2009 AMA Pro Motocross Championship and marked his return to the Green and Gold jersey with his best-ever
performance at the MXoN.

Metcalfe overcame early season injury to win his first AMA Pro Motocross round and be in career-best form for the MXoN. He delivered on the big stage to give Australia every chance of reaching the podium.

For Moss the chance to transfer his amazing domestic success (2011 Australian Pro Lites MX and SX Champion) on to the world stage was an invitation he didn’t hesitate to accept, going on to finish fifth in the Lites class first moto and give Australia the vital points needed to secure the third place finish.

This was truly an historic moment in Australian Motocross and will be long remember as event the Aussies etched their name in the history books of the MXoN.