CHANGES to the Tasmanian motocross series have resulted in an unexpected resurgence in the sport to start the new season.
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The first of five statewide rounds was flagged in Bridport on Sunday.
Club president Shane Gray said the switch from a winter to summer start in what was a more condensed season was a risk worth taking.
The season had been reduced from six months to less than four, he said.
‘‘It is a bit of an issue,’’ Gray said.
‘‘This is the first one and we’re sort of the guinea pigs to try and make it happen.
‘‘With the numbers and the comments that we’ve got, I think we’ve succeeded.’’
Bridport saw numbers more than double from almost 50 in last year’s corresponding program to 100 this year, over nine classes.
‘‘The younger people had been drifting off, but all of suddenly we have a lot young people coming back in,’’ Gray said.
‘‘We’ve been promoting it more often too.’’
The format also saw improvements to the Bridport 1.4km track as new sections and different jumps attracted the state’s best riders to the North-East on Sunday.
On the track, Hugh McKay edged out Tom Jones 103 to 100 points in a tight finish of the senior lites A grade.
Brock Waterworth captured the B grade, also by three points, while Brodie Hughes won more convincingly in C grade.
Brodie Ellis shared the 125/250cc 13-16 years class in the strongest junior field of the day.