Wonthaggi roars into national motocross spotlight
By Rick Koenig
WONTHAGGI will host the opening round of Australia’s premier motocross championship this weekend with international competitors set to race at the town’s iconic sand track for the sixth consecutive year.
The Penrite ProMX Championship kicks off at the Wonthaggi Motocross Track on Saturday and Sunday with five racing classes and the FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup drawing elite female riders from the United States, New Zealand and Asia.
It is the only two-day round on the eight-round national calendar and one of only two events to run across a full weekend.
The Victorian government confirmed its support for the event through the Significant Sporting Events Program with Bass Coast Shire Council again co-supporting.
Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos said the event delivered a boost for local businesses.
“What a way to kickstart another season in Wonthaggi, an iconic part of Gippsland and regional Victoria,” Mr Dimopoulos said.
“Locals can again enjoy elite level motocross in their own backyard, providing a massive boost for local businesses.”
Three-time national champion Kyle Webster will start as the rider to beat on his home turf.
The Korumburra rider won back-to-back MX1 titles in 2024 and 2025 and was part of the Australian teams that won the Motocross des Nations in both years, the first time in the country’s history.
Webster races for Boost Mobile Honda and will be chasing his third successive MX1 crown this season.
Motorcycling Australia chief executive Peter Doyle said the Wonthaggi venue tested the best riders in the country.
“To open the 2026 ProMX season at Wonthaggi, with the continued backing of the Victorian Government, is a tremendous outcome for our sport,” Mr Doyle said.
“This venue tests the very best riders in the country, and with the FIM Oceania
Women’s Motocross Cup bringing the best talent from the USA, New Zealand and Asia to our shores, we’re delivering a truly international event in regional Victoria.
“The two-day format amplifies the spectacle, giving fans more racing and more drama right from the opening gate drop.”
The Wonthaggi track is renowned for its demanding sand-based layout and has become a cornerstone of the ProMX calendar since first hosting the season opener in 2021.
The Dandenong Motorcycle Club will again host and
support the event.
Racing spans the Kawasaki MX1, Pirelli MX2, Maxxis MX3, MX85 and Ezilift MXW classes with the women’s cup expected to draw strong international fields.
The 2026 championship runs across eight rounds in six states wrapping up at Queensland Moto Park in August with Traralgon also hosting a round in July giving Gippsland two stops on the national calendar.
The Wonthaggi Motocross Track is at 220 West Area Road.
Gates open from 8am both days with racing from 10am.
