The SCMCC produced the perfect track for the full gate of 40 teams (140 riders) competing in the 2025 Motorex Battle In The Bush presented by Fasthouse on July 12-13 at Conondale’s legendary Green Park!
The Saturday Shakedown was packed full of riding for competitors, featuring the Fasthouse Shakedown Hill with tons of short laps on Conondale’s eastern hill. Jack Bridges won the Pirelli $250 voucher in the “Slow Race,” where riders lined up and rode as slowly as they could to the finish line. Bikes fell, and people were disqualified for zigzagging and stopping. It was a laugh to watch and a great test of skill. Damon Erbacher won the Pod Rut Limbo, getting under the 95cm high pole and scoring a set of Pod K4 Kneebraces. The SBS Brake Test had a great turnout with Brock Smith winning with a record time of 3.1 seconds and Bradley May winning in 3.45 seconds, both winning a set of SBS Brake Pads.
The Motorex Barrel Race was super fun as riders went head to head, from Starks vs RFNs to Husky vs Hondas, even 110s vs 110s. The relaxed, yet competitive vibes were high, and everyone loved the Saturday Shakedown before the main event on Sunday.
Battle In The Bush Champion and long time support Tamara Gray was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia after pre-running the Finke track earlier this year. Tamara and her team raced the BITB (and won) in previous years, so we hosted a raffle to support her treatment and recovery, raising $1500! Thanks to the competitors and lucky winners of the raffle prizes from Alpine Stars, MXstore, Ballards Off Road, drawn by her niece and sister Chelsea, who represented her in the race on Sunday! Support Tamara via her Go Fund Me link here
The Gate Draw was drawn by a bingo ball draw under smoke and lights, plus rider Chelsea Anderson won the Moto 10 Bell Helmet!
The main event, the 4-Hour MX Relay on Sunday, was met with a perfect track and plenty of eager riders, featuring a Le Mans start that saw Cody Schat win the Pirelli $500 Holeshot Award off the start line.
Teams jostled for position and found their rhythm as the track bedded in and tacked off providing prime riding conditions, most teams interviewed during the race didn’t care what position they were in, just happy to be riding and “trying to survive”.
Dean Ferris came out of retirement to race with his friends on the Three Turkeys team and cut some of the fastest laps of the day, at 2:47, one second off the race record of 2:46 set by team Two.O Motorsport. Dean was riding his YZ250 “To be able to come and ride Conondale with my friends on one of the best tracks in the country is a no-brainer; the club have done an amazing job, the track is epic!” The Three Turkeys placed 7th in the Open Class “We are here just to have fun with mates, and to get so many laps in at this track is what it’s all about,” Dean said.
Champion surfer Julian Wilson placed 3rd place in the mixed class in team SFC Racing, alongside Daniel McCoy riding a Stark, Emma McFerran and Andrew Ridley. “I love this event and have only missed one of them, riding with Daniel and the team is really fun and everyone on the track are respectful of slower riders like myself, which makes it a lot nicer experience, I’m already looking forward to Appin BITB in September” said Julian. SFC Racing Team mate Emma McFerran commented, “BITB would have to be one of my favourite events of the year! I’ve been involved in three out of the four now, with sitting one out while I was pregnant with Charli. It’s such a fun atmosphere being able to ride alongside a team of mates and my partner, Ridley. The track was unreal, and I loved the new layout. And to top off the weekend, we scored a spot on the podium!”
One of the best moments was after the checkered flag Travis Barclay came into the transition lane on the limiter absolutely stoked to have finished the race with his mates “I can’t wait to do more of these events, thanks to MXstore for giving back to the racing community” said Travis. Travis was riding in the OG Geezers team, which placed 27th with an impressive 66 laps completed; that’s what it’s all about!
New to the event was the Team1Lap award for Last Place, which went to the Throttle Gremlins in the Mixed Class finishing the 4-Hour race with an honourable 56 laps between the two guys and two girls on the team, spokeswoman Tayla Gerhardt who rode her 2021 TC85 said “I’m super happy to be first at something, so I guess the first last is a great result!”
Two.O Motorsport took out the line honours with an incredible 83 Laps in the Open Class with team mates Kobi Wolff, Reid Taylor and Zachary Watson splitting the race evenly, punching out 20-30-minute motos each over the 4 Hours, alongside the Two.O Support team in Third place. Open Class second place was taken by team Serco featuring MXoN Champion Kirk Gibbs “There were more loose units on the track at Conondale compared to MXoN, which brings back more fun, I’m looking forward to the next one” said Kirk.
Mixed Class was highly contested with seven teams battling it out from start to finish with team Motorex taking victory featuring Taryn Cox who said “it was a fun format and great to share the riding with team mates” Damon Erbacher, Jett Holyhead and Alex Mills with 76 laps and class lap record of 2:55, just ahead of team Fasthouse in second with 74 Laps and SFC Racing in Third place with 70 laps.
Elijah Wiese, a Supercross Privateer, Dirt Bike Influencer, and all-around good dude, has competed in every BITB and travelled from South Australia to ride for the Fasthouse team at this event. Elijah took to social media after the race, commenting on the perfectly prepped SCMCC track compared to National event prep: “Call me crazy, but I 100% think that hardback tracks are way better than the over-prepped, sloppy national tracks we get. Provides more line choices and better racing in my opinion,” Elijah said, celebrating the quality executed by the volunteer-run Sunshine Coast Motorcycle Club members who did a fantastic job prepping the track that held up over the 4-Hour MX Relay Race.
The Veterans class was comprised of riders over 40 years old, and the old boys all rode in teams of three, allowing for more saddle time. Braaap Brothers won with 74 laps taking home Motorex Clean and Care Kits, team Captain Nick Towns has competed in all of the BITB events and punched out 28 laps “I think this was the best BITB yet, hosting the main 4-Hour event only on Sunday allowed the track to be epic and we rode Saturday arvo too, which was great” said Nick. Brisbane Dirtbike Services were close behind with 73 laps in second position, winning $150 Fasthouse vouchers, and Off the Couches in third place with 67 laps, taking home Ballards Off Road helmet and boot stand and tools each.
This year’s Battle In The Bush was made possible by the Sunshine Coast MCC, supporting sponsors Motorex, Fasthouse, Pirelli, POD, SBS Brakes, Rival Ink, Ballards Off Road, Traverse Luggage, Bell Helmets, 100% Goggles, the MXstore team, and of course the riders and their friends and family!
Photo Gallery: https://photography.mxstore.com.au/Events/Battle-in-the-Bush/2025-Battle-in-the-Bush
RESULTS
Vets
1 – Braaap Brothers
2 – Brisbane Dirtbike Services
3 – Off the Couches
Mixed
1 – Motorex Aus
2 – Fasthouse
3 – SFC Racing
Open
1 – Two.O Motorsports
2 – Serco
3 – Two.O Support
SPEEDHIVE RACE RESULTS: https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Events/3120763
Get your crew together for the next Battle In The Bush at Appin, happening September 6-7 and grab your tickets from www.battleinthebush.com.au today!
BITB Appin Saturday schedule 
BITB Appin Sunday Schedule 
Battle In The Bush competitor pack 
Battle In The Bush Appin
