Pingelly hosts round one of Brookton Pony Express dirtbike endurance series on return after 12-month hiatus

Thousands of dirtbike fanatics will race to Pingelly for the return of WA’s largest offroad dirtbike event next month after a year-long hiatus. Round one of the Brookton Pony Express Series will take place at the Pingelly Offroad Motorcycle Track and is open to anyone from five to 77 years old with 380 dirtbike riders from across regional WA set to take to the new 18km track on July 6 and 7. The Brookton Pony Express has held 50 races since its start in 1994 but came to a halt in 2022 after organiser and former national endurance champion Willie Thomson nearly lost his life in a crash. Mr Thomson was riding a trail near North Bannister on Albany Highway when he collided with a tree at 100kmph, leaving his “body destroyed”. Although he can no longer ride, the former champion said he is thrilled to bring back the event he has been a part of since 1994. “It’s what I do, it’s what I want to do,” Mr Thomson said. “It’s a good all-round event for all skill levels.” A flat track race under lights will take place on Friday night, and the juniors aged seven to 16 will compete in a two-and-a-half-hour race on Saturday morning. Seniors will complete a prologue that afternoon with their finishing places to determine their starting position for the four-hour two-rider team race on Sunday. Riders aged five to six will follow an experienced ‘mother duck’ rider who will take them for three 20-minute rides near the track over the weekend, and food and drinks will be provided to attendees with a bonfire and live music to end the night. Brookton will host the second and third rounds scheduled for August and September.