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Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki Battles Through Appin Conditions at ProMX Round 5
Round 5 of the 2026 Australian ProMX Championship took the Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki team to Appin, NSW, where challenging weather conditions greeted riders early in the day before the skies cleared for an action-packed afternoon of racing.
Rain arrived before MX1 practice and qualifying, creating difficult track conditions that tested every rider on the gate. Making his debut with the team, Ryan Alexanderson adapted well to the slippery conditions to qualify 12th fastest, while Brad West continued his return from injury by securing 23rd in qualifying.
By the time Moto 1 rolled around, the weather had completely turned around, with blue skies and improved track conditions setting the stage for the day's racing.
Alexanderson got away to a strong start, completing the opening lap in 11th position. The Queenslander quickly found his rhythm and steadily worked his way through the field, climbing to seventh position where he would ultimately take the chequered flag. West also started strongly in 15th before navigating the increasingly rutted Appin circuit aboard his Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki. Continuing to build confidence following wrist surgery, West pushed forward throughout the race to finish just outside the top ten in 11th place.
Moto 2 saw another solid start from Alexanderson, who crossed the opening lap in 7th. He quickly moved forward to sixth on lap three before advancing to fifth, where he held position for several laps. A small mistake later in the race dropped him back to seventh, but he responded strongly to reclaim sixth place by the finish.
West started Moto 2 in 17th position before making steady progress through the field. After moving into 15th and then 14th, he continued his charge to 13th for several laps before ultimately crossing the finish line in 14th position.
The team's strong showing at Appin provided plenty of positives, with Alexanderson delivering impressive results on his debut outing and West continuing to make progress in his return to racing. Alexanderson's 7-6 moto scores were enough to secure 7th overall for the round, while West's consistent 11-14 finishes earned him 12th overall for the day.
