Early Birds - 2005

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Maxxis British Motocross Championship - Round 1

Sunday 13th March 2005

Reports

Interview Clips

The new Britmx.com has audio clips of interviews with Stephen Sword, Carl Nunn, Erik Eggens, Yoshitaka Atsuta, Jussi Vehvilainen, Paul Cooper and Multi Tek boss Trevor Avery.

Report 1 - By Adam Wheeler (MXGB.info)

Cooper wins British opener

Honda mounted Paul Cooper has won the opening round of the Maxxis British MX1 championship. Kawasaki factory rider Stephen Sword has won the opening round of the MX2 class. The first round of the British series took place at the Canada Heights circuit in Kent today.

The first of eight rounds in the premier national off-road series in Europe began under cloudy skies and chilly conditions at the popular circuit located just off the M25 motorway near Swanley. 9000 fans entered the gates for their first taste of 2005 motocross season and were not disappointed as some thrilling racing saw podium places decided within the final moments of the motos.

MultiTek Honda rider and former British Champion Paul Cooper claimed a perfect MX1 clean sweep by winning both 30 minute and 2 lap races; enjoying a successful comeback after missing most of the 2004 campaign through injury.

The veteran had to work for his spoils in the second race as Finnish Honda representative Jussi Vehvilainen fronted the 450cc four-stroke and 250cc two-stroke pack for the majority of the distance.

Cooper moved ahead within the final few circulations and third placed Japanese Suzuki rider Yoshitaka Atsuta pursued Vehvilainen with venom in a straight shoot-out for the second and third steps of the podium. Atsuta almost crashed on the last lap trying to seize the runner-up spot but sensationally recovered to pip the Honda man to the finish line by just two tenths of a second.

Earlier in the day Cooper had led a more processional affair, yet his afternoon efforts delivered his first British Championship triumph in over a year. Atsuta equalled his best ever result in second with his last gasp charge despite being level on points with Vehvilainen (the second moto ranking determining the final standing). James Noble was fourth while Suzuki’s Neville Bradshaw can feel content with fifth after his debut outing in the bigger class.

The Sidcup and District Motorcycle club had undertaken some careful and considered alterations to the Canada Heights circuit in what is becoming one of the slickest organised events on the calendar. The preparation of the dirt was good and the changes to the course from 2004 were interesting. Despite the low temperatures after some morning sunshine had evaporated the riders were still made to sweat by the physically demanding and lofty layout.

Stephen Sword was hassled by a resilient Carl Nunn and aggressive Mike Brown in the MX2 competition for 250cc four-stroke and 125cc two-stroke motorcycles. The defending Champion and factory Kawasaki rider, making a one-off appearance due to World Championship priorities for 2005, was defeated by America’s Mike Brown and works KTM pilot Carl Nunn respectively in the first race of the day.

Sword rallied for the next moto and duelled closely with Nunn for the duration, finally shaking off his ‘orange shadow’ after the latter fell on the penultimate lap. Nunn had ‘holeshotted’ both races and demonstrated that he will be a valid threat for the title this year. Brown retired while holding a position in the top ten shortly into the second MX2 exhibition. The DNF was attributed to a mysterious mechanical problem with the 250 Honda.

Brown had determinedly put paid to his British rival’s hopes in race one. Tom Church, the winner of the MX2 Canada Heights round in 2004, completed the top three with results of fifth and third. The Kawasaki youngster was delighted with his trophy after a seven month absence due to a shoulder injury. Wayne Smith was fourth in his first ride for Honda ahead of Holland’s Erik Eggens who was also making his British Championship debut for the Japanese manufacturer.

The series now heads north in two weeks time for the second round set to occur at Polesworth near Tamworth on Easter Sunday.

A selection of images can be downloaded for publication purposes from the official website www.mxgb.info later this evening [Sunday/Monday 13th/14th - Jamie] . A larger range of photographs will be uploaded tomorrow.

1st MX1: Paul Cooper, Multi Tek Honda:

“I’m ecstatic with everything that has happened today; this was a fantastic result. I want to thank the team and also Honda. Jussi had some great speed and there was a time in the second race where I thought that I might not catch him but I kept my head and focussed on the lines and was able to take the lead. There were a lot of backmarkers out there and you always need a bit of luck cutting through.”

2nd MX1: Yoshitaka Atsuta, Motovision Racing Suzuki:

“I was in third place for a lot of the race and was looking for a way past Paul but we kept coming up to backmarkers and the track became one-line so it was not easy to pass. I was lucky near the end and just got by Jussi in the last corner. The team is working hard and the bike is very good, we now have two more weeks to prepare before round two.”

3rd MX1: Jussi Vehvilainen, CAS Honda:

“I like to win but sometimes podium results are good and I am happy with this start to the season. The track here was very rough and the top guys were having problems with the slower riders. Yoshi was all over me in the last laps and just squeezed past before the flag. I have been through some dark times and at this stage last season I had broken my back. I want to thank Harry Ainsworth and the team for all their support and helping me to return to the podium.”

1st MX2: Stephen Sword, Kawasaki Racing Team:

“It was a hard day; the boys were fast this afternoon. I really enjoyed the second race. Carl was pushing hard and I had to change my lines to find a way to catch and pass him. At the end I didn’t know that he had dropped it so I kept on trying right to the line. I did not want to come here and lose. I am not racing the rest of the rounds but I achieved what I wanted today.”

2nd MX2: Carl Nunn, Champ Red Bull KTM:

“It was frantic at the end. Stephen made a mistake and I thought ‘now’s my chance’ but I entered a corner too hot and lost the front end. The gap rose to about eight seconds and that was too much to peg back in two laps. I am happy though. I made two good starts and that is such an important part of the races. I am pleased with the bike and Serge, my mechanic, has done a great job. I have to thank KTM from the bottom of my heart for the faith they have shown in me during what was a difficult off-season period.”

3rd MX2: Tom Church, Molson Kawasaki:

“I had a great race with Erik Eggens and kept on trying until the end even though I was shattered! I have had a long time off the bike and came here hoping for a top five; I am over-the-moon to get on the podium. I am pleased that I am on the pace and not far away from the leaders, I want to be with them at the next race.”

Report 2 - BBC Northern Ireland

Crockard 11th in motocross opener

Gordon Crockard finished 11th overall in the first round of the British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights on Sunday.

The former champion from Newtownards was eighth in the first race on his new Dixon Yamaha machine but failed to finish the second.

Doagh rider Martin Barr, the British junior champion last year, was back in 14th place.

Richard McKeown from Newmills was 36th at the English circuit.

Report 3 - By Jimmy Walker (Belfast Telegraph)

Crockard crocked again at Canada heights

The injury-prone Gordon Crockard was in trouble again yesterday when he crashed in the second race during the first round of the British Championship at Canada Heights.

Crockard, who began the meeting with a sprained ankle, finished eighth in the opening race before it all came apart.

He was struck on the head by another rider after the crash but eventually made it to safety.

He said: "After the first race I wanted to be out in front but I made a hash of the start in the second leg and was well down the field. In trying to make up ground I ended up on the deck and as I crawled across the course to try and get out of the melee another rider accidentally hit me on the head.

"He just had nowhere else to go as I was crawling over the track on my hands and knees. Eventually I retrieved my bike and rode it back to my van. I'm seeing a doctor today not only about any possible injury to the back of my head but also my sprained ankle.

"It just seems to be going wrong for me at present but what can you do. This jinx seems to follow me around."

There were other Ulster riders at the meeting and Martin Barr, on his first appearance in the Senior Championship, had a 12th and 17th place while Richard McKeown was 25th and 30th.

Report 4 - Crash.net

Cooper, Sword take honours at Canada Heights.

Paul Cooper and Stephen Sword have won the opening round of the MX1 and MX2 Maxxis British Motocross Championship that took place at Canada Heights in Kent, UK, Sunday.

The veteran had to work for his spoils in the second race as Finnish Honda representative Jussi Vehvilainen fronted the 450cc four-stroke and 250cc two-stroke pack for the majority of the distance. Cooper moved ahead within the final few circulations and third placed Japanese Suzuki rider Yoshitaka Atsuta pursued Vehvilainen with venom in a straight shoot-out for the second and third steps of the podium. Atsuta almost crashed on the last lap trying to seize the runner-up spot but sensationally recovered to pip the Honda man to the finish line by just two tenths of a second.

“I'm ecstatic with everything that has happened today; this was a fantastic result,” commented Cooper. “Jussi had some great speed and there was a time in the second race where I thought that I might not catch him but I kept my head and focussed on the lines and was able to take the lead. There were a lot of backmarkers out there and you always need a bit of luck cutting through.”

“I was in third place for a lot of the race and was looking for a way past Paul but we kept coming up to backmarkers and the track became one-line so it was not easy to pass,” said Atsuta. “I was lucky near the end and just got by Jussi in the last corner.”

James Noble was fourth while Suzuki's Neville Bradshaw can feel content with fifth after his debut outing in the bigger class.

Stephen Sword was hassled by a resilient Carl Nunn and aggressive Mike Brown in the MX2 competition for 250cc four-stroke and 125cc two-stroke motorcycles. The defending Champion and factory Kawasaki rider, making a one-off appearance due to World Championship priorities for 2005, was defeated by America's Mike Brown and works KTM pilot Carl Nunn respectively in the first race of the day.

Sword rallied for the next moto and duelled closely with Nunn for the duration, finally shaking off his ‘orange shadow' after the latter fell on the penultimate lap. Nunn had ‘holeshotted' both races and demonstrated that he will be a valid threat for the title this year. Brown retired while holding a position in the top ten shortly into the second MX2 exhibition. The DNF was attributed to a mysterious mechanical problem with the 250 Honda.

Brown had determinedly put paid to his British rival's hopes in race one. Tom Church, the winner of the MX2 Canada Heights round in 2004, completed the top three with results of fifth and third. The Kawasaki youngster was delighted with his trophy after a seven month absence due to a shoulder injury. Wayne Smith was fourth in his first ride for Honda ahead of Holland's Erik Eggens who was also making his British Championship debut for the Japanese manufacturer.

“It was a hard day; the boys were fast this afternoon,” commented Sword. “I really enjoyed the second race. Carl was pushing hard and I had to change my lines to find a way to catch and pass him. At the end I didn't know that he had dropped it so I kept on trying right to the line. I did not want to come here and lose. I am not racing the rest of the rounds but I achieved what I wanted today.”

The series now heads north in two weeks time for the second round set to occur at Polesworth near Tamworth on Easter Sunday.

Report 5 - By "Merc" off MX Trax.co.uk/ Adrenalintrip.net message board - thread here

Canada Heights general write up

Webmaster's note - This is a slighty diffrent report, written by a fan.

Was an absolutley fantastic day, track was in perfect condition and all the big boys were out to play. Weather was a bit on the nippy side mainly due to the wind but the sun came out a few times which was nice.

Some great additions have been made to the track, the most noticeable being the re-worked first section (first corner is no longer a left right flick, it now comes back on itself.....very tight), the whoops/rythm section going up the second hill and the BIG step down which has replaced the 2 drop off's before the small tabel top in the middle section of the track.

Qualifying was fairly predictable in both classes, with Sword going out for about 3 laps (it was more than that but he weren't out there long) before he set the best time, followed by Nunn and Brown. MX1 sore Cooper obliterate the field, he was over 1.5 seconds quicker than second place and looked to be cruising!

Hanson Racing riders Dustin Whitehead (MX1) and Shaun Frayne (MX2) qualified well, though Dustin wasn't to pleased with his riding (tends to forget he's on a 450 and not a 250F.....nob!). This was Shauns first national so we were really please when he came in 32nd. So far, the day was shaping up nicely.

First MX2 race was a corker, Nunny taking the wholeshot (thats some 2-stroke he's got himself there) from McKenzie, Eggens, Brown and Sword. Mckenzie actually gapped the other riders whilst staying with Nunny but was soon picked off and began to fade slightly, as did Eggens.

That left the big three to battle it out, and battle it out they did. Nunn led the majority of the race but was passed by Brown late on, there was nothing to choose between the 3 of em'. The best bit was when Brown just took the lead, went over the big step down and looked behind him to see Nunn completely whipped out about a yard behind with Sword flying with them both. Who ever got that pic is a lucky person.

All three ended up getting tangled with back markers which put a few seconds between them, Brown ended up taking the win from Nunn and Sword.

You'll have to forgive me as I was a bit vague on the MX1 class today, the first race started when I was in the cue to getting a cup of tea so I didn't see who wholeshot. I was looking for Dustin however, he managed to gate 20th and looked strong battling with Burnham and Campbell......until the 3 of them crashed! He was sandwiched between the 2 and dove up the inside of Burnham on the exit of the bottom corner (the left haner before the old step down). Burnham was cross rutted and t-boned Dustin straight into Campbell. The result, badly twisted ankle (poss ligament damage) and another spectator for the day.....not good. He'll be back to fight another day.

The results have already been posted so I won't go into them to much but I'll tell ya who impressed me the most.....Neville Bradshaw. That lad has to be one of the most talented riders in the world right now. Great style and raw speed means he's going to be one to watch in the GP's, let alone the Nationals.

Second MX2 was just as good, Nunn again took the whole shot on the KTM 300 ;) 2-stroke from Sword, Church, Eggens and Brown. Nunn again put time into the chasing pack, Church was look unbelievably strong in 3rd whilst Brown started to drop back, eventually pulling out with mechanical gremlins (I noticed they had the top end apart after qualifying).

It was all about Nunn and Sword from then on in. They put a huge gap between themselves and 3rd placed Church, who was still holding off Eggens. Swords got by with about 4 laps to go and looked comfotable. Nunn kept with him though.....until he dropped it at the top end of the track. Sword knew he had it in the bag and cruised home for the win.

Nunn was obviously upset and decided to take out his emotions on a back marker. He was waving his arms at him in the air over the main step down, even though the other rider was looking ahead and not behind at the time. Next corner came round and Nunn blocked past him, stopped dead in front of him, looked round and shouted something before riding off. I thought it was harsh on the fella myself, after all, he is racing aswell.....but take it as you will.

Church had Eggens right on him but kept his nerve to take a fantastic third which he truely deserved, well done Tom.

Someone else will have to comment on the second MX2 race as unfortunatley I had to shoot off.....sorry

Other things that stuck out during the day were:

Crockard having a very poor ride indeed, qualified 15th and did not look with it at all. Although I do understand he's riding injured at the moment so hopefully he'll be back to his best soon.

Mike Brown, fair play to him. Not afraid to come out and talk to the fans, sign autographs and generally be a nice guy.

Lewis Gregory rode real well today, that lads got some serious style (looked awsome over the big step down) and has the makings of a future champ. He shows maturity beyond his years, very proffesional rider who has the backing of great team....keep your eye on this one ;)

John May had a monumentous crash in the second moto. He lost control at the top of the first drop off and parted with his bike mid air. I didn't see him hit the deck as I was over the side of the track but I'm glad to say I saw him on his feet not to long after.

Tommy Searle, next to Tom Church this has to be my man of the day. Two outstanding rides (both top ten I think, not to sure about the first though) and was the top Under 21 in the second moto, beating names such as Jamie Lewis, John May, Jamie Smith, Graeme Gowland, Dave Willet (I think), Jason Dougan and the favourite for the U21 Championship, Lewis Gregory :o

Report 6 - Suzuki Racing Report

ATSUTA 2ND IN BRITISH MX OPENER

Team Suzuki Press Office – March 13, 2005

Motovision Racing Suzuki rider Yoshitaka Atsuta equalled his best ever result in the Maxxis MX1 British Motocross Championship by taking second position today at Canada Heights for the opening round of the 2005 national series.

The former Japanese 250cc Champion was making his Suzuki debut on the RM-Z450 under cloudy and cold conditions in southern England and wowed the 9000 spectators by sliding past Honda’s Jussi Vehvilainen on the last corner of the final lap in the second moto to scoop the podium place by just two tenths of a second.

The 27 year old had been holding third spot all race behind Vehvilainen and eventual overall winner Paul Cooper and seemed to have lost any chance of the runner-up trophy when he almost crashed starting the last circulation while pressurising the Finn. He resumed his flight in stirring fashion for remaining minute and sensationally reached the chequered flag fractions before the Honda.

Along with his fourth position captured earlier in the day, the new Motovision recruit was able to toast a pleasing start to the 2005 term: Atsuta’s achievement in the first of eight rounds in the British series also matches Motovision’s highest finish in the MX1 class, set last year by Tanel Leok.

The Canada Heights circuit had been well prepared by the Sidcup and District Motorcycle club and became rougher and more challenging as the day wore on and backmarkers were a frequent problem for the front-runners.

Atsuta’s team mate, South African Neville Bradshaw enjoyed a satisfactory first meeting in MX1 on the RM-Z450 and although he remained adrift of the leaders, two fifth positions delivered the same overall ranking.

Steering the RM250 two-stroke, Ben Taylor was happy to collect points in both motos after enduring the proceedings with a strained back. He placed 16th in the two heats.

MX2 Motovision representative Jason Dougan scored a best result of 11th in the second race but left the Kent venue with a twisted ankle. The British teenager was unlucky to be felled by another rider in the first moto that forced a DNF.

Team Hooper Maximum Solutions Suzuki had a bitter-sweet afternoon in the MX2 category:

Lewis Gregory gained a creditable eighth position after moto results of eighth and ninth but the second race crash of John May gave cause for concern when the youngster sustained a painful facial injury and had to receive medical attention at the side of the track.

Team Manager Rob Hooper was pleased with the application of Gregory who recovered from two mediocre starts on the 250 to place within the top ten.

The second round of the series takes place on Easter Sunday at Polesworth near Tamworth in two weeks time.

Yoshitaka Atsuta:

“I was third for many laps and keeping with Paul but the track was difficult and one line. With all the backmarkers it was hard to pass. I was lucky near the end and just got by Jussi in the last corner. Second place is a good result for me and it is nice to start the season in this way. I am happy with the bike and the team.

“The Suzuki has good power in the mid range and I need a little more in the top to suit my style but the team is working all the time to help me. The chassis is very strong and should be excellent for the GP tracks.”

Neville Bradshaw:

“I qualified sixth which was good. I then started well in the first heat and was second in the first corner. I lost a couple of places but was holding a good position until the last part of the race when I began to feel tired. Fifth was ok for my first race on the big bike. In the second moto, I got caught up with James Noble for large parts and took another fifth. It was a good day but there is definitely room for improvement. I am happy that the team has two riders in the top five.”

Ben Taylor:

“I strained my back at Hawkstone Park last week and wasn’t sure if I would be able to ride. I used some strapping and braces but the races were dictated by my condition. Originally, I was just hoping to qualify, so to score points in both motos was great. The track was perfect today. It was rough but they had just the right amount of rain so the dirt was superb to ride on.”

Jason Dougan:

“It wasn’t a good day. I started OK in the first race but then a rider crashed in front of me on a slow corner and then I got taken-out by Tom Church. It took me three laps to restart the bike. Again I was among the leaders at the start of the second moto but I got pushed wide and caught my ankle in a rut. The pain was unbelievable. My riding is alright, I felt fast and my lap times were good. I just need to get a decent gate.”

Mark Chamberlain – Motovision Team Manager:

“I am really pleased with Yoshi and his result, more so because I believed he showed that there is more to come and that gives me a real buzz. It is a great start to the season for the team.

“Neville has been training and riding a lot recently and I think that showed today. He needs more race fitness on the 450 but I was happy overall with the start he has made.

“Jason has hurt his other ankle now and is suffering similar problems to the injury he had last year. He will see a specialist early next week and we will know more.”

Lewis Gregory:

“I did not get a good jump starting the first race and had to come through. The track was really rutty, my arms pumped up and I was losing my rhythm. I was happy to get up to eighth considering the first half of moto. For the second outing, I got out of the gate really well but then the bike squirmed and I struggled to keep it straight. I lost time wobbling up the hill and was almost last around the first turn. Again I had to get a spurt on. My arms bothered me today. The result was not bad but I know I can do better.”

John May:

“I came into the drop too fast and tried to slow down on the braking bump but it hit me over the bars and I landed on top of the bike. I smacked my face and nose and it stunned me for a while. I have a lot of pain now but I was happy enough with my riding in the first race.”

Rob Hooper – Maximum Solutions Team Manager:

“I am extremely pleased with Lewis. He did everything we expected. We were hoping for a top-ten result and he was eighth so I am happy. I am disappointed with, and for, John. He was tense all day and put too much pressure on himself. There were times when he was riding well and thankfully he seems to be ok after the crash.”

Report 7 - Honda Racing Report

Double victory for Cooper

Multitek Honda’s Paul Cooper has won the opening round of the Maxxis British MX1 Championship, which took place at Canada Heights at the weekend. The first of eight rounds in the premier national off-road series in Europe began under cold and cloudy conditions at the popular circuit near Swanley.

More than 9,000 fans entered the gates for their first taste of the 2005 motocross season and were not disappointed as some nail biting action saw podium places decided within the final moments of the races.

Former British Champion and CRF450R mounted Cooper claimed a perfect MX1 clean sweep by winning both races; enjoying a successful comeback after missing most of the 2004 campaign through injury. RWJ Honda’s James Noble finished race one in second place, while CAS Honda’s Jussi Vehvilainen took third place.

Cooper had to work for his spoils in the second race as Finnish Vehvilainen fronted the pack for the majority of the distance. However, Cooper moved ahead of the Finn within the final few circulations.

Earlier in the day, Cooper had led a more processional affair, yet his afternoon efforts delivered his first British Championship triumph in over a year. Vehvilainen and Noble take third and fourth overall respectively, despite being level on points with second-placed Yoshitaka Atsuta. Mark Hucklebridge and Stuart Flockhart both come away from Canada Heights with top ten places for new Honda Racing team Innovate.

The Sidcup and District Motorcycle club had undertaken some careful and considered alterations to the Canada Heights circuit in what is becoming one of the slickest organised events on the calendar. The preparation of the dirt was good and the changes to the course from 2004 were interesting. Despite the low temperatures after some morning sunshine had evaporated, the riders were still made to sweat by the physically demanding and lofty layout.

RWJ Honda’s Mike Brown won the demanding first MX2 race. However, the American retired while holding a position among the top ten riders shortly into the second MX2 race due to a mechanical problem with the Honda CRF250R. Stephen Sword claimed victory in the second race.

Innovate Honda’s Wayne Smith was fourth in his first ride for Honda Racing ahead of RWJ Honda’s Erik Eggens who was also making his British Championship debut for the Japanese manufacturer.

Paul Cooper – Multitek Honda

Jussi Vehvilainen – CAS Honda

“I like to win but sometimes podium results are good and I am happy with this start to the season. The track here was very rough and the top guys were having problems with the slower riders. Yoshi [Atsuta] was all over me in the last laps and just squeezed past before the flag. I have been through some dark times and at this stage last season I had broken my back. I want to thank Harry Ainsworth and the CAS Honda team for all their support and helping me to return to the podium.”

The series now heads north in two weeks time for the second round of the championship, which is set to take place at Polesworth near Tamworth on Easter Sunday.

Report 8 - Molson Kawasaki

Molson Kawaski Racing off to a good start

The first round of the British championships kicked off at the Canada Heights circuit in Kent today. Tom Church made it onto the podium with third overall while young Tommy Searle gained tenth overall in his British Championship debut. South African, Gareth Swanepoel, who is still recovering from recent shoulder surgery, was on the sidelines to support his two Molson Kawasaki team-mates.

Tom Church proved last year that had the speed and potential to be a title contender however a horrific crash and broken shoulder at the Belgian GP shattered all the Church’s hopes . Since then ‘TC’(as he is know in racing circles) has undergone months of extensive rehab to his shoulder and today proved that he still has what it takes to run for the title.

A bad start in race one saw TC having to fight his way through the pack from around twentieth position. Before long, Church powered his KX250F into the top ten and was still making ground on the riders in front. By the time he crossed the finish line, TC had moved into fifth in a tough fight from the back of the pack.

In race two, TC made sure that he capitalized on a good start this time and was placed just inside the top five in the opening stages. Moving into fourth, Tom started to pressurized Dutch sand specialist Eric Eggens. The two battled like cat and mouse, exchanging positions in a spectacular race. If ever Church’s fitness was at question, this would was a good time to tell. The Molson Kawasaki rider never gave up the fight and in the dieing minutes of the race, made his move and pipped the Dutchman to third position and the overall podium for the day.

“I’m pretty pleased with my results today” said TC. “The bike and suspension worked really well on a tough track. I’m happy with my fitness as Eggens and I battled almost the entire length of the last race so it shows I’m close to being on form – this is a good start to the season for the team and me.”

Fifteen year old Tommy Searle showed that he has a great future ahead of him. After posting eighth time in the morning’s qualifying session, the youngster from Kent, proved that he has what it takes to run with the top MX2 riders in Britain.

Perhaps some pre-race nerves effected Searle’s start as he was positioned even further back down the field than his team-mate as the pack completed the first lap of race one. Lap after lap, Searle kept picking off riders, left right and centre and towards the end of the race, the Molson Kawasaki pit signals indicated that the teenager had broken into tenth position. A minor fall in the final minutes did not effect Searle’s position as he remounted and held onto his well deserved tenth.

With a boost of confidence, Searle had a brilliant jump in the second moto and powered his way down the start straight jostling for a good position in the first turn. A slight slip lost Searle a few places although this time he was well within the top ten. The teenager rode a steady race and even put up some resistance to Billy MacKenzie before losing his position to the more experienced MacKenzie. Searle backed up his excellent first race result with an even better eight place finish in the second and a well deserved tenth overall for the day.

"I didn’t really know what to expect coming into this race. I knew I was going well after spending some time in the US but I didn’t know how fast the other guys would be. Obviously the top guys are a little bit faster but this is where I think I should be. My bike was really fast and the suspension worked great. I got a bit tired towards the end so I’ve got to be fitter - I’m really happy with my result” said a delighted Searle.

The second round of the British MX championships will take place next weekend (27 March) at the Polesworth circuit near Tamworth.

Report 9 - Bike It Yamaha Dixon Racing

Not so lucky for Bike It duo

The Bike It Dixon Race squad were back in action Sunday at the opening round of the 2005 Maxxis British Motocross Championship staged at the impressive Canada Heights race circuit near Swanley in Kent. The Sidcup Club had made some major changes to the venue regarded by many as the best circuit in the series, the team’s new impressive race transporter had a high profile position in the paddock, crowds gathered all day to see and talk with the team’s new winter signing, former British and Irish Champion, Ulsterman Gordon Crockard lining up MX1 category with a firm favourite of the fans, Billy Mackenzie defending Yamaha’s honour in the MX2 class.

Crockard and MacKenzie both suffered set back in their careers in 2004 with injuries ruling them out for the better part of the season, now with fresh enthusiasm and motivated by the professional of the Bike It Dixon Yamaha Team with their new race machinery developed over the winter, the ’05 season has a lot in store for both riders.

Crockard – Race One

“I hurt my ankle last week riding at Hawkstone, I have spent all week receiving treatment on it to get ready for this race, it’s been a hard week, I haven’t been able to ride the bike and spent two hours a day sitting in an oxygen chamber which is supposed to help an injury and speed up the healing, it’s the same type of chamber they use for divers who have the benze, it’s pressurised inside. Combined with that I have been having physio and doing what ever training I could to be ready.”

“My intention this weekend was to come here and salvage something from a disappointing week, I wanted to get some points and see myself trough the day, after this race I have a two week break to get over the injury and prepare for the Polesworth championship race and the first Grand Prix that follows the next weekend.”

“I didn’t have the start I wanted in race one, I was learning how to ride with my foot and ankle heavily taped, going into the face and jumps and landing were causing me a lot of pain, but the main problem was the taping. I couldn’t bend my foot, that in turn retarded my movement on the bike and I kept catching the rear brake pedal. I actually stalled the bike in the first turn and had to bump the bike as I was in the turn with all the riders around me. That didn’t help my start, I stalled the bike again three laps from the end which allowed Mark Eastwood to get by me but dropped me to 8th position. It was still points but I was obviously feeling very frustrated riding injured and feeling pressures from all around, a new team and set up.”

Crockard – Race Two

For the second race I wanted to go out and start up front, but I spun up concrete start which I generally bad on anyway, I made a real hash trying to hard, so I started mid pack and was battling trying my hardest to come through and I had a huge crash, I was sliding the bike bumps trying to cut through the corner, the bike it a square edge and I had a big high side and knocked myself senseless and took the wind out of me, I was crawling off the track and I was nailed by another rider who hit my had. My adam’s apple was hurting, my head was spinning and the bike was destroyed, so that was the end of that race.

Although disappointed with today I don’t feel that my ankle is any worse that when I started the day, I will have a MRI scan on Monday, it’s a week since the injury but that was the soonest I could get one arranged so we will see after tomorrow where we go from here.

MacKenzie - Race One

"It didn’t actually occur to me that this was my first race of the year until today, I’ve been out riding the bike for a few weeks now since returning from months on the sidelines but I feel that even with all that time off the bike I am still up to speed and ready to race.

I wanted to be in the top three for qualification but I had to accept that I couldn’t get that fast lap in, Steve Dixon told me not to put too much pressure on myself like in previous years, that exactly what I did, I just looked for a good start and took it as it came. “

“From that start I was going good, I was fighting with Eggens and I was catching Nunn but I did get some arm pump as we had the suspension set up too hard, the track was pretty rough for everyone and there were lots of chattery bumps around the circuit.

I had some bad luck with the bike, the transponder came loose in the first race and was locking behind the steering head which in turn caused me to crash. I bent the choke during the spill and then the bike was getting too much fuel spluttering after that. There was nothing I could do about it until the race was over. Initially I thought the front wheel was breaking up so I wasn’t doing any of the jumps, I nursed the bike home in 11th position which I wasn’t that pleased about but it was still a handful of points.”

MacKenzie - Race Two

“I had a crap start off the concrete start line, I had too many revs on and the bike just spun, as I was swiping through the pack on the first couple of corners, I hit someone with my front wheel and it bent the rear brake pedal, it was pointing right out, I didn’t want to stop to have it bent back it so it took me a while to just kick it back into place, I was losing ground but then I found my rhythm and came right back up to 7th. I was happy with my riding and I definitely feel that I can go faster but that can build up over the next few weeks and as the season progress’s, I don’t want to be peaking right now anyway. I know that 11th and 7th in the British Championship are far from my best results but considering the time off the bike and a little bit of bad luck I still feel happy that I am going in the right direction.”

Steve Dixon – Team Manager

“The whole team knew that this was going to be a testing day with both riders coming back from long term injuries, it was Gordon’s British Championship debut for the team, so he was obviously going to feel a few nerves anyway, but with a small ankle injury that he picked up last weekend at Hawkstone Park International it was just a matter of coming here, salvage some points and focus on the next round after a weekends break next week.”

"Billy MacKenzie was pretty well on his target, he had some bad luck with the transponder and then caught he race pants on the choke lever which left the bike running with too much fuel coming from the carburettor. He lost four or five places in the last few laps, he took 11th so all in all it I was happy with his result.”

“We are very fortunate they we are well ahead with our bike testing programme and set up, Gordon has come back from major knee surgery at the end of last season but he has set the race bike up just who he likes it. Billy has only had maybe ten days of testing but already he knows where he is at and what changes we need to make as his speed increases. It’s still very early in the season, not everyone is up to speed, other riders like Josh Coppins who will be a threat to the British title have their own problems too, he dislocated his shoulder last weekend and was forced to miss this race. The season is seventeen grand prix’s and eight British Championship rounds, its hard, we are under no illusions, normally Canada Heights is a good race for the team, not today but we can step it up from here and look for overall success throughout the season rather that just here on one day.”

Report 10 - RWJ Report (from here)

RWJ puzzled by Brown mystery problem

Mike Brown fulfilled many pre-race predictions last Sunday when he swept to victory in his first British Championship race victory for five years. The 32 year old American, riding for the RWJ Honda team, overtook early leader Carl Nunn and convincingly triumphed in the first moto, also beating reigning Champion Stephen Sword. It was not to be a double delight for the former AMA Champion however as he faded off the pace while fighting among the leaders including team-mate Erik Eggens and Kawasaki’s Tom Church during the second race and eventually entered into the pits with a mechanical problem. The cause of the glitch was not clear and the team were still perplexed while packing the bikes away Sunday evening.

“I honestly can’t tell you what happened,” commented Team Manager Colin Reed. “Mike said that he felt the bike slowing and pulled in. We had a look around and fired it up no problem. We will have to have a better search.”

Brown and Eggens (who is recovering from a broken little finger on his right hand) will be back in action at Polesworth for round two on Easter Sunday where RWJ will also have a new race truck.

Report 11 - Motovision Suzuki (from here)

Enjoyable day at round one for Motovision Suzuki

Motovision Suzuki had good cause to feel contented while packing up Sunday night. Yoshi Atsuta had equalled the best British Championship result achieved by the small crew with his second position. Neville Bradshaw completed a solid first outing in the MX1 category while Ben Taylor scored points riding the RM-250 despite suffering back pain. The only negative factor consisted of MX2 rider Jason Dougan’s twisted ankle sustained in the second moto which has left the youngster in need of a medical opinion regarding the state of his limb and whether a substantial bout of recuperation time is needed.

“I am really pleased with Yoshi and his result, more so because I believed he showed that there is more to come and that gives me a real buzz,” commented Team manager Mark Chamberlain. “It is a great start to the season for the team. Neville has been training and riding a lot recently and I think that showed today. He needs more race fitness on the 450 but I was happy overall with the start he has made. Jason has hurt his other ankle now and is suffering similar problems to the injury he had last year. He will see a specialist early next week and we will know more.”

“I qualified sixth which was good,” recounts Bradshaw. “I then started well in the first heat and was second in the first corner. I lost a couple of places but was holding a good position until the last part of the race when I began to feel tired. 5th was OK for my first race on the big bike. In the second moto I got caught up with James Noble for large parts and took another 5th. It was a good day but there is definitely room for improvement. I am happy that the team has two riders in the top five.”

Report 12 - Innovate Honda team report (via MXLarge.com)

When Mark Hucklebridge lost his ride for the 2005 season he was rescued by a new British based team. Innovate Honda have produced a great team of riders and began their journey through the motocross world last weekend in Canada Heights, England. It's going to be a fun season for the Innovate riders, and one that might just see some major success for the young team.

Good track conditions with overcast weather gave Innovate Honda a good spread at Canada Heights last weekend. The traditional venue hosted by the Sidcup and District Motorcycle Club saw some significant changes from the track the previous year, with the start having been changed to eliminate a chicane, and the signalling area moved to the sweeping loop before the finish.

A shortened run down the hill followed by a bomb hole was included, making space for a proposed lagoon to help with managing run-off that had made the previous year a mud fest.

Qualifiers in the MX1 class saw the Innovate riders spread from seventh for Mark Hucklebridge to eighteenth for Jody Smyth, while the MX2 class was even more spread out. Wayne Smith posted the fastest time for the squad with seventh, while the still injured Danny Smyth languished in twenty-ninth.

The first MX2 race saw Wayne Smith slot himself into fourth place between reigning champion Stephen Sword and Molson Kawasaki rider Tom Church, while Jamie Lewis struggled to make progress towards the back of the pack after a crash, finishing between Aston Bird and David Yelland. Unfortunately, Danny Smyth's injury continued to be a hindrance, and he had to retire from the race seven laps in.

The second MX2 race was a marked improvement for Jamie, as he bettered his position to fourteenth, while Wayne had to contend himself with settling for fifth behind Eric Eggens, but still in front of one of his arch rivals on the track, Brad Anderson. Danny chose to sit out
the second race and did not start.

Standings after the first round see Wayne in fourth, Jamie in seventeenth and Danny in thirty-second place.

Mark Hucklebridge led the Innovate pack in the first MX1 race by posting a sixth place, with Stuart Flockhart five places and thirty seconds behind. Jody Smyth ended the race in fifteenth and Alex Rach twenty-first. The second try however markedly improved for the team as
they closed ranks in the standings for the race, with Mark once again leading the charge far ahead for eighth, Stuart trailing by just under twenty seconds in tenth and Alex and Jody switching places for thirteenth and fourteenth respectively.

Standings see Mark lead the charge at sixth overall, with Stuart in ninth, Jody in fifteenth, and Alex closing up the rear in nineteenth.

Team manager Scott Gardner had a mixed opinion of the day, voicing some satisfaction and disappointment alike: "I thought the track was really good. I'm really happy with Wayne but a bit disappointed with Stuart because of his armpump, Alex is showing some really good speed,
but he's not used to it so he's doing a bit of crashing. I'm a bit disappointed for Danny because this is a really good track for him.
Jamie had a hard crash in the first race that winded him, and suffered some armpump in the second, so I'm hoping to get a clean race out of him next weekend."

Rider quotes:

Wayne Smith: "For the first round I couldn't come away any happier. In the first race I was first in the first turn and went a bit wide, but I came through to fourth, so for a first race it's the perfect start really. The second race I had a really bad start, came from about twelfth through to fifth, passing some really good guys that have been strong in the past. For a fourth overall on the day, I'm really happy."

Stuart Flockhart: "I'm disappointed by how things went today, I'm not disappointed by the effort I've put in because I feel I prepared really well for the race, but I suffered really bad armpump all day and that meant that I didn't get the results I wanted. So for the
first couple of weeks I'll have to ride through this arm pump. The bike is good, the team is good, I prepared really well. I just need to go out and ride as much as possible. I finished consistently, but the results are not what I wanted. I'm going to work harder for the next
round."

Mark Hucklebridge: "I had a bad day. I ended with a stone in the back brake in the one race, so I'm not really too happy with the way things went."

The next round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship will be at Polesworth on Easter Sunday, March 27.

The Innovate Honda team consists of: MX2: Wayne Smith, Jamie Lewis, Danny Smyth MX1: Stuart Flockhart, Mark Hucklebridge, Alex Rach, Jody Smyth

Report 13 - By Sam Fox - from MXLarge.com

CAS Honda rider Jussi Vehvilainen in England

Finnish rider Jussi Vehvilainen has opened his assault on the British MX1 championship with a consistent top three finish. The CAS Honda rider enjoyed 3-2 results and is second in the championship behind fellow Honda rider Paul Cooper. Here is how the weekend went for the flying Fin.

This week the CAS Honda Team were without Josh Coppins, who is well on his way to recovery after dislocating his shoulder the week before, and will be back on his bike this week in preparation for the second round of the British Championships at Polesworth on Easter Sunday.

All eyes therefore were on Jussi Vehvilainen, who since Hawkstone had been suffering with a flu virus. The feisty Finn would not let this deter him from standing on the podium at the end of the day.

With qualifying underway it was apparent that competition would be hot. Paul Cooper was the fastest man on the track by 1.4 seconds. Jussi Vehvilainen qualified in 9th position.

Two laps later it seemed apparent that Jussi was suffering with the after effects of the flu and dropped another place when James Noble overtook him. Cooper and Hucklebridge by this time had extended their lead and were cruising. Jordan Rose crashed out and Jussi took the bit between his teeth and was now breathing down Neville Bradshaw’s neck, at times almost clashing bars and eventually Jussi passed him.

Mark Hucklebridge made a mistake allowing the front-runners through while he struggling to restart his 4-stroke. It was now Cooper, Noble, Vehvilainen, Atsuta, the ex-CAS team mates Vehvilainen and Atsuta were inseparable for the last two laps and Jussi held on for 3rd at the finishing flag.

Race 1 Final Positions: 1st Paul Cooper, 2nd James Noble, 3rd Jussi Vehvilainen,
4th Yoshitaka Atsuta, 5th Neville Bradshaw, 6th Mark Hucklebridge

During his podium interview Jussi said that after being ill all week he was pleased with 3rd, although a win would have been better!

With Jussi pushing so hard Cooper couldn’t get close enough to cause any concern. On lap 4 Atsuta moved up into 3rd, past Jones, and Phillips dropped back to 5th. A couple of laps later Jones crashed and the Finn was still flying with Cooper in hot pursuit. The last half a dozen laps had Vehvilainen, Cooper and Atsuta in procession with no room for errors.

On the penultimate lap Cooper closed in and when Jussi ran wide into a corner Cooper took his one and only chance and slipped in front. After passing the last lap flag ex team mate Atsuta knew it was now or never and pushed a tired Vehvilainen all the way to a nail-biting finish where Atsuta pipped Vehvilainen virtually on the line.

This had been a very promising start to the British Championships for Jussi, as he knew that once back from this virus, his natural speed would be significantly faster than it had been at Canada Heights.

Race 2 Final positions: 1st Paul Cooper, 2nd Yoshitaka Atsuta, 3rd Jussi Vehvilainen, 4th James Noble, 5th Neville Bradshaw,
6th Glen Phillips

Overall British Championship positions after Round 1:
1st Paul Cooper 60 points
2nd Yoshitaka Atsuta 50 points
3rd Jussi Vehvilainen 50 points
4th James Noble 50 points
5th Neville Bradshaw 42 points
6th Mark Hucklebridge 34 points

In conclusion, the weather was fine, the racing was excellent and the crowds were entertained. See you at Polesworth on the 27th March for the 2nd Round of the British Championship.

Report 14 - CAS Honda report (CAS Honda.com or MX247.com)

For the first round of the Maxxis British Championship the CAS Honda Team travelled to Canada Heights and the weather was at least nothing like the previous year, thankfully. It was fine but cold, not bad for March. The track condition at the start of the day was dry and there were large crowds developing with the final figure being given as 9,000.

This week the CAS Honda Team were without Josh Coppins, who is well on his way to recovery after dislocating his shoulder the week before, and will be back on his bike this week in preparation for the second round of the British Championships at Polesworth on Easter Sunday.

All eyes therefore were on Jussi Vehvilainen, who since Hawkstone had been suffering with a flu virus. The feisty Finn would not let this deter him from standing on the podium at the end of the day.

With qualifying underway it was apparent that competition would be hot. Paul Cooper was the fastest man on the track by 1.4 seconds. Jussi Vehvilainen qualified in 9th position.

In race 1 Jussi flew out of the gate to holeshot with ease, the first lap saw him slip down to 4th behind Paul Cooper, Mark Hucklebridge and Jordan Rose before settling into the race. On lap 4 Neville Bradshaw moved up into 4th, pushing Jussi into 5th. Two laps later it seemed apparent that Jussi was suffering with the after effects of the flu and dropped another place when James Noble overtook him. Cooper and Hucklebridge by this time had extended their lead and were cruising. Jordan Rose crashed out and Jussi took the bit between his teeth and was now breathing down Neville Bradshaw’s neck, at times almost clashing bars and eventually Jussi passed him. Mark Hucklebridge made a mistake allowing the front-runners through while he struggling to restart his 4-stroke. It was now Cooper, Noble, Vehvilainen, Atsuta, the ex-CAS team mates Vehvilainen and Atsuta were inseparable for the last two laps and Jussi held on for third at the finishing flag.

During his podium interview Jussi said that after being ill all week he was pleased with third, although a win would have been better!

As the gates dropped for Race 2, the track had become rutty and pretty rough. Jussi Vehvilainen shot out of the gate like a man with a mission holeshotting yet again. At the first corner it was a mix of Vehvilainen, Cooper, Jones, Phillips and Atsuta. This time Jussi was not going to let his lead slip and behind him now in second was Cooper, third Phillips, fourth Atsuta, fifth Jones and sixth Bradshaw. With Jussi pushing so hard Cooper couldn’t get close enough to cause any concern. On lap 4 Atsuta moved up into 3rd, past Jones, and Phillips dropped back to 5th. A couple of laps later Jones crashed and the Finn was still flying with Cooper in hot pursuit. The last half a dozen laps had Vehvilainen, Cooper and Atsuta in procession with no room for errors. On the penultimate lap Cooper closed in and when Jussi ran wide into a corner Cooper took his one and only chance and slipped in front. After passing the last lap flag ex team mate Atsuta knew it was now or never and pushed a tired Vehvilainen all the way to a nail-biting finish where Atsuta pipped Vehvilainen virtually on the line.

In conclusion, the weather was fine, the racing was excellent and the crowds were entertained. See you at Polesworth on the 27th March for the 2nd Round of the British Championship.

Report 15 - Team Meredith Press Release (via MX247.com)

Disaster strikes the first round of the British Championships, with a back brake problem in race one and a front brake problem in race two, it definitely wasn’t the start Team Meredith was looking for at Canada Heights to begin the season with, the day started well enough with Jordan Rose (pictured right) qualifying in fourth but from there the luck ran out!

Jordans comments:
“I‘m gutted, I qualified in fourth and was really looking forward to the days racing, race one I gated fourth and within one lap I was up to third and stayed there for around 15 minutes, then disaster struck, I went down one of the hills and went for the back brake and nothing was there, I dropped back to thirtieth but it could have been so much better. Race two started well again, up to fifth and really pushing and then someone ploughed into my front wheel and bent all the front disc, the team tried their best to straighten it but it was no good my day was over!

Report 16 - Tommy Searle Report (via MX247.com)

Tommy shines at Heights

Canada Heights proved to be an amazing debut for 15-year-old Tommy Searle (pictured right), lining up alongside such seasoned Pro’s as Mike Brown, Stephen Sword and fellow team-mate Tom Church. The talented Molson Kawasaki star set out to prove that age is no barrier and proved that with an amazing 10th overall in his first championship event.

Tommy’s comments:
After qualifying in 8th place I knew I was going to go well today. In race one I had a bad start; I was 25th coming down the first hill, but by lap five I was up to to 10th position, considering the bad start, I was pretty pleased with my first race.
Race two was a lot better, a great start in 5th but I made a mistake on the first corner to put me back in 12th. I pushed hard for a few laps and that took me back to 7th where I battled with Billy Mac for a few laps, he looked strong and I was tiring so I settled down and finished the race in 8th place. Overall to finish 10th in my first British Championship race, I’m well pleased, I’ll put some extra training in this week to stay strong for the whole race and I’m looking forward to the second round at Polesworth already.

Report 17 - Mark Jones Report (via MX247.com)

Mark's EA / Dirt Bike Store KTM team debut started well but ended in six stitches at the opening round of the British Open Championship last Sunday at the Canada Heights circuit in Kent.
Following a good week’s testing of the SXS450 and his ride at the Hawkstone international the previous week, MJ was in a positive mood going to the gate for the first moto after posting the second fastest time in qualifying.

Getting a good drive out of the gate, he rounded the first corner in fifth and settled in for the first lap before planning his push. However, in the tighter sections at the back of the circuit, one of the riders following hit the rear of the bike which sent him into the fence. Restarting in twentieth, the push started and saw him cut through the field to well inside the top ten but a minor fall near the end after passing Gordon Crockard, which then saw him finish ninth at the flag, just behind the Irishman.

The second moto started very similarly to the first with Mark gating sixth and pushing through early to join a four-way fight with Vehvilainen, Cooper and Atsuta for the lead. Covered by no more than a second, the battle was on before disaster struck the Welshman. On one of the fastest parts of the circuit, one of the titanium engine valves snapped which locked the motor solid and sent him bouncing down the track and out of the moto. Fortunately, following a trip to hospital and six stitches into an elbow wound, no serious harm came of it.

Mark was upbeat on the weekend, if a little sore as well: '' I'm a bit stiff this morning and my arm’s a bit stiff but I have to be happy with my speed on the day even if my luck is still a bit off. We'll move back to the stock steel valves for now until we get to see how the factory unit failed.

''I will be getting the dressing off the elbow tomorrow (Tuesday) and will hopefully get decent movement in it before the British Four Stroke round on 18Sunday.'

Report 18 - By Kevin Impey from the Newsshopper

Cooper’s double marks big return

A big and enthusiastic crowd turned up at Canada Heights racetrack in Swanley on Sunday for the first round of the Maxxis British Motocross Chanpionship, sponsored by News Shopper.

Unlike last year, when the weather was horrendous, this time, despite menacing clouds, it was almost ideal racing conditions for the 9,000-plus fans to enjoy.

Four riders dominated the MX Class one event, with MultiTek Honda rider and former British champion Paul Cooper claiming a double MX1 success by winning both 30-minute plus two-lap races.

It was the perfect comeback for Cooper, who missed most of the last season through injury.

Cooper won the first race by just 1.287 seconds from James Noble, with Jussi Vehvilainen and Yoshitaka Atsuta only six-and-a-half seconds behind the winner.

In race two it was even closer, with Cooper prevailing by just 1.018 seconds from Atsuta, with Vehvilainen only 0.280 seconds further back in third.

Cooper said: "I'm ecstatic with everything that has happened. This was a fantastic result, and I want to thank the team and also Honda.

"Jussi had some great speed and there was a time in the second race where I thought that I might not catch him, but I kept my head and focused on the lines and was able to take the lead.

"There were a lot of backmarkers out there, and you always need a bit of luck cutting through."

In the MX class 2 series opener, America's Mike Brown took the honours ahead of Carl Nunn and Stephen Sword.

But in race two, Brown's bike suffered a mechanical problem and Sword took first place ahead of Nunn and Tom Church

More Information

For more information on the whole British motocross championship series go to MXGB.info