Maxxis British Motocross Championship - Round 2

Reports

If any one has any more, please email me. Also check out the MXGB.co.uk Team News page

Report 1 - ACU

By Brian George

Round 2 Canada Heights, Kent 9th April 2006

With the rain and snow, ‘enjoyed’ by many across the country, not arriving at Canada Heights until many fans were on the way home and feeling very content after witnessing a thrilling meeting, which provided some stunning displays by our top riders and future stars.

Congratulations must go out to the Sidcup DMCC for providing the riders and teams with a track in excellent condition and an efficient, well run event. Spectators, approximately 8,000, received a rare treat in the form of ‘desert racers’ Patsy Quick, Clive Town, Mick Extance, Nick Plumb and their awesome machinery giving a number of demonstration laps.

MX 1 Both MX 1 races provided the same top 3 in each race, with Stephen Sword proving he has quickly acclimatised himself to the more powerful 450cc machines. Recording fastest lap in qualifying, the holeshot in both races and a relatively unchallenged pace in each. With Josh Coppins out, Sword must be a strong favourite for this year’s title. Hopefully, this weekends results will extend his confidence onto the World Championship stage and bring home some podium places. Ken De Dycker and James Noble, followed Sword home in both races, with De Dycker’s results from Round 1 elevating him to the top of the Championship table.

Results Race 1 and 2 1st Stephen Sword; 2nd Ken De Dycker; 3rd James Noble

MX 2 This class proved, once more, what a very close Championship it is going to be, at the same time provide a stage for our young riders to shine. Qualifying gave young Molson Kawasaki rider, Tommy Searle the opportunity to quickly dispel any thoughts that his podium place at Lyng was a ‘flash in the pan’, posting the fastest time. Race 1 gave Carl Nunn the opportunity to remind motocross fans who the current British Champion was, with a dominant display. Searle tried to stay with him, but dropped back, possibly through tiredness, towards the end. Wayne Smith repeated his Lyng podium finishing in 3rd place. Race 2 saw Billy Mackenzie blast back from a disappointing, first race 4th place, battling with Nunn in the early stages before stretching out a lead, coming home for the top podium spot and putting him only 2 points behind Nunn in the Championship. Tommy Searle once again showed his quality, after picking a different position on the startline, found himself boxed in, but fought his way through the field onto the final podium position – a star in the very near future!

Results Race 1 1st Carl Nunn; 2nd Tommy Searle; 3rd Wayne Smith

Race 2 1st Billy Mackenzie; 2nd Carl Nunn; 3rd Tommy Searle

The ACU’s Academy also received a vote of confidence with a number of it’s young protégé’s showing their promising potential in their first season of Maxxis British Motocross Championship action, with Ray Rowson, Ashley Greedy and Stephen Clarke all qualifying, giving encouragement for emerging talent.

Championship Standings

MX 1 : 1st Ken De Dycker, 111pts; 2nd Stephen Sword, 104; 3rd James Noble, 98; 4th Mark Jones, 80; 5th Gordon Crockard, 78.

MX 2 : 1st Carl Nunn, 105pts; 2nd Billy Mackenzie, 103; 3rd Tommy Searle, 98; 4th Wayne Smith, 80; 5th Brad Anderson, 76.

Report 2 - Kawasaki Racing Team

Stephen Sword took a double race victory at the second round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship on Sunday, Kawasaki Racing Team’s ace totally dominated the MX1 race day at the magnificently prepared Canada Heights circuit on the outskirts of London, he took pole position in qualification followed by two fantastic hole shots backed up by double race wins in front of a huge local crowd. Sword moves to second position in the championship and now lies just seven points adrift of leader, Belgian Ken De Dycker.

Sword, a previous double British Champion suffered a huge mid-week practice crash where he tweaked his neck and shoulder and was left unsure just how he would fare or even if he could race at the Canada Heights circuit in Kent, one of the best in the country. His concerns were put to rest after posting pole position when pitted against the clock with a lap time of 2:09.322 and an average lap speed of 56.22 kph. Starts have let 26-year-old Sword down this year as he still finds the optimum settings for his factory Kawasaki KX450F-SR race machine but, having reverting back to previous setting off his second race bike, he rocketed off the concrete start gate pad to lead both 15 lap motos against a strong 40 rider line up to put in his two best races of the season so far as he was unchallenged during both motos.

With the World Championship rounds in Spain and Portugal taking place over the next two weekends Sword is now confident that he can take the next step at world level and use the British Championship success as a turning point in his season.

Report 3 - Dixon Yamaha

Bike It Dixon Yamaha’s Billy MacKenzie moves to within two points of the series leader after two strong rides at the second round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship on Sunday. The Canada Heights circuit at Swanley overlooking the M25 on the outskirts of London was in perfect conditions, worthy of any grand prix status. Billy, who just missed out on a podium in race one, laid matters to rest with a convincing second race win to close the gap at the top of the points table to 103 points, just two points behind leader Carl Nunn’s 105.

After posting 4th position in early morning qualification Billy was on the pace but took poor start in race one, confidence in himself helped him to push through to 3rd at one stage before taking fourth at the chequered flag just missing out on a podium position. After some minor changes to the bike set up during the short break between motos Billy turned everything around and took a commanding lead after passing early race leader Nunn. Mackenzie romped home to an easy victory but was disappointed that he could have easily been the new championship leader had it not been for his disappointing first race result.

Ulsterman Martin Barr put together to two consistent result taking 8th and 9th positions to go 8th overall in the championship, he stalled the bike at the start of race two and just restarted the engine as the gate was about to drop. The nerves helped him get one of his better starts of the season and he was running 4th before feeling the fatigue of muscling around the might YZ459f four stroke machine. Swiss team mate Julien Bill would like put his Canada Heights race day experience well behind him, he looked strong in qualifying posting 3rd fastest time only to be taken out in the race one and suffer more crashes in race two, he failed to score a single points and left looking for lady luck to come his way.

Quotes :

Billy MacKenzie: “At the end of qualifying I rode around for a hard 15 minutes just trying to get n my fastest lap time, I ended up getting 4th, I was only a second off pole, I had some arm pump and I thought that would be a enough to clear it out of the way for the race. I heard later that some riders were doing the up hill triple and I hadn’t done it so far but on the second lap of race one I jumped it and saved some time. Race one didn’t go that well at all, I was right at the back of the pack from a very bad start but I fought through to 4th, I was riding tight and suffered some arm pump again after taking third and slipped back to 4th. I have had some bad first races, I have been starting to doubt myself and need to sort something out. For race two we changed the cylinder head and stiffened up the front forks and I found the bike to be riding so much better I felt confident from the start. I got off to a much better start off the concrete gate and was second behind Carl Nunn from the drop, I made an early pass and put in some consistent fast laps and kept my head down. It was a solid race and I need to have more of them if I want to win this Championship. “

Martin Barr: “In race one I was circulating around 7th position which I was happy with but then for the first time I suffered with bad arm pump and was forced to drop back to 9th place, still inside the top ten but 7th would have been better. As the 15 second board went up for race two I stalled the bike on the line and had a bit of a panic on, I managed to get the engine going just as it changed to five seconds and the gate dropped. Despite that I made a good start and 4th which was comfortable but Hucklebridge came by me and I started to drop back. My strength faded a little some of these guys are a lot bigger than me, it takes a lot of strength to muscle the 450f machine around, my condition is coming but it still takes a lot of effort which I am working on for those last few minutes of the race. Still I kept off Vehvilainen who was riding very strong and challenging me during the final laps.”

Julien Bill: “My qualifying time was good, I was happy with 3rd fastest time, I knew I had the speed and I wanted to turn my previous race results around here. I crashed on the opening lap of race one, I had made a good start and circulating with the front runners but as a result of the hard crash my front brake was damaged and tried to come back but I was so far behind. A lap down, I followed the leader Stephen Sword for some time to watch his line and make sure to myself that did have the speed I thought I had. I just need luck. In race two I went wide in a turn and another rider just came up the inside and took me out and I went over the handlebars. This time I managed to restart quickly but crashed with another rider and was again dead last.”

Steve Dixon – Team Manager: “The track conditions and weather were brilliant here at Canada Heights, Billy suffered his normal first race blues, suffered some arm pump and finished 4th. I wasn’t happy with that, a rider of his capabilities should be on the podium every race but know he can always turn it around for race two. We made a few changes to the bike set up and Billy put in a tremendous race performance in race two passing Nunn to take over the lead and open up a gap at a pace we as a team find more acceptable.”

Dixon: “Martin Barr put together two solid rides and is starting to show what he is capable of which should be comfortable top five at British Championship level. What he needs to work at is his stamina and fitness for the last five or ten minutes of the races. Unfortunately Julien Bill didn’t have the best of luck here today, he started the day very fast and strong in qualifying with a good 3rd pick off the start. After passing Vehvilainen for 3rd place in race one, Jussi hit Julien so hard he took them both out which left Julien a lap down. He used this to follow Sword, although a lap down to watch Sword’s lines and get back up to speed after the crash. After two crashes in race two Julien picked up no points, you can be frustrating days like this when none of it is your fault but things start to fall to pieces, I was happy with Julien’s speed and hope that he can turn it all around for the two Grands Prix that we now have ahead of us in Spain and Portugal.”

Report 4 - Team Molson Kawasaki

Searle makes another British Championship podium appearance

Tommy Searle scored third position overall at Canada Heights this afternoon and the second round of eight in the 2006 Maxxis British Championship.

The venue at Swanley at Kent saw one of the biggest crowds in recent years flock to the circuit just off the M25. The sandy-stony terrain was well prepared and offered a fast and bumpy test to the UK’s off-road racing elite.

16-year-old Searle, in his first season as a professional rider and full-time within the senior and World Championship ranks, proved to be the team’s lead figure once again. The current Under-21 British Champ is widely considered as the UK’s brightest and freshest talent and showed his raw capabilities with 2nd and 3rd positions in the two motos of 30 minutes and 2 laps duration for the lower step of the overall podium.

Searle started well and hung onto to the roost of reigning Champion and factory KTM rider Carl Nunn in the first outing. He then switched his position on the start gate for the second race later in the afternoon but did not enjoy the best of jumps from the line. The youngster had to fight his way from the lower reaches of the top ten to reach third place but Nunn and eventual winner Billy Mackenzie had already amassed a hefty gap at the front.

South African Gareth Swanepoel is still reaching full speed and fitness and continued his progression this afternoon with 5th spot overall and two top five race finishes. The 21 year old fought with his team-mate in the second moto and went on to secure 4th.

Molson-supported rider Ray Rowson scored his highest ever British Championship result with 10th position in the second moto. The teenager had crashed earlier in the day but was happy to post a small career landmark in the final sprint which saw all three of the team’s representative pass the chequered flag in the top ten.

Tom Church is expected to get back on a motorcycle this week after six months off with injury. The 24 year old is hoping to make a comeback to competitive action as soon as possible and is eyeing a British Championship return in the summer if all proceeds smoothly with regards to his ‘riding rehab’.

Molson Kawasaki now approach the second round of the FIM World Championships which will take place next weekend, on Easter Sunday, at the Bellpuig circuit in Catalonia for the Grand Prix of Spain.

Tommy Searle: “It has been another good meeting. I wanted to win here but with a third and a second I have been on the podium for the last three races so I can’t complain. I nearly took the holeshot in the first moto but Carl beat me to it and that meant I had to chase him the whole race. I changed my gate position for the second race and it did not work out. I came through the pack quite well but I made it hard for myself. By the time I was third the other two were long gone so I am a bit disappointed that I couldn’t be up there with them. Only a couple of years ago Carl was presenting me with trophies in the juniors and now I’m racing him so it feels good to be at this level.”

Gareth Swanepoel: “That was a lot better than last weekend. The one day meetings are OK for me at the moment, and as my wrist gets better and better I will be able to handle the two days of a Grand Prix. I hurt the wrist pretty badly last week and had a few days off to recover to be ready for here. I am definitely on an upward curve and as long as I am making forward steps then that is OK.”

Ray Rowson: “I did not qualify that well but the first race was OK until I had a tangle with Jim Murro and went through the fencing. I was 14th at the time and the incident dropped me out of the points. I made a good start in the second moto and took my best result so far.”

Lisa Church, Team Manager: “Tommy didn’t have the best start in the second race and the guys got away from him but it was a good result overall and we are really happy with him today. Gareth keeps improving every week and shows that he can run the pace with Tommy in the second moto. I think we just need to work on getting them both out of the gate and then they can fight with Carl and Billy. Well done to Ray also who had a positive second race.”

Report 5 - Billy Mackenzie Report

Mac savours Canada Heights victory

Billy Mackenzie earned his first win of the season at a cloudy but bright Canada Heights today for the second round of the 2006 Maxxis MX2 British Championships.The 2005 runner-up dominated the second moto on the loose, stony terrain and in front of a bumper crowd after struggling to fourth position earlier in the day.

‘Mac’ who recently celebrated his 22nd birthday, seized the lead in emphatic style from first race winner Carl Nunn on the opening lap and charged away from his pursuer and main rival for the domestic crown.

The Scot had started poorly in the opening affair and although he rallied quickly to fourth spot he could not narrow the gap to Wayne Smith in third place while Nunn and Kawasaki’s Tommy Searle were ten seconds adrift in the lead. The Bike it Dixon Yamaha team stripped the semi-factory YZ 250cc four-stroke in the short break and just about had the machine ready for the second moto. Mackenzie, who has been suffering some indifferent form after deliberation with various suspension settings in the past two weeks, reverted to a tried-and-tested formula and it paid off with the Southampton-resident looking his usual ruthless and aggressive self.

“This has definitely set things up nicely for next weekend,” he said commenting on the second round of the World Championships set to take place in Spain. “It is a huge weight off my shoulders after the bad GP we had at Zolder. I have been riding well during the week and I was really surprised that I was that far off the pace in the first moto today. I wasn’t too sure about the bike and the team worked really hard in between the races to strip it and make a check. It was a bit of a rush and we were still finishing it after the sighting lap! Anyway it was a job well done by all of us and I am happy that I won the race and in that fashion. I did not let up and I was finding some sweet lines. The bike was great and now I am looking forward to getting on with the job without making any more changes. I want to pick up my speed now and build my confidence.”

“It is good to go to Spain with a win under my belt but I went there last year as a no-one and came out of it a winner! I hope there won’t be too much pressure because I have been feeling it a little recently and the results could have been better,” he added. “There has been a lot of hard work and experimentation but I think it is a case of sticking with what we know now. I’m looking forward to Spain and importantly feeling confident on the bike again because that second race really helped.”

Mackenzie has acknowledged that his recent tests on the suspension of the 250 did not proceed in the right direction but found some alternative solutions to his arm-pump problems from an unlikely source.

“I have been suffering a lot with arm-pump but I actually got a long e-mail, almost an essay, from somebody through my website with his views about it and I thought the text was quite interesting,” he admitted. “It made sense. So I was practising a lot with my breathing while I was racing and going over the jumps and it worked.”

Mackenzie will now prepare to return to the Bellpuig circuit and the Spanish Grand Prix next week where he scored his maiden World Championship moto victory twelve months ago. The Catalan venue will again host the second stop of the FIM series on Easter Sunday.

Report 6 - Honda Racing

DE DYCKER TOPS THE LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND TWO OF THE MAXXIS BRITISH MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

CAS Honda rider Ken De Dycker scored two second place finishes today (9 April) at round two of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights, Kent, a result that has promoted the Belgian rider to the top of the leaderboard with a total of 111 points.

RWJ Honda rider James Noble joined De Dycker on the rostrum on both occasions with two third place finishes at the 1.18km track.

PAR Honda’s Mark Jones enjoyed two strong consistent rides, scoring a fourth and sixth place, while Team Wulfsport Honda’s Gordon Crockard experienced an incident-packed outing at the spectacular Kent venue.

In the MX2 category the junior riders Shaun Simpson and Scott Probert of Team Wulfsport Honda demonstrated encouraging form while Wayne Smith finished in third and fifth place. PAR Honda rider Steve Clarke also enjoyed his first British Championship event.

Honda Racing’s Off-road Manager Roger Harvey: “We obviously missed Josh (Coppins) this weekend and we would have like to have won a race but we were pleased to be well represented on the rostrum. The young riders also demonstrated encouraging form and I know they are all looking forward to the next round at Matchams Park at the end of April.”

Report 7 - CAS HONDA RACE REPORT

Top of the leaderboard…

With main man Josh Coppins focusing on a speedy recovery back into the seat of his CAS Honda after his shoulder operation, the CAS team were fully focused on Ken De Dycker for the second round of the British Championship.

As the crowds started to arrive the weather was surprisingly sunny and dry! The track was in excellent condition and in qualification Ken was sixth fastest. The concrete start was to be the initial obstacle when the gates dropped for the first race and Ken appeared at the rear of the pack around the first corner. The CAS giant fought his way through the pack giving the crowd some excitement, and by the second lap was in 8th position. After 10 minutes he moved into 3rd and on the next lap into 2nd, by this time the race leader Stephen Sword had used the advantage of a clear track to pull a twelve second lead on the rest of the pack. Unfortunately the race was red flagged after 21 minutes due to an injured rider, therefore the results were taken from the 10th lap when Ken was in second place.

Race two got underway and Ken was towards the rear of the pack again. With more hard work and determination he got up to 7th place by the second lap and into 2nd place by the fifth lap. Yet again the race leader Stephen Sword had used his holeshot to his advantage and pulled away from the rest of the competitors. Ken passed the chequered flag again in 2nd place.

At the end of the day the lack of practice with concrete starts and lack of riding over the last four weeks due to his hand injury was apparent. However the Belgian had secured the Championship leader position by seven points and was happy with that and as he said on the podium ‘the British Championship is very important to him and the CAS Team’.

Report 8 - Team PAR Honda

PAR hit the Heights...

It was back to business this weekend for the PAR Honda team for the second round of the Maxxis British Motocross championship at the exciting setting of Canada Heights in Kent. As always Canada Heights attracts a large enthusiastic crowd eagerly awaiting the best British and European riders to put on a show on the superb near perfect circuit. Wayne Smith and Mark Jones were the star performers of the team with a 4th and 5th in their respective groups.

Alex Rach – MX1

“I qualified in 16th place but there was only hundredths of a second between me an 11th, so I was happy with that.

“I got a pretty good start in race one but crashed in the corner then got going and crashed again, unfortunately I DNF’ed the race.

“In the second race I was determined to get a good start and I did but again I got tangled in a pile up on the first corner which put me way down the field, I battled back to 14th by the finish. I just seem to be way to tense by the time I reach the start gate, I’m fine practising but when I race I tense up, really not sure why.”

Overall for day – 18th

Championship after two rounds – 16th

Wayne Smith – MX2

“Practise went well and I was happy with the track, I had a small get off on the downhill section and got stuck under the bike but still managed to pull 6th position for qualifying. I was third off the gate in the first race, running with Tommy Searle and Carl Nunn for a few laps which put a good gap between us and the chasing pack. I ran my own race and finished on the podium in 3rd which I was happy with.

“I was fourth out of the gate in the second race, I passed a couple of guys and dropped into 3rd for four laps, I tried to hold off Tommy and Gareth for a few laps, they passed but I got stronger come the end and closed them down slightly.

“I was happy with the day and my speed was good, so it’s looking good for the rest of the season.”

Overall on day – 4th

Championship after two rounds – 4th

Steven Clarke – MX2

“I was making my first appearance at the British Championship so I was really pumped and couldn’t wait to get on the track, qualifying went really well, I put in a fast lap at the beginning and managed 7th, which I was really pleased with.

“My first race didn’t go quite as planned, I got the jump but went off to the side a bit, in the first corner I collided with another rider and went into the fence, I tried to ride a smooth race and finished in 15th.

“In race two I had a better start but got boxed in, I followed Tommy around the corner, the first few laps I was riding poorly but by lap 4 I settled into a nice pace and finished just outside the top ten in 11th.”

Overall on day – 13th

Championship after two rounds – 19th

Jamie Lewis – MX1

“I qualified in 25th, should have been better really.

“In my first race I didn’t get off the gate and found myself in 31st on lap one, I put in a few fast laps and got myself into 19th place but they red flagged it and that’s where I finished.

“A better start in race two saw me in the top twenty, I was battling with a few riders for a few laps and got myself in into 15th but lost a couple of places near the end, I kept going and re-passed to finish 16th.”

Overall for day – 19th

Championship after two rounds – 23rd

Mark Jones – MX1

“I had a good start to the day, the bike was performing well, I finished 4th in qualifying which I was pleased with.

“In the first race I got a really good jump and was lying in 2nd behind Swordy who was flying, I stayed there for six laps and settled into my own pace, De Dijker and Noble came passed, near the end I did find some really good lines but they stopped the race so I finished in 4th.

“In race two I had another good start but got tangled with Crockard, in the first corner I collided with one of the Smyth Brothers and was way back in 36th on lap one, I put my head down and battled through to 6th. It was a decent day and I’m happy with 5th overall.

Overall for day – 5th

Championship after two rounds – 4th

The next event for the PAR Honda team will be the British Fourstroke and Under 21 British Championship at Asham Wood in Frome this coming Bank Hoilday Monday – 17th April.

Sky TV will be screening the second round from Canada Heights on Thursday 13th April at 8pm on Sky Sports 3 – please check TV listings to confirm.

Report 9 - Team Meredith/Jordan Rose Press Release

Jordan Rose was taken to hospital after the final race at the British Championship this weekend.

With only a one lap to go the talented Meredith Motocross team Honda rider made a mistake on the technical uphill rhythm section at Canada Heights which resulted in a scary crash which left him dazed and battered.

Jordan was taken to hospital for a check up last night on his neck and back, Jordan will be kept in hospital for a few more days for further checks.

Team Meredith, family, friends and all his sponsors wish him an all the best and a speedy recovery.

Report 10 - Jake Nicholls/Motovision Suzuki Press Release

Bad luck for Jake...

Jake Nicholls, Motovision Suzuki’s talented teenager suffered bad luck in the build up to the second round of the Maxxis British Championship.

Jake suffered a broken hand practising during the week. Jake went through intensive physio treatment to try to salvage a possible start but to no avail.

“I tried to ride Friday night but it was impossible, I was in to much pain, we decided to take a chance and see what it would be like after practise but it was just to difficult, I could barely hold on and on the tough down hill sections at Canada Heights it just wasn’t worth the risk”.

Jake will spend the week back in physio and will see a specialist for advice and hopefully you may see Jake at Frome for the British under 21 championship on Bank Holiday Monday.

Report 11 - Elliott Banks Browne/RWJ Honda Press Release

By Ray Chuss

Class performance by Browne...

With two very consistent rides, 16-year-old Elliott Banks Browne of the RWJ Honda team posted his best performance of the season at the latest Maxxis British Championship round at Canada Heights. Qualifying went well for the Honda rider even after a problem with the front forks on his race bike, Elliott roared to 12th position.

“I heard this bang and went back to the pits and my mechanic said my forks have snapped so I went back out on my spare bike,” explained Elliott. Race one was a corker for the 16-year-old, passing season pro’s like a hot knife through butter, Elliott put on a great show for the thousands of fans in attendance, it wasn’t until the final few laps that Elliott was caught by team-mate and GP star Jason Dougan, such was his speed in the opening moto.

“I got a stitch with two laps to go, not sure why, maybe I got tense, so I dropped from 7th to finish 9th but I was more than happy with the result,” said Elliott. Elliott set about doing the same in the second race but suffered a bad start. Elliott’s starts are normally blistering but had to settle for around 17th place going into the first corner.

“I suffered blisters after ten minutes and struggled to hold on; I dropped off the pace and finished a disappointed 14th,” he explained.

“I was pleased with my performance today, I felt very strong in the first race until the stitch, I know I have the speed to run well inside the top ten but I need to work on my fitness, I’m now off to Spain for the GP where I’m feeling 100% more confident and can’t wait to get there.”

Overall for day - 10th

Championship Overall - 12th

Report 12 - Mark Jones Report

MJ Guns to fourth in British Open Champ race!!

It was back to British Open Championship racing for Mark Jones last weekend with round 2 of the series held at the Canada Heights circuit in Kent. The tough track puts extreme demands on both rider and machine, however teamed with the PAR Homes Honda, MJ was more than up to the challenge posting a 4-6, tying for forth on the day (5th overall on last race count-back) and jumping to 4th in the championship race.

With his good form continuing, Mark was in buoyant mood speaking after his days efforts.

“I had a good start to the day, the bike was performing well, I finished 4th in qualifying which I was pleased with,” said mark.

“In the first race I got a really good jump and was lying in second behind Swordy who was flying, I stayed there for six laps and settled into my own pace. De Dijker and Noble came past, near the end I did find some really good lines but they stopped the race so I finished in fourth.

“In race two I had another good start but got tangled with Crockard in the first corner and collided with one of the Smyth Brothers and was way back in thirty sixth on lap one. I put my head down and battled through to sixth. It was a decent day and I’m happy with fifth overall.

Report 13 - Joe Dark / MotoXtreme Kawasaki Press Release

A Dark day for Joe...

Joe Dark made his second appearance of the season at the Canada Heights round of the Maxxis British Championship this weekend.

Joe, racing for the Marshfield based MotoXtreme Kawasaki team, found the going tough in qualifying.

“I struggled with arm pump and just couldn’t settle down in the session,” Joe said.

Joe managed to qualify for the main event in twenty third position. With the circuit in near perfect condition Joe set about trying to improve on his qualifying place.

“I got a great jump out of the gate but got boxed in real quick, on the third lap I was lying in seventeenth and felt quite relaxed but I crashed and stalled the bike and couldn’t get it started, I didn’t finish the race.” In race two Joe needed to perform well but another crash on the first corner saw the Bristol rider down again which put him dead last and with a lot of work to do. By lap five Joe was setting a blistering pace and was up to twenty fifth place.

“I hit a post on the fifth lap and bent my gear lever. That ended a disappointing day for me.” Joe and the team head for Frome for the British Under-21 championship this Bank Holiday Monday. Sky TV will be screening the second round from Canada Heights on Thursday 13th April at 7 pm on Sky Sports 3 – please check TV listings to confirm.

Report 15 - Stefan Paetow (MXFreak.com)

Original article can be found here and was originally published in DirtBikeRider South Africa, May 2006 (Issue 2)

"Across The Pond"

2006 sees the return of two of South Africa's best exports to Europe to the Maxxis British Motocross Championship. Both didn't have the best of years in 2005, both struggling with injuries and setbacks. Both also re-signed with the same teams as in 2005, Gareth Swanepoel with Molson Kawasaki, Neville Bradshaw with Motovision Suzuki. Both remain in their respective classes as in 2005, although there is one difference - Neville won't be contending the World Grand Prix after the team opted out for 2006.

Instead, Neville will be racing in the local Four-Stroke Championship and other selected events. Gareth on the other hand will concentrate on the World Grand Prix and the Maxxis championship.

So, what have the pair been up to since the season got started six weeks ago? Gareth and Neville have both prepared very thoroughly for the season ahead. Neville confessed to have overtrained in 2005, which in turn led to a severe setback in his fitness and ability to compete effectively. This year, he says, will be different in that he will limit himself to doing what works best and what delivers results.

Gareth was unfortunate in that he injured himself early in 2005, which led to a long hiatus from both the World Grand Prix and the British championship. However, he showed the British riders what he was capable of when he did return, podiuming in one of two races at the last round and making things very difficult for the top three in the class that day.

Back to 2006. Hawkstone is a tradition. It is an annual pilgrimage for some, and a vital check for others to see where they stand at the beginning of the season. Once again Gareth was struck by some bad luck at the beginning of the season in that he injured his wrist, which put him out of contention for this pre-season race. Neville on the other hand seemed to have things ready, qualifying just outside the top twenty on the cold and slick track.

The races show a lot of Neville's consistency too, although the starts are not quite where Neville would like them to be. Neville tends to have a mid-pack start, but he soon makes up most of his positions in the first two laps by aggressively passing riders while the pack is still fairly close together. Making up fifteen positions on a tough GP class circuit is not easy, yet Neville manages to - twice!

Lyng. Ask any British Championship rider and they will dread the Cadder's Hill track in Norfolk - not because of the track, but because of nature's fickleness in that part of the world; weather changes very quickly from one extreme to another. Inevitably, the opening round of the 2006 Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Lyng is in doubt, and the ACU has to issue a statement three days before the event to announce that it is, contrary to rumours, in fact going ahead.

Funnily enough, the weather turns out to be nice, much to everyone's surprise. While it is overcast, it is not raining, the paddock is not in ankle-deep slop, and the track is as perfect as it can be. Gareth gets the green light to race, and as much as his qualifying time is five seconds off the lead, he knows that it is the race consistency that counts, not qualifying. The funnel-like start straight leads into a very tight left-hander, and it is here that Gareth is shut out in his first race. He picks up the pace from mid-pack and picks off competitors one after the other until the pack is too spread out to gain any positions. A last minute pass secures Gareth a ninth place. The second race goes much smoother as he is in the top ten around the first corner. He picks up one more position before the leaders disappear altogether. Altogether, Gareth finishes in seventh for the day.

Neville qualifies just outside the top ten, the track agrees with his riding style. The track's rough conditions make it very difficult to find new lines, and in the first race Neville is not able to progress very far from where he started after losing his goggles. It is however an upward trend, which is encouraging again. The second race starts off a little worse. His attempt to make a fast move early on is thwarted as he again loses his goggles, as well as several positions before making those up in the latter stages of the race. He crosses the finish line just behind Josh Coppins, who has lapped the field to fourteenth. Overall, Neville is sixteenth.

Canada Heights. Traditionally the first round of the Maxxis, this round is one of the best-attended ones as it is in easy driving distance from London. It's also very close to home for both Gareth and Neville, Gareth just a short drive to the ferry at Dover, and Neville a reasonable drive down the M25 to Sussex. According to the Met Office, the weather is to change for the worse as the day goes on, and indeed, it briefly starts spitting around the start of the second MX1 race. However, the threatening rain clouds on the horizon move around past the track, and the rain holds off until the 7pm mark.

Things are going well in the South African camp with both Gareth and Neville posting top ten qualifier results. Gareth is just under two seconds off pole, Neville just over three. Gareth is new to the track, yet has no problems getting a top ten start in both races. He also moves up very quickly, leapfrogging several riders in the first laps, and then picking off competitors as the race progresses, battling with Billy MacKenzie and Tommy Searle along the way. The end result is a top five run, barely missing out on the podium the second time round. His fifth overall moves him into sixth in the championship, only two points seperating him from a top five.

Neville has reason to be pleased with his results. After the disastrous first round of the Four-Stroke Championship - it was cancelled after the first set of races when the heavens opened - he wants to do well. Testing and improvement in his suspension gives him a very positive outlook. Although his bad start in the second race means a lot more work than in the first, he is able to secure two top five results, earning him a fourth overall. The first race is red-flagged at the two-thirds mark, where Neville finds himself a mere seven seconds from fourth, but his second race is the more impressive as he uses his method of attacking while he can to devastating effect. He makes up twelve positions in his second lap, going after fellow Suzuki riders John May and Scott Columb before getting stuck behind Martin Barr. The race ends none too soon as he has Honda's Mark Jones hot on his heels. Neville finds himself in seventh in the championship, with twenty-two points to make up to fifth.

While we had the chance, we asked Gareth and Neville what their average day in the week looked like. Neville says that his is fairly simple after having trained hard in the off-season. In the mornings he grabs his bike and his gear and heads out to the track for two 35-minute motos. After that, he goes home to rest up before he grabs his easy-cycle in the evenings for some more training. Gareth chooses to either do a run or an easy-cycle session in the mornings, and then goes riding in the afternoons. The rest of the time is spent cleaning, preparing and packing for the next weekend.

Where are the pair going next? Gareth goes off to Spain and Portugal for the next two rounds of the World Grand Prix, while Neville finds himself back in Somerset for the next round of the Four-Stroke Championship. They return to Matchams Park for the next round of the Maxxis championship on the last weekend of April.

Report 16 - Stefan Paetow (MXFreak.com)

Original article can be found here or at MXInsiders.com (here and here)

2006 Maxxis British Motocross Championship, Round 2

Canada Heights has a long history in motocross. It is here and at the nearby Brands Hatch where even before the second World War people on bikes were involved in hillclimbs, scrambles, trials, and grass track events. Canada Heights has traditionally been the season opener of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship, but not so this year. This year, the Sidcup and District Motorcycle Club, who own and operate the venue, were chosen as second round, much to everyone's surprise; one can only surmise that the last three seasons of stormy weather are one of the reasons behind the move.

The Met Office has predicted fairly good weather, with worsening conditions towards the late afternoon. Indeed, it starts spitting as the second MX1 race goes to the line, but thankfully the full wrath of the weather is only unleashed as the pits empty after the race. An empty space yawns under the expansive awning of the CAS Honda team where the number one bike usually stands. Reigning MX1 champion Josh Coppins has reinjured his shoulder in mid-week training before the World Grand Prix season opener at Zolder the previous weekend, and has to sit out this and two other Maxxis rounds, as well as another four World Grands Prix. This is pretty much a death knell for his campaign for the World Number One, as well as the domestic championship for a third time running.

As is customary, the MX2 class goes out for their morning practice and qualifier first, with the usual Grand Prix suspects crowding into the top five. Youngster Tommy Searle posts the fastest time with 2:10.328, just under two seconds faster than number six, Wayne Smith. A surprise is RWJ Honda's Jason Dougan, who posts the third fastest time behind Carl Nunn. The MX1 class have just about gotten themselves acquainted with the track when the session is stopped due to an accident. The resulting delay has the clerk of the course declare free practice over, and an immediate start of the timed qualifying. Kawasaki's Stephen Sword returns with a vengeance, and posts a blistering speed of 2:09.332, a full second faster than Searle in the MX2 class. As with the MX2 class, the top five qualifiers crowd into just over two seconds, Grand Prix contenders all.

At 12:30pm, the support race goes off the line with Dale Raynor taking the eventual lead, followed by Ben Hunt and Stephen Heighton. The first MX2 race blasts off next. Carl Nunn shows why he is the reigning MX2 champion, impressively commanding the lead throughout the entire race. However, he knows that he cannot rest or back off, as Searle is hot on his heels. A six second gap separates the two as they chase each other across the finish line. A distant third by twenty seconds is PAR Homes Honda's Wayne Smith, having tried his hardest to keep Searle in his sights while fighting off Bike It Yamaha's Billy MacKenzie. MacKenzie has to make up for his miserable start and shortly after passing Molson Kawasaki's Gareth Swanepoel, he is engaged in a dogfight with the same for fourth, which he eventually wins. Swanepoel has to be content with a fifth place. Wulfsport Honda's Shaun Simpson shows that he is his father's son by running very consistently in sixth, but he cannot match the speeds of his Grand Prix rivals - yet.

The first MX1 race is struck by disaster again shortly after getting underway after Dan Lillington clips a fence and immediately goes to ground. The first paramedic to the scene is promptly run over by another rider, which brings the yellow flags out in spectacular fashion. All the while, Sword shows that his previous years in the MX2 class were not a fluke - not that there was any doubt - by taking the lead and checking out. He is hotly chased by the friendly Welshman Mark Jones for PAR Homes Honda. Motovision Suzuki's Jussi Vehvilainen, third around the first corner, crashes and has to start from the back, while his team mate Neville Bradshaw finds himself behind RWJ Honda's James Noble. The rapidly gaining Ken de Dijcker storms back from the rear of the pack, making up twenty-two positions in one lap alone, and challenges first Bradshaw, then Noble and Jones for a podium spot.

At the two-thirds mark, the race is red flagged at recommendation of the paramedics, who are trying to remove their obviously pain-stricken colleague from the track on a stretcher. Lillington is banged up, but can make his way to the pass gate on his own. The running positions at the end of the eighth lap are taken as the finishing positions, leaving the running order as Sword, de Dijcker, Noble, Jones and Bradshaw as the top five.

As the race ends early, there is a brief break before the second support race goes back to the famous uphill start. This time it is Andre David who takes the lead, followed by Stephen Heighton and Luke Hill. Dale Raynor, winner of the first race, is sixth, Ben Hunt has to withdraw after five laps. The overall of the day goes to David, followed by Heighton and Raynor, with only four points separating them all.

The second MX2 race sees a swing in the fortunes of the main protagonists. Nunn comes under severe pressure by a very energised MacKenzie, who shortly after takes charge and works up an eleven second lead on the reigning champion. His performance prompts the commentators to ponder the possibility that this year will be a three-horse race; MacKenzie, Nunn and Searle. Searle did not have the perfect start he wanted, but rapidly worked his way up from just outside the top ten. By mid-race, he is free and clear of the pack, but the thirty-second lead that the two Grand Prix veterans ahead of him have built up, is too big to reduce further this time round. Instead, his main contender is his own team mate Swanepoel, after both he and Swanepoel had changed positions multiple times in the ascent to fourth and sixth. The gap between the two is less than five seconds across the finish line.

While Swanepoel pushes Searle hard, he himself is under pressure by Smith, who was displaced from third by Searle's relentless assault. Smith hopes to keep the Grand Prix regular in his sight, and this strategy certainly works well as he is able to reduce his distance to his adversary to less than three seconds, while Pioneer Yamaha's Brad Anderson trails him by twenty seconds. Simpson on the other hand has bad luck, and after six laps is forced to retire from the race after a mid-pack start. The commentators may just be onto something as the top three in the class cement their lead to eighteen points ahead of fourth position in the championship after this round, while keeping the difference amongst themselves to seven points.

Dark clouds line the northwestern horizon for the last race of the day, the second MX1 race. Once again Sword takes the early lead, followed immediately by Noble and shortly thereafter, de Dijcker. As the race wears on, the front stretches out somewhat, leaving everyone after fourth trailing along by nearly thirty seconds, while spaced out equally around the fourteen second mark. MotoXtreme Kawasaki's Mark Hucklebridge has used everything he has to make headway against the cluster in the top ten, and is able to force his way past Bike It Yamaha's Martin Barr and Phoenix Tools Honda's David Yelland. Bradshaw is also close-by, having trailed Hucklebridge from the fourth lap after leap-frogging nearly half the field in one lap alone!

Jones has also made a very similar jump, passing sixteen riders in one two-and-a-half minute revolution, and closing the distance between himself and Bradshaw to a mere two seconds as the checkered flag waves. The spectators also get a glimpse of the past as a returned Gordon Crockard on the Wulfsport Honda works his magic on the track once again, hotly chased by Barr and Vehvilainen. And who said that Crockard was a washed-up has-been? Certainly not those who see him ride at Canada Heights! At the end of the day, de Dijcker's consistency allows him to take the lead in the championship, seven points ahead of Sword's perfect score for today. Noble's consistency also pays off in third, with another eighteen points separating him from Jones in fourth.

Coppins' temporary departure from the MX1 class has shaken things up considerably, and while the domestic spectators will be cheering everyone on, it may just be the Belgian who will pick up a major championship, not either of the locals. Although - It would be a crowning moment for Noble to finally be rewarded for something that he has worked endlessly for for so many years.

The next stop for the Maxxis Championship will be the famous Matchams Park in two weeks.

Report 17 - Geoff Meyer (MXLarge.com)

Jan de Groot Kawasaki rider Stephen Sword has produced a brilliant weekend in the second round of the British MX1 championship. The Scottish rider went 1-1 for the overall victory, leading home CAS Honda rider Ken De Dycker, who finished with 2-2 results. Third place was RWJ Honda rider James Noble, who scored 3-3 results.

In the championship standings it's De Dycker who leads with 111pts.

In the MX2 class it was defending champion Carl Nunn on the KTM machine who took victory, leading home rival Billy Mackenzie on a Yamaha.

Report 18 - Graham Milme (Trials and Motorcoss News)

Original article can be found here

Maxx' factor

THE 2006 Maxxis British Championship headed to Canada Heights, in Kent, on Sunday, and even though it was only the second round of the series, organising club the Sidcup and District MCC saw to it that more surprises were launched at those in the know including a fastest MX2 qualifying time by 16-year-old Tommy Searle!

However, there are still hints that it's going to be a two-horse race for eventual MX2 glory with Carl Nunn and Billy MacKenzie each taking a race win and Nunn pipping his nemesis by just two points for the overall honours, with Searle impressive as usual in third place overall. Nunn now heads the MX2 series table from MacKenzie and Searle after taking over from wild card first round winner Marc de Reuver. Over in the MX1 class, reigning champ Josh Coppins' season is virtually over before it's really begun and he will be out of action for up to eight weeks whilst his damaged shoulder is repared after damaging it the previous week (see MX Diary-page 10-12). That didn't stop new boy to the class Stephen Sword throwing his guantlet down to the rest of the 'big boys' by taking two convincing wins for his first MX1 class overall win – and with full fitness returned after his thumb injury of late, the two-time MX2 champion, and reigning Dutch champion, will be a good punt for eventual title glory on this type of form. Ken de Dycker takes over as number one CAS Honda pilot now that Coppins is sidelined but had to play second fiddle to Sword's charges with overall runner-up spot as James Noble, consistent as usual, claimed third place on the day.

MX2

IT TOOK teenage sensation Tommy Searle just four laps of the perfectly graded Canada Heights circuit to grab the fastest time, a fraction of a second ahead of Nunn and the tonsilitis-hit Jason Dougan – MacKenzie was over a second down on Searle in fourth place. But, it's winning points in the races that count and, in front of another quality-sized crowd for the club, Nunn blasted out the gate in race one looking to earn top points on the EA KTM. It was a bit of a strange start, to be fair. There was literally no time between the 15-second board turning to five before the gate dropped, catching more than a few top-rankers out. Nunn reacted quickest though and had Tommy Searle, Lewis Gregory, Wayne Smith, Jim Murro, Jamie Law and Ben Saunders for company.
But, that didn't seem to bother the champ as he blitzed off trying to drop Searle – but it wasn't that easy actually! Searle hung on for dear life to the veteran of GP and British Championships as MacKenzie found himself way down mid-pack after missing out on the start. The front two started to open up a small gap on the chasing pack headed by Wayne Smith (you can un-cross your fingers now Martin, Wayne's panicking father!) MacKenzie ripped through from a end of first lap 12th spot to fourth place in three laps to hunt down the charging threesome at the front. However, it was going to be a big ask of the Scotsman as he admitted later to: "Riding like an idiot" on a bike that needed a few tweaks for the fast open track. Nunn and Searle were on a different planet and it was Searle who claimed fastest lap during the race trying to keep in touch with Nunn. Gareth Swanepoel looks back to form and rode to fourth place from a lowly 10th place before MacKenzie went past. Great battles went on down field between Shaun Simpson, Jason Dougan, Brad Anderson and Elliott Banks-Browne and hopefully we can see more of this type of close, 'bar-banging action throughout the season? However, Nunn claimed the victory from Searle and a delighted Wayne Smith.

MX1

STEPHEN Sword showed his true, ominous form with fastest time in the qualifying session, nearly two and a half seconds quicker than James Noble and Julien Bill, but there were only fractions of a second splitting the six riders following Noble. Stephen Sword was credited with the holeshot by super-commentator Roger Warren, but I have photographic evidence that one-time renowned fast-starter David Campbell headed the pack round the first turn!
However, fellow Scot Swordy hit the front in no uncertain terms a few metres later. Mark Jones, Noble, Nev Bradshaw, Jussi Vehvilainen, Glen Phillips and Martin Barr were in with a shout on his tail. But, on Swordy's tail they had to stay as the Kawasaki man was on a mission from the off and opened up a big gap by the end of the first lap. The man early reports had as a series favourite, Ken de Dycker, was caught out by the very quick five second to gate drop sequence and concrete start gate and was buried at the back of the pack at the first corner and in 30th place after lap one. With Swordy gone it was down to second placed Jones to fend off firstly Vehvilainen then Noble, but the Finn took a hefty tumble and Noble was in third. De Dycker was flying through the pack picking off riders at will and rarely using the same bit of track twice to do it! He went from 30th to EIGHTH within a lap and within four laps started putting pressure on Noble for third! He shot past Noble on lap five and headed for Jones as a paramedic on his way to tend to the stricken Dan Lillington was accidentally hit by Danny Smyth. The resultant injury to the para-medic nessesitated the race to be red-flagged to get him to an ambulance across the track. But only after De Dycker had slipped past Jones for second spot, with Noble also going through for third.

For full report, results and pictures see T+MX Friday, April 14, 2006

Report 19 - Pioneer Yamaha

It was a mixed day for Pioneer Yamaha at round 2 of the Maxxis British Motocross Championships at Canada Heights, Swanley, Kent and was witnessed by a large crowd and the track was perfectly prepared. Brad Anderson finished his timed qualifying in 13th position ( and riding with a broken hand!) whilst Glen Phillips riding the number eleven machine finished in 11th.

MX2

The opening race of the day came down to the line and there was some confusion with the starting procedure resulting in mixed reactions from a lot of the riders from the off and the normally fast starting Brad Anderson was buried mid pack in 20th on the opening lap

and a lap later was up into 15th. With a lot of pain in his broken throttle hand the adrenaline was keeping his race alive and a few laps later got involved in a good tussled as David Willet, Jim Murro and Jamie Law all not wanting Andersons yellow Yamaha 250f past but after a dogged several laps Anderson eventually got past the trio and then set his sights in chasing Elliott Banks- Brown but Anderson got caught napping three laps from home and Dougan went past leaving Anderson to chase and pass EBB on the final lap to finish a respectable 8th.

Race two was a much better start for Anderson tucked in behind Billy Mackenzie and Carl Nunn but their pace was too hot so Anderson had to think of who was behind and the now much rougher circuit was not helping his damaged hand, though after slipping a few places to 6th at the halfway stage that is where he stayed till the race end ending 6th overall on the day and is 5th in the standings.

MX2

A good start for Glen Phillips in race one inside the top ten but the race was an eventful one as he was swapping places with several different riders in the opening laps getting up as high as 6th at one stage and dropped a place before retaking that position again past David Campbell but another lap later lost out to Gordon Crockard and then shortly after Jordan Rose went past the Welshman wher he then settled on 8th for the next half of the race till the flag.

Race two was a short lived one as a top six start ended on the opening lap as he got taken out by another rider leaving Phillips dead last. After restarting his machine and got going two laps later caught a track marker post with his index finger ending his race and leaving the St Johns Ambulance to do their job !

Full results can be found by clicking on www.mylaps.com and Pioneer Yamahas next event is on Easter Monday for the MMX Champs nr Frome, Somerset.

Report 20 - Maximum Solutions Suzuki

An injury plagued week eventually put paid to the hopes of the Maximum Solutions Suzuki team at round two of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights in Kent at the weekend, as two out of the three team riders retired due to injury.

After damaging his knee during a mid-week practice session, MX2 rider Lewis Gregory was determined to battle through the pain, and made a blistering start on his RM-Z250 in race one, getting the holeshot and then settling into fourth spot. But after 10 minutes of competitive race action Lewis jarred his knee once more, leaving him unable to continue the race and the rest of the day.

MX2 team-mate Alex Snow was the only team rider to leave Canada Heights without injury but still left disappointed. With a lack of personal speed that even Alex couldn’t explain, he finished both races in a lowly 19th and 16th position respectively.

MX1 rider John May looked set to put his recent back injury behind him, but a technical problem saw his retire from race one, before a heavy fall whist sitting in a comfortable tenth position in race two saw him take a blow to the head and retire once more.

Team manager Rob Hooper was at a loss to describe the lack of team luck commenting, “What a weekend. Just when things look set to move forward, we seem to take two steps back. Lewis’ injury is a real concern now, and we’re considering withdrawing him from the Under 21 race next week to aid his recovery. Johns crash was a bit of a mystery, but it was immediately obvious that he had suffered concussion leaving him unable to continue. We’ll sit down this week and decide our game plan for the next few races”

Report 21 - Newsshopper

Crowds enjoy fantastic day of mad motocross

THOUSANDS of petrolheads turned out at Canada Heights motocross circuit for the second round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship.

In perfect weather, the bike fans enjoyed fast cut-and-thrust racing as the British riders tried to beat the growing army of foreigners who now compete in the series, considered one of the most competitive championships in the world.

The MX2 class kicked off the day's racing and as the thumping big fourstrokes echoed around the Swanley hillside, 16-year-old Tommy Searle blasted out of the blocks first.

However, Carl Nunn soon reeled him in and last year's champion held on despite constant pressure from Searle to take the win.

In the second MX2 race Scotland's Billy MacKenzie made up for a disappointing fourth in the first race and made his intentions clear for the coming year, holding off Nunn all the way to the flag.

Searle had tried a different starting gate in the second race which proved to be a big mistake and, as he raced through to third, the two leaders had disappeared into the distance.

Next up were the big boys in the MX1 class and all eyes were on Belgium's Ken de Dycker.

As the series' joint-leader, New Zealand's Josh Coppins, was out with an injury, British fans might have worried the Championship may again go to a foreign rider but it was Stephen Sword's day as the Scottish ace blitzed the field leaving de Dycker the runner up.

Home-grown riders had a bad day Swanley's Mark Eastwood gave it a try in practice but an injury ruled him out and Eltham's Ben Lambert Williams had bike problems.

In the second MX1 race Sword was in a class of his own although de Dycker made life hard for himself having to work his way through traffic from 20th on lap one all the way up to second. The series moves on to Matchams Park at Ringwood in Dorset on April 30

Report 22 - Nigel Arnold Racing

Mixed weekend for Nigel Arnold Racing at Canada Heights

Nigel Arnold Racing arrived to the fantastic Canada Heights track for the second round of Maxxis British Motocross Championship, full of hope and determination. The whole crew had been working extra hard to give a good show to many local supporters of the team. Race day was spent with variety of emotions, as the team had mixed fortunes on their way.

MX1

Stephen Heighton was very much looking forward to racing at Canada Heights track, as he has been a member of the organizing Sidcup Club for years, and knows the track inside out. Stephen’s bike had gone through only few changes since the last meeting, as his bike had proven to be in perfect setting for the hard-packed track. Stephen started his riding with great confidence, but few minutes into qualifying had unfortunate crash that damaged his race bike. The team crew had Stephen’s spare bike ready in no time, but after having lost use of his number one bike and some valuable track time, he narrowly missed out on qualifying to the day’s main events. Stephen didn’t let this disappointment get him down, and he showed his true colours in the support races. In the first race Stephen had an amazing holeshot, and was leading the first half of the race, with local fans cheering him on. Small mistake halfway through the race cost him couple of position, but he still finished in a fantastic 3rd position. Second race was much of a repeat of the first one, as Stephen had another perfect start, taking him to lead, and keeping him there for most of the race and finishing in 2nd place. Superb ending for the day, as Stephen showed what he is made of!

MX2

Peter Wrigglesworth has been working very hard with the team lately to find the right set-up for his race bike. But Peter’s day was overshadowed with bad luck in the qualifying, as he was forced to withdraw due to some serious technical difficulties at the early stages of qualifying. It was a big disappointment for Peter and the team, as he absolutely loved the track, and would without a doubt have been very successful there. But Peter’s approach to the disappointing race meeting is one of a true professional; despite the frustration, he has kept his positive spirit, and is very much looking forward to the forthcoming events.

Report 23 - Moto X

Canada Heights: Sword Reigns in Coppins’ Absence

Kawasaki’s Stephen Sword was in a class of his own at round two of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship (held at Canada heights on Sunday, April 9), clearing off into the distance to claim two wins in Josh Coppins’ (Honda) absence; in doing so closing the gap to series leader Ken De Dycker to just seven points (111 to 104). De Dycker (Honda) was clearly unable to match Sword’s electrifying pace and settled for 2-2 results to claim second overall; Honda’s James Noble was third (3-3). The competition in MX2 was a little more fierce, with Carl Nunn (KTM) and Billy Mackenzie taking a win apiece. However, once again it was Kawasaki’s Tommy Searle who caused most of the eye-brow raising, the 16-year-old pushed Nunn hard in the first race but was unable to squeeze past the 2005 champ. Carl’s 1-2 result was good enough for the overall and means he now leads Mackenzie by two points in the championship (105 to 103); Searle is third with 98 points.

Report 24 - Richard Lawson (Twisted 7) Report

From here on the Twisted 7 forum

The track was dry which was good for a change, maybe even a little too dry, other than that it was in real good shape. Qualifying went not bad for me, I've been getting a little better at it now but it still needs a lot of work. I qualified 22nd. I got my best lap in near the end when i decied to triple into the whoops, there was only the top guys doing it so I was pretty pumped about getting that done.

I was feeling good for the race and pretty confident with myself, i just wanted a good start and the rest would come. I ended up having a slight problem with my exhaust in the waiting zone which left me with nearly the last pick on the gate. I lined up on the far outside and knew i had to get a good drop, I did but got pushed wide on the first turn. I think I came around the first couple of turns in 20th but by the end of the first lap had moved up to around 13th. I was kind of riding a bit tight the first couple of laps but soon settled down and was pushing Jody Smyth for 11th place. The race was red flagged at around the 25 minute mark and the results stood so I ended up 12th and very happy.

Race 2. I really wanted another top 12 and knew I had the pace to do it. I got a really good drop again and made a good first corner. I came around the first lap 13th. I was feeling good and started to push it with the faster guys. The next lap I came around in 34th. Not what I had planned. I crashed over the back part of the track and doing so lost my front brake and twisted the bars but i kept pushing and ended up just getting back into the points finishing 20th.

I finished 16th overall. I've got alot of confidence from this race and I no I can run near the top 10, thats my new goal for the season to get a top 10 finish. Also I need to put in two good races on the day and earn some good ponits for the championship.

More Information

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