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Desertmartin set to hit your screens The 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship is already in its second and decisive half of the season, with round six of the current series set to take place at the famous Foxhill circuit on Sunday 27th July. In the meantime courtesy of Sky Sports you can enjoy the most recent action in the comfort of your own home, with a full hour long programme dedicated to round five from Desertmartin. The trip across the Irish sea really upset the form book with Wayne Smith - Pioneer Yamaha taking the overall win in the MX1 class in the absence of the injured series leader Billy MacKenzie - CAS Honda. Whilst in the MX2 category it was Shaun Simpson - KTM UK who took full advantage of Stephen Sword - Molson Kawasaki being heavily hampered through injury, with two race wins to become the new holder of the red plate. TV schedule - Round 5 Desertmartin - Thursday 3rd July - 5pm - Sky Sports Xtra Round 5 Desertmartin - Thursday 3rd July - 8pm - Sky Sports 3 Round 5 Desertmartin - Thursday 3rd July - Midnight - Sky Sports Xtra Round 5 Desertmartin - Friday 4th July - 6am - Sky Sports 3 Round 5 Desertmartin - Friday 4th July - 3pm - Sky Sports Xtra Round 5 Desertmartin - Saturday 5th July - 2am - Sky Sports Xtra Round 5 Desertmartin - Saturday 5th July - 5am - Sky Sports Xtra Remaining rounds of the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship Round 6 - 27th July - Foxhill, Swindon Round 7 - 17th August - Brampton, Cumbria Round 8 - 21st September - Hawkstone Park, Shrewsbury Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship 2008 Round 5 - Desertmartin - Sunday 22nd June Simpson aces damp Desertmartin as Smith breaks MX1 deadlock The strong winds that blew across the Desertmartin circuit in Northern Ireland for the fifth round of eight in the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Championship also forced a change of direction in the results of the series. Pioneer Emberson Yamaha's Wayne Smith benefitted from reigning champion Billy Mackenzie's absence to obtain his first victory in the MX1 class while KTM UK's Shaun Simpson dominated both motos to secure his second triumph of the year and the red plate as leader of the category. Despite inclement conditions - the gusts also delivering copious amounts of rainfall - the Porter's Pit terrain stood up well and the track was kept in good shape, even boasting a new timing section and bomb-hole to test the best off-road riders in the country. The MX1 division had been in the firm grip of CAS Honda's Billy Mackenzie who had swept every moto and each overall victory of the four previous events. With a 65 point lead the Scot was able to sit out the visit to Northern Ireland in the wake of his crash and right shoulder injury last week at the Grand Prix of France. The 24 year old still heads the standings by 23 points over James Noble. With the path free for a new 2008 winner an interesting set of races occurred. Par Honda's Ray Rowson - who narrowly missed out on qualification at the French round of the World championship the previous weekend - claimed his maiden MX1 chequered flag in the first moto since moving up to the class last year. The former Under-21 British Champion was not able to repeat the feat in the second outing and with 5th place took the final podium place. Smith controlled the second moto for a deserved overall win and was fittingly emotional on the top step of the rostrum. Runner-up was KTM UK's Noble, who with 3rd and 2nd confirmed his second silverware of 2008.
"I knew I had a good chance coming into this weekend and the result could not have been better," he said. "The track was more technical and to my liking in the second moto so there was less pressure. I'm in the lead now with three rounds to go, so things are looking good." Utag Yamaha.com's Barr, only just coming back to speed after recently breaking his collarbone, was runner-up again and satisfied with second spot on the podium. It was the second appearance this season in the top three for the youngster. Also making his second rostrum celebration of 2008 was Suso Suzuki's Carl Nunn, who with third and fourth positions, rounded out the top three. MX2 'red plate' holder Stephen Sword was also walking wounded after the seventh round of the world championship in France. The former multi-British Champ competed with heavy strapping on his damaged shoulder and with teeth firmly clenched salvaged points with 11th and 12th. His efforts however could not prevent Simpson from cutting a 22 point deficit before the weekend to leapfrog over Sword and into first place by 9 points. Round six will take place at Foxhills near Swindon on July 27th For further information and all the latest series news please visit www.mxgb.co.uk MX1 Moto One: 1: Rowson 2: Smith 3: Noble 4: Church 5: Jones MX1 Moto Two: 1: Smith 2: Noble 3: Anderson 4: Jones 5: Rowson MX1 Overall: 1: Smith 47 2: Noble 42 3: Rowson 41 Championship to-date: 1: MacKenzie 200 2: Noble 177 3: Anderson 166 MX2 Moto One: 1: Simpson 2: Barr 3: Nunn 4: Dougan 5: Irwin MX2 Moto Two: 1: Simpson 2: Barr 3: Bradshaw 4: Nunn 5: Dougan MX2 Overall: 1: Simpson 50 2: Barr 44 3: Nunn 38 Championship to date: 1: Simpson 207 2: Sword 198 3: Barr 181 SUSO MVR-D Suzuki There’s something about Desertmartin in Northern Ireland that brings the best out of riders and this weekend was no exception. All three SUSO MVR-D Suzuki riders raced themselves into the top ten overall, in fact slightly better than that as Carl Nunn finished on the podium in third, Jason Dougan just one position behind in fourth and Marcus Norlen in fifth – quite an achievement for one team. Carl Nunn has been steadily improving throughout the Maxxis British championship and this weekend was an example that Carl has plenty of speed left in the tank which bodes well for the remainder of the season. Just like Carl, Jason has lifted his game and is now looking to push himself that bit extra for the final three rounds, expect a podium from the talented Dougan sometime soon. After a few weeks off the bike Marcus Norlen looked sharp and fresh and this together with a short break back home in Sweden, Marcus came back fighting fit and put in a tremendous performance to show he has what it takes to run at this highly charged level of racing. Mark Chamberlain – Team Manager “This weekend has been just awesome for the riders and the team, to finish third, fourth and fifth shows true commitment by everyone involved. I’m very pleased with the result. We had no problems and this proved with the results we achieved, this is exactly where we need to be challenging for podium positions.” Rowson claims Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award at wet Desertmartin A wet and windy fifth round of eight in the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship was hosted by the Desertmartin circuit in Northern Ireland and with the leaders of both MX1 and MX2 categories struggling with injury, the trip across the water for the majority of national competitors provided a chance to see fresh faces on top of the podium. In the absence of CAS Honda's Billy Mackenzie - who had won every moto (16) and each round this season prior to a sustaining a shoulder injury at the Grand Prix of France last week - Pioneer Emberson Yamaha's Wayne Smith was able to celebrate his maiden MX1 victory. MX2 series leader Stephen Sword was also walking wounded after a mishap at the French round of the world championship and although he bravely tried to compete (scoring 13th overall with heavy strapping to his ailing shoulder) main title rival Shaun Simpson aced both races through the dark sand to rise to the top of the standings. Smith celebrated his success in Northern Ireland thanks to a second moto victory. Winner of the first race and also the Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award for the fastest lap-time of the afternoon was Par Honda's Ray Rowson (third overall on the day) who toasted his first MX1 spoils since moving to the class at the end of last season. KTM UK's James Noble took his second podium result of the season as he finished runner-up at Desertmartin. In the MX2 class overall winner Shaun Simpson capitalised on the weakened state of main title rival Sword to take the lead and red-plate in the division by 7 points. The Scot won both races on his KTM UK machine, the second commandingly, from Utag Yamaha.com's Martin Barr as Suso Suzuki's Carl Nunn filled the final podium step. Fuchs Silkolene are the official lubricant partners of the 2008 championship in addition to being sponsors of this charity award. The award Using the information provided by the championship's official timekeepers, the fastest three riders in each class at each round are awarded bonus points on a 5, 3 and 1 basis respectively. In addition to the two class winners being presented with prizes at each round, their cumulative points total will also count towards a very important overall prize that will be concluded at the last round in September. The rider with the highest points tally, irrespective of class, following the final meeting at Hawkstone Park will be presented with "The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award" and a cheque for one thousand five hundred pounds to donate to a recognised charity of their choice. The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award
Mackenzie steamrollers onwards Reigning number one Billy Mackenzie's relentless assault on the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Championship showed no signs of easing after the CAS Honda rider guided his blackened factory-backed machine to another comprehensive double moto victory at round four of eight. A quick course and warm temperatures greeted the racers at the Lyng circuit in Norfolk where the MX2 class was also swept by former multi-champion Stephen Sword in front of one of the biggest crowds the venue has seen. Twenty-four year old Mackenzie deservedly gathered the headlines over weekend after yet another pole position and set of chequered flags. The fourth overall win from four also saw the 2007 title-winner register his eighth triumph from eight motos. This devastating streak of form means that he now holds a lead of sixty-five points; an advantage of more than two motos. The battle for second place on this occasion was won by Swift Suzuki's Brad Anderson who is still recovering from an injured shoulder and beat KTM UK's James Noble by four points with second and third positions. Noble was handicapped by an incident in race one when the Whitby-resident hit a fallen Mark Hucklebridge and lost several places before rejoining the fray. The latter would also recover and score fourth in the final classification. Mark Jones grabbed third spot in moto one, but a hefty crash ruled him out of the second sprint while Molson Kawasaki's Tom Church finished behind the Welshman in the opening race only to have mechanical trouble in moto two. "It was our first 'full-speed' meeting of the year; where the track was not slow or technical and the weather was not against us," commented Mackenzie. "After my mistakes at the Portuguese Grand Prix last week I was keen to get myself back on-track and I'm glad I have the British Championship to blow away some frustration. It was almost like training for me today." In the MX2 class Molson Kawasaki's Stephen Sword drilled his works KX250F to deflect the attentions of KTM UK's Shaun Simpson. The twenty-seven year old overtook his rival in the first moto to win and then capitalised on Simpson missing a gear in race two to reach the line first; his third success from four outings and now he heads the series by twenty-two points. In third place was Relentless Suzuki's Lewis Gregory, enjoying a personal best, and still missing race fitness due to recovery from a broken wrist. MX1 Moto One: 1: Mackenzie 2: Anderson 3: Jones 4: Church 5: Noble MX1 Moto Two: 1: Mackenzie 2: Noble 3: Anderson 4: Campano 5: Smith MX1 Overall: 1: Mackenzie 50 2: Anderson 42 3: Noble 38 Championship to date: 1: Mackenzie 200 2: Noble 135 3: Anderson 131 MX2 Moto One: 1: Sword 2: Simpson 3: Dougan 4: Gregory 5: Nicholls MX2 Moto Two: 1: Sword 2: Simpson 3: Nunn 4: Banks-Browne 5: Gregory MX2 Overall: 1: Sword 50 2: Simpson 44 3: Gregory 34 Championship to date: 1: Sword 179 2: Simpson 157 3: Barr 137 Mackenzie unstoppable in charge for Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award The fourth round of eight in the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Championship at a warm Lyng in Norfolk was an all-Scottish affair once again as CAS Honda's Billy Mackenzie extended his unbeaten MX1 run to eight motos from eight and four overall consecutive successes, and Molson Kawasaki's Stephen Sword swept the board in the MX2 division. Reigning MX1 British Champion Mackenzie, a Fuchs Silkolene backed rider, marked the quickest circulation of the dry and fast course at Cadders Hill on the first lap of the opening moto and broke free to claim the chequered flag by over forty seconds. Unsurprisingly Sword was the fastest racer on a 250cc four-stroke machine and registered his flying attempt on lap three of the first sprint. The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award is given to the individual recording the fastest lap of the day under race conditions. Japanese Grand Prix winner for the past three years and Britain's top rider in the MX1 World Championship, Billy Mackenzie, twenty-four years old from Edinburgh, left the British Championship field to squabble over the lower steps of the podium for the fourth meeting in a row and now holds a hefty sixty-five point lead over James Noble who was third at Lyng. Brad Anderson is next, and was second in Norfolk despite still recovering from a dislocated shoulder. Mackenzie's margin means that he can miss two of the remaining eight races and still retain his crown. Former multi-champion Stephen Sword, who is only one of two Brits to walk a Grand Prix rostrum this season, scaled the top step of the podium for the second consecutive meeting, but was followed by main title threat Shaun Simpson. Sword, on his works KX250F, pursued and overtook the KTM UK rider in both motos while clearly enjoying a speed-advantage across the terrain compared to the rest of the pack. As a consequence Sword was able to extend the gap in the series standings to twenty-two points over his rival. Relentless Suzuki's Lewis Gregory gained an impressive third place overall. Round five will take place at Desertmartin in Northern Ireland on June 22nd. Fuchs Silkolene are the official lubricant partners of the 2008 championship in addition to being sponsors of this charity award. The award Using the information provided by the championship's official timekeepers, the fastest three riders in each class at each round are awarded bonus points on a 5, 3 and 1 basis respectively. In addition to the two class winners being presented with prizes at each round, their cumulative points total will also count towards a very important overall prize that will be concluded at the last round in September. The rider with the highest points tally, irrespective of class, following the final meeting at Hawkstone Park will be presented with "The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award" and a cheque for one thousand five hundred pounds to donate to a recognised charity of their choice. The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award Results: Round 4 - Lyng - 4th May 2008 MX1 MX2 1 - Billy MacKenzie 5 pts 1 - Stephen Sword 5 pts 2 - Brad Anderson 3 pts 2 - Shaun Simpson 3 pts 3 - Mark Jones 1 pt 3 - Lewis Gregory 1 pt Overall MX1 to date 1 - Mackenzie 20, 2- Anderson 6, 3- Church 5, 4- Hucklebridge 3, 4 - Jones 2, 5 - Gundersen 1 Overall MX2 to date 1 - Sword 14, 2 - Simpson 11, 3 - Searle 5, 4 - Barr 3, 5 - Dougan 2 Round five will take place at Desertmartin in Northern Ireland on June 22nd. For further information and all the latest series news please visit www.mxgb.co.uk Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship 2008 Round 3 - Torrington - Sunday 13th April MacKenzie continues his charge for The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award The hunt for the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Champions continued as the third round of the series took place at a wet and muddy Torrington circuit in Devon. Despite the heavy going, Fuchs Silkolene backed rider Billy MacKenzie - CAS Honda kept his 100% record intact as he took another two race wins to increase his tally to six victories from six starts. In addition to his overall victory, the reigning MX1 British champion once again stole The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award, for recording the fastest lap of the day under race conditions. MacKenzie was in devastating form for the third round in a row, with the young Scot topping qualifying by over eight seconds ahead of two gate to flag victories that left his rivals in his wake. Billy won the second and final MX1 moto by the monster margin of one minute and twenty-one seconds to further increase his advantage in the overall standings after three of the eight scheduled events. MacKenzie will take a healthy forty-four point lead to the next round at Lyng, Norfolk on Sunday 4th May, with the Honda rider looking the clear favourite to retain his title even at this early stage in the domestic season. In the MX2 class it was overall winner Stephen Sword - Molson Kawasaki who claimed The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award, with his fastest lap time being recorded on the opening lap of race two, as was MacKenzie's in the MX1 category. Sword now heads the points table by a single point from Shaun Simpson - KTM UK, as this duo continue to scrap it out for top honours on all fronts in the MX2 division of the series. Fuchs Silkolene are the official lubricant partners of the 2008 championship in addition to being sponsors of this charity award. The award Using the information provided by the championship's official timekeepers, the fastest three riders in each class at each round are awarded bonus points on a 5, 3 and 1 basis respectively. In addition to the two class winners being presented with prizes at each round, their cumulative points total will also count towards a very important overall prize that will be concluded at the last round in September. The rider with the highest points tally, irrespective of class, following the final meeting at Hawkstone Park will be presented with "The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award" and a cheque for one thousand five hundred pounds to donate to a recognised charity of their choice. The Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award Results Round 3 - Torrington - 13th April 2008 MX1 MX2 1 - Billy MacKenzie 5 pts 1 - Stephen Sword 5 pts 2 - Mark Hucklebridge 3 pts 2 - Shaun Simpson 3 pts 3 - Tom Church 1 pt 3 - Jason Dougan 1 pt Overall MX1 to date 1 - Mackenzie 15, 2- Church 5, 3 - Hucklebridge 3 / Anderson 3, 5 - Gundersen 1, 5 - Jones 1 Overall MX2 to date 1 - Sword 9, 2 - Simpson 8, 3 - Searle 5, 4 - Barr 3, 5 - Dougan 1 / Leuret 1 Next event: Round 4 - Lyng - 4th May 2008
The third round of the Maxxis British motocross championship took place in Devon at a muddy Waggadon Farm near Torrington but that didn’t deter SUSO MVR-D Suzuki from putting on a super performance with three riders finishing in the top seven overall in the MX2 class. Jason Dougan was back on top form - in race one Jason put in a solid performance to finish in fifth and in race two Dougan eclipsed his race one performance with a superb second to land him a well deserved third overall on the day his best performance of year thus far. Marcus Norlen is beginning to look like a class act, after only a few months racing in the UK the young Swedish rider put in yet another fine performance finishing seventh in moto one and improved by three places to fourth in moto two to secure sixth on the Suso MVR-D Suzuki. Carl Nunn added the icing on the cake for the team securing seventh overall with an 8-7 scorecard, chasing Marcus for most of the race Nunn was hampered by back markers and dropped back from fifth to seventh after knocking his ankle in a tight corner. Team Manager – Mark Chamberlain “Today was a great day for everyone in the team, Jason, Marcus and Carl were outstanding and for all three to finish within the top seven is a huge achievement for one team. Our bikes were outstanding in such tough track conditions; we are now looking to take this performance onwards into the rest of the season. The only sour note was a possible injury to our youngest team member James Cottrell in race two. We now travel to Spain next weekend for the second world championship event of the season and I’m sure better things are to come.” For further information and all the latest series news please visit www.mxgb.co.uk
MacKenzie and Simpson shine at Canada Heights A light covering of snow dusted the Kent circuit ahead of the second round of the 2008 Maxxis British Motocross Championship. However whilst extreme Easter weather conditions halted events elsewhere in the UK, the country's premier off road motorcycle series enjoyed a well prepared and drying track surface despite the dull and overcast skies overhead. Reigning MX1 British champion Billy MacKenzie - CAS Honda maintained his 100% record with another pair of race wins at the spectacular Canada Heights circuit that overlooks the infamous M25 motorway. MacKenzie was once again in blistering form to out qualify Kenneth Gundersen - UTAG Yamaha, before dominating both motos from start to finish to increase his championship lead to twenty two points after just two rounds. A battling Brad Anderson - Swift Suzuki edged out a rejuvenated Mark Jones - Kawasaki for the runners up spot in the MX1 class on the day. Anderson got the nod despite tying with Jones on points, thanks to a better second race result when he followed MacKenzie across the line. Anderson also moves into second position in the general standings on a similar footing, with the Suzuki rider now sharing the same points tally as Gundersen at the quarter point in the campaign. Shaun Simpson - KTM UK picked up from where Tommy Searle - KTM UK left off after the first round. The promising young Scot was the man of the meeting, topping MX2 qualifying by over two seconds, before cruising to two race wins. His margin of victory in both encounters told the true scale of his success, it being thirty-six and forty-six seconds respectively. Stephen Sword - Molson Kawasaki could only manage third spot overall on the day, behind Simpson and Martin Barr - UTAG Yamaha, but now heads the MX2 championship standing by ten points over the Yamaha rider. Sword went 2 - 4 to earn his podium place, and to keep his title challenge alive, but will be only too aware of the threat that his young KTM rival will pose as the series progresses over the coming months. The 2008 championship moves further south for its next instalment on Sunday 13th April, when the series visits Torrington in Devon. Here both of the main championship classes will be joined by the MXY2 youth category that takes place at four out of the eight rounds. For further information and all the latest series news please visit www.mxgb.co.uk MX1 Moto One: 1: MacKenzie 2: Jones 3: Gundersen 4: Anderson 5: Elderfield MX1 Moto Two: 1: MacKenzie 2: Anderson 3: Church 4: Jones 5: Gundersen MX1 Overall: 1: MacKenzie 50 2: Anderson 40 3: Jones 40 Championship to date: 1: MacKenzie 100 2: Anderson 78 3: Gundersen 78 MX2 Moto One: 1: Simpson 2: Sword 3: Barr 4: Dougan 5: Nunn MX2 Moto Two: 1: Simpson 2: Barr 3: Bradshaw 4: Sword 5: Leuret MX2 Overall: 1: Simpson 50 2: Barr 42 3: Sword 40 Championship to date: 1: Sword 84 2: Barr 74 3: Simpson 70 Mackenzie heads the charge to Fuchs Silkolene Charity Award
CCM Racing made their second outing at the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross championship, with the latest round taking place at the fantastic Canada Heights circuit in Kent. Once again the sole responsibility of flying the flag for the famous British motorcycle manufacturer was left to the emerging talent of Oliver Sandiford-Smith, with his younger team mate Richie Worrall still sidelined by a pre-season injury. Winter like conditions gripped the venue with a light covering of snow defining the track despite the meeting's Easter date. Whilst the undulating circuit stood up well in spite of the best efforts of the British weather, conditions out on track were very difficult, with the top surface offering little grip and few chances to overtake. Sandiford-Smith used the morning qualifying session to acquaint himself with both the circuit and the conditions, posting his best time on lap four of the nine he completed. Although slightly off the pace of the leading group, Oliver qualified in a respectable twentieth position to book his place in the two main MX1 races. The first thirty-minute plus two lap encounter proved to be an ongoing battle for the lone CCM rider as he rose and fell in the running order as a series of minor crashes throughout the moto limited his progress. Oliver's pace should have easily netted him a top twenty finish, but his catalogue of small mistakes left him down in a disappointing twenty seventh place come the flag. Race two brought better fortunes for the Bolton based team, with the revolutionary aluminium bonded chassis CCM MX450 emerging from the first turn in a mid pack position and the opportunity of making progress. Looking much more at home in the heavy conditions Sandiford-Smith set about his task of climbing up the leader board, with his spirited efforts taking him into the top fifteen with just one lap to go. Unfortunately Oliver was not able to hold onto this position, and slipped one place to sixteenth as the flag was waved on the second moto. This performance was worthy of five valuable championship points, to put Oliver in twentieth place overall on the day, and to move him up into the top twenty five in the general series standings. Team Principle Gary Harthern gave his view of the day's events and news of Worrall's return to riding. " The good news is that we are making the progress, even it is a little slower than our enthusiasm would like it to be. The last three meetings have seen Oliver produce far better second race results, so we just need to focus on getting him dialled in earlier in the meeting and then I am sure we can be a lot nearer our overall goal of top ten finishes. "Richie has got the OK from the doctor and is back riding a bike today, so should be back in racing action very soon, but not before he is fully ready. " Results: MX1 Moto One: 1: MacKenzie 2: Jones 3: Gundersen 4: Anderson 5: Elderfield….27: Sandiford-Smith MX1 Moto Two: 1: MacKenzie 2: Anderson 3: Church 4: Jones 5: Gundersen….16: Sandiford-Smith MX1 Overall: 1: MacKenzie 50 2: Anderson 40 3: Jones 40….20: Sandiford-Smith 5 Championship to date: 1: MacKenzie 100 2: Anderson 78 3: Gundersen 78….24: Sandiford-Smith 7 SUSO MVR-D Suzuki team It was back to business on Sunday for the SUSO MVR-D Suzuki team, conditions at the Maxxis British motocross championship at Canada Heights in Kent were quite unbelievable. The forecast all week was snow and from 8am on Sunday morning it arrived and covered the circuit in a white blanket and that made timed qualifying very difficult. Good news for all team riders is that all four qualified into the main event, Jason Dougan showed real pace and qualified in sixth in near impossible riding conditions. Race one was tough as the snow started to disappear and was replaced with sleet which made the going very wet and difficult, Dougan and Nunn were outstanding finishing in fourth and fifth respectively. Norlen didn’t have a great start but showed courage and fought his way to a top fifteen position with James finishing in thirtieth. In race two the conditions were freezing and the track was now full off deep rutted areas which made for difficult racing, Jason stuck to his guns and finished a creditable seventh, Carl had mid race off which put paid to a repeat of race one but still fought back to finish in seventeenth, Marcus again put in 100% and finished just outside the top ten in eleventh. Team Manager – Mark Chamberlain “Today was tough the weather was appalling but the boys stuck to it and fought well in both races, Jason showed he has the potential to challenge for race wins, Jason was the top Suzuki rider in the MX2 class and with dry conditions to come it’s looking good. Carl and Marcus both finished in the top twelve with more to come from them – three riders in the top twelve positions at this level is exciting. James was unlucky in the second race as he made a good start; he unfortunately collided with another rider which ended his race. We now have a week off before the first round of the world championship in Valkenswaard in Holland and hopefully better weather conditions.”  Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship 2008 Round 1 - Donington Park
- Sunday 9th March
MacKenzie and Searle dominate at Donington Photo by rayarcher.com Clear blue skies and several thousand expectant race fans marked the opening encounter of the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship held at the famous Donington Park road race circuit. Although not quite as fast as their tarmac compatriots, the dirt based riders produced some equally thrilling action on a track that hosted last year's British MXGP and that will welcome the MX of Nations in late September. Picking up from where he left off last season, reigning MX1 British Champion Billy MacKenzie - CAS Honda in his new colours delivered a clear message that he has no intention of surrendering his domestic crown. The twenty-four old from Scotland was in devastating form throughout the day. Tommy Searle - KTM UK who just missed out on the MX2 title last year, also opened his account with an equally dominant performance. There was no gentle beginning to the day, with MacKenzie topping MX1 qualifying by an opponent destroying margin of nearly two seconds, over the highly rated Kenneth Gunderson - UTAG Yamaha. MacKenzie took this pace straight into the first race, and led the field by three seconds as he crossed the line on his initial lap. No one had an answer to Billy's sheer speed, with Gunderson and Tom Church - Molson Kawasaki having to settle for the remaining podium places respectively before the race had even properly begun. It was the same story in the second MX1 moto, with MacKenzie going from the gate to the flag unchallenged to leave Brad Anderson - Swift Suzuki and Gunderson to pick up the rostrum scraps this time around. Searle had to wait until lap three in the first MX2 race before he hit the front and then disappeared in to the distance to cross the line fifteen seconds ahead of Stephen Sword - Molson Kawasaki and Pascal Leuret - Swift Suzuki. It was almost a repeat performance by Tommy next time out, as he took command of the race on lap five to come home seventeen seconds clear of Sword and Shaun Simpson - KTM UK to end a perfect day for the teenager. A win and a fifth place was just enough to give Scott Elderfield - KTM the overall win in the MXY2 class by a single point over Sam Davis, who finished as runner up thanks to two consistent third places from his two outings. The championship will only pause briefly now, before the battle resumes at the fantastic Canada Heights Circuit on Sunday 23rd March. For further information and all the latest series news please visit www.mxgb.co.uk MX1 Moto One: 1: MacKenzie 2: Gunderson 3: Church 4: Noble 5: Anderson MX1 Moto Two: 1: MacKenzie 2: Anderson 3: Gunderson 4: Noble 5: Church MX1 Overall: 1: MacKenzie 50 2: Gunderson 42 3: Anderson 38 Championship to date: 1: MacKenzie 50 2: Gunderson 42 3: Anderson 38 MX2 Moto One: 1: Searle 2: Sword 3: Leuret 4: Swanepoel 5: Barr MX2 Moto Two: 1: Searle 2: Sword 3: Simpson 4: Leuret 5: Barr MX2 Overall: 1: Searle 50 2: Sword 44 3: Leuret 38 Championship to date: 1: Searle 50 2: Sword 44 3: Leuret 38 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship 2008 KTM confirm support for Maxxis Series The first round of the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross championship, which will take place at Donington Park in a month's time, will open what is regarded as one of the strongest domestic championship's in Europe. Whilst Maxxis remains as title sponsors, series promoters ACU Events are proud to welcome KTM to the fold as an important championship partner for the forthcoming season. In addition to this announcement, TMX and sister publication DBR have also been confirmed as exclusive media partners, and will be key in promoting all eight rounds of the championship as well as bringing you the unrivalled coverage of the series as the campaign travels the length and breadth of the UK. Series Manager Brian Higgins confirmed the significance of having the Austrian brand on board for 2008. "We are really delighted to have a manufacturer supporting the championship once again, and especially KTM as they are very much involved in the sport and our series. KTM have a good understanding of how they can assist in the continued growth and improvement that the championship has enjoyed over more recent years." Reinforcing this sentiment KTM UK's MD Shaun Sisterson stated. "The British Championship is recognised as one of the most competitive domestic championships in the world. KTM UK is eagerly anticipating this coming year and is delighted to be formally supporting it. We are also looking forward to being a part of its growth and evolution in the year to come." With Maxxis, Relentless, KTM, TMX and DBR already confirmed as official series sponsors, ACU Events are also delighted to announce that Carole Nash has recently renewed its association with the championship for 2008. Fuchs Silkolene completes the current line up of sponsors, with the Stoke on Trent based lubricants company joining the championship for the first time. 2007 was one of the closest fought campaigns in recent years with both the MX1 and MX2 titles only being decided during the very last race of the final round. This year promises to be an equally thrilling fight to the finish with both Billy MacKenzie and Mike Brown looking to retain their hard earned crowns. With rounds throughout the UK, the championship is never far away from your home town, so make a note of the dates now and make sure you don't miss the action when the series visits your area. The full list of dates and venues for the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship have been confirmed as: Rnd 1 - 9th March - Donington Park, East Midlands For all the latest series news and information please visit www.mxgb.co.uk
De Dycker and Brown deliver a CAS Honda whitewash at Brampton CAS Honda riders won all four main championship races, as Britain's premier motocross series returned to Cumbria after a long absence. Reigning MX1 champion Ken De Dycker and his American team mate Mike Brown dominated the proceedings at Brampton, which formed the penultimate round of the 2007 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship to set up a thrilling finale that will be played out at Pontrilias on Saturday 15th September. De Dycker confirmed his liking for the undulating sandy circuit just a few miles away from the city of Carlisle, with a blistering qualifying lap that was over two seconds faster than any of his rivals. A very comfortable start to finish race win in the opening MX1 moto reinforced the tall Belgian's sheer speed. In contrast current championship leader Billy MacKenzie - De Groot Kawasaki had to battle through the field to secure the last podium place after a poor start. MacKenzie actually moved into second place for a short while, before being charged down by Brad Anderson - Pioneer Yamaha who was more than worthy of his runners up position. Race two saw De Dycker once again take the victory from the front, leaving MacKenzie to finish in second and lose further points to his main championship rival. The factory Kawasaki rider, who will join the CAS squad in 2008, now only a mere eight point lead over De Dycker with one round and two very important races remaining. Anderson, who took third place in the second moto, and third overall now moves to third in the series just a single point ahead of James Noble - Multitek Honda, and will also have to wait to mid September to see if he can grab the number three plate. Although Brown was a full second and a half slower than Searle in timed training, the highly experienced American proved his true pedigree with a convincing gate to flag victory in the first MX2 encounter. Whilst Brown was dictating the pace at the head of the pack, Searle was faced with the daunting task of having to cut his way through the field after getting caught up in a first turn incident. Despite his best efforts Searle could not manage any higher than fourth spot on the very rutted circuit. Jason Dougan - Forkrent Suzuki and Ashley Greedy - PAR Honda took second and third places respectively, after coming under great pressure from Searle. Brown made another good start in the second moto, but was soon caught by Seale, with the teenager delivering a strong block pass on his elder rival to take charge of the race. For several laps it looked like Brown had settled for a safe second place to preserve his series lead, but was soon to be rewarded for his constant pressure as Searle made an unforced error to gift him the lead once again. There was no way back for Searle as he crossed the line seven seconds behind Brown, to go to the final round twelve points behind the Honda rider. In the MXY2 youth class, it was Lewis King - Team Green Kawasaki who took top honours on the day to move two points ahead of Graeme Iriwn - KTM in the overall standings, with just one more round to ride. Previous series leader Alex Rockwell - RDH Pro Circuit Honda lost valuable ground with a DNF in the second moto. Optoma Racing’s Anderson leads the Championship! Current British four-stroke champion Brad Anderson fired his 450 Pioneer Yamaha to his fourth consecutive race double win at Brampton, Cumbria. With two rounds remaining has opened up a comfortable 58 point advantage over nearest rival Mark Jones going into the penultimate round of the series next weekend at the demanding Blaxhall Pits circuit in Suffolk. Brad Anderson gated well in race one and after the opening lap was in third place behind leader Mark Jones and Bryan Mackenzie but it was only a lap later when the yellow machine of Anderson was chasing down his closest championship rival Jones after dispensing of Mackenzie. On lap seven of the fifteen-lap encounter Anderson was gifted the lead after Jones chain broke leaving Anderson to romp home to a comfortable ten second win over Wayne Smith. After taking the first race win, Anderson was hungry for more and another good start had Anderson running in fourth. With form and confidence running high it was less than a lap before Anderson was forcing the pace and leading the chasing pack with Mark Jones in close attendance. On top of his game at the moment, Anderson was riding smooth, feeling confident that he can’t be beaten in this highly competitive championship and rode out the race keeping Jones at arms length throughout and extending his series lead furthermore.
Jason Dougan and Jake Nicholls set blistering lap times on the deep sandy circuit and once again showed that both riders are certainly a force to be reckoned with. Dougie has improved with every race this season and this weekend he was awarded a podium finish in third overall. Race one saw him chase eventual winner Mike Brown hard for the entire race and this awared with second place at the line. In moto two Jason again set great lap times and eventually finished fifth which gave him his much deserved podium position. It was a similar story for Jake - in moto one he found himself in second for a period of time battling with his team mate, after some great individual battles the 17 year Fork-Rent rider finally crossed the line in seventh behind American Sean Hamblin. With the track becoming super tough Jake didn’t quite get the same start as in moto one but hung in there for twelfth and succeeded in gaining his best overall finish at a British championship round in seventh. Team Manager – Mark Chamberlain “It was a great weekend for the team and I’m well pleased with both riders performance. Jason was unlucky to miss out on second overall but third is an excellent achievement in such a world class field. We are all on a mission for the final round at Pontrilas in a few weeks time”. The final round of the series takes place at Howton Court, Pontrilias on Saturday 15th September 2007, please visit the all new official championship website - www.mxgb.co.uk - for further details.
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MX2 belonged firmly in the hands of title protagonist Shaun Simpson.
The 20 year old Scot deflected attention from local hope Martin Barr in
the first of the two motos, but disappeared from the pack in the second
outing. Simpson now has accumulated 5 race wins and 2 'overalls'.
SUSO MVR-D Suzuki Press Bulletin
Photos by Ray
Chuss
Round 2 - Canada Heights - Sunday 23rd March
More valuable British Championship points for CCM
Racing at Canada Heights
Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship 2007 Review - Rnd 7 Brampton,
Cumbria - Sunday 12th August
The
seventh round of the Maxxis British motocross championship in Brampton,
Cumbria proved to be Fork-Rent Suzuki’s best round of the season so far.