Maxxis British Champs - This Weekend
Posted on March 08, 2019
The Maxxis British Motocross championships begin this coming weekend. Some big names with GP riders Shaun Simpson and Tommy Searle in MX1 and Conrad Mewse in MX2.
The Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship supported by Pro Clean fires into action this Sunday with the opening round of the country’s premier race series taking place at FatCat Motoparc near Doncaster.
The deep sand of FatCat is an intimidating test of technique, speed and fitness and no-one likes the soft stuff more than Shaun Simpson (RFX KTM powered by PAR Homes) who was eighth overall at the opening MXGP of the year in Argentina last weekend.
The 30-year-old Scot – who hasn’t raced the series for the last two years – was MX1 champion in 2014 and the following year retained his title with a perfect eight-from-eight overall wins before missing out on his hat-trick by just two points in 2016.
That year the title was won by Tommy Searle (BOS Kawasaki) who didn’t defend his crown in 2017. He returned in 2018 and, despite missing the opening round and clearly not fully fit on his comeback from injury, ended the year a close third.
Searle finished seventh in Argentina – tied on points with Simpson – and it’s expected that, barring injuries and mechanical problems, the pair will have a season-long scrap for the 2019 championship.
With reigning champion Evgeny Bobryshev not contesting this year’s series, 2017 champion Graeme Irwin switching to road racing and Jake Nicholls (Buildbase Honda) – who set the pace for most of 2018 – still recovering from a broken leg, Simpson and Searle are definitely the main men but that’s not to say they’re the only riders worth watching.
Double MX2 champion Elliott Banks-Browne (Geartec Husqvarna) will be pushing for a podium on Sunday and Estonia’s Gert Krestinov (Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki) is a proven winner in sand. Ryan Houghton (RHR Yamaha) must feel that he’s overdue a top-three finish after failing to get on the box all last season and Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Deos Group Racing Honda) has started the year in fighting form.
Other riders who should go well include Mel Pocock (ASA United KTM) who’s adapting quickly to the switch to a 450, Josh Spinks (MSR Redline Yamaha) who’s also gone up this season and Lewis Tombs (Buildbase Honda) who is yet another rider to ditch his 250 in favour of an MX1 machine in 2019.
The field in MX2 is well and truly stacked with four GP riders who all finished in the top 15 in Argentina.
Defending champion Conrad Mewse (Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee) starts as favourite after finishing 11th overall at Neuquen but it’s by no means a done deal and he can expect strong opposition from his team-mate Bas Vaessen.
New Zealand’s Dylan Walsh (REVO Husqvarna UK) won his first-ever Maxxis moto when he took a wildcard ride at last year’s season-ending round at Lyng and along with his Swedish team-mate Alvin Ostlund should also be a contender at FatCat.
The GP quartet won’t be the only front-runners on Sunday. Josh Gilbert (Buildbase Honda) finished second last year and has started this season in great form, as has veteran Irishman Martin Barr (Crescent Yamaha).
Carlton Husband (Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki) is another rider to watch out for along with Liam Knight (Verde Substance KTM), Alexander Brown (Apico Putoline KTM), Jay Hague (Chamber Husqvarna), Lewis Hall (Team Green Kawasaki) and Micky Eccles (Pope KTM).
The programme also features the opening round of the new MX2 Youth championship that showcases the country’s hottest young talent. It’s too early to call a winner but Joel Rizzi (RFX KTM powered by PAR Homes), Ike Carter (GL12 Husqvarna) and Kacey Hird (Team Green Kawasaki) are expected to be among the front runners.
On-the-gate admission is £20 for adults and £5 for under 15s with no charge for children aged five and under. Family tickets are available at a cost of £45.
MX1 Entries
MX2 Entries
No. | Name | Team | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Mel Pocock | ASA United KTM | KTM |
| 11 | Ben Putnam | G & JP - Fountain Builders | |
| 14 | Luke Burton (R1) | Geartec Husqvarna Racing | Husqvarna |
| 17 | Luke Smith | MSR Redline Yamaha | Yamaha |
| 22 | Richard McKeown | Fluid CCM Racing | Husqvarna |
| 24 | Shaun Simpson | RFX KTM Racing powered by PA... | KTM |
| 25 | Jamie Law | Apico Husqvarna | Husqvarna |
| 28 | John Robson | Bikesport Newcastle | KTM |
| 31 | Robbie Dowson | Bikesport Newcastle | Kawasaki |
| 37 | Gert Krestinov | Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki | Kawasaki |
| 39 | Sion Talbot (R2) | Rikki Priest MX Training Aca... | KTM |
| 44 | Elliott Banks Browne | Geartec Husqvarna Racing | Husqvarna |
| 45 | Jake Nicholls | Buildbase Honda Racing | Honda |
| 49 | John Adamson | Bikesport Newcatle - Danger ... | Honda |
| 54 | Corey Hockey | Cheddar MX Store - HTF Const... | KTM |
| 57 | Tony Craig | Putoline Husqvarna Planet Su... | Husqvarna |
| 60 | Brad Anderson | Verde Substance KTM | KTM |
| 63 | Oliver Benton | Hitachi KTM UK | KTM |
| 65 | Jacob Joyce | Dixon Honda Racing | Honda |
| 68 | Joshua Bentley | Derbyshire Offroad Centre | KTM |
| 72 | Connor Hughes (R3) | Jim Aims Motorcycles | KTM |
| 74 | Patrick Major | Herts MX - MMX74 Coaching | Honda |
| 95 | Dan Thornhill | Cab Screens - Deos Group Rac... | Honda |
| 100 | Tommy Searle | BOS Factory Holeshot Kawasak... | Kawasaki |
| 119 | Ryan Houghton | RHR Racing | Yamaha |
| 151 | Harri Kullas | Cab Screens - Deos Group Rac... | Honda |
| 162 | Stuart Edmonds | Apico Husqvarna | Husqvarna |
| 171 | Zac Stealey | Dulson Training - Marsh MX | Husqvarna |
| 173 | Luke Norris | MNE Kawasaki | Kawasaki |
| 190 | Luke Benstead | G H Motorcycles - G & B Finc... | Husqvarna |
| 200 | James Dunn | Husqvarna | |
| 293 | Ryan Mclean | Danger D3 Honda | Honda |
| 295 | Ross Rutherford | Site Sealants DCL - AD Tarma... | Husqvarna |
| 300 | Charlie Hamlet | Colwyn Bay Honda | Honda |
| 301 | Shaun Southgate | Herts MX - Honda UK | Honda |
| 303 | Jake Millward | Chambers Racing | Husqvarna |
| 311 | Aaron McCarroll | Chambers Racing | Husqvarna |
| 360 | Nathan Dixon | RFX KTM Racing powered by PA... | KTM |
| 411 | Declan Whittle | Husqvarna | |
| 447 | Simon Booth | KTM | |
| 691 | Aidan Wigger | Motolife UK - BRP Imports Ra... | Yamaha |
| 714 | Brad Todd | Gabriel Insulation Seal Moto... | Yamaha |
| 731 | Jake Shipton | Crescent Yamaha MX Team | Yamaha |
No. | Name | Team | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Josh Gilbert | Buildbase Honda Racing | Honda |
| 4 | Robert Yates | IDS Transport - Bridgestone | Yamaha |
| 6 | Carlton Husband | Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki | Kawasaki |
| 9 | Lewis Hall | Team Green Kawasaki | Kawasaki |
| 10 | Michael Ellis | Trevor Pope KTM UK | KTM |
| 11 | Matt Burrows | Apico Husqvarna | Husqvarna |
| 13 | Aaron Lee Hanson | X Pro - Putoline - ACE Susp ... | KTM |
| 19 | Tom Neal | Craigs Motorcycles - Motosha... | Husqvarna |
| 29 | Keenan Hird | Team Green Kawasaki | Kawasaki |
| 32 | Calum Mitchell | S F Racing | KTM |
| 41 | Alexander Brown | Apico - Putoline -Pro Carbon | KTM |
| 48 | Adam Collings | Vega Solutions - Pol Motors | KTM |
| 50 | Martin Barr | Crescent Yamaha MX Team | Yamaha |
| 53 | Dylan Walsh | Revo Husqvarna UK | Husqvarna |
| 61 | Tom Grimshaw | HCR Yamaha - Apico Factory R... | Yamaha |
| 65 | James Mackrel | Lyons Bros. Peugeot | Yamaha |
| 66 | Lewis Tombs | ||
| 77 | Jay Hague | Chambers Racing | Husqvarna |
| 91 | Charlie Putnam | RFX KTM Racing powered by PA... | KTM |
| 98 | Bas Vaessen | Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwa... | KTM |
| 99 | Howard Wainright | Suzuki | |
| 103 | Max Broadbelt | Lings Castrol Honda UK | Honda |
| 111 | Eythor Reynission | MSR Redline Yamaha | Yamaha |
| 115 | Ashton Dickinson | Craigs Motorcycles | KTM |
| 122 | Jake Sheridan | RSR Plant Services | KTM |
| 123 | Rossi Beard | Putoline Husqvarna Planet Su... | Husqvarna |
| 134 | Liam Knight | Verde Substance KTM | KTM |
| 161 | Alvin Ostlund | Revo Husqvarna UK | Husqvarna |
| 180 | Josh Spinks | MSR Redline Yamaha | Yamaha |
| 199 | Jake Edey | Gear 4 KTM | KTM |
| 212 | Ben Clark | RFX TEC 41 KTM | KTM |
| 300 | Ben Franklin | Chambers Racing | Husqvarna |
| 331 | Jordan Eccles | Rip n Roll - Craigs Motorcyc... | Yamaha |
| 337 | Glen McCormick | Unique Fitout Husqvarna | Husqvarna |
| 426 | Conrad Mewse | Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwa... | KTM |
| 575 | Taylor Hammal | RHR Racing | Yamaha |
| 749 | Callum Green | Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwa... | KTM |
Visit Website: www.fatcatmotoparc.com
The Circuit
The Fatcat circuit is a purposely built sand track with fast flowing bends and rhythm sections. The demanding deep sand circuit will certainly be a challenge to riders and teams and makes a return to the calendar in 2019
Location
The circuit is adjacent to junction 4 of the M18 motorway Holmewood Lane Armthorpe M18 Jct 4 Doncaster DN3 3EH
Accommodation
Travel Lodge Hotel M18 Junction 5 Moto Service Area Hatfield Doncaster DN8 5GS Tel 0871 9846132 Hotel Campanile Doncaster Leisure Park Bawtry Road Doncaster South Yorkshire DN4 7PD Tel 01302 370770 Beverly Inn 117 Thorne Road Edenthorpe Doncaster South Yorkshire DN3 2JE Tel 01302 882724 Romader Encore Doncaster Robin Hood Airport First Avenue Aukley DN9 3GP Tel 01302 718520
Local Services
Hospital Doncaster Royal Infirmary - A & E Armthorpe Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN2 5LT 01302 366666 Supermarkets Tesco Express 38 Mill Street Armthorpe Doncaster DN3 3DL Tel 01302 833697 Sainsbury Superstore Thorne Road Edenthorpe Doncaster DN2 5PS Sumerfield Store Ltd Church Street Armthorpe Doncaster DN3 3AE
