MOTOCROSS riders now have a top-notch new track and facilities thanks to the opening of the ACU Events Milton Malsor venue near Northampton on Thursday July 29th – and the blue-riband Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship will visit the circuit in 2011.
Former 125cc World Motocross Champion Jamie Dobb took to the track along with BYMX racers Oliver and Archie Osmaston and special guest for the day Superbike racer Chris Walker to officially open the circuit.
Dobb said: “It is a good track and fun. The jumps are not that big but they are big enough to be interesting and to learn on – it is a good basis for people to learn. We need more facilities like this, more purpose built motocross tracks. It is good because here you have everything you need to improve and bring on riders.”
Oliver Osmaston is 12-years old and a serious contender in the BYMX series, winning 13-races in a row before breaking his arm on a trampoline. He took his Honda 150 around the track and said: “It is really good fun. The jumps are nice to clear but hard to get just perfect. It is a really technical track like Supercross.”
Archie Osmaston is just nine-years old and took to the track on his KTM65cc racer that he campaigns in BYMX. He said: “It is a good track and there are nice jumps, I’d like to race here.”
Norton employed Walker may race in British Superbikes and be a World Superbike race winner but he still claims motocross is his passion and was quick on the track. “The track at Milton Malsor is absolutely superb and as it evolves with more riders on it the natural racing line will appear and it will be great,” enthused Walker. “The ACU has done a really good job – it is a track that is challenging for the professionals but also is not so daunting for beginners, they couldn’t have done it better.”
ACU Events Managing Director Jim Parker is behind the renovation of the circuit and the man behind the long-lease agreement to operate the track for in the future. He is also the driving force behind the Maxxis Championship visiting the circuit in 2011. He said: “We have already run two MX Youth events at the track and are very happy with the feedback. Part of the reason for the Milton Malsor project is to ensure the youth side of the sport develops. It is good to have received such positive comments from the adult and junior riders here, it means we have achieved an excellent balance at the track – it encourages us that what we are doing is right and to keep up the good work.
“We are talking about the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship coming to Milton Malsor in 2011. We have a lot of work to do to get the track to the required standard but we will achieve it. The central location of the track should attract plenty of users and spectators and I think if we have a successful round of the Maxxis series here then it will spin off other benefits – many more riders will want to come and ride the track as well.”
Milton Malsor is based just off Junction 15A of the M1 Motorway at Northampton and is the UK’s leading purpose made motocross facility operated by ACU Events. It will continue to be developed by the ACU over the coming months and years and is expected to be one of the most popular riding and spectator venues in the UK. For more information on the ACU visit www.acu.org.uk and for more information on the Maxxis ACU British Championship visit www.mxgb.co.uk.
(Picture caption: Jamie Dobb in action at Milton Malsor – picture courtesy of PLJ Photo)