This weekend on one of the hottest weekend of the year so far, the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship headed to the Northampton Circuit of Milton MX Park. In temperatures which reached the high twenties, two new championship leaders received took over the red plates as the Championship reached the mid-way stage of the season.
Holding a comfortable lead going into the fourth round, Kevin Strijbos (HM Plant KTM) only managed 32 points from the three motos, with a charge through the pack to ninth in moto one, followed by a third place finish in the second encounter before a mechanical failure forced him out midway through the final mixed race showdown. With a faultless maximum of three race wins, it is Latvian Matiss Karro (STR KTM) who now takes the red plate to Ireland in three week’s time along with a nine point advantage over Shaun Simpson (Monster Energy Bike IT Yamaha) who posted 3-2-2 finishes on the demanding circuit adjacent to the M1 motorway.
Making a one off performance as a wildcard, Josh Coppins (Fro Systems IDS Yamaha) took the lower step of the podium with ground out results of 5-4-4 after having to use all his experience to defend off challenges in all three motos. Stephen Sword (Tyco Suzuki by TAS) started strongly with a second in the opening 20 minute plus two lap moto, but could only back this up with 7-5 finishes to just miss out on a podium position.
In the MX2 class, Elliott Banks Browne on the HM Plant KTM ensured there were some smiles in the team after Strijbos poor day by controlling the first two races for comfortable wins, despite having to fend off the attentions of Nicolas Aubin (Buildbase Honda) in the opening moto and taking eighth position in the final thirty minute mixed race. Banks Browne was able to capitalise on Mel Pocock's (Monster Energy Bike It Yamaha) tough day after being given a one minute time penalty in the morning qualifying session which put him under pressure all day. From a poor gate pick, he rode a good opening moto to take third place some thirty seconds adrift of the two leaders. Pocock was unable to back the result up in the second race after a with a charge from last to nineteenth in the second race before salvaging nine points in the mixed race as the fifth MX2 rider home.
At the end of the day, EBB stood proud on the top step of the podium, with Neville Bradshaw (Evotech Stevens Honda) whose UK base is near the circuit finishing second with 5-3-10 finishes whilst Aubin - and the Buildbase Honda Team were surprised to be on the lower step of the podium, even when a retirement from the final moto did not affect his earlier 2-2 finishes to just edge Bryan MacKenzie (Rockstar KTM) off the platform by a single point.
With three of the five rounds now completed, Dan Thornhill (Grittenham Meredith Suzuki) holds a comfortable lead over Rob Muscat in the MXY2 class of the championship after his fourth and second place finishes in the two scorching races at Milton Park. However, it was Tommy Alba (Oakleaf Kawasaki) who took the top step of the podium with 2-1 finishes on the sun drenched Northampton circuit, despite only qualifying in sixth position in the morning qualifying session. With four motos still to run, Thornhill holds a nine point advantage over Muscat with Robert Davidson (ANSA Racing Honda) not making the podium with 3-5 finishes.
The Milton Park event also incorporated this first round of the newly introduced MXY85 class which allowed for a combination of riders ranging from eleven to fifteen years old. A brace of second place finishes on the tough Milton Park circuit was enough to give Will Keogh (Vampires Rock KTM) the overall win along with the red plate from Todd Kellett (Twisted 7 Kawasaki) who backed up a disappointing first race sixth with a win in the second moto. Jordan Eccles (KTM) rode two consistent races for a pair of third's to claim third overall on the day, whilst Josh Gilbert (Buildbase Honda) who convincingly won the opening sixteen minute race was knocked off the podium due to a second race eighth. However, this was still enough to give him maximum points in the Honda Academy class which runs in conjunction with the British Youth National series. The second of three rounds will take place at the famous Hawkstone Park venue for round 6 at the end of July.
Before then the championship will move across the North Sea to Desertmartin in Northern Ireland where the MX1, MX2 and MXY2 classes will continue their battle. For more information about the Desertmartin event please visit www.mxgb.co.uk.