Canada Heights in Kent marked the third round of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship powered by Skye Energy. The hillside circuit had seen a major redesign during the winter months and featured a new circuit layout.
Overnight rain left the circuit in ideal condition for racing, during the qualifying sessions there was no surprises as MX1 series leader Shaun Simpson took his Hitachi Construction Machinery Revo KTM UK to pole whilst Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki’s Max Anstie took pole position in the MX2 class, with both claiming pole by nearly two seconds a lap faster than their other rivals.
Buildbase Honda Racing Team’s Kristian Whatley joined Simpson with an early fast lap whilst third place qualifier, Tanel Leok on the LPE Racing Kawasaki set his fastest lap towards the end of the session. Jake Nicholls on the Wilvo Forkrent KTM was also on the pace and looking strong with a determined fourth fastest time ahead of Gert Krestinov on the second Buildbase Honda.
Anstie’s MX2 pole position left Dyer and Butler KTM’s Steven Lenoir heading the chasing pack with Petar Petrov on Hitachi Construction Machinery Revo KTM UK posting his best qualifying of the season, less than three hundredth of a second adrift. Likewise, Adam Sterry on Wilvo Forkrent KTM and Pendrich Height Services Kawasaki’s Bryan MacKenzie were also on the pace, just fractions of a second behind Petrov, but nearly two seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
In the MXY2 class Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki’s rider Jay Hague dominated his qualifying session with Oliver Osmaston on the MXW Racing Chichester Honda and Honda UK Rookie Team member Albie Wilkie getting the good gate picks by virtue of their second and third places.
During the races it was Max Anstie who continued his domination of the MX2 class after missing the opening round in mid-March due to injury. Since his return to championship Anstie has taken 6 out of 6 race win and is now just sixteen points behind new series leader Steven Lenoir. Frenchman Lenoir come into the Canada Heights event as the joint series leader and took over the lead after taking second overall on the day. Harri Kullas on the Heads and All Threads Suzuki found his form at Canada Heights and collected a well-deserved third overall after taking 2-4-6 finishes.
Unfortunately both Ben Watson and Adam Sterry suffered a torrid day and lost valuable points in the championship standings.
In the MX1 class Simpson maintains his 100% MX1 win record Simpson’s maximum now means he is forty points clear of his nearest rival Tanel Leok who admitted to not being able to push at the sandy Kent circuit due to feeling unwell but still managed to secure second overall with a 2-4-2 scorecard, whilst fellow countryman Gert Krestinov took his first podium of the current campaign with 3-2-4 finishes. Krestinov now takes over third in the series edging his team mate Kristian Whatley down to fourth.
Canada Heights marked the second round of the MXY2 championship at it was Jay Hague who took the top step of the podium and the red plate as series leader whilst David Keet on the Danger UK Husqvarna posted 6-2-6 results to edge Oliver Osmaston to third, after having a no score in the second moto, but two race wins.
The Championship now takes a five week break before the action resumes at Hawkstone Park on the 7
th June.