Despite the changeable weather that tested the Michelin MX National, powered by Milwaukee team to the maximum last weekend, round four of the prestigious series went to the soon-to-be-closed Cusses Gorse, just up the road from Stonehenge.
It started to rain in the early hours of Saturday morning and didn't stop. One block of racing was run instead of the usual two on Saturday, hoping that Sunday's forecast was correct. As the rider, officials, family, and friends woke up on day two of the event, the sun was out, and the overnight wind had dried the track out and turned it into ideal racing condition.
The Crendon Fastrack Honda riders topped the Leatt Pro MX1 podium once again as Conrad Mewse took both race wins from teammate Josh Gilbert with Harri Kullas once again having to settle for third again on his Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha.
Dylan Walsh, now riding a KTM, won both Apico Pro MX2 races from Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna), and Joe Brooks had his first national podium appearance on his GRT Impact KTM in third.
Gilbert got the holeshot at the start of the first combined Pro MX1 and MX2 from Mewse and Kullas, with Tommy Searle (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) fourth and Brooks, the first MX2s in fifth place.
For the first half of the race, Mewse stayed with his teammate Gilbert eyeing up any chance of slipping past for the lead. And on lap six, after Gilbert made a small mistake, he was through and into the lead and, eventually, the race win.
Kullas slipped by Gilbert for second three laps later, relegating the youngster to third place at the finish flag. Searle spent the entire race in a distant fourth place, while Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM) came from eleventh at the start to fifth place.
Joel Rizzi (Honda) became the leading MX2 rider after passing Brooks on lap two. Still, a fast-moving Walsh passed both of them on his way to fifth on the track only to be relegated back two places but two MX1 riders as first Purdon powered past him. Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas) slipped by on his way to a sixth-place finish. With Rizzi on his tail, Walsh eventually crossed the finish line in seventh on the track, but he was the first MX2 rider.
Talviku did things the hard way as he gated nineteenth and had to fight past many of the 450s to finish in eleventh place in the race but third MX2.
Once again, it was the same three riders in the lead at the start of race two. Once again, Gilbert got the holeshot from Mewse and Kullas, with Grimshaw and Purdon heading up the rest. Walsh was proving that he was adapting well to the KTM, in eighth place and was the first MX2 rider.
As the riders disappeared around the second lap, Rizzi limped back into the work area with the front brake calliper hanging off his machine, ending his day and any chance of the overall win.
Searle got caught up in one of the deep ruts and went down. He got going again in twelfth place and finished his race in fifth.
On lap four, Mewse powered past an unexpecting Gilbert on one of the rutted down hills, into the lead, and on his way to his second race win. Gilbert hung onto second, which gave him second overall, with Kullas spending all race in third place for third overall. After passing Grimshaw, Purdon was fourth, with Searle knocking Grimshaw down another place with three laps to go.
As for the MX2s, Walsh had an uneventful race and crossed the finish line seventh in the race, but first MX2 rider. But, if you thought Talviku had a challenging first race, his second was much more difficult. He crashed on the opening lap and came around past timing in twenty-sixth place but crashed again and dropped down to twenty-eighth. He went almost unobserved in the twelve remaining laps to finish eighth on the track but second MX2 for second overall.
In contrast, Brooks had an easier second race as he had a great start and rounded the first turn in eighth place. After being passed by two 450s, he maintained ninth place with only Talviku passing him with a couple of laps to go for tenth in the race, but third MX2 for third overall.
With a third place and two wins, James Dodd (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) won the RFX Expert MX1 event from race one winner Aaron Patstone (Brenron Gas Gas) with Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha) third.
With three race wins from three starts, Ashley Greedy (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) won the RFX Experts MX2s from teammate Mathew Bayliss who chased Greedy over the finish line two out of three times. Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas) was third, just four points behind Bayliss.
Josh Greedy (Darjen Contractors Kawasaki), with a second place and two race wins, won the Motoverde Amateur MX1s from race one winner Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) with Luke Mellows (LM Kitchens Honda) third.
Raife Broadley (723 Race Bikes Fantic) was unbeaten in the Motoverde Amateur MX2s by winning all his races. Ben Clark (Rock Oil Husqvarna) chased him over the finish line on each occasion. Jake Curtis-Stevens (Kawasaki) was third, with Dan Brough (Rutzz.co.uk Yamaha) just missing out on a podium position by two points.
It was tight at the top of the Worx Clubman MX1s as six riders finished within eight points of each other. Adam Paxton (Honda) took the overall win by four points as both Danny Webster (Husqvarna) and Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda) finished on the same points in second and third. Tallon Aspden (LA Groundworks KTM) was fourth, just a single point off the podium, with Drew Lane (Lanes Construction Gas Gas) finishing just one point behind him. Luke Oldfield (KTM) was two points further back.
It was a similar story in the Spiral GFX Clubman MX2s, with Aaron Framingham (Fabrican KTM) taking the win by just four points from Matt Tolly (426 Motorsport KTM) and Max Flint (Planet Moto KTM), who were both on the same points.
Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) continued his winning ways by winning all three Fly Racing MXY2 races and has remained unbeaten in this championship so far this year. Bayliss Utting (Trell Contractors Honda) was second, with Harrison Greenough (KTM) third as Finlay Evans (GRT Impact KTM) missed out on a podium position by a single point.
Reece Jones (SJP Husqvarna) won all three of the Fly Racing MXY125 races from Luke Grundy (KTM) and Westley McGavin (KTM).
A rear error from Josh Vail (SJP Moto Husqvarna) robbed him of the overall in the Syntol Lubricants Big Wheel 85 class as with a third, a second and a win, Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) snatched the victory away. Vail won the other two races, but rear wheel error in race one on Sunday cost him dearly. Charlie Richmond (KTM) was third.
Of the small number of Syntol Lubricants Small Wheel 85s taking part, Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource KTM) took the overall win with a couple of wins and a second place from race three winner Lucas Lee (Husqvarna) and Caiden Brand (Husqvarna).
The next round will be at the legendary Hawkstone Park in Shropshire on the 2nd and 3rd of September.
Race Report by Dick Law
Top ten overall
Leatt Pro MX1:
1 Conrad Mewse (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 25 + 25 = 50
2 Josh Gilbert (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 20 + 22 = 42
3 Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 22 + 20 = 42
4 Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM) 16 + 18 = 34
5 Tommy Searle (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) 18 + 16 = 34
6 Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas) 15 + 15 = 30
7 Jason Meara (JM10 Moto-cycle Honda) 14 + 13 = 27
8 Martin Barr (Apico Husqvarna) 10 + 14 = 24
9 Stuart Edmonds (S Biggs Commercials Honda) 11 + 12 = 23
10 Charlie Putnam (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna)) 9 + 11 = 20
Apico Pro MX2:
1 Dylan Walsh (KTM) 25 + 25 = 50
2 Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 20 + 22 = 42
3 Joe Brooks (GRT Impact KTM) 16 + 20 = 36
4 Charlie Hayman (Tru7 Honda) 14 + 18 = 32
5 Dylan Woodcock (Verde Shiloh KTM) 18 + 14 = 32
6 Taylor Hammel (Gabriel SS24 KTM) 15 + 16 = 31
7 Charlie Cole (Blade Bikes Kawasaki) 12 + 15 = 27
8 Ollie Colmer (Talk Templant KTM) 13 + 12 = 25
9 Glen McCormick (Chambers Gas Gas) 11 + 13 = 24
10 Joel Rizzi (Honda) 22 + 0 = 22
RFX Expert MX1:
1 James Dodd (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) 20 + 25 + 25 = 70
2 Aaron Patstone (Brenron Gas Gas) 25 + 18 + 18 = 61
3 Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha) 18 + 20 + 16 = 54
4 Sion Talbot (KTM) 14 + 16 + 20 = 50
5 Josh Canton (Concept CCF KTM) 16 + 14 + 15 = 45
6 Corrie Southwood (Langmead Kawasaki) 22 + 0 + 22 = 44
7 Harry Bradley (JB Tuning Kawasaki) 15 + 15 + 14 = 44
8 Josh Taylor (Honda) 13 + 22 + 0 = 35
9 Aidan Bruce (Shirlaws Motorcycles KTM) 0 + 13 + 13 = 26
RFX Expert MX2:
1 Ashley Greedy (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75
2 Mathew Bayliss (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) 22 + 20 + 22 = 64
3 Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas) 18 + 22 + 20 = 60
4 Josh Coleman (Holeshot MX LRSMX KTM) 15 + 18 + 18 = 51
5 Henry Siddiqui (Apico Husqvarna) 13 + 15 + 15 = 43
6 Tyler Westcott (HJA MC, Planet Moto) 12 + 14 + 16 = 42
7 Tyla Hooley (723 Race Bikes Fantic) 14 + 11 + 13 = 38
8 Callum Murfitt (Southside MMX KTM) 7 + 13 + 14 = 34
9 John Meara (Honda) 20 + 12 + 0 = 32
10 Charlie Hamlet (Kawasaki) 10 + 9 + 12 = 31
Motoverde Amateur MX1:
1 Josh Greedy (Darjen Contractors Kawasaki) 22 + 25 + 25 = 75
2 Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) 25 + 22 + 22 = 69
3 Luke Mellows (LM Kitchens Honda) 20 + 16 + 20 = 56
4 Joshua McCorkell (McCorkell Racing Husqvarna) 18 + 20 + 18 = 56
5 Brad Thornhill (LMC Plant KTM) 14 + 18 + 13 = 45
6 Callum Gordon (MX Revive Gas Gas) 10 + 15 + 16 = 41
7 Ryan Osborn (Evotech KTM) 11 + 14 + 15 = 40
8 Lewis Taylor (Van Care, Teebee MC KTM) 16 + 7 + 14 = 37
9 David Rushton (KTM) 15 + 10 + 9 = 34
10 Henry Partridge (Concept Racing Yamaha) 13 + 11 + 7 = 31
Motoverde Amateur MX2:
1 Raife Broadley (723 Race Bikes Fantic) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75
2 Ben Clark (Rock Oil Husqvarna) 20 + 20 + 20 = 60
3 Jake Curtis-Stevens (Kawasaki) 14 + 15 + 18 = 47
4 Dan Brough (Rutzz.co.uk Yamaha) 22 + 9 + 14 = 45
5 Niall Gregan (Husqvarna) 0 + 22 + 22 = 44
6 Jonathan Rodrick-Evans (KTM) 15 + 12 + 13 = 40
7 Leon Ongley (723 Fantic) 16 + 11 + 12 = 39
8 Tommi Davis (KTM) 8 + 16 + 11 = 35
9 Shaun Springer (Multitek Gas Gas) 0 + 18 + 16 = 34
10 Ryan Adair (KTM) 18 + 4 + 10 = 32
Worx Sports Insurance Clubman MX1:
1 Adam Paxton (Honda) 22 + 14 + 25 = 61
2 Danny Webster (Husqvarna) 16 + 25 + 16 = 57
3 Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda) 25 + 18 + 14 = 57
4 Tallon Aspden (LA Groundwork KTM) 14 + 20 + 22 = 56
5 Drew Lane (Lanes Construction Gas Gas) 20 + 15 + 20 = 55
6 Luke Oldfield (KTM) 18 + 22 + 12 = 53
7 Thomas White (T White Window Cleaning KTM) 15 + 9 + 9 = 33
8 Darren Manning-Coe (Fabrican KTM) 3 + 11 + 18 = 32
9 Josh Young (KTM) 0 + 16 + 10 = 26
10 Daniel Chapman (KTM) 0 + 10 + 15 = 25
Spiral Clubman MX2:
1 Aaron Framingham (Fabrican Racing KTM) 18 + 25 + 18 = 61
2 Matt Tolly (426 Motorsport KTM) 25 + 9 + 25 = 59
3 Max Flint (Planet Moto KTM) 15 + 22 + 22 = 59
4 Matthew Pocock (MGP Steel KTM) 13 + 14 + 14 = 41
5 Bradley Johnstone (Moto Connection Kawasaki) 10 + 13 + 15 = 38
6 Alex Hamer (KTM) 5 + 15 + 16 = 36
7 Toby Lightbown (Bell RFX KTM) 12 + 10 + 11 = 33
8 Max Fletcher (Mumzie Kawasaki) 16 + 12 + 2 = 30
9 Charlie West (Tim Feeney KTM) 1 + 7 + 20 = 28
10 Matthew Fuller (KTM) 11 + 8 + 8 = 27
Fly MXY2:
1 Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75
2 Bayliss Utting (Trell Contractors Honda) 15 + 22 + 22 = 59
3 Harrison Greenough (KTM) 20 + 18 + 16 = 54
4 Finlay Evans (GRT Impact KTM) 18 + 20 + 15 = 53
5 Mackenzie Marshall (DK Offroad Yamaha) 16 + 10 + 20 = 46
6 Jak Taylor (Lexa MX Husqvarna) 12 + 11 + 18 = 41
7 Kayde Rayns (Scott Motorsport Yamaha) 11 + 13 + 14 = 38
8 Sid Putnam (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 13 + 14 + 10 = 37
9 Louis Vincent (RHS MC Honda) 22 + 12 + 0 = 34
10 Fin Wilson (Husqvarna) 0 + 16 + 13 = 29
Fly MXY125:
1 Reece Jones (SJP Husqvarna) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75
2 Luke Grundy (KTM) 22 + 20 + 22 = 64
3 Westley McGavin (KTM) 11 + 22 + 20 = 53
4 Jack Meara (Honda) 20 + 16 + 15 = 51
5 Chester Hyde (Matt Pope MC Gas Gas) 12 + 18 + 18 = 48
6 Ollie Bubb (3 Flo Yamaha) 16 + 15 + 16 = 47
7 Jack Bearey (NBE Racing Husqvarna) 18 + 14 + 12 = 44
8 Cody Spacagna (Trevor Pope KTM) 15 + 13 + 14 = 42
9 Wyatt McGegor (KTM) 14 + 12 + 13 = 39
10 Travis Laughton (KTM) 13 + 11 + 11 = 35
Syntol Big Wheel 85:
1 Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) 20 + 25 + 22 = 67
2 Josh Vail (SJP Moto Husqvarna) 25 + 14 + 25 = 64
3 Charlie Richmond (KTM) 22 + 22 + 18 = 62
4 Finlay Pickering (Mr T's Racing KTM) 12 + 20 + 15 = 47
5 Blake Ward-Clarke (GRT Impact KTM) 18 + 15 + 12 = 45
6 Harry Lee (GRT Impact KTM) 15 + 16 + 13 = 44
7 Alfie Geddes-Green (Matt Pope MC Gas Gas) 13 + 11 + 16 = 40
8 Austin Beasty (Custom MX Husqvarna) 14 + 13 + 11 = 38
9 Zane Stephens (Store 114 Gas Gas) 11 + 12 + 14 = 37
10 Hayden Statt (Manchester MC KTM) 16 + 0 + 20 = 36
Syntol Small Wheel 85:
1 Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource Racing KTM) 25 + 25 + 22 = 72
2 Lucas Lee (Husqvarna) 22 + 22 + 25 = 69
3 Caiden Brand (Husqvarna) 18 + 20 + 20 = 58
4 Chad Prince (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 20 + 18 + 18 = 56
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