Friday July 19, 2019 at 10:14pm
Round six of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship supported by Pro Clean takes place at Hawkstone Park on Sunday.
This will be the fifth consecutive year that the series has visited the iconic Shropshire circuit and after five rounds it’s too close to call in the MX2 class where REVO Husqvarna UK team-mates Dylan Walsh and Alvin Ostlund are running 1-2 separated by just six points.
A further 18 points behind sit Bas Vaessen (Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee) and Josh Gilbert (Buildbase Honda) although the Dutchman is out of action after breaking his neck in a huge crash at the MXGP of Asia.
You can’t rule out fifth-placed Martin Barr (Crescent Yamaha) – the veteran Irishman has done more laps of Hawkstone than just about anyone racing on Sunday – and Ashton Dickinson (Craigs Motorcycles KTM) will also fancy his chances following his podium finish at Blaxhall.
Taylor Hammal (Rob Hooper Racing Yamaha) is another rider who’s really finding his feet this season and is definitely capable of mixing it up at the front.
In MX1 Tommy Searle (BOS Kawasaki) has a 55-point lead after Shaun Simpson (RFX KTM powered by PAR Homes) suffered two catastrophic bike failures last time out at Desertmartin. That doesn’t mean the Scot will have given up – if anything he’ll be even more determined to beat his rival and the pair are incredibly closely matched so expect fireworks in the 450s!
While Searle and Simpson start as favourites, there is no shortage of riders capable of pushing for a podium including class rookie Jake Millward (Chambers Racing Husqvarna) and Jake Shipton (Crescent Yamaha).
Jake Nicholls (Buildbase Honda) will be back in action after missing the opening five rounds while he recovered from the broken leg that cost him the 2018 title and all the signs are there that he’s in great form.
Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Deos Group Racing) is riding injured after breaking his shoulder blade last month but he’s as tough as they come, Brad Anderson (Verve Substance KTM) has put his two-stroke on the box this season and a debut MX1 overall podium is overdue for Mel Pocock (ASA United KTM) if he can put two solid motos together.
Jason Meara impressed at Desertmartin. He's now been drafted into the Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki team as a fill-in rider for the injured Gert Krestinov and will be highly-motivated.
Along with an adult support class the country’s fastest up-and-coming racers will also be in action in the MX2 Youth class where Joel Rizzi (RFX KTM powered by PAR Homes) will go head-to-head with Ike Carter (GL12 Husqvarna).
Between them they’ve won every moto this season but there’s some serious talent in the field – riders like Dominic Lancett (Verde Substance KTM), Kacey Hird (Team Green Kawasaki), Bobby Bruce (Crescent Yamaha) and Josh Peters (Gabriel Insulation Yamaha).
Picture © Imagerich Media