This week’s ‘What’s on Weekly’ features a selection of just a few events taking place around the country this weekend and next week.
Motocross
This weekend The Hawk International will take place with a strong list of British Teams entered alongside the international teams and riders. Nearly all the top British Championship teams have entered this year and are using the opportunity to get some race time under their belt before their National Championship kicks off a couple of weeks later. The track is already looking really good and with all the classes now being full including all the support classes it is set once again to be another fantastic year at Hawkstone Park. The most current signing is Irish Team Tyco Suzuki, this year it consists of top British rider Stephen Sword, Swordy who is one of the fans favourite riders will be eager to gain some good results after a difficult season last year. His team-mate is Southern Irishman and character Stuart Edmonds, Edmonds is looking to have a very competitive season on his new Tyco machine. Adding to them are a whole host of riders riding in the 2012 British Championship this years including - Jason Dougan, Kevin Strijbos, Shaun Simpson, Lewis Gregory, Alex Snow, Ashley Greedy, Gert Krestinov, Alfie Smith, Nez Parker, Martin Barr, Matiss Karro, Jamie Law, Lewis King, Marc de Reuver, Luke Dean, James Price and Ashley Wilde in MX1. In MX2 the line-up includes - Graeme Irwin, Arnaud Tonus, Ryan Houghton, Luke Hawkins, Liam Garland, Dan Brough, Elliott Banks-Browne, Jake Nicholls, Sean Mitchell, Joe Bamfield, Alan Keet, Jordan Divall, Lewis Tombs, Dan Thornhill, Nathan Watson, Ray Rowson, Jordan Booker, Nico Aubin, Damon Strydom, James Dunn, Neville Bradshaw, Jake Millward, Jack Kelly, James Cottrell and Connor Walkley.
With just over two weeks remaining until the opening round of the ACU Maxxis British Championship fires into action at stunning FatCat Moto Parc, near Doncaster. The deep sandy venue offers the perfect backdrop for what is set to be one of the best British Championship seasons in recent years.
With a number of top class World Championship riders competing the 2012 season in both the MX1 and MX2 classes, competition is sure to be fierce in the battle for championship honours. With no less than 15 major teams, representing all the main manufacturers, all will be looking for victories at the opening round on the 11th March.
In the MX2 class, reigning Champion Arnaud Tonus will want to continue where he left off at the end of 2011, but he will have strong competition from a number of Grand Prix riders and the best of British including his team mate Zach Osborne will be looking to regain the title his won in 2010. The Monster Energy Bike It Yamaha riders however, both have their work cut out battling the likes of Buildbase Honda’s Nicolas Aubin and last year’s runner up Elliott Banks Browne on the HM Plant KTM UK. Other riders looking to kick start their seasons will be Ray Rowson, Bryan MacKenzie, Mel Pocock along with Stuart Edmonds and many others.
Even with the departure of reigning Champion Brad Anderson to Australia, the 2012 MX1 Championship is looking stronger than ever. Grand Prix stars such as Kevin Strijbos, Matiss Karro, and former British MX2 Champion Shaun Simpson will all be planning to start the season on a high. PAR Honda’s Kristian Whatley and Maxxis Henderson LPE Kawasaki’s Martin Barr will both want to take over at the top of the tree. Other riders looking to start well will be sand specialist Marc De Reuver, four times British MX2 Champion Stephen Sword, Gert Krestinov, Alex Snow, Nathan Parker and many, many more.
The opening round at FatCat Moto Parc also marks the start of the Veteran’s Championship, where Greg Hanson will be defending his title against World Championship runner up Phil Mercer, Brian Wheeler and Phil Lewis.
All the action starts at 9am Sunday 11th March with the MX2 practice. The first of eight races of Europe’s Premier Domestic Championship will be kicking off at 12:15pm with the MX2 action. For further information please check the Maxxis British Championship website www.mxgb.co.uk.
Enduro
This weekend will see the rearranged Snow Run, hosted by the Welsh Trail Riders Association take place. The event was due to take place on earlier this month but was cancelled due to bad weather. The Snowrun Enduro, long regarded as the season opener for traditional timecard events, takes place in the Crychan and Glyn Saer Forests. The event will feature a 25 mile lap with an easy time schedule. The usual classes are catered for and the twin shock class introduced last year will continue.
If your club is running an event in the coming weeks and would like to be a part of this feature please contact Richard Blyth on pr@acu.org.uk with details of your event.