Tuesday June 30, 2009 at 2:08pm
The ACU, through its appointed Team Manager, Mark Eastwood, has announced a short list of five riders for the 2009 Motocross of Nations to be held in Italy in early October.
Only three riders will travel to the event, one MX2, one MX1 and an MX open class rider, who may be on any capacity machine from 250cc to 600cc.
Eastwood has named Stephen Sword, Shaun Simpson, Tommy Searle, Billy Mackenzie and Brad Anderson as the squad he will choose the final three from later in the season.
Eastwood said: “At the moment I’ve got my rider line up down to Brad, Billy and Tommy. Then I obviously need to keep an eye on Shaun and see how he comes back from his injury. Stephen Sword is also in the frame, there are others that I have thought of but for this year these are the guys to consider. Maybe it will be different for next year.”
Eastwood, who still competes at British Championship level, will now be talking to all five riders and their respective Team Managers. He has been given a budget from the ACU to support the British effort. Eastwood will monitor the five riders in both British and World Championship events and has close contacts in the States to keep an eye on Searle. No pressure will be put upon Simpson until he returns from his early season injury.
Motocross Committee Chairman, Brian Higgins added: “Mark has been given the job and we will leave the final selection completely with him. We do not have to submit our entry until early September and I expect the choice to be made fairly close to that time, as three of his squad are currently struggling with injuries”