For round three of the top-rated MX Nationals Motocross series, it was back to the familiar Oxford Motoparc near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, a track the hardworking team pioneered last year that became the sensation of 2022.
The circuit was looking much better with the passing of time to settle the track and a winter and some sunshine to bring on the greenery. The track workers re-contoured some jumps and made minor improvements to improve what was already a great track.
In the Leatt Pro class, the Crendon Fastrack Honda teammates of Josh Gilbert and Conrad Mewse have been winning most of the national motocross championships this year, with Mewse taking most of the wins. But things changed last weekend as Gilbert showed he had the speed and the confidence and won both Pro MX1/MX2 races with Evgeny Bobryshev (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) dividing the Honda pair, relegating a sickly Mewse down to third overall, the poorest finish he has had all year.
But, in the Apico Pro MX2s, the overall was up for grabs as none of the riders could put two decent races together. Joel Rizzi (Gas Gas), with a win and a fifth, won the overall, but at the same time, Carlton Husband, who was suffering clutch problems, and a hurting Charlie Cole (Blade Bikes Kawasaki) came from last and almost last to sixteenth and twenty-fifth in the first race. They managed to back in race two with some strong races to give them second and third overall, with only five points separating the top five in the class.
At the start of the first combined MX1 and MX2, no one was more surprised than Bobryshev when he got the holeshot. He was chased into turn one by Gilbert, Mewse, Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha), Evo Monticelli (ASA United Gas Gas), Tommy Searle (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) and Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas).
Searle and Grimshaw had a coming together at turn three when the different ruts they chose merged into one, and neither of the riders wanted to give way. Luckily, they both continued the race after a bit of a wobble. But as they despaired around the opening lap, Cole and Joe Brooks (GRT Impact KTM) were seen untangling their machines.
As the riders came around to complete lap two, Gilbert took the lead from Bobryshev, and a lap later, Mewse pushed Bobryshev down another place. For the rest of the race, Mewse did all he could to close on his teammate, and he did get to his back wheel a couple of times but could never affect a pass. With about three laps to too, Mewse seemed to decide to settle for second place as they crossed the finish line separated by just under six seconds.
Meanwhile, Bobryshev had been caught and passed by Kullas, but as the "plus two laps" board came out, he passed him back for third in the race, with Kullas settling for fourth.
Monticelli and Searle spent all race in fifth and sixth as Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM) slipped past Grimshaw for seventh place.
In the MX2 side of the race, Charlie Hayman (Tru7 Honda) had gated in fifteenth place and was the first MX2 rider till, on lap eight, and with a comfortable MX2 lead, his bike had some technical problems, and he pushed it back to the paddock, and out of the race. This incident left Rizzi with the class lead and the win as he crossed the line in fifteenth. But while all this was happening, Husband, after his first lap crash, was flying through the pack from thirtieth place to finish right behind Rizzi. Dylan Woodcock (Fantic) was third, with Calum Mitchell (Laxa MX KTM) fourth.
At the start of the second race, Gilbert got the holeshot from Bobryshev, and that was the order they stayed in the whole race. Monticelli gated third but was passed by Mewse before the start on the second lap, with Searle and Kullas doing the same later around the lap.
Miro Sihvonen (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) and Purdon swopped places on the opening lap. They spent the rest of the race together, crossing the finish line in seventh and eighth places. Monticelli was passed by both Kullas and Searle on lap eight to finish his race in sixth, with Kullas and Searle in fourth and fifth places.
Cole was unchallenged in the MX2 side of the race after Jamie Wainwright (WPH KTM) crashed out on the first lap, Brooks faded from eleventh to fourteenth, and Husband slipped back into the pack from thirteenth place with clutch trouble.
Brooks ended up second MX2, with Wainwright third.
Overall, in the MX1s, it was Gilbert from Bobryshev and Mewse, with Kullas missing out on the podium for the second week running, but in the MX2s, it was Rizzi, one point clear of Husband, with Cole third, three points off the win.
The rest
James Dodd (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) was Mr 100% in the RFX expert MX1s, winning all four of his races. Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha), who didn't finish out of the top three, was second overall, with Sion Talbot (KTM) a distant third.
With a couple of wins and second places, Ashley Greedy (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) won the RFX expert MX2s from race two winner Mathew Bayliss (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas), with race three winner Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas) third.
Only two points separated the top two in the Motoverde amateur MX1s as Josh Greedy (Darjen Contractors Kawasaki) with three wins and a fourth place just beet race one winner, Luke Mellows (LM Kitchens Honda) with Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) third.
It was even closer at the top of the Motoverde amateur MX2s as a single point separated wildcard rider Ben Clark (Rock Oil Husqvarna), who didn't win a race, from Shaun Springer (Multitek Gas Gas), the winner of race one. Race two winner Dan Brough (Rutzz.co.uk Yamaha) was third, just six points off the win.
Only eight points separated the top four in the Worx clubman MX1s as without winning a race, Tallon Aspden (LA Groundwork KTM) won the overall with race one and four winner Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda) second, just two points behind. Wildcard Justin Robinson (KTM) was third, while a DNF in race one spoilt Danny Webster's (Husqvarna) weekend as he went on to win two of his next three races.
With two wins and two second places, Matt Tolley (426 Motorsport KTM) won the Spiral clubman MX2s from Aaron Framingham (Fabrican Racing KTM) and Matthew Pocock (MGP Steel KTM).
In the youth side of things, Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) again won all four of his Fly MXY2 races from Liam Bennett (Apico Husqvarna) and Jak Taylor (Lexa MX Husqvarna).
Wildcard rider Wal Beaney (KTM), with three wins and a second, won the Fly MXY125 from race one winner Tyla Hooley (Fantic) and Shane Jones (Gas Gas) third.
Josh Vail (SJP Moto Husqvarna), with three wins and a second place, won the hotly contested Syntol big wheel 85s from Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) and race three winner Charlie Richmond (KTM).
Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource Racing), with two-second places in Saturday's sticky and muddy conditions, made up for it in the dryer and faster Sunday conditions by winning both races for the Syntol small wheel 85 overall. Winner of both Saturday's races, wildcard rider Lucas Lee (Husqvarna) was second overall, with Chad Price (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) third.
The next round will be on the 5
th and 6
th of August at Cusses Gorse. Be there.
Top ten overall
Leatt Pro MX1:
1 Josh Gilbert (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 25 + 25 = 50
2 Evgeny Bobryshev (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 20 + 22 = 42
3 Conrad Mewse (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 22 + 20 = 42
4 Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 18 + 18 = 36
5 Tommy Searle (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) 15 + 16 = 31
6 Ivo Monticelli (ASA United Gas Gas) 16 + 15 = 31
7 Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM) 14 + 14 = 28
8 Miro Sihvonen (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 13 + 13 = 26
9 Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas) 12 + 12 = 24
10 Jamie Carpenter (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 11 + 11 = 22
Apico Pro MX2:
1 Joel Rizzi (Gas Gas) 25 + 16 = 41
2 Carlton Husband (Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki) 22 + 18 = 40
3 Charlie Cole (Blade Bikes Kawasaki) 13 + 25 = 38
4 Joe Brooks (GRT Impact KTM) 14 + 22 = 36
5 Jamie Wainwright (WPH KTM) 16 + 20 = 36
6 Calum Mitchell (Lexa MX KTM) 18 + 15 = 33
7 Dylan Woodcock (Fantic) 20 + 11 = 31
8 Sam Nunn (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 15 + 13 = 28
9 Bailey Johnston (Verde Shiloh KTM) 11 + 14 = 25
10 Shaun Mahoney (KTM) 12 + 0 = 12
RFX Expert MX1:
1 James Dodd (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) 25 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 100
2 Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha) 20 + 20 + 20 + 22 = 82
3 Sion Talbot (KTM) 22 + 16 + 15 + 20 = 73
4 Aaron Ongley (723 Fantic) 13 + 13 + 18 + 18 = 62
5 Corrie Southwood (Longmead Construction Kawasaki) 14 + 10 + 22 + 14 = 60
6 Aaron Patstone (Brenron Gas Gas) 18 + 14 + 9 + 15 = 56
7 Jay McCrum (Gas Gas) 12 + 9 + 16 + 16 = 53
8 Harry Bradley (JB Tuning Kawasaki) 16 + 18 + 14 + 0 = 48
9 Nathan Green (Russell's GRT Honda) 10 + 11 + 13 + 12 = 46
10 Josh Canton (Concept CCF Yamaha) 8 + 12 + 12 + 13 = 45
RFX Expert MX2:
1 Ashley Greedy (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) 25 + 22 + 22 + 25 = 94
2 Mathew Bayliss (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) 22 + 25 + 20 + 22 = 89
3 Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas) 20 + 10 + 25 + 20 = 75
4 Josh Colman (Holeshot MX LRSMX KTM) 18 + 20 + 18 + 18 = 74
5 Ollie Beamish (KTM) 13 + 16 + 16 + 16 = 61
6 Henry Siddiqui (Apico Husqvarna) 14 + 14 + 15 + 11 = 54
7 Callum Murfitt (Team PP Sport Husqvarna) 12 + 15 + 12 = 14 = 53
8 Harvey Cashmore (Chambers Gas Gas) 15 + 12 + 13 + 13 = 53
9 Jimmy Margetson (KTM) 0 + 18 + 14 + 15 = 47
10 Seth Moir (Dyce Carriers KTM) 11 + 11 + 10 + 12 = 44
Motoverde Amateur MX1:
1 Josh Greedy (Darjen Contractors Kawasaki) 18 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 93
2 Luke Mellows (LM Kitchens Honda) 25 + 22 + 22 + 22 = 91
3 Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) 22 + 20 + 16 + 20 = 80
4 Brad Thornhill (LMC Plant KTM) 20 + 14 + 12 + 12 = 58
5 Jamie Dixon (P&S Auto KTM) 8 + 18 + 14 + 14 = 54
6 Callum Gordon (MX Revive Gas Gas) 12 + 11 + 13 + 15 = 51
7 Ryan Osborn (Evotech KTM) 15 + 15 + 8 + 13 = 51
8 Adam Reeves (JNP Services Kawasaki) 13 + 9 + 10 + 18 = 50
9 Joshua McCorkell (McCorkell Racing Husqvarna) 6 + 8 + 15 + 16 = 45
10 Henry Partridge (Concept Racing Yamaha) 11 + 10 + 11 + 11 = 43
Motoverde Amateur MX2:
1 Ben Clark (Rock Oil Husqvarna) 20 + 20 + 22 + 22 = 84
2 Shaun Springer (Multitek Gas Gas) 25 + 22 + 16 + 20 = 83
3 Dan Brough (Rutzz.co.uk Yamaha) 22 + 25 + 13 + 18 = 78
4 Mitch Armour (Call-Mac Scaffolding Husqvarna) 14 + 18 + 20 + 16 = 68
5 Raife Broadley (723 Race Bikes Fantic) 0 + 6 + 25 + 25 = 56
6 Jonathan Rodrick-Evans (KTM) 18 + 16 + 11 + 9 = 54
7 Charlie Pulmer (Apex Gas Gas) 5 + 14 + 14 + 15 = 48
8 Archie Hicks (FC Racing Husqvarna) 12 + 13 + 9 + 13 = 47
9 Tom Hughes (Tom Hughes Valeting KTM) 13 + 11 + 4 + 11 = 39
10 Leon Williams (Husqvarna) 9 + 15 + 15 + 0 = 39
Worx Sports Insurance Clubman MX1:
1 Tallon Aspden (LA Groundwork KTM) 20 + 20 + 22 + 14 = 76
2 Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda) 25 + 14 + 10 + 25 = 74
3 Justin Robinson (KTM) 22 + 16 + 15 + 20 = 73
4 Danny Webster (Husqvarna) 0 + 25 + 25 + 18 = 68
5 Josh Young (KTM) 13 + 15 + 20 + 18 = 63
6 Darren Manning-Coe (Fabrican KTM) 0 + 22 + 18 + 22 = 62
7 Kalem Hicks (British Army MX Team Husqvarna) 18 + 13 + 12 + 12 = 55
8 Drew Lane (Lanes Construction Gas Gas) 2 + 18 + 9 + 16 = 45
9 Josh Bailey (Chris Bailey Landscaping Gas Gas) 10 + 9 + 13 + 10 = 42
10 Ryan Davis (Honda) 5 + 10 + 11 + 13 = 39
Spiral Clubman MX2:
1 Matt Tolley (426 Motorsport KTM) 22 + 22 + 25 + 25 = 94
2 Aaron Framingham (Fabrican Racing KTM) 20 + 20 + 14 + 20 = 74
3 Matthew Pocock (MGP Steel KTM) 12 + 25 + 20 + 16 = 73
4 Charlie West (Tim Feeney KTM) 9 + 13 + 18 + 22 = 62
5 George Boyce (Design Scaffolding KTM) 25 + 18 + 11 + 5 = 59
6 Richy Roberts (Rutzz Racing Yamaha) 18 + 14 + 8 + 13 = 53
7 Bradley Johnstone (Moto Connection Kawasaki) 3 + 15 + 22 + 10 = 50
8 Jamie Collins (723 Racebikes Yamaha) 14 + 12 + 16 + 2 = 44
9 Jack Ratcliffe (PR Building KTM) 0 + 11 + 12 + 15 = 38
10 Jordan Ambler (City Wide Electrical KTM) 13 + 2 + 9 + 14 = 38
Fly MXY2:
1 Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) 25 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 100
2 Liam Bennett (Apico Husqvarna) 22 + 22 + 20 + 22 = 86
3 Jak Taylor (Lexa MX Husqvarna) 16 + 18 + 22 + 20 = 76
4 Bayliss Utting (Trell Contractors Honda) 15 + 20 + 16 + 18 = 69
5 Mckenzie Marshall (DK Offroad Yamaha) 20 + 12 + 18 + 16 = 66
6 Fin Wilson (Husqvarna) 18 + 15 + 14 + 15 = 62
7 George Hopkins (HJA MC Gas Gas) 10 + 10 + 15 + 14 = 49
8 Kayde Rayns (Scott Motorsport Yamaha) 13 + 14 + 13 + 9 = 49
9 Seth Manners (Chambers Gas Gas) 11 + 9 + 12 + 13 = 45
10 Sid Putnam (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 12 + 13 + 9 + 11 = 45
Fly MXY125:
1 Wal Beaney (KTM) 22 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 97
2 Tyla Hooley (Fantic) 25 + 22 + 22 + 22 = 91
3 Shame Jones (Gas Gas) 14 + 16 + 20 + 15 = 65
4 Wesley McGavin (KTM) 12 + 18 + 18 + 16 = 64
5 Harrison Greenough (Simpson KTM) 20 + 20 + 0 + 20 = 60
6 Chester Hyde (Matt Pope MC Gas Gas) 11 + 14 + 14 + 18 = 57
7 Ollie Bubb (3 Flo Yamaha) 16 + 15 + 16 + 2 = 49
8 Jack Meara (Honda) 9 + 8 + 13 + 14 = 44
9 Archie Girdham (SJP Moto Husqvarna) 7 + 12 + 11 + 13 = 43
10 Cody Spacagna (Trevor Pope KTM) 13 + 11 + 5 + 9 = 38
Syntol Big Wheel 85:
1 Josh Vail (SJP Moto Husqvarna) 25 + 25 + 22 + 25 = 97
2 Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) 22 + 22 + 20 + 22 = 86
3 Charlie Richmond (KTM) 20 + 20 + 25 + 20 = 85
4 Finlay Pickering (Mr T's Racing KTM) 18 + 16 + 14 + 16 = 64
5 Blake Ward-Clarke (GRT Impact KTM) 10 + 18 + 16 + 15 = 59
6 Lewis Spratt (Manchester MC KTM) 16 + 15 + 10 + 14 = 55
7 Stanley Siebert (Coles Plastering Husqvarna) 15 + 14 + 12 + 11 = 52
8 Harry Lee (GRT Impact KTM) 11 + 0 + 18 + 18 = 47
9 Harley O’Callaghan (KTM) 12 + 13 + 9 + 12 = 46
10 Maison Jones (Paul Green Tyres KTM) 9 + 11 + 15 + 10 = 45
Syntol Small Wheel 85:
1 Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource Racing) 22 + 22 + 25 + 25 = 94
2 Lucas Lee (Husqvarna) 25 + 25 + 20 + 22 = 92
3 Chad Prince (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 16 + 18 + 18 + 18 = 70
4 Reuben Jenkins (KTM) 18 + 20 + 16 + 16 = 70
5 Arthur Moore (3 Flo Yamaha) 20 + 0 + 22 + 20 = 62