After ten years, the Michelin MX Nationals sign off at Hawkstone Park

After ten very successful years of service to the motocross racing public, last weekend's fifth and final round of the 2023 Michelin MX Nationals was the last in its current format. But it was one of the best, as most of the year-long championship battles went down to the final race of the year and some even to the last lap of the last race of the year.

In the prestigious Leatt Pro MX1 class, both Crendon Fastrack Honda team riders were suffering from minor injuries. But despite the handicaps, both riders occupied the top two steps of the podium. Conrad Mewse, with some fractured ribs, won the overall and, with it, the 2023 Leatt Pro MX1 championship, while his teammate Josh Gilbert, with a swollen hand, had to settle for second place on the day and in the championship.

On the comeback trail after a first-round injury, Ivo Monticelli (ASA United Gas Gas) claimed the last podium position. At the same time, in the championship, Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha's Harri Kullas had to settle for third place this year.

Things couldn't have been much tighter in the Apico Pro MX2 championship race, as the title chase was decided between four riders in the last race. During the race, with championship contenders crashing or pulling out with mechanical problems, the championship lead changed many times. But, as the flag fell, Carlton Husband, on his Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki, crossed the finish line sixth MX2 rider home but had done enough to be the 2023 Apico Pro MX2 champion by just two points from Joe Brooks (GRT Impact KTM).

Kullas got the holeshot at the start of the first combined Pro MX1 and MX2 race from Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM) and Gilbert, but by the end of the lap, Gilbert was in the lead from Mewse and Kullas as was pushed back to third, as Monticelli moved into fourth place at the expense of Purdon.

By the end of the second lap, Mewse was in the lead and from then on, he just revelled in the conditions and pulled further away from the rest of the pack, crossing the finish line very twenty-second clear. Gilbert and Kullas spent the rest of the race in second and third, with Purdon repassing a slowing Monticelli for fourth place.

Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas) had gated sixth and had passed the ailing Monticelli at about the halfway make, but a simple mistake allowed Monticelli to repass him as the pair finished the race in fifth and sixth.

The young and talented Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) had already won the MXY2s on Saturday, so the team thought sending him out with MX2 Pros for the experience would be a good idea. 

Now riding a KTM, Dylan Walsh was the first of the MX2s. He gated tenth but swiftly moved up to seventh place in four laps, with the young Askew following him through the pack to eighth place on lap four as he started to close on the MX2 leader Walsh as Glenn McCormick (Chambers Gas Gas) after gating twelfth begun to slip back into the pack with his championship chances going with him.

With four laps to go, Askew seemed to run out of steam as Walsh pulled away for the win, leaving Askew in a comfortable second place with Dylan Woodcock (Verde Shiloh KTM) third and with Pro MX2 series leader Husband fourteenth on the track but sixth in class.

All Mewse had to do to clinch the 2023 title was to finish in the top ten in race two. It was that simple. But, as the start gate fell and Monticelli got the holeshot, Mewse tried to go around the outside of the pack, went down in the deep sand, and was almost last.

As Monticelli, Gilbert, Purdon, and Kullas powered away at the sharp end of the race, Mewse ended his first lap in twenty-third place but was flying. By the time the race reached the halfway point, Mewse had slipped by both Purdon and Kullas and was in third and closing rapidly on the leading pair.

On lap nine, he passed Gilbert for second place, and two laps later, he passed Monticelli for the lead only to throw the lead away at the rocky top of the track and hand the lead and the race win back to Monticelli. He remounted and crossed the finish line in second place, but the championship winner. Gilbert was third, from Purdon and Kullas.

In the MX2s, Walsh had gated eighth and well within the bigger 450s but had Askew in his wheel tracks and with Husband close behind them.

For the next ten laps, Askew dogged Walshe's every move as he got closer and closer until on lap nine, after making a couple of attempts to snatch the lead, a clip of a wheel sent Askew out of the race.

While all this was happening, Charlie Cole (Blade Bikes Kawasaki) crashed out of the championship race on lap three, with Husband staying out of trouble as he crossed the finish line in fifteenth place on the track but sixth in class, which was enough to become champion.

The Pro MX1 overall on the day was Mewse, from Gilbert and Monticelli, but in the final championship standing, it was Mewse with 236 points, Gilbert with 221 and Kullas with 198.

The Pro MX2 on the day was Walsh from Hayman and Woodcock, but in the championship, it was Husband 156, just two points clear of Books with 154 and Wainwright with 152 points.

With three wins and a fourth place, James Dodd (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) won the RFX Experts MX1 overall. Still, race one winner Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha) did enough for second overall and the championship win. Dodd had to settle for second in the championship, with Harry Bradley (JB Tuning Kawasaki) third in both.

Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas), with two wins and two-second places, won the RFX Experts MX2 overall from Josh Colman (Holeshot MX LRSMX KTM) and Tyler Westcott (HJA MC, Planet Moto KTM). But the championship went to Ashley Greedy (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas), who won both races on Saturday but didn't compete on the Sunday. Mustoe and Colman were second and third in the championship.

The Motoverde Amateur MX1 was all about Luke Mellows (LM Kitchens Honda), as he won three out of his four races. He was second in the fourth and won the amateur MX1 championship. Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) was second in both, with Josh Greedy (Darjen Contractors Kawasaki) third.

Raife Broadley (723 Race Bikes Fantic) won in great style all four Motoverde Amateur MX2 races and, with it, the championship. Dan Brough (Rutzz.co.uk Yamaha) was second overall and second in the championship, with Niall Cregan (Husqvarna) third with Ben Clark, who didn't race the weekend third.

Daniel Chapman (Honda) was a closely fought Worx Sports Insurance Clubman MX1 from Darren Manning-Coe (Fabrican KTM) and Alex Christopher (KTM), but in the final championship positions, the winner was Tallon Aspeden (LA Groundwork Fantic) from Manning-Coe and Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda)

With three race wins and a second place, Matt Tolly (426 Motorsports KTM) won the Spiral Clubman MX2s from Matt Pocock (MGP Steel KTM) and Aaron Framingham (Fabrican Racing KTM) while in the championship, Tolly won from Framingham and Pocock.In the youth Fly MX2s, we had a different winner for a change, and Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) had won every championship race up to Saturday afternoon when he switched to the Pro MX2s for the last two races of the year. This let Tyler Hooley (Gas Gas), who was the only other rider to win an MXY2 race this year, was the overall winner from Bayliss Utting (Trell Contractors Honda) and Mckenzie Marshall (DK Offroad Yamaha). Utting was second to Askew in the final championship positions, with Marshall third.

Reece Jones (SJP Husqvarna) won all the Fly MXY125 races and the championship from Freddy Gardener (Team Matt Gardener KTM) and Westley McGavin (KTM). Still, in the championship, McGavin was second to Jones, with Ollie Bubb (3 Flo Yamaha) third.

Josh Vail (SJP Moto KTM) continued his winning ways on the Syntol Big Wheel 85s by winning all four of his races from Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) and Charlie Richmond (KTM), while in the championship, it was the same order.

In the Syntol Small Wheel 85s, Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource Racing KTM) won the overall and the championship.

Stay tuned for what’s happening in 2024.

Top ten overall

Leatt Pro MX1:

1 Conrad Mewse (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 25 + 22 = 47

2 Josh Gilbert (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 22 + 20 = 42

3 Ivo Monticelli (ASA United Gas Gas) 16 + 25 = 41

4 Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM) 18 + 18 = 36

5 Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 20 + 16 = 36

6 Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas) 15 + 14 = 29

7 Martin Barr (Apico Husqvarna) 14 + 13 = 27

8 Jamie Carpenter (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 11 + 15 = 26

9 Liam Knight (Gabriel Holeshot KTM) 13 + 12 = 25

10 Charlie Putnam (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 12 + 10 = 22

Final championship positions:

1 Mewse 236, 2 Gilbert 221, 3 Kullas 198, 4 Grimshaw 145, 5 Monticelli 121.

Apico Pro MX2:

1 Dylan Walsh (KTM) 25 + 25 = 50

2 Charlie Hayman (Tru7 Honda) 16 + 20 = 36

3 Dylan Woodcock (Verde Shiloh KTM) 20 + 16 = 36

4 Joe Brooks (GRT Impact KTM) 12 + 18 = 30

5 Carlton Husband (Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki) 15 + 15 = 30

6 Sam Nunn (Can Screens Crescent Yamaha) 14 + 14 = 28

7 Jamie Wainwright (WPH SBE KTM) 13 + 12 = 25

8 Joel Rizzi (Honda) 0 + 22 = 22

9 Calum Mitchell (Lexa MX KTM) 9 + 13 = 22

10 Glen McCormick (Chambers Gas Gas) 11 + 11 = 22

Final championship positions:

1 Husband 156, 2 Brooks 154, 3 Wainwright 152, 4 Mitchell 143, 5 Cole 142.

RFX Expert MX1:

1 James Dodd (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) 18 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 93

2 Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha) 25 + 20 + 22 + 20 = 87

3 Harry Bradley (JB Tuning Kawasaki) 20 + 18 + 15 + 22 = 75

4 Declan Whittle (Lings Gas Gas) 22 + 22 + 20 + 0 = 64

5 Aiden Bruce (Shirlaws Motorcycles KTM) 16 + 13 + 18 + 14 = 61

6 Sion Talbot (KTM) 15 + 16 + 12 + 16 = 59

7 Josh Canton (Concept CCF KTM) 14 + 15 + 13 + 15 = 57

8 Nathan Green (Russell’s GRT Honda) 0 + 14 + 16 + 18 = 48

9 Aaron Patstone (Brenron Gas Gas) 0 + 0 + 14 + 0 = 14

Final championship positions:

1 Bird 336, 2 Dodd 330, 3 Talbot 262, 4 Bradley 243, 5 Canton 219.

RFX Expert MX2:

1 Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas) 22 + 22 + 25 + 25 = 94

2 Josh Colman (Holeshot MX LRSMX KTM) 20 + 18 + 22 + 22 = 82

3 Tyler Westcott (HJA MC, Planet Moto) 18 + 20 + 20 + 20 = 78

4 Callum Murfitt (Southside MMX KTM) 15 + 14 + 18 + 15 = 62

5 Patrick Jackson (KTM) 12 + 15 + 16 + 16 = 59

6 Jordan McCaw (Husqvarna) 14 + 13 + 14 + 14 = 55

7 Ashley Greedy (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) 25 + 25 + 0 + 0 = 50

8 James Barker (Husqvarna) 13 + 16 + 0 + 18 = 47

9 Luca Pegg (KTM) 0 + 12 + 15 + 13 = 40

10 Mathew Bayliss (Gas Gas) 16 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 16

Final championship positions:

1 Greedy 344, 2 Mustoe 314, 3 Coleman 308, 4 Bayliss 274, 5 Murfitt 232.

Motoverde Amateur MX1:

1 Luke Mellows (LM Kitchens Honda) 25 + 25 + 25 + 22 = 97

2 Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) 20 + 20 + 18 + 25 = 83

3 Josh Greedy (Darjen Contractors Kawasaki) 22 + 22 + 12 + 18 = 74

4 Joshua McCorkell (McCorkell Racing Husqvarna) 16 + 12 + 20 + 20 = 68

5 Brad Thornhill (LMC Plant KTM) 18 + 18 + 15 + 16 = 67

6 Daniel Maule (Kawasaki) 14 + 14 + 16 + 14 = 58

7 Callum Gordon (MX Revive Gas Gas) 15 + 15 + 13 + 13 = 56

8 Lewis Taylor (Van Care, Teebee MC KTM) 0 + 16 + 22 + 15 = 53

9 Ryan Osborn (Evotech KTM) 13 + 13 + 14 + 12 = 52

10 Jamie Dixon (P&S Auto Yamaha) 12 + 11 + 9 + 11 = 43

Final championship positions:

1 Mellows 390, 2 Wainwright 355, 3 Greedy 351, 4 McCorkell 269, 5 Thornhill 266.

Motoverde Amateur MX2:

1 Raife Broadley (723 Race Bikes Fantic) 25 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 100

2 Dan Brough (Rutzz.co.uk Yamaha) 22 + 22 + 20 + 22 = 86

3 Niall Cregan (Husqvarna) 10 + 16 + 22 + 20 = 68

4 Charlie Griffiths (KTM) 11 + 20 + 18 + 18 = 67

5 Leon Ongley (723 Fantic) 20 + 18 + 10 + 14 = 62

6 David Plank (Yamaha) 18 + 14 + 15 + 12 = 59

7 Tom Hughes (Tom Hughes Valeting KTM) 14 + 12 + 16 + 16 = 58

8 Charlie Palmer (Apex Gas Gas) 7 + 15 + 13 + 15 = 50

9 Tommi Davies (KTM) 12 + 10 + 14 + 13 = 49

10 Archie Hicks (FC Racing Team TM) 13 + 13 + 11 + 9 = 46

Final championship positions:

1 Broadley 381, 2 Brough 298, 3 Clark 292. 4 Palmer 222, 5 Ongley 193.

Worx Sports Insurance Clubman MX1:

1 Daniel Chapman (Honda) 20 + 22 + 22 + 25 = 89

2 Darren Manning-Coe (Fabrican KTM) 13 + 25 + 25 + 20 = 83

3 Alex Christopher (KTM) 15 + 11 + 20 + 22 = 68

4 Tallon Aspden (LA Groundwork KTM) 16 + 18 + 18 + 15 = 67

5 Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda) 18 + 14 + 15 + 13 = 60

6 Josh Young (KTM) 22 + 20 + 0 + 16 = 58

7 Paul Atkinson (Premier Bikes KTM) 12 + 16 + 13 + 12 = 53

8 Kalen Hicks (British Army Husqvarna) 11 + 15 + 9 + 9 = 44

9 Jude Gaylard (Wheeldon Off Road Honda) 0 + 13 + 12 + 14 = 39

10 Ashley Senior (KTM) 5 + 12 + 8 + 11 = 36

Final championship positions:

1 Aspden 360, 2 Manning-Coe 322, 3 Saunders 308, 4 Lane 222, 5 Chapman 209.

Spiral Clubman MX2:

1 Matt Tolley (426 Motorsport KTM) 22 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 97

2 Matt Pocock (MGP Steel Fantic) 18 + 20 + 18 + 20 = 76

3 Aaron Framingham (Fabrican Racing KTM) 20 + 14 + 20 + 18 = 72

4 Alex Hamer (KTM) 25 + 22 + 14 + 0 = 61

5 Bradley Johnstone (Moto Connection Kawasaki) 15 + 18 + 15 + 4 = 52

6 Richy Roberts (Rutzz Racing Yamaha) 12 + 13 + 11 + 15 = 51

7 Jake O’Gorman (Fantic) 1 + 0 + 22 + 22 = 45

8 Mitchel Collins (723 Racebikes Fantic) 7 + 16 + 16 + 5 = 44

9 Jack Ratcliffe (PR Building KTM) 8 + 10 + 12 + 10 = 40

10 Max Fletcher (Mumzie Kawasaki) 13 + 3 + 7 + 16 = 39

Final championship positions:

1 Tolley 395, 2 Framingham 303, 3 Pocock 299, 4 Johnstone 255, 5 West 203.

Fly MXY2:

1 Tyler Hooley (Gas Gas) 22 + 20 + 25 + 25 = 92

2 Bayliss Utting (Trell Contractors Honda) 20 + 18 + 22 + 22 = 82

3 Mckenzie Marshall (DK Offroad Yamaha) 18 + 12 + 18 + 20 = 68

4 Bernerdo Tiburcio (KTM) 0 + 22 + 20 + 18 = 60

5 Harrison Greenough (KTM) 14 + 7 + 16 + 16 = 53

6 Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) 25 + 25 + 0 + 0 = 50

7 Lee Cameron (Dyce Carrier KTM) 10 + 8 + 14 + 15 = 47

8 Liam Bennett (Apico GMR Husqvarna) 16 + 13 + 15 + 0 = 44

9 Kayde Rayns (Scott Motorsport Yamaha) 12 + 5 + 12 + 14 = 43

10 Seth Manners (Chambers Gas Gas) 13 + 16 + 13 + 0 = 42

Final championship positions:

1 Askew 400, 2 Utting 330, 3 Marshall 299, 4 Taylor 251, 5 Bennett 250.

Fly MXY125:

1 Reece Jones (SJP Husqvarna) 25 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 100

2 Freddie Gardiner (Team Matt Gardiner KTM) 22 + 22 + 22 + 22 = 88

3 Wesley McGavin (KTM) 20 + 15 + 20 + 20 = 75

4 Ollie Bubb (3 Flo Yamaha) 16 + 18 + 14 + 16 = 64

5 Lucy Barker (KTM) 15 + 16 + 18 + 13 = 62

6 Jack Meara (Honda) 12 + 12 + 15 + 18 = 57

7 Declan Wright (Webster Mechanical KTM) 14 + 14 + 8 + 14 = 50

8 Max Corke (KTM) 11 + 13 + 16 + 10 = 50

9 Cody Spacagna (Trevor Pope KTM) 9 + 11 + 13 + 12 = 45

10 Will Haddock (KTM) 13 + 0 + 12 + 15 = 40

Final championship positions:

1 Jones 345, 2 McGavin 315, 3 Bubb 262, 4 Hyde 252, 5 Meara 199.

Syntol Big Wheel 85:

1 Josh Vail (SJP Moto KTM) 25 + 25 + 25 + 25 = 100

2 Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) 22 + 22 + 22 + 22 = 88

3 Charlie Richmond (KTM) 20 + 20 + 20 + 20 = 80

4 Drew Stock (Madison Mad 4 KTM) 18 + 18 + 18 + 18 = 72

5 Finlay Pickering (Mr T’s Racing KTM) 16 + 16 + 15 + 15 = 62

6 Lewis Spratt (KTM) 13 + 14 + 14 + 14 = 55

7 Blake Ward-Clarke (GRT Impact KTM) 14 + 13 + 13 + 13 = 53

8 Hayden Statt (Manchester MC KTM) 10 + 9 + 16 + 16 = 51

9 Alfie Geddes-Green (Matt Pope MC Gas Gas) 12 + 15 + 9 + 11 = 47

10 Austin Beasty (Custom MX Husqvarna) 15 + 10 + 12 + 10 = 47

Final championship positions:

1 Vail 428, 2 Keith 392, 3 Richmond 372, 4 Ward-Clarke 251, 5 Spratt 241.

Syntol Small Wheel 85:

1 Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource Racing KTM) 25 + 20 + 25 + 22 = 92

2 Lucas Lee (Husqvarna) 22 + 25 + 20 + 18 = 85

3 Leo Wilson (KTM) 20 + 22 + 15 + 25 = 82

4 Harvey Collins (HRC Scaffolding KTM) 18 + 18 + 22 + 20 = 78

5 Chad Prince (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 16 + 15 + 18 + 15 = 64

6 Riley Butterworth (KTM) 15 + 16 + 16 + 16 = 63

Final championship positions:

1 Winstanley-Dawson 424, 2 Lee 388, 3 Prince 217, 4 Moore 172, 5 Wilson 82.