The Red Bull Pro Nationals move from Scotland to Swanley but the results are the same as Aubin and Bradshaw keep on truckin’…
The changeable British weather strikes again as a lunchtime shower turns a perfect and awesomely prepped Canada Heights circuit into a quagmire (giggety) half an hour or so before the first Pro National is due to leave the line. When it does it’s little surprise that the guy who yanks the holey wins the race as the roost behind him is unbelievable.
Martin Barr is that man and the advantage of being out front is clear as bar the odd exception every rider behind him has to take off – or come in for fresh – goggles while Martin keeps his peepers protected until the end. Behind him riders struggle like crazy and the odd racer – MX2 series leader Nev Bradshaw for example – receives facial injuries from the unforgiving spray of sand and stones.
When it is all over it’s Barr who takes the win ahead of comeback kid Jason Dougan and Alex Snow. In MX2 Graeme Irwin takes the class win in the mixed-capacity moto while a battered and bruised Bradshaw and Nathan Watson follow him home.
With a hot summer sun beating down throughout the first race and for the rest of the afternoon the track’s much better for race two although with heavy roost the leader’s always going to have an advantage around the tight Canada Heights circuit. Pole setter Nico Aubin knows this and preps an awesome gate for the second moto, takes a massive holeshot and holds the lead all race. Red plate holder Stephen Sword chases hard but seems to get tired midway although he’s still able to hold off a charging Bert Krestinov who motors home to third on the MVR-D Honda. In MX2 Lenoir takes victory ahead of Irn Bry MacKenzie, two-stroke avenger Matt Moffat and Bradshaw.
Overall Aubin takes the win in MX1 – and moves to joint first in the series standings tied with Stephen Sword – while Barr takes the second step on the podium with Dougan third. With MX2 moto winners Irwin and Lenoir also taking a DNF apiece it’s Bradshaw who takes the top step and extends his series lead. He’s joined on the podium by Moffat and Nathan Watson.
Results
MX1
1 Nicolas Aubin Buildbase Honda 4-1
2 Martin Barr Tyco Suzuki 1-5
3 Jason Dougan MVR-D Honda 2-7
4 Stephen Sword Tyco Suzuki 8-2
5 Alex Snow Oakleaf Kawasaki 3-6
6 Gert Krestinov MVR-D Honda 7-3
MX2
1 Neville Bradshaw Evo-Tech Honda 2-4
2 Matt Moffat DCC Cars KTM 6-3
3 Nathan Watson PAR Honda 3-7
4 Bryan MacKenzie Pendrich KTM 11-2
5 Stuart Edmonds Tyco Suzuki 5-5
6 Lewis Tombs Banks Honda 7-6
Series standings
MX1
1 Aubin 167, 2 Sword 167, 3 Barr 156, 4 Krestinov 130, 5 Snow 116, 6 Marc de Reuver 83
MX2
1 Bradshaw 168, 2 Steven Lenoir 139, 3 Watson 120, 4 Graeme Irwin 112, 5 Edmonds 110, 6 Moffat 102