The Cab Screens Husqvarna Pro riders of James Harrison and Dan Thornhill took to the track for qualifying at the third round of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights. And both looked full of confidence from a few good weeks of solid preparation.
James put in a flyer on his first timed lap and that proved to be his best, putting him in an awesome fifth place at the end of the session. His and the team’s best ever MX1 qualifying time.
Dan was holding top 10 for most of qualifying and ended up a strong 13th.
James, still buzzing from his excellent qualifying, got off the line well in fifth place in the opening MX1 moto – ending Lap 1 in sixth.
He proceeded to mix it with some of the top UK names, hanging onto a group that included Kristian Whatley, Elliott Banks-Browne and Gert Krestinov. James rode with confidence to sixth place – the best result Cab Screens Husqvarna have achieved in a British Championship race.
Dan got off the line well but was cut off going up the start straight and ended Lap 1 down in 17th place.
He pulled through the pack well and had made it to 12th before the race was red-flagged for a nasty Kristian Whatley crash.
It was another flying start for James as he rounded turn one in fourth place in moto two, while Dan tried his luck on an outside line, which almost worked – rounding Lap 1 in 12th place.
James once again focused on the group in front of him as he held a strong sixth place for the whole race and more than once got alongside fifth placed Graeme Irwin, only to be shut out.
James pushed Irwin to the end, finishing less than a second behind the Buildbase Honda rider in a brilliant sixth overall and now moves to eighth in the championship.
After a few quiet early laps, Dan found an awesome turn of speed and aggression mid-race, dropping his lap times to match those of race leader, Gert Krestinov.
Sadly, it was all in vain, as two laps from the end – after moving past Jamie Law for ninth place – Dan crashed out of the race as he was about to go eighth.
He finished 16th overall and now sits 18th in the MX1 British Motocross Championship.
