The great news is that after studying as a personal trainer over the past two years at college I am finally fully qualified. So, for now at least, I can focus a bit more time on my racing.
The MX Nationals at Lyng went well. I was running a solid sixth overall in MX2 in the Fastest 40 class and was happy knowing I could have done better but I crashed trying to overtake for another position which spoilt a possible third overall.
The following week was a great trip to Saint Jean d’Angely in France for some EMX250 racing.
The track looked and rode mega and with a huge crowd I was super-excited. I had worked hard on my qualification laps and game plan before our trip and I was hoping that I could qualify.
After free practice I felt good and confident with the track, I just had to stick to our plan when we rolled out again for the qualification session and I was able to put in some good early laps and maintain a qualifying position. I was over the moon when I read on the pit board I had qualified.
It was funny as so much energy went into qualification that we didn’t have a race plan but dad told me to just absorb the experience. I had two races which were so cut-throat and relentless even back in 27th place with a 20-rider freight train. It was havoc! Halfway through moto two my engine blew going over a huge jump – I walked away but it was scary.
The Maxxis at Blaxhall was next and as always what a great venue, always well presented and a great advert for modern motocross. This turned out to be one of my best days of racing to date and I finished with an amazing fourth overall and was second overall in the British Experts.
I haven’t been on a Maxxis podium since my MXY2 days in 2017 and it felt amazing to be back up there.
We headed back to Lyng for an Eastern Centre round, however this was on the shorter course without the meadow section which is my favourite part. I was sixth overall which could had been better but a faulty gearbox put paid to any progress.
Then we headed to Teutschenthal in Germany for more EMX250 racing but the game plan we set in France didn’t work in Germany. The well-watered track got faster as the timed session went on and deep ruts made for some very difficult, technical riding.
I set a good time early on but at the halfway stage I was dropping out of the top 20. The more I tried, the worse it got as I was over-riding the track.
Dad blamed himself for this and I just agreed. We both learnt a lot that weekend as we sat on the banks watching the best in the world strut their stuff. Once you see it, it’s like switching a lightbulb on and I was itching to have another go.
Once back from Germany it was a quick turn around as we picked up a new bike from DBC Motorcycles (Steve and Martin Cook) with the mega support from Scott Stevens, one of my sponsors who made this happen at short notice. Many thanks guys for all your support.
We did some set-up work with Josh Spinks at VIP Track Crick before heading off to Desertmartin on Friday morning for the fifth round of the Maxxis.
It’s always well worth the trip to Northern Ireland as this place is truly world-class. With the club organising Jeffery Herlings to come over to sign some autographs – a class move on their part – there was a real buzz about the place in anticipation of some good racing.
I had two races of full-on chasing and being chased to score a solid 12th overall which meant I moved up a position to 10th which I’m really happy with at this stage and I hope to continue putting together two points-scoring rides for the remainder of the championship.
A mid-week race at Wattisfield Hall organised by the Diss club is next up but my column needs to be in at TMX Towers the day before so I’ll update you next month.
The big news is I will be racing my dad. Yes, he is coming out of retirement again to race this old-school track and he’s confident of not getting lapped as they’re just five-lap motos!
Hmmm, I think we should have a wager…
Tom 61
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