Essential motocross fan guide to 2018 Be Wiser Hawkstone International

We’ve put together our usual ‘everything you need to know guide’ for the 2018 Be Wiser Hawkstone International Motocross. From an in-depth race preview to the timetable and everything in-between…it’s the essential motocross fan guide to what is one of the best moto days of the year.

After weeks and weeks of anticipation, this weekend – Sunday, February 11 to be a tad more precise – will witness the running of the 2018 Be Wiser Hawkstone International in association with Bridgestone. With three awesome line-ups now confirmed, the on-track action in the MX1, MX2 and MXY2 classes is sure to be amazing.

Leading the way in MX1 will be three-time MX2 world champion and the man many would say is the fastest sand rider on the planet – Jeffrey Herlings. This will be the first time that the 23-year-old Dutchman has ridden Hawkstone Park on a 450 and if any of his MX2 appearances are anything to go by it should make for mind-blowing viewing.

Joining Jeffrey on the MX1 start gate will be his team-mate Glenn Coldenhoff and fellow GP stars Max Anstie, Tommy Searle, Gautier Paulin, Arminas Jasikonis, Jonathan Bengtsson, Evgeny Bobryshev and Jordi Tixier.

Joining the established world championship stars will be home-grown heroes including current British champion Graeme Irwin – who of course will be doing the full GP series in 2018 – and ex-champ Brad Anderson. All three riders should feature at the sharp end and all three have the potential to be top Brit at the end of it all.

There’s one other UK passport holder who we’re expecting great things from and that’s enduro ace Nathan Watson. After embarrassing more than a few GP riders as he blasted by them on his road legal KTM at last year’s event the 22-year-old from Nottingham – who apparently shares his birthday with our chunky editor – is back again and ready to collect more scalps!

Other guys worth keeping an eye on are Gert Krestinov, Dan Thornhill, Ryan Houghton and Carlton Husband plus someone who’ll probably be nearer the back of the pack – Barry Turnbull. The twinshock star will be riding a 1987 – which makes it older than all the riders in the class – Honda CR500 in the big boy class. Be sure to give him a cheer as he pings past…

Two-stroke fans will be pumped to know that 250 smokers are now eligible in the MX2 class with Le Touquet beach race ace Rob Holyoake being the first to exploit that fact on his Husqvarna. He’ll be the guy on the bike with that fat pipe that smells and sounds funny – we mean funny odd and not funny haha by the way!

Current MX2 world champ Pauls Jonass will be out to prove he’s the alpha male in the 250 division on his Red Bull KTM ahead of the GPs starting in Argentina next month. Jonass ran 1-1 in least year’s event before blasting to fifth in the mixed-capacity Superfinal up against the 450s and it’ll be interesting to see if he can repeat or even better that feat in 2018.

Based on what we know already Rockstar Husqvarna’s Thomas Kjer Olsen is likely to be the guy to push him hardest but there are a pack of highly capable and highly motivated young Brits who’d like nothing more than to top the pair of them on the podium.

Current British champion Ben Watson and his predecessor Adam Sterry are probably favourites to achieve that task but don’t discount Conrad Mewse, Martin Barr or Mel Pocock either.

Other international riders of note include TKO’s team-mate Mikkel Haarup, Aussie Jed Beaton, Dutchman Davy Pootjes, America’s Marshal Weltin, Frenchman Zach Pichon and Belgium’s Jago Geerts. It’s a talent-packed class and it’s fair to expect bar-to-bar battles right the way through the pack…

Although the MXY2 class is considered to be the support act to the five international races (two MX2, two MX1 and that oh-so awesome Superfinal) there’ll be no shortage of action as this crop of future champions and GP runners battle it out over three 15-minute plus one lap legs. Interestingly there’s a 50/50 split of two and four-stroke competitors which only adds to the interest.

The action kicks off at 9am with MXY2 practice and qualifying then just keeps on keeping on until the Superfinal finishes at a smidge before half four.

2018 Hawkstone International Essential Info

Top Tip: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Jeffrey Herlings, Glenn Coldenhoff and Pauls Jonass will be on autograph duty at the WP Suspension display, 11:00-11:15am. Expect a big line!

Hawkstone International Ticket Prices

Top Tip: You can only pay by CASH (poor signal means the planned card payment facility is not possible) at the gate so we suggest you stop off and raid the old cash machine en-route for food and some trade stands…

Entrance to the event costs a very reasonable £30 per person with free parking and free access to the pits all included.

If you’re really lucky you might even get some free Hawkstone sand in your shoes to take home with you but shhhhh, don’t tell anyone. Accompanied kids aged between five and 15 get in for £5 with four-year-olds and under getting to experience the whole shebang for free.

Entrance is by CASH ONLY (poor signal means the planned card payment facility is not possible) but you’ll also need some money to bag a bargain from the trade stands and a hot drink, even possibly lunch from the food stands, so bring plenty but please leave dogs (although they are officially allowed), bicycles, pit bikes and bad attitudes at home.

2018 Hawkstone International Timetable

• 7.45 – 8.45am – Technical Control
• 9.00 – 9.15 – MXY2 Qualifying
• 9.20 – 10.00 – MX2 International Practice & Qualifying
• 10.05 – 10.40 – MX1 International Practice & Qualifying
• 10.45 – MXY2 Race 1 15 mins + 1 lap
• INTERVAL
• 12.00 – MX2 International Race 1 25 mins + 1 lap
• 12.40 – MX1 International Race 1 25 mins + 1 lap
• 13.15 – MXY2 Race 2 15 mins + 1 lap
• 13.40 – MX2 International Race 2 25 mins + 1 lap
• PRESENTATION TOP THREE MX2
• 14.25 MX1 International Race 2 25 mins + 1 lap
• PRESENTATION TOP THREE MX1
• 15.10 – MXY2 Race 3 15 mins + 1 lap
• 15.50 – MX1/MX2 Superfinal 25 mins + 2 laps
• PRESENTATION SUPERFINAL and MXY2

How to find Hawkstone Park

For SatNav users this is as easy as inputting SY4 4NA into the device of your choice but for the old-school map crew who don’t already know their way to the UK’s #1 motocross track instinctively then read on.

The Hawkstone Park motocross circuit is situated between the A53 and A49 near the villages of Hopton and Moston around 12 miles north-east of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.

The exit to Hawkstone off the A49 is between the B5065 and B5063 and is signposted Booley/Stanton.

The exit off the A53 is signposted Lee Brockhurst/West Midland Shooting Ground and is just to the west of the roundabout where the A442 crosses the A53.

Whatever you do please don’t follow the brown tourist signs to Hawkstone Park historic follies as that’s really not the place to find hardcore international motocross action.

Other places you can find great Hawkstone International content:

www.facebook.com/dbrmagazine
www.twitter.com/dbrmagazine
www.instagram.com/dbrmagazine
www.youtube.com/dbrmagazine

2018 Hawkstone International Rider Entry List

MX1

For further information please take a gander at the event’s official website www.hawkstoneinternationalmx.com.