It’s crunch time in the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship supported by Pro Clean on Sunday as the series comes to a thrilling climax at Landrake Moto Parc.
After seven hard-fought rounds it all goes down to the wire on the fast, sweeping, hard-pack circuit laid out on a hillside just on the Cornish side of the Tamar Bridge.
In the MX1 class Tommy Searle (Kawasaki) is looking like a shoo-in for the title and with a 35-point lead from Shaun Simpson (RFX KTM powered by PAR Homes) should wrap up the title in the opening moto.
It’s been a tough season for the leading pair who’ve both been forced to race with injuries this year with Simpson’s disastrous double DNF with mechanical problems at Desertmartin looking likely to be the deciding factor.
Currently holding down third and fourth are class rookies Jake Millward (Chambers Racing KTM) and Mel Pocock (ASA United KTM).
Millward holds a 33-point cushion over Pocock who will be more concerned with holding off recently-crowned Michelin MX Nationals champion Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Deos Group Racing Honda) who he leads by a single point.
There’s no shortage of fast men who will be looking to sign off in style so don’t discount riders including Brad Anderson (Verde Substance KTM), Jake Shipton (Crescent Yamaha), Lewis Tombs (Buildbase Honda) and Elliott Banks-Browne (Geartec Husqvarna).
It’s closer in MX2 but Dylan Walsh (REVO Husqvarna UK) still has a healthy 18-point lead over his team-mate Alvin Ostlund with local hero Josh Gilbert (Buildbase Honda) a further 28 points off the pace.
A further 15 points behind, veteran Irishman Martin Barr (Crescent Yamaha) hasn’t given hope of snatching a top-three finish in the championship but the established order could be blown wide open by the return of defending champion Conrad Mewse (Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee).
Mewse won four out of the five opening motos of the year before getting injured at round three Canada Heights. It remains to be seen how race-rusty he is after such a long lay-off but you can guarantee he won’t be there just to make up the numbers.
There’s also an exciting wild card coming over from Estonia. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (Husqvarna) finished fourth in this year’s EMX125 series and is seriously quick.
The MX2 Youth championship will be decided at Landrake and will be a two-man fight between Joel Rizzi (RFX KTM powered by PAR Homes) and Ike Carter (PGVM Yamaha) with Rizzi holding a 28-point lead.
Event promoter RHL Activities is styling the event as the Battle of the MX British Titles with the final round of the Judd KTM British Youth Championships also being decided over the weekend so the on-track action will be flat-out both days.
To take advantage of discounted advance tickets go to www.rhlactivities.com but you will be able to pay on the gate on both days.
Landrake Moto Parc is located just off the A38 west of Saltash. Postcode is PL12 5EP.
