Round 2 of the 2017 Michelin MX Nationals Motocross Championship heads to Lyng near Norwich this weekend (May 6-7).
And if the last round at Preston Docks MX is anything to go by, there will be two more days of fast, action-packed racing, with over 280 riders across seven classes.
Official, ACU-recognised, British Championship Expert Classes (MX1 and MX2)
In the British Championship MX2 Expert class, sponsored by Bell Racing, the class leader Jason Meara is looking to add to his points tally, with three race wins and a third place at Preston Docks.
He is the one the others will be out to beat, although we hear he is carrying an injury. Hot on his tailpipe will be Aston Dickinson – who took the other win at Preston – and Jake Sheridan.
In the British Championship MX1 Expert class, sponsored by Fly Racing, Jamie Jackson goes to Lyng undefeated, after taking the maximum 100 points from the season’s opening round at this home circuit.
Out to try and stop him doing this again will be Declan Whittle, Ryan Crowder and Luke Parker.
Elite Clubman Classes (MX1 and MX2)
In the Elite Clubman MX2 class, sponsored by RFX, Tony Cadman leads the way, with Adam Pearce in second place, but Brad Thornhill, currently in third place, won two races at Preston so he could be the man to watch.
The Elite Clubman MX1 class, sponsored by Moto Connection, has Sean Barnsdale leading, although there were four different race winners over the opening weekend: Guy Prince, Chris Muir, Danny Townsend and Aiden Christie.
MXY1 and MXY2 (Combined)
Youth action comes in the form of combined MXY1 and MXY2 races, sponsored by Talon. Lewis Hall dominated the MXY2 250cc class in Preston, taking the maximum 100 point haul and four wins. Keenan Hird (second) and Ben Clark (third) will be trying to stop a repeat performance by Lewis.
After Round 1 in Preston, the MXY1 125cc class sees Joel Rizzi leading the way. Consistent riding from Sam Nunn puts him second and Rossi Beard third. These lads are likely to be chased by 2016 85cc Small Wheel champion, Ike Carter, and also by Josh Peters who took the first race at Preston.
85cc Small Wheel and Big Wheel (combined)
The Gaerne-sponsored 85cc class will see the majority of the UK’s leading young riders take to the track in our combined small wheel and big wheel race.
Championship leader in the small wheels, Charlie Heyman, is unfortunately sidelined due to injury, so at Lyng, it will be down to Alfie Jones and Oliver Barr to try and claim the championship lead and red plate.
In the big wheels, Kyle McNicol leads the way on 91 points, chased by Dominic Lancet and Bobby Bruce.
‘Fastest 40’ Pro Races (MX1 and MX2)
Added to the mix on Sunday are two Pro races, sponsored by Prox Racing, which the series calls the ‘Fastest 40’. This is where the top UK MX1 and MX2 pro riders bang bars in the same motos.
The first race goes down at 12 noon and the other at 3pm – each lasting 30 minutes plus two laps.
In the Pro MX2 class, REVO Husqvarna’s Mel Pocock claimed the first race win at Preston and backed it up by taking second place in moto two, giving him 47 points and the first red plate of the year.
Moto two was claimed by Thorpe Off Road Centre Honda’s Josh Gilbert – his first Pro win. That result placed him in third in the points table.
Jake Millward is in second place going into Lyng, having taken a second and third place at Preston. Others to watch include Kawasaki riders, Micky Eccles and Liam Knight.
In the Pro MX1 class, reigning MX1 champion Graeme Irwin (Buildbase Honda) leads the way with 43 points.
While teammate and reigning Pro MX2 champion, Martin Barr, will be looking to claim the MX1 top step for himself.
Hobbs Racing Kawasaki’s Steven Lenoir is another rider that has good form and if it wasn’t for a mechanical issue, he could well have walked away with two moto wins in Preston.
Speaking of riders on form, Geartec Husqvarna’s Elliott Banks-Browne is starting to get back to his very best.
The two-time British champion’s speed has been there all season – right from the first gate drop, but he just needed to put two motos together. He did that last weekend in the British championship and he showed excellent pace at Lyng a few weeks back. Don’t bet against him for Round 2.
Some ‘Fastest 40’ rookies to look for at Lyng are: Alexander Brown, Dexter Douglas and Taylor Hammel.
Timing
Practice starts at 9am on Saturday and the first race gets underway on Saturday at 11am and on Sunday at 9.30am – continuing throughout the afternoon.
The Pro ‘Fastest 40’ races are scheduled for Sunday at 12 noon and 3pm.
Local Riders
Local riders to shout for at Lyng include:
- Pros: Elliott Banks-Browne and Lewis Tombs
- Experts: Ben Cole, Aaron Framingham, Jordan Moxey, Luke Parker and Declan Whittle
- Clubman: Jonathon Nudds and Tim Warnes
- 85cc: Kam Dixon, Archie Fisher and Thomas Harris
Spectator Facilities
Spectator facilities will include:
- On-site parking
- Live commentary
- Refreshments (hot and cold food and drink, ice cream and sweets)
- Motorcycle trade stands
- Play area for kids
Tickets
Weekend tickets are priced at £15 at the gate (children under 12 are free), advanced tickets are available online at a discount from: www.mxnationals.co.uk
Directions
The village of Lyng can be found to the west of Norwich, via either the A47 or A1067, the postcode for those with satnav is NR9 5QZ.
