Like everyone Team Green UK have been chomping at the bit to get back at it and that day isn’t too far away. The team have extended their line up for 2021 with Joe and Ben Clayton officially joining the motocross programme alongside Ryan Mawhinney and 2020 MX Nationals MXY2 champion Cullen Scott.
The four riders will all be competing in the Michelin MX Nationals championship and going for glory in the Expert classes. Cullen, Ryan and Ben, who all raced in the MXY2 class last year, will be moving up to the Expert class on the all new 2021 KX250 highlighting the progressional system put in place at the MX Nationals, while Joe Clayton will again go for the championship in the Expert MX1 class on his KX450 where he finished runner up in 2020.
There’s also a new look for the team this year with the lads now wearing Fasthouse race kit and a clean line ‘factory’ feel to the bikes thanks to an all new deal with newly formed Monsters of Dirt Graphics. The team once again have incredible support from Silkolene, who are official partners of Kawasaki Racing UK and Madison UK who supply the Dunlop, Pro Circuit, Zeta DRC, Matrix Concepts, Guts Racing, Hiflofiltro, Engine Ice, No Toil, Fist Handwear, Ogio, POD Active and Saracen Bikes brands.
Further brand support continues with Polisport, Renthal, DID Chain, Samco Sport, Pro Green MX, Raptor Titanium, Talon Wheels, Pro Carbon Racing, Bell Powersports UK, Oakley Riders UK and Alpinestars MX UK giving the team a comprehensive level of support.
“I’m genuinely looking forward to this year after the bizarre year we’ve had and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.” says Team Manager Jeff Perrett. “We’re coming into it with a different vibe and approach than before. It will be the first year since I took over managing the team back in 2013 that we won’t have a rider in the youth ranks but we’ll be back with supporting riders in youth MX for 2022.”
“We’re just giving ourselves a year out of that to revitalise and thoroughly plan the programme and make it the best we can for upcoming youth racers. This year we still have young riders and we want to focus on the transition from youth to the pro ranks fully, so that’s why we’ve gone with four riders in the Expert class at the Michelin MX Nationals. It’s a very competitive class and the fact that they can race with the Pro MX1 and MX2 riders on the Saturday is a good learning curve.”
“We’ve won championships every year since we rejuvenated the programme back in 2013 and we want to try and keep that streak going. Having said that, after all that’s happened this last year and the delay to the start of the 2021 season we want to make sure we have fun. The lads are clicking well and there’s a real good feel about the team. We’ll do all we can to make it a memorable year, hopefully with the results we’re looking for. As always, all we ask is that the lads put in 100% to their riding and training and go for it out on track. They’ll be letting themselves down more than anyone if they don’t do that. We’ll be getting out a couple more times together before the first round of the MX Nationals for a final shake down and then we’ll be ready. I’m excited for it.”
