Au-some!

Whether it's the scenic setting, the sheer sense of history of the place, the super-tough circuit or a combination of all three, it's hard to say for sure.

 

But when something as good as the Red Bull Pro Nationals rock up somewhere as good as Hawkstone Park you just know you're onto a winner.

 

The August Bank Holiday weekend saw round six of the series pitch camp at the Shropshire venue, where a big crowd were treated to some bar-banging racing on the track and a packed programme of entertainment off it. 

 

As well as top-flight racing from the pros, two-stroke pilots and the up-and-coming stars of the Red Bull Elite Youth Cup, spectators were treated to the UK's first tandem back-flip, freestyle MX, demos from Dougie Lampkin, two-time world BMX champ Kye Forte and MTB trials star Chris Doney – plus a fly-past from the Red Bull Matadors.

 

The anticipated showdown between MX1 pace-setters Nico Aubin and Stephen Sword in the Shropshire sand never happened though, with Swordy going out with a broken collarbone.

 

His Tyco Suzuki by TAS team still fielded a genuine contender in the shape of Irishman Martin Barr, who went into Hawkstone third in the series, just 11 points off the leaders' pace.

 

But despite Aubin admitting to feeling below par in Sunday's opening pro moto – and surviving a close encounter with a fence post second time out – the Frenchman ripped to a pair of victories to extend his lead to 19 points, with just one round to go.

 

"Honestly, the first moto wasn't good and I wasn't feeling good or comfortable,” said Nico. "But we didn't change anything on the bike for the second moto and I was feeling much better in myself. 

 

"Near the end of the second race I was cruising and I hit a post on the side of the track and almost broke my fingers.

 

"Still, overall I am happy and today has been important for the championship.”

 

Barr lead both motos but struggled to maintain his rhythm and after following Aubin across the line in the first race slipped to third in moto two. 

 

This allowed Gert Krestinov – third in the opener – to snatch the second step on the podium, thanks to his second-place finish in race two.

 

The Estonian, a renowned sand 

specialist, was clearly the quickest man on the track in the closing stages of race two – but still feels he has more to offer.

 

"First race I struggled with my arms a little bit – I wasn't tired but my arms were a little tight so I was a little off the pace of the front two guys,” he admitted. 

 

"I really wanted to make a better result in the second and I rested a little in the middle of the race and then at the end came strong and managed to pass Martin. It's a good result but I know I can still improve.”

 

Barr left Hawkstone ruing what he viewed as a missed opportunity to close the gap to the leader, on one of his favourite circuits.

 

"It's not been the best of days to be honest,” he admitted.

 

RED BULL PRO NATIONALS

Rd 6 – Hawkstone Park, nr Shrewsbury, 

Shropshire (Events22)

Pro MX1 Class

 1 Nicolas Aubin (Buildbase Honda) 25 + 25 = 50

 2 Gert Krestinov (Route77 MVR-DHonda) 20 + 22 = 42

 3 Martin Barr (Tyco TAS Suzuki) 22 + 20 = 42

 4 Tony Craig (Honda) 16 + 18 = 34

 5 Gordan Crockard (Kawasaki) 15 + 16 = 31

 6 Josh Waterman (Dyer & Butler Suzuki) 13 + 15 = 28

 7 Sam Simmons (Motoward Yamaha) 12 + 14 = 26

 8 Gavin Stevenson (Honda) 11 + 13 = 24

 9 Alex Snow (Oakleaf Kawasaki) 18 +  0 = 18

10 Ashley Wilde (Sandbach SM Kawasaki) 14 +  0 = 14

11 Wayne Garrett (JAR Honda) 10 +  0 = 10

SERIES STANDINGS after 5 rounds: 1 Aubin 217 points, 2 Barr 198, 3 Krestinov 172, 4 Stephen Sword 167, 5 Snow 134, 6 Waterman 108, 7 Marc De Reuver 83, 8 Ray Rowson 73, 9 Jamie Law 59, 10 Dorren Coutts 58,...

FINAL ROUND: September 22/23 – Culham MP, Station Road, Culham, Abingdon (Events22)

 

RED BULL PRO NATIONALS

Rd 6 – Hawkstone Park, nr Shrewsbury, 

Shropshire (Events22)

Pro MX2 Class

 1 Graeme Irwin (Emberson RFX Yamaha) 25 + 22 = 47

 2 Neville Bradshaw (Evotech Stevens Honda) 20 + 25 = 45

 3 Steven Lenoir (Emberson RFX Yamaha) 22 + 20 = 42

 4 Bryan MacKenzie (Pendrich KTM) 18 + 18 = 36

 5 Nathan Watson (PAR Red Bull Honda UK) 16 + 16 = 32

 6 Stuart Edmonds (Tyco TASSuzuki) 15 + 15 = 30

 7 Jordan Booker (BuildbaseHonda) 13 + 14 = 27

 8 Connor Walkley (Maxxis Henderson Kaw) 11 + 13 = 24

 9 Luke Remmer (MX Protech Yamaha) 14 +  9 = 23

10 Patrick Major (Honda)  9 + 12 = 21

11 Tom Kelly (Malin Honda) 10 + 10 = 20

12 Mark Perfect (Pendrich KTM)  8 +  8 = 16

13 Lewis Tombs (Honda) 12 +  0 = 12

14 Alan Keet (Dyer & Butler Suzuki)  0 + 11 = 11

SERIES STANDINGS after 5 rounds: 1 Bradshaw 213 points, 2 Lenoir 181, 3 Irwin 159, 4 Watson 152, 5 Edmonds 140, 6 Booker 113, 7 MacKenzie 107, 8 Matthew Moffat 102, 9 Remmer 102, 10 James Cottrell 101,...

FINAL ROUND: September 22/23 – Culham MP, Station Road, Culham, Abingdon (Events22)

 

BRITISH TWO-STROKE CHAMPIONSHIP

Rd 6 – Hawkstone Park, nr Shrewsbury, 

Shropshire (Events22)

Expert Open Two-stroke Class

 1 Ashley Wilde (Yamaha) 22 + 20 + 22 = 64

 2 Robert Hamilton (G&G Ross TM) 18 + 25 + 18 = 61

 3 Lewis King (Wulfsport TM) 16 + 22 + 20 = 58

 4 Josh Waterman (Suzuki) 20 + 12 + 25 = 57

 5 Jake Gowan (D3 Racing KTM) 15 + 18 + 16 = 49

 6 Steve Bixby (KTM) 12 + 16 + 15 = 43

 7 Michael Eccles (KTM) 13 + 15 + 14 = 42

 8 Cory Nemeth (KTM) 14 + 13 + 13 = 40

 9 Kevin Green (KTM)  9 + 9 + 12 = 30

10 Warren Field (Super MX KTM) 10 + 10 + 10 = 30

SERIES STANDINGS after 6 rounds: 1 Moffat 385 points, 2 King 354, 3 Waterman 330, 4 Husband 298, 5 Hamilton 290, 6 Bixby 262, 7 Field 214, 8 Green 151, 9 Pottenger 138, 10 Martin 126,... 

Junior Open Two-stroke Class

 1 Robbie Joe Waller (Park n Load Suzuki) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75

 2 Christie Harnett (Yamaha) 22 + 20 + 22 = 64

 3 Adam Harris (Podium Werx Kawasaki) 20 + 22 + 20 = 62

 4 Shane Mulligan (???) 14 + 18 + 18 = 50

 5 Ashley Cotterell (KTM) 18 + 16 + 15 = 49

 6 Jordan Moyle (Yamaha) 15 + 12 + 16 = 43

 7 Charlie Powell (???) 13 + 13 + 14 = 40

 8 Rich Ely (KTM)  8 + 11 + 13 = 32

 9 David Blackburn (???) 16 + 14 + 0 = 30

10 George Stanley (Suzuki) 10 + 7 + 12 = 29

SERIES STANDINGS after 6 rounds: 1 Waller 436 points, 2 Harris 392, 3 Moyle 263, 4 Harris 198, 5 Cotterell 197, 6 Stanley 172, 7 Harper 170, 8 Jamie West 133, 9 Connor 117, 10 Paul Bunn 102,...

Expert 125cc Two-stroke Class

 1 Carlton Husband (KTM) 22 + 25 + 25 = 72

 2 Michael Eccles (KTM) 25 + 20 + 22 = 67

 3 Lewis King (Wulfsport TM) 18 + 22 + 20 = 60

 4 Warren Field (Super MX KTM) 14 + 18 + 18 = 50

 5 Danny Tollet (NMA KTM) 16 + 16 + 16 = 48

 6 Luke Kennett (Wightlink Ferries Yamaha) 13 + 15 + 15 = 43

 7 Ryan Pottenger (Wulfsport TM) 12 + 13 + 14 = 39

 8 Thomas Kirk (KTM) 11 + 11 + 13 = 35

 9 Cory Nemeth (KTM) 20 + 14 + 0 = 34

10 Elliott Reeves (ST Builders KTM) 10 + 12 + 11 = 33

SERIES STANDINGS after 5 rounds: 1 Husband 337 points, 2 King 334, 3 Eccles 306, 4 Tollet 232, 5 Kennett 227, 6 Field 224, 7 Pottenger 186, 8 Reeves 176, 9 Kirk 140, 10 Finnamore 93,... 

Junior 125cc Two-stroke Class

 1 Ryan Snaith (Underdog KTM) 20 + 22 + 22 = 64

 2 Jake Fry (Churchill MX Yamaha) 25 + 18 + 20 = 63

 3 Alec Everitt (KTM) 14 + 25 + 11 = 50

 4 Callum Cree (CCMX Graphics KTM) 22 + 11 + 15 = 48

 5 Steven Robinson (Suzuki) 18 + 12 + 16 = 46

 6 Nicki Banks (KTM) 13 + 20 + 13 = 46

 7 Jordan Bachelor (Juggins Yamaha)  5 + 13 + 25 = 43

 8 Toby Stubberfield (Stubberfield Suz) 15 + 8 + 18 = 41

 9 Timmy Andrews (Yamaha) 10 + 14 + 14 = 38

10 Callum Wardman (CCS LtdKTM)  6 + 16 + 10 = 32

SERIES STANDINGS after 5 rounds: 1 Snaith 288 points, 2 Everitt 265, 3 Bachelor 256, 4 Cree 251, 5 Fry 190, 6 Banks 188, 7 Wardman 165, 8 Bachelor 143, 9 Banks 141, 10 Robson 119,...

FINAL ROUND: September 22/23 – Culham MP, Station Road, Culham, Abingdon (Events22)

 

RED BULL ELITE YOUTH CUP

Rd 6 –  Hawkstone Park, nr Shrewsbury, 

Shropshire (Events22)

Rookie Class

 1 Jake Millward (Oakleaf Kaw) 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 + 42 = 222

 2 James Harrison (Lanes Kaw) 39 + 36 + 36 + 39 + 33 = 183

 3 Tommy Alba (Oakleaf Kawasaki) 24 + 33 + 39 + 42 + 36 = 174

 4 Robert Davidson (Plumco Hon) 28 + 26 + 42 + 33 + 39 = 168

 5 Joe Bamfield (ET Stevens Hon) 42 + 39 + 22 + 36 + 26 = 165

 6 Matthew Callaghan (PD Honda) 33 + 28 + 33 + 24 + 45 = 163

 7 Jordan Divall (ET Stevens Hon) 36 + 42 + 30 + 30 + 24 = 162

 8 Dan Thornhill (Meredith Suzuki) 19 + 24 + 24 + 26 + 30 = 123

 9 Jack Kelly (Malin Honda KTM) 30 + 30 + 26 + 28 +  0 = 114

10 Ben Putnam (SPH Yamaha) 26 + 20 + 10 + 14 + 28 = 98

SERIES STANDINGS after 6 rounds: 1 Millward 1100 points, 2 Thornhill 993, 3 Ben Watson 867, 4 Divall 860, 5 Harrison 853, 6 Davidson 764, 7 Callaghan 584, 8 Bamfield 570, 9 Putnam 550, 10 Kelly 543,... 

Big-wheel 85cc Class

 1 Josh Gilbert (Buildbase Honda) 45 + 45 + 33 + 45 + 36 = 204

 2 Gradie Featherstone (DFB KTM) 39 + 39 + 45 + 42 + 33 = 198

 3 Lewis Houghton (Danger KTM) 42 + 36 + 42 + 30 + 42 = 192

 4 Will Keogh (Vampires KTM) 30 + 20 + 39 + 33 + 39 = 161

 5 Jordan Eccles (KTM)  4 + 42 + 30 + 36 + 45 = 157

 6 Alfie Bowtell (MSR KTM) 33 + 33 + 26 + 26 + 28 = 146

 7 Jay Hague (JLP KTM) 28 + 28 + 24 + 39 + 26 = 145

 8 Scooter Webster (Vampires KTM) 26 + 24 + 28 + 28 + 30 = 136

 9 Todd Kellett (Twisted7 TG Kaw) 36 + 30 + 36 +  0 +  9 = 111

10 Ethan Gatenby (QRP KTM) 24 + 26 + 22 + 19 + 18 = 109

SERIES STANDINGS after 6 rounds: 1 Josh Gilbert 1148 points (CHAMPION), 2 Kellett 889, 3 Featherstone 875, 4 Webster 827, 5 Eccles 793, 6 Lewis 783, 7 Bowtell 708, 8 Keogh 687, 9 Moxey 660, 10 Gatenby 564,...

Small-wheel 85cc Class

 1 Keenan Hird (Motone KTM) 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 = 225

 2 Marcus Phelps (Intertherm KTM) 42 + 36 + 42 + 39 + 39 = 198

 3 G Grigg-Pettitt (Powerband KTM) 36 + 33 + 33 + 42 + 36 = 180

 4 Dexter Douglas (Sandiford KTM) 26 + 42 + 39 + 36 + 30 = 173

 5 Alexander Brown (KTM) 33 + 19 + 36 + 33 + 42 = 163

 6 Dee Jay Walker (???) 24 + 28 + 30 + 30 + 26 = 138

 7 Tom Hume (FTS KTM) 18 + 30 + 28 + 28 + 33 = 137

 8 James McFayden (Feehily KTM) 39 + 39 + 19 +  0 + 28 = 125

 9 Jed Etchells (Hardcore KTM) 30 +  0 + 22 + 24 + 24 = 100

10 Dylan Woodcock (EW TM) 19 + 11 + 26 + 20 + 22 = 98

SERIES STANDINGS after 6 rounds: 1 Hird 1076 points, 2 Phelps 981, 3 Grigg-Pettitt 774, 4 McFayden 749, 5 Douglas 724, 6 Brown 701, 7 Jacques 591, 8 Etchells 590, 9 Cole 535, 10 Taylor Hammal 534,...

Junior 65cc Class

 1 Rossi Beard (NMA KTM) 42 + 45 + 39 + 45 + 45 = 216

 2 Chris Mills (Powerland KTM) 45 + 42 + 45 + 39 + 42 = 213

 3 Tom Grimshaw (Powerband KTM) 39 + 33 + 42 + 36 + 36 = 186

 4 Scott Russell (AMI Algas KTM) 16 + 39 + 33 + 42 + 39 = 169

 5 Callum Gasson (Albion TG Kaw) 33 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 24 = 147

 6 Ben Clark (Aim KTM)  0 + 36 + 36 + 33 + 30 = 135

 7 Callum Mitchell (Hardcore Cobra) 36 +  0 + 28 + 26 + 33 = 123

 8 Ryan Thomson (Drysdale KTM) 26 + 22 + 24 + 22 + 22 = 116

 9 Jack Wankling (CAR KTM) 20 + 26 + 26 + 20 + 18 = 110

10 Lewis Hall (Middleton KTM) 30 + 28 + 22 +  0 + 28 = 108

SERIES STANDINGS after 6 rounds: 1 Mills 1142 points, 2 Grimshaw 1099, 3 Russell 1020, 4 Beard 966, 5 Gasson 822, 6 Clark 694, 7 Wankling 639, 8 Hird 632, 9 Ford 626, 10 Hall 567,...

FINAL ROUND: September 22/23 – Culham MP, Station Road, Culham, Abingdon (Events22)