BYMX head to the Desert
By TMX Archives on 5th Aug 11
Following a three-year break the penultimate round of this year's BYMX series makes a very welcome return to one of the world's great motocross venues Desertmartin in Northern Ireland. The Porters Pit venue approximately 30-miles from Belfast played host to a Maxxis British adult round quite recently and duly received universal praise for the quality of the racing circuit.
With just two-rounds remaining to decide the final championship positions Alexander Brown riding the MotoOne KTM holds a commanding 20-point advantage in the Junior 65cc section. Brown has shown outstanding skill and speed along with a gritty determination to win since the very first heat of this years championship, and he will be relishing another fast sand-based course to show off his full range of talents. Second-placed Jed Etchells is another rider who excels in sand, and he will be well up for the overall win but he might also have to be at his very best to beat off the attentions of both Harry Kimber and Cailum Meara.
In the Small-wheel 85cc division it's a similar scenario to the one found in Junior 65cc. A class leader who has dominated season long, has won four of the five rounds carded, and also enjoys a large comfort zone over the chasing pack. Conrad Mewse is the young man in question and the Somerset flier has a 32-point advantage over Durham's Jay Hague. At the Canada Heights round, Hague suffered harsh luck losing valuable championship points following mechanical failure and injury in race four and that dropped him down to seventh overall for the weekend.
Hague will be hoping for better fortunes this time around as he endeavours to hold off the chasers and that includes third placed Jordan Eccles.
The Big-wheel 85cc section has developed into a real roller coaster ride. Early season pace setter Tom Neal fell foul of unfortunate injury between rounds three and four and now the current championship leader Liam Knight is extremely doubtful following his injury at Canada Heights. If Knight doesn't make the start line in Northern Ireland it will be heartbreaking for him with most of the hard work already in the bag. At present Knight has a nine point lead over joint second placed Jack Gardner and Brad Todd. Gardner won round five with Todd the glorious victor at round four and it's clear to see that both guys are right on top of their best form - and it could be a grandstand finish.
As in the Big-wheel championship the Youth Open class division is also boiling up for a titanic finish. Adam Sterry on the RMJ Academy Honda has won the previous two rounds and he now represents a seriously strong challenge to the season long front running KTM pair of Championship leader Nathan Watson and second placed Jamie McCanney. HM Plant Red Bull runner, Watson, has a ten-point advantage over Manxman McCanney with Sterry now just 12 off the top spot. Another overall win or points gain for Sterry could well set up the best Open class finish since 2006.
