Elite Lynging to do battle!
By TMX Archives on 30th Apr 08
AFTER a two week-break for GP action in Spain and Portugal, the Maxxis British Motocross championship will already hit the halfway point of the series on Sunday when the Norwich Vikings MCC host the fourth of eight rounds of the 2008 championship at Lyng, Norfolk, on Sunday. The tough sand track is one of the favourites for many riders on the calendar and usually throws-up some great racing which the fans will be hoping for once again as the nations elite do battle for vital points in the championship chase.
Norfolk fans will likely be hoping for English success on the day as the celtic connection have dominated the series so far with Billy MacKenzie dominating the MX1 class and Stephen Sword, Shaun Simpson and Martin Barr leading the way in MX2.
MacKenzie has been rampant aboard his CAS Honda so far this series and has been head and shoulders above the competition. Unsurprisingly he has won every single moto so far this season going away never by less than 15-seconds and twice up around the minute mark and despite being beat by Molson Kawasaki's Tom Church in the lottery that was the Spanish GP recently there is no reason to expect anything other than another confident double-win from the reigning champ.
Indeed, it very much looks like being a a battle for second place again and this could be a really interesting affair.
Mark Jones has surprised his critics and has been the second fastest man on track for much of the season so far aboard his ARB Kawasaki and is tied on points for second place in the championship with Church and both will be determined to make that position their own and hopefully challenge MacKenzie. Jones is obviously relishing being back on form and at the front of the pack, and could take some stopping if he gets a start, but Church too is finding his feet, and pace, aboard the 450 and his smooth, precise style will suit the rough Cadders Hill circuit.
It's not just about this pair either. As James Noble continues to recover from his pneumonia episode he will undoubtedly get up there and in the the mix at the very front, while Brad Anderson will be looking to bounce back strongly from his heavy fall and subsequent DNS at Torrington with one of his famously gritty performances. You cannot count out Mark Hucklebridge either who will be full of confidence after his podium at Torrington, or Pioneer Yamaha's defending British Four-stroke champ Wayne Smith.
With the demise of Pascal Leuret at Torrington and Martin Barr to a broken collarbone at the Spanish GP, adding yet more injury woes to Steve Dixon's UTag Yamaha team, the title race in MX already starting to look like it might be a straight fight between Moslon Kawasaki's Stephen Sword and KTM UK's Shaun Simpson
Both shared the wins at Torrington, but crashes meant they were never able to go head-to-head but Lyng could be the perfect setting to see the pair duke it out. Simpson loves the sand and Sword is no slouch in the soft-stuff either and the pair will no doubt be right up at the front.
A gaggle of Suzuki's chase the leading pair with Swift's sole runner Elliott Banks-Browne a fine fourth in the standings so far and in great form, while the Suso trio of Jason Dougan, Carl Nunn and Marcus Norlen are all finding their pace and will be challenging for podiums again, as will reigning champ Mike Brown as he fights to get his season back on track, Kristian Whatley on the NA KTM, Relentless Suzuki's Lewis Gregory and DB Racing's Nev Bradshaw. Once again MX2 is going to be very hard-fought.
All the action kicks-off at Lyng at 9.30am with MX2 qualifying, while racing will get underway at 1.05pm sharp.
Lyng can be found one mile north of the A1067 Norwich to Fakenham road, or three miles from the A47 Norwich to King's Lynn road and will of course be signposted on the day of the event.
For more information visit www.mxgb.co.uk.