Making a mountain out of a Foxhill...
By TMX Archives on 23rd Jul 08
GROWN men will be waxing nostaglic and getting all misty-eyed on Sunday as the hallowed chalk valley that is Foxhill, near Swindon, will rumble to the sights and sounds of top-flight motocross once again when the sixth round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship makes a very welcome return to the infamous venue. Not since the Foxhill glory days of the 90's has the British championship touched base at the Wiltshire circuit and expectation among riders and fans alike for one of the season's highlights is high, especially after the track has undergone an extensive re-build over the months leading up to the race.
Certainly, the incredibly steep-hillsides will produce the only genuine hard-pack challenge on this year's championship schedule dominated by sand tracks and with the jumps re-built, and a modern twist given to the iconic layout, some of the season's best racing will hopefully be produced.
Billy MacKenzie was just establishing himself as Britian's hottest young talent the last time a GP hit Foxhill but the now reigning MX1 champion is a GP contender in his own right and the CAS Honda rider will be the undoubted favourite to open-up the huge championship lead he held prior to Desertmartin's previous round once again.
Injury ruled Billy out of the race at round five, allowing title rival James Noble to close the points gap, but now back to something like full-fitness, and a vocal fan of proper' motocross tracks, the exhuberant Scott is likely to comfortably take both moto wins on Sunday afternoon baring any unforseen problems
Behind MacKenzie, however, things are not so clear-cut, as indifferent form of GPs regulars Noble, Church and Anderson, combined with the stunning recent form of Ray Rowson and newly crowned double MMX champ Wayne Smith could throw up some great racing and surprise results. Throw Mark Jones and a returning Gordon Crockard into the mix and the MX1 class could well be the better of the weekend's classes for a change.
It will almost certainly be a two-horse race in MX2 as championship leader and confirmed MXdN debutant Shaun Simpson will be looking to hold off the renewed charge of Steven Sword.
The pair have spilt overall wins since the second round of the series, and although Simpson leaped to the head of the tables at Desertmartin after Sword was limited to an unlucky 13th by his shoulder injury, the Molson Kawasaki pilot was back up to speed in South Africa last weekend and will be determined to claw back those nine points that seperate them.
Pascal Leuret should be back on the gate for Swift Suzuki and could well be a threat and with the usual podium suspects - Matrin Barr, Carl Nunn (pictured), Jason Dougan, Elliott Banks-Browne and Lewis Gregory all fit and ready to go the action will be cut and thrust once again.
Throw in the always entertaining Youth MXY2 support class also and you have the recipe for a superb day of motocross action.
Qualifying starts at 9am with the MXY2 class and racing will get underway at 12.15pm.
Visit www.mxgb.co.uk for further information and directions.