Moor to Cum' at the MMX
By TMX Archives on 14th May 08
THIS Sunday, May 18, sees the British MMX Championship head northwards for the first time in 2008 to picturesque Dean Moor, in Cumbria, for round three of the already hotly contested series. The event will be catering for both two and four wheel competitors with the British Open championship, the PAR Homes backed Under 21 championship and the British Quad championship all taking to the track in anger. The circuit at Dean Moor has played host to a round of the series for the last couple of years and is a big favourite, especially with the quad fraternity.
The day will get under way with the free practice and qualifying session for the Open class riders, where 40 out of a possible 60 riders will progress in to the afternoon's main races. Jordan Rose, now riding for the STR Honda team, has shown himself to be fast on the circuit posting fastest time at round one and second at round two but non-finishes at round one currently see him sitting 12th in the championship.
Exiled local Wayne Smith set the fastest qualifying lap at round two and currently leads the championship by 19-points on his Pioneer Yamaha, but following on from recent successes in the Maxxis series, MotoXtreme Kawasaki's Mark Hucklebridge will hope to be able to close that 19-point gap by moving up from his two third overall positions at the previous rounds to the top step of the rostrum.
The PAR Homes British Under 21 riders will go through the same qualification procedure in the morning and Alex Snow on the Team KTM UK machine is the rider who has posted consistently quick times. Alex has turned those times in to good race results with two wins and two second places giving him a healthy 14-point lead in the championship.
Fellow KTM mounted rider, Kristian Whatley, has showed that he can be a race winner too with the overall at round two and will be desperate to reduce that defecit. Jamie Smith on the LPE Kawasaki will also be out to prove that his win in the second race at round two was no fluke and will be hoping to get himself on to the podium.
Reigning champion in the Quad class, John Mitchell, has not had the best start to his 2008 campaign on his ATV World Yamaha and finds himself down in sixth place in the standings, 48 points behind the championship leader, rejuvenated ex champion Paul Winrow on the Winrow Racing UK Honda who leads by 24 points over Ricky Tordoff on his Mercuria GYTR Yamaha. Both Winrow and Mitchell come into this event having finished second and third overall in last weekends opening round of the UEM European Quad Championship.
Practice gets underway at 9:15am with race one getting off the gate at 12:15pm.
The circuit is situated near Pica, equal distances from both Workington and Whitehaven in West Cumbria.