Scots have the Max Factor
By TMX Archives on 9th Apr 08
FRESH off the back of a hard couple of weekend's work at Canada Heights second Maxxis British Motocross Championship event and the opening round of the World Motocross Championship, the contendors for the country's premier series converge on Torrington, Devon, on Sunday, for the third instalment determined to play catch-up to the flying Scotsmen Billy MacKenzie and Shaun Simpson who creamed the opposition last time out.With just two rounds down, it has already been an eventful and exciting championship and with a re-vamped track at Torrington to look forward too the thrid round is likely to throw up more fireworks and great racing.
The big question in MX1 is can anyone stop Billy MacKenzie, and the most likely answer is no. Having shown at Valkenswaard last weekend that he capable of running podium pace, if not more, on the World stage it would seem that only a crash or mechanical can rob the CAS Honda teamster of another double win such is his pace and confidence.
Looking to step up and challenge their fellow GP runner will be Molson Kawasaki's Tom Church and Brad Anderson, but Anderson is already carrying a knock from Valkenswaard, and it would be a big ask for either to find the pace needed to match Billy Mac over 30 minutes.
Expected challenges from KTM's James Noble and UTag Yamaha's Kenneth Gundersen will not appear either with Gundersen suffering a potentially season-ending knee injury in Holland and Noble still suffering the effects of the pneumonia that hit him hard at Canada Heights.
Perhaps MacKenzie's most serious challenge will come from ARB Kawasaki's Mark Jones who looked superb at Canada Heights. Almost forgotten about in pre-season predictions, the likeable Welshman looks full of confidence and will be a serious threat for the podium at least once again.
Look out for the Likes of Wayne Smith, Mark Hucklebridge and Bryan MacKenzie to get in amongst it too, and keep and eye on 15-year-old Scott Elderfield who stunned the establishment with an opening moto fifth place at Canada Heights.
The MX2 class is potentially a much closer contest, although with the astonishing pace that KTM UK's Shaun Simpson showed at Canada Heights and then last Sunday for a top-five moto finish in Valkenswaard his rivals may well have their work cut out.
You can never count out series leader Stephen Sword though and the ever determined Molson Kawasaki runner will be out to show Simpson his runaway was just a one-off and remind him exactly why he holds the red plate
UTag Yamaha's Martin Barr sits in second in the standings, just four points ahead of Simpson, and will be eager to put the disappointment of failing to qualify in Valkenswaard behind him with another podium finish at Torrington, likewise fellow non-qualifiers, team-mate Carlos Campano, Suso Suzuki's Jason Dougan, defending champ Mike Brown and Swift runner Elliot Banks-Browne. All should be in the mix as will Dougan's team-mate Carl Nunn, Pascal Leuret, Nev Bradshaw and Kristian Whatley.
There are a lot of guys with a point to prove in that class and hopefully we will see fireworks on Sunday.
The exciting MXY2 Youth class returns to action at Torrington also and the action kicks-off at 9am with qualifying before the gate drops on the first moto at 12.15pm.
Full details of Torrington's location and admission prices can be found at www.mxgb.org.