More big names sign up for AX
By Sean Lawless on 9th Nov 16
French indoor specialist Cedric Soubeyras and former British motocross champ Kristian Whatley are the latest big names to commit to the 2017 Arenacross Tour.
Soubeyras, the Pro class runner-up in this year's AX championship, will race a Suzuki for the Race FX powered by St Blazey team with Whatley turning out for MVR-D Husqvarna.
Soubeyras is joined on the new team by Pro front-runner Angelo Pellegrini with George Clarke contesting the Pro Lites class.
"As a company we're passionate about racing and are keen to support good racing,” said Race FX boss Paul Irwin. "Arenacross is arguably the best racing you'll see and so we view having hands-on involvement with a team as a good fit for us.
"This is our first time fielding a team and to have two top-class international racers on the books is a very exciting prospect. It will be interesting to work with them and I'm sure there will be fireworks.”
St Blazey MX boss Steve Annear, who is team manager, will also continue to support MVR-D Husqvarna through his Cornish dealership.
"It's going to be a busy time as we will be working closely with our team riders to give them the tools to go out and do the job and we'll also help out MVR-D,” he said. "We have a long-standing relationship with the Chamberlain family who run MVR-D. It's fair to say that indoor racing is in our blood as my dad and Mark's dad ran one of the first indoor race events back in 1981 at a stadium in Cornwall.”
After his 2016 season came to a premature end Whatley, who finished fifth in the 2014 AX championship, is keen to get back in action.
"This is the start of a new chapter for me and one I'm itching to get under way,” he said. "I'm hungry for another British title and am confident MVR-D will give me the support necessary to just go out and concentrate on racing.”
With Harri Kullas undergoing knee surgery MVR-D is currently looking for a second rider to team up with Whatley.
"We've done AX on and off since the start but it now represents a major part of our season and we'll approach it accordingly,” said MVR-D's Gareth Chamberlain. "We have Kristian signed for next year and he will be doing the AX series for us as well as the full outdoor season.
"He has come off the back of a disappointing year and is highly motivated to show everyone what he is truly capable of which is exciting for us.
"The racing at AX is unbelievably tight - you have an off night and you won't make the final, get a good start and everything clicks you find yourself at the sharp end. We aim to be at the sharp end – it's intense but that's what makes it so much fun.”
