Motorpoint mania: UK Arenacross - Round 7
By Team TMX on 18th Feb 15
The 2015 Arenacross Tour Pro championship chase was blown wide-open in Sheffield on Saturday night in an explosive Main Event.
In front of a sell-out crowd in Steel City's Motorpoint Arena a first-turn pile-up sent eight of the 12-man field either to the ground or off the track – including series leader Thomas Ramette (SR75 Molson Suzuki) and former champ Adam Chatfield (CBR ASA Honda).
With just four riders keeping it rubberside down on the right side of the bales it was wildcard Mika Musquin (SJR Kawasaki) who grabbed the early lead from Angelo Pellegrini (Oakleaf Honda), Matt Bayliss (Shocktech Honda) – who started from the second row – and Florent Richier (LPE Racing Kawasaki).
Richier, who was trailing fellow Frenchman Ramette by 11 points heading into round seven, took full advantage of the thinned-out field to win his first Main Event of the tour. He was chased home by another Frenchman – tough guy Cyrille Coulon (SR75 Molson Kawasaki) who stayed upright in the first turn despite being barged off the track.
Musquin who's, er, also French hung on for third (4,652 miles away and around six hours later his younger brother Marvin would race to victory at the AMA 250cc East Coast SX opener in Arlington, Texas). Pellegrini came home a distant fourth ahead of Loic Rombaut (LPE Racing Kawasaki).
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX NEWS FEBRUARY 19 (ISSUE 1959)
