Dean Wilson opens up the 2026 Arenacross World Tour with a perfect night
By Team TMX on 2nd Feb 26
The 2026 Arenacross Tour roared into action at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Arena with a night of relentless, high-octane racing that immediately set the tone for the new season. In front of a packed and vocal crowd, the opening round delivered chaos, controversy and a flawless performance from reigning Champion Dean Wilson, who left the Midlands with a perfect score and a commanding early championship lead.
From the moment the doors opened, it was clear this was no ordinary Arenacross night. A revamped Fan Zone inside the arena itself proved a major hit, with huge queues forming for Wilson, Dirt Store Triumph stars Tommy Searle and Ben Watson, and plenty of smiles as kids climbed aboard bikes in the Phoenix Tools Fantic awning. By race time, the atmosphere was already electric.
With gate pick critical under the new format, Pro Rider Hot Laps were flat-out from the off. Local favourite Steven Clarke briefly held top spot aboard his Stark Future machine, despite earlier technical woes, before teammate Jack Brunell caused a short delay after snagging a tuff block. Matt Bayliss looked set for pole until Wilson delivered a decisive lap, finding a unique rhythm-section line to go fastest by two-tenths.
The first Pro Main exploded into drama as John Adamson grabbed the holeshot, only to collide with Adam Chatfield in turn one while disputing the lead. “It was like a landmine had gone off,” Wilson later said, as he threaded through the chaos from sixth.
Out front, Eddie Jay Wade took control, but Wilson was relentless. Picking off riders one by one with devastating whoop speed and a triple-triple combination, the Champion hit the front on lap seven and never looked back. Dylan Woodcock charged to third, while Clarke held off Bayliss for fourth, leaving the team standings finely balanced.
Race two saw Brunell rebound from a disappointing opener, launching into the lead on his updated Stark machine. Bayliss and Clarke applied early pressure as Wilson worked past teammate Martin Barr and then Woodcock, before executing a decisive move on Brunell on lap eight.
Woodcock fought back from ninth to take third, but with Wade seventh, just two points separated the key contenders heading into the Head-to-Heads.
The revamped Head-to-Head format delivered exactly what it promised. Wilson battled past Adamson, Brunell edged Barr, and Clarke thrilled the home crowd with aggressive wins over Chatfield and Bayliss to reach the final.
Clarke pushed the two former Champions to the limit, but a crash in the whoops ended his charge. The crowd erupted as Wilson and Brunell went side-by-side through the whoops and around the next turn before the 65-foot finish double, Brunell edging it by just 0.005 seconds. “I could have put him off the track, but we’re not here to hurt each other,” Brunell said afterward.
A reversed gate pick gave Wilson his first ever second-row start, but it mattered little. Adamson led early with a Syntol Lubricants Holeshot, resisting pressure from Barr and Clarke, before stalling at the finish jump and handing Wilson the lead.
Brunell followed him through to second, while Chatfield produced his best ride of the night to claim third after a late-race scrap with Woodcock. The result sealed a perfect night for Wilson, who leaves Birmingham 20 points clear of Woodcock, with Brunell third overall.
The Pro-Am class was just as fierce. Louis Brookes and Josh Greedy traded blows across both races, with Brookes’ consistency earning him the overall win. Greedy took the second race victory but settled for second overall, while Neville Bradshaw completed the podium. Just nine points cover the top four heading to Belfast.
John Slade remained untouchable in the Supermini class while Cameron Berry edged Mason Staddon for the Small-Wheel class win.
Blake Marks-Bracey made it a perfect 1-1 in the Mini division, ahead of Finlee Pope and Preston Killoran after a thrilling scrap.
The all-new E-Mini class saw Harley Patel double down with two wins but the championship remains wide open with multiple riders in contention.
With a sold-out arena, an aggressive new format and racing that rarely paused for breath, Birmingham delivered one of the most compelling Arenacross openers in recent memory. If this was the benchmark, Belfast has a lot to live up to - but judging by the points standings, it’s shaping up to be unmissable.
