Dean Wilson warmed up for Aberdeen Arenacross homecoming
By Team TMX on 6th Feb 25
News Arenacross Arenacross Tour
Scotland’s Dean Wilson heads to the penultimate round of the 2025 Arenacross ACU British championship on home soil at P&J Live Arena in Aberdeen knowing that simply making it to the Main Event will see him secure enough points to wrap up the championship a round early. Sitting on a 32-point cushion over inaugural Arenacross Champion Adam Chatfield (S Briggs Honda), and with 25 points paid out to the winner, it’s almost a forgone conclusion that the 33-year-old Armor Vison St Blazey Honda rider will secure the title but this is Arenacross and anything can happen.
Hot on Chatfield’s heels in the series standings are Conrad Mewse (Crendon Tru7 Honda), Tommy Searle (Dirt Store Triumph) and defending champion Jack Brunell (Stark Future) who are separated by two points and would all like nothing more than to top the podium in Scotland or at the final round in Manchester on February 22. Making the task more difficult at the final round is the inclusion of the overseas AX World Tour riders who’ll be fighting for a qualifying sport for the Abu Dhabi Finals that will be held in the Etihad Arena on Yas Island on April 26.
Bringing things back to the Aberdeen round this weekend and Glasgow-born Wilson is keen to notch up a home win for the motherland.
“I’m really looking forward to racing at Aberdeen this weekend. I’ve enjoyed the whole experience of being back in Scotland and catching up with family and friends throughout the Arenacross tour,” he said. “The whole thing has been good fun and there’s a good vibe between all the riders and they’ve all made me feel welcome, it’s good to get to know a few of them a bit more and have a laugh with them.
“The racing has been intense - the shows are brilliant and loads of fans are coming out to watch so I’m hoping it’s the same for Aberdeen. The hometown fans in Belfast were making so much noise for Martin Barr and Jason Meara, so I’m hoping all the Scottish fans will come out to cheer myself, Kyle McNicol and all the other Scottish riders on.
“I think it’s a big deal for AX to go to Scotland so I hope a load of fans come out, so it keeps going back year after year like Belfast. I want to win every round, but especially Aberdeen. It’s gone good so far so hopefully we can keep it rolling all the way to the end. It's been the experience I hoped it would."
With a healthy number of Scottish riders also in the amateur and youth classes, the fifth round of the Arenacross ACU British championship will do its bit and shed more positive light to help promote the sport of motocross further in the country, with numbers growing in the Scottish MX Championship. The fans may also have more to shout about at the end of the evening as George Cherry is just three points off the lead behind John Slade in the Supermini class after winning the last round in Belfast. The two of them have been trading wins all tour and Cherry will definitely like to be on top of the icing on the cake in Aberdeen. Other Scottish riders competing in the 'Supermini' class are Liam Hannah, Hunter Haldane and Zak Hendry.
Also lining up behind the gate will be young Aiden Anton. The just turned 10-year-old from Blairgowrie, just outside Dundee, is the current Scottish Champion in his class and this will be the first time that he will compete indoors with Arenacross. He’s also super excited to meet his hero Dean Wilson. Aiden will also be joined in the 'Mini' class by Ollie Hain.
Arguably the coolest story leading into this weekend’s racing is the participation of 12-year-old twins, Jay and Aston Hearle from Rosehill, Aberdeen. Last year they came out to Arenacross at the P&J Live Arena as spectators and loved it so much they caught the bug and have been training all year to be able to ride Arenacross in 2025! Christmas treated them well ad they both received brand new 65cc bikes. Understandably they’re both incredibly excited to be able to ride in front of their hometown crowd for the first time ever this weekend.
The P&J Live Arena opened in August 2019 and is the most modern arena on the tour, and the Arenacross tour benefits by the arena complex being big enough to have the pit area inside for all the riders. This year, the AX Tour also want the fans to benefit from the indoor pit area and will be opening it up from 4pm on race day for any fans who have purchased an event ticket. Due to the limited space at other rounds the pit area isn’t open to the public, so this will be the only event on the tour where the fans can have a good look around and get up close and personal to the team’s set up and bikes. Of course, they’ll be the regular rider’s autograph session, an awesome night of racing, more jaw dropping FMX, a pumping sound track, lasers and lights as there is at every single round!
Tickets, including VIP and track walks are available at www.axworldtour.com along with all the information on the Arenacross ACU British Championship and World Tour. If you can’t make it out to the P&J Live Arena this weekend you can watch all the action through AX-TV, which you also find on www.axworldtour.com, where you can purchase one event passes or a series pass to catch up on the tour so far and watch exclusive behind the scenes content with show presenters and commentators Matt Crowhurst, Jeff Perrett and Scotland's very own Billy MacKenzie.
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