Dean Wilson wins Belfast AX opener
By Team TMX on 14th Feb 26
The 2026 Arenacross Tour roared into the SSE Arena in Belfast for the pivotal middle round of the series, and in front of a packed and passionate Northern Irish crowd it was once again Championship leader Dean Wilson who set the standard in the Pro class – even if, for the first time this season, he was finally beaten in combat.
There was heartbreak early in the day for local fans. Last year’s opening-night podium finisher Martin Barr suffered a heavy crash at the end of the whoops during the final Timed Qualification session. The popular Ulsterman was left with broken ribs and bruised lungs, ruling him out of the weekend’s action. While Barr Senior begins his recovery, his son Marty Junior still lined up in the E-Mini class, giving the home support something to cheer.
And cheer they did. The Belfast faithful gave the Pro riders a rapturous welcome, particularly their sole local warrior James Mackrel, before being treated to a jaw-dropping display from the Bolddog Action Sports Freestyle crew, who delivered a barrage of gravity-defying tricks that set the tone for a spectacular night.
When the racing got underway, the Pro Rider Hot Laps built the intensity. Ben Clayton initially set the benchmark for AJP Racing, only to be displaced by Phoenix Tools Fantic’s John Adamson and then his AJP team-mate Adam Chatfield. But once the big hitters rolled out, Wilson planted his Armor Vision Powered by St Blazey Honda firmly at the top of the order. Stark Racing’s Jack Brunell slotted into second ahead of Dirt Store Triumph’s Dylan Woodcock, setting the stage for another fierce showdown.
The first Pro Main Event didn’t go entirely to script for Wilson. Forced to work from outside the top five, he watched Brunell hit the front. Eddie Wade briefly threatened, and Matt Bayliss tried to hold the charging red plate holder at bay, but once Wilson found his rhythm he was unstoppable. On lap eight of 12 he made his decisive move on Brunell, and the reigning Champion controlled the remainder of the race to take the win. Brunell crossed three seconds adrift, with Woodcock storming through late to snatch third.
Race two saw Wilson tighten his grip. Over 14 laps he took command and never relinquished it. Chatfield lit up the timing screens with the fastest lap of the race and secured second, almost six seconds back, keeping Woodcock at bay. Mackrel again dug deep for the Belfast crowd, battling to a hard-earned sixth.
Before the final Main Event, the Head-to-Head races delivered the shock of the season. Wilson eased past Steven Clarke in his opener, but in the semi-final Brunell struck. In a sensational moment, the Stark Racing rider defeated the Championship leader, handing Wilson his first defeat of 2026 in any format. Adamson put together a composed run through Bayliss and then Mackrel to reach the final, while Chatfield edged Woodcock once again to deny the Triumph rider valuable points.
In the Head-to-Head final, Brunell did just enough to take victory, edging clear by two seconds. Chatfield fended off Adamson for second, but the big story was that Wilson had been beaten.
The reverse-grid format for the final Main Event threatened to shake things up further, yet Wilson refused to be denied. Carving through the field with clinical precision, he completed a Belfast hat-trick, just over three seconds clear of Woodcock, with Bayliss a further two seconds back in third. Brunell, hampered by the grid draw, fought through to fourth, while Wade and Mackrel rounded out the top six to the delight of the home supporters.
With three Main Event wins and 75 points on the night, Wilson extended his championship advantage. Woodcock’s consistency earned him 62 points, just one ahead of Brunell on 61, ensuring their fight for second in the series remains finely poised heading into the final round.
In the Pro-Am class, teenage sensation Louis Brookes was untouchable. The Stark-backed Shropshire rider blasted to the front in both races and controlled proceedings with authority, winning the opening encounter and backing it up with another triumph. Neville Bradshaw chased him home twice, while Josh Taylor claimed third in race two. Brookes’ perfect night hands him a commanding 50-point tally and a 13-point cushion over Bradshaw as the series heads to its finale.
The Supermini class delivered drama when previously unbeaten John Slade crashed heavily in the whoops. That opened the door for Small Wheel leader Cameron Berry to seize control and take victory ahead of Mason Staddon, with Kai Benjamin completing the podium. In Big Wheel, Mason Brown edged Lincoln Forte in a thrilling finish, but Slade’s recovery ride to fifth ensured he retained the overall Big Wheel points lead on 41, three clear of Brown. Berry strengthened his Small Wheel advantage with 47 points to Staddon’s 42.
The Mini class was equally unpredictable. Welsh charger Preston Killoran capitalised when Roy Townley fell early, taking the night race win. Series leader Blake Marks-Bracey fought through to second, enough to secure the overall on 44 points – a single point ahead of Killoran and three clear of Townley as the title battle heads to the wire.
In E-Mini, Harley Patel maintained his flawless record with another composed victory. Cooper Swan pushed him hard but had to settle for second both on the night and in the standings. Patel’s maximum 50-point haul stretches his championship advantage to a commanding 22 points over Swan, while Maddox Knifton holds third overall.
Friday night in Belfast delivered drama, dominance and a first chink in Wilson’s armour. With titles on the line and rivalries intensifying, Saturday’s finale promises even more fireworks inside the SSE Arena.
