Stark Future's Jack Brunell bags maiden win as Arenacross Tour resumes in Manchester

By Sutty on 8th Jan 24

Manchester's AO Arena look resplendent for the opening indoor round of the Arenacross British Championship

Manchester's AO Arena hosted the opening indoor round of the 2024 British Arenacross Championship presented by Fix Auto where a massive crowd witnessed Jack Brunell make history, not only by securing his first Main Event victory in the 10-year history of AX but by doing it on an electric motorcycle.

Harri Kullas took the holeshot in the Main Event but Jack Brunell proved too fast to hold off

The Stark Future-backed rider took a stunning victory in the 16-lap Main Event after passing early leader Harri Kullas who bagged the holeshot on his FUS Marsh Husqvarna. It took a few laps for Brunell to take over the lead but once out front he rode at a measured pace to secure victory on the night and take over the series lead as championship favourites Conrad Mewse and Tommy Searle hit trouble.

Conrad Mewse was the top qualifier from the heats but technical issues meant he had to start the Main Event on his spare bike

Mewse had been the top qualifier out of the heats on his Crendon Tru7 Honda but a technical issue before the Main Event saw the current British Motocross Champion have to use a spare machine. After taking a few laps to get a feeling for the bike, Conrad upped the pace to pull through the pack to fourth position - just missing out on the podium.

This crash put defending champion Tommy Searle out for the evening

Searle's evening ended early after a crash in the head-to-head rounds injured his thumb. The current AX champion's crash came at the end of what had been a tough night - a huge crash for Dirt Store Kawasaki teammate Mel Pocock halted his progress in heat one and then a tangle with Stark Future's Eddie Wade ended the second heat prematurely. After regrouping for the head-to-head segment of the show, Searle's get-off while leading Wade in the semi-final round would put an end to his night.

Harri Kullas had a solid night and ended up second behind Brunell

Joining Brunell on the podium in the Main Event would be Kullas and Dylan Woodcock who was having a great night on the Mark McCann 64 YouTube Channel KTM. The winner of heat two, Woodcock pulled through the pack in the final to take advantage of mistakes from Justin Bogle (Stark Future) and a very athletic-looking Ashley Greedy (S Briggs 10 Central Honda) who slid out of third in the dying moments of the race.

The action came thick and fast from the start of the evening

The whoops section was one of the places riders could make up a lot of time

Captain Morgan aka Dan Whitby and the FMX crew were in the house

Mel Pocock's night started with a horrendous crash...

... that almost took Dirt Store Kawasaki teammate Tommy Searle down too...

... Pocock was back on his feet before his bike stopped bouncing...

... although it took him a second to figure out which way it had gone...

... he was soon on his way much to the delight of the crowd.

The second Traxxas Pro Heat was the first time Jack Brunell had done a start on the Stark Varg - he got to the corner first but ran wide and tippled over!

The FUS Marsh Husqvarna boys fly in formation with Elliott Banks-Browne leading teammate Harri Kullas

John Adamson and that man Pocock get in a pickle at the end of the whoops...

... but both riders somehow emerged unscathed

Ben Clayton battled hard but missed out on a spot in the Main Event

Old habits die hard as Justin Bogle covers the non-existent clutch on his Stark - the US import crashed out of third place in the latter moments of the Main Event

The early going in the Main Event saw Harri Kullas holding off the Starks of Brunell and Bogle

A steady night saw inaugural AX champ Adam Chatfield place seventh

Conrad Mewse took his spare bike to fourth place in the final

An emotional victory for Brunell who'll carry the red plate into Belfast

2024 ACU British Arenacross Championship presented by Fix Auto

Round One: Manchester, AO Arena Results

1	Jack Brunell	Stark Future
2	Harri Kullas	FUS Marsh Husqvarna
3	Dylan Woodock	Mark McCann 64 YouTube
4	Conrad Mewse	Crendon Tru7 Honda
5	Ashley Greedy	S Briggs 10 Central Honda
6	Justin Bogle	Stark Future
7	Adam Chatfield	Mark McCann 64 YouTube
8	Jayden Ashwell	AJP Suzuki
9	Mel Pocock	Dirt Store Kawasaki
10	Elliott Banks-Browne	FUS Marsh Husqvarna

Stark Future's Jack Brunell bags maiden win as Arenacross Tour resumes in Manchester

2024 ACU British Arenacross Championship presented by Fix Auto

Round One: Manchester, AO Arena Results

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