All's set for a great Donington weekend
By TMX Archives on 22nd Aug 07
THE biggest weekend in the British motocross calendar goes ahead this Saturday and Sunday, August 25/26, as the British Motocross Grand Prix takes place at its new home - for the next three-years, at least - at the world famous road-race facility, Donington Park.
The Derbyshire venue is world renowned as a racing circuit and itopens another, hopefully successful, chapter in its long history withthe welcoming of the MXGP into its perimeter, and British motocrossfans too will be hoping that the arrival of the huge Doningtonorganisation on the GP calendar marks a period of stabilty for theBritish GP as they pour into the venue with high hopes of success forBritish riders.
The newly-constructed Donington track looks fast and spectacular,with some enormous jumps dotted around, and the fans look set to betreated some of the most closely fought and intense racing of theseason in what is the penultimate round of the 2007 championship,particularly in MX1 where four riders - Josh Coppins, Steve Ramon, SebPourcel and Kevin Strijbos - are still in the race for the title andnewly-crowned MX2 champion Toni Cairoli will make his debut appearancein the class.
It is the British riders who the fans come to see and support thoughand the crowds have a realistic chance of witnessing British success onSunday, most notably from KTM's young gun Tommy Searle in MX2,Kawasaki's Billy MacKenzie in MX1 and three-times world champ DaveThorpe who looks set to notch up his fourth world crown in the SeniorMotocross World Cup which runs its second and final round at Donington.
Billy tasted home GP glory before when he won a moto at Gore Basinand will be a strong candidate to repeat the feat at least, while Tommywill be the favourite to walk away with his first GP overall in MX2after claiming another sensational runner-up finish in Ireland lastweek. What a dream end to the season that would be for Tommy and theBritish fans!
The GP gives British wildcard riders chance to showcase theirtalents alongside the GP regulars and getting the nod will benewly-crowned Under 21 champ, Ray Rowson, the Relentless Suzuki trio ofLewis Gregory, Alex Snow and Jamie Law, Pioneer Yamaha's Luke Remmerand Luke Mellows, while in MX1, fan favourite, Brad Anderson, will behoping for better luck than in Ireland and will be joined by PAR Hondaduo of Wayne Smith and Neville Bradshaw, Albion KTM's Jordan Rose,Danger-UK Honda's Syd Bales and Ireland's Richard McKeown.
Everything is set for another weekend of classic British GP action - even the weather is looking good for a change.
Ticket prices for Saturday are set at £20 for all adults and £15 forchildren under 15 (when accompanied by an adult), while admission forSunday's main event is £35 for adults and £15 for children. Under fivesgo free.
Donington Park is located next to East Midlands Airport, eight-miles south Derby, off junctions 23A and 24 of the M1.
