Preview: British Motocross Championship kicks off at Culham

By Team TMX on 29th Mar 18

After its false start at the beginning of March, the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship supported by Pro Clean finally kicks off on Sunday (April 1) at Culham where the countrys most rapid riders along with some flat-out fast foreign stars will finally get to lock horns.

The mostly natural track that winds up, down and around an imposing banking by the side of the River Thames will be also be the base for RHL Activities four-day British Motocross Festival that runs from March 30 until April 2.

Its always hard to gauge form at the opening round of the year but thanks to the cancellation of Lyng weve had more indications following last months Hawkstone International, three GPs and a number of domestic races.

The MX1 rider with the biggest target on his back is defending champion Graeme Irwin (ASA Hitachi KTM UK). The man from Northern Ireland was strong throughout 2017 and took the title with one round still to go but has switched teams for this season.

He looked solid at Hawkstone and has also impressed in MXGP where hes quickly finding his feet. With Tommy Searle (Bike It DRT Kawasaki) who was due to take up a wild card ride injured the only other world championship rider hell face on Sunday is Russias Evgeny Bobryshev (Lombard Express/SRD Suzuki UK).

A former champion, Bobby lost his HRC MXGP ride at the end of last year but has bounced back and apart from a no-score in Holland has consistently finished ahead of Irwin so far this season. The difference this weekend is that Irwin feels totally at home at Culham.

Local hero Jake Nicholls (Buildbase Honda) missed Hawkstone and has quit GP racing but hes been busting out wins in the Eastern Centre and you can be sure hes put in the hard yards over the winter. He won here last year before a season-ending injury.

Former champion Kristian Whatley (RHR Yamaha) is in a similar situation to Nicholls his 2017 season was cut short by injury and hes also switched teams but has been inactive so far this year.

A two-time MX2 champion, Elliott Banks-Browne (Geartec Husqvarna) has suffered a string of injuries since he moved to a 450 and a series of team changes hasnt helped. Hes coming into 2018 fighting fit on the same team as last year with a few impressive arenacross performances under his belt.

Then theres Estonian Gert Krestinov (Phoenix Tools Apico Honda) who ended last season in second with some career-best results.

Two-time champion Brad Anderson (Verde Substance KTM) was third in the 2017 title fight and cant be ruled out. The burly, aggressive North Easterner has to be considered a threat and hes looked fast in EMX300 in Holland and Spain despite reportedly carrying neck and arm injuries.

Thats by no means a comprehensive list of MX1 talent but its a safe bet that the winners in there somewhere.

With last years MX2 champion Ben Watson giving the 2018 series a swerve as he concentrates on his GP ambitions, could this be the season that Martin Barr (REVO Husqvarna UK) finally gets his hands on a Maxxis crown?

The 30-year-old Irishman has switched teams for this year and showed at Hawkstone that the change has done him no harm as he chased world champion Pauls Jonass in the opening moto with only a crash in race two costing him a podium finish. He was also the fastest man on the track at last weekends EMX250 opener and on that form if he stays upright will be a tough man to beat.

Hell have to contend with wild card Darian Sanayei (Bike It DRT Kawasaki) who missed the MX2 podium by one point in Spain at Culham but after that he will hope to be in the driving seat.

Then theres the not-so-little matter of Irwins teenaged team-mate Conrad Mewse who has been flying this year in GPs. Currently a strong fifth in the world championship, Mewse came within a lap of scoring a moto second in Spain on Sunday and could be the man to crush Barrs dream.

Josiah Natzke (Buildbase Honda) is another rider to watch. He finished sixth last year after an inconsistent campaign with two race wins and four overall podiums punctuated by a number of costly no-scores but now hes under Dave Thorpes wing expect the young Kiwi to climb the rankings.

There is, however, a question mark hanging over his attendance at Culham after a big crash in Spain.

Barrs team-mate Mel Pocock a two-time vice-champion continued his comeback from 2015s horrific hand injury last year with fourth in the championship and three overall podiums and you can expect him to be pushing for wins all season. After his EMX250 race win in Spain he has to be considered a contender.

Todd Kellett (Verde Substance KTM) broke several vertebrae in a practice crash in December and is clearly not fit at the moment. Toddy, who won the overall at Blaxhall last year on his way to fifth in the championship, was a long way off full speed in Spain but expect him to build as the season progresses.

Josh Gilbert (Honda Adventure Centre) is another podium possibility. The young Cornishman had some great results last season on his way to seventh in the championship.

Typically packed with ambitious young riders, the MX2 class is always hard to call but well have a better idea of whos stepped it up after Culham.

Sunday will also feature the opening ACU British Two-stroke Championship round where Mike Kras who leads the EMX300 series starts as favourite with his main opposition expected to come from his GL12 Racing KTM team-mate James Dunn and veteran South African Nev Bradshaw (272 Race School Honda).

Practice kicks off at 9am with the first B2S race at 10.45am. First MX2 race is at noon. On-the-gate admission is 20 for adults, 5 for children with family tickets available priced at 45.

Culham is off the A415 between Abingdon and Clifton Hampden. The entrance to the site is through Culham No.1 Industrial Park.

Nearest post code to entrance is OX14 3DA.

Preview: British Motocross Championship kicks off at Culham

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