Preview: Maxxis Motocross hits Canada Heights
By Sean Lawless on 20th Apr 18
British Motocross Championship Jake Nicholls
The Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship supported by Pro Clean fires back into action on Sunday at the spectacular Canada Heights circuit near Swanley in Kent.
Although officially billed as round three its actually just the second event on the eight-round calendar after the original opener scheduled for Lyng at the start of March was cancelled when the paddock flooded and switched to the reserve date of October 14.
So Culham had the honour of kicking off this years championship on April 1 on a super-challenging track displaying all the ill-effects of heavy rain.
However, with no rain forecast for the days leading up to Sunday the circuit, lovingly cared for by the Sidcup club along with the team from ACU Events, should be in prime condition to host the countrys premier domestic race series.
The big news in MX1 is that former champion Tommy Searle (Bike It DRT Kawasaki) will be making his return to racing after breaking his collarbone at Valkenswaard in mid March. Its unlikely hell be up to full speed after a month out of action but just by rolling up at the startgate hell get Europes MX media twitching.
Defending champion Graeme Irwin (Hitachi ASA KTM UK) emerged from Culham on top with a 1-3 card giving him a two-point lead over Russian Evgeny Bobryshev (Lombard Express Suzuki with PAR Homes) who ran 4-1.
The series only MXGP regulars, so far Bobby the 2010 Maxxis champ has enjoyed more success on the world stage than Irwin who is still only finding his feet in his MXGP debut season but is totally at home on the domestic scene.
Jake Nicholls (Buildbase Honda) must also fancy his chances of an overall win. Having stepped back from the world championship this season, he carded 2-4 at Culham despite a mechanical issue in the opening moto and a crash in race two and with just five points covering the top three the red series leaders plate has to be considered fair game.
Elliott Banks-Browne (Geartec Husqvarna) suffered a mechanical failure in the Culham opener but was second in race two so hes got the speed to win and two-time champion Brad Anderson (Verde Substance KTM) took a race-one third backed up with a sixth for fourth overall.
Last year Kristian Whatley (RHR Yamaha) broke his femur at the Kent track but he was in impressive form on his return to first-class racing at Culham and will be looking to build on this and Italian Ivo Monticelli (iFly JK Yamaha) also looked threatening in the second moto.
The man in form in MX2 at Culham was undoubtedly Conrad Mewse (Hitachi ASA KTM UK) who streaked to a dominant double win with Josh Gilbert (Honda Adventure Centre) shocking even himself with a 2-2 card for second overall.
Mewse had started the world championship strongly and was fifth in the points table but has since slipped down to seventh following below-par performances in Italy and Portugal. Read into that what you will but dont be surprised to see the 18-year-old at the front at Canada Heights.
Mel Pocock (REVO Husqvarna UK) also heads to Kent on a wave of confidence after taking the EMX250 series lead in Portugal. His team-mate Martin Barr is fourth in the Euro series and if hes recovered from a hand injury sustained at Culham he should be pushing for a podium too.
Liam Knight (Pope Racing KTM) was fourth at Culham ahead of Ashton Dickinson (Craigs Motorcycles Yamaha) and both will be hoping for more of the same and 17-year-old Alexander Brown (Apico Drysdale KTM) gave himself a big confidence boost in sixth.
This class is packed with talent and you cant discount Josiah Natzke (Buildbase Honda) or Todd Kellett (Verde Substance KTM) who both produced podium finishes last season.
Canada Heights will also feature round two of the ACU B2S series where Mike Kras (GL12 Racing KTM) starts as odds-on favourite with the supporting class including Ashley Wilde (RMJ Husqvarna UK), Nev Bradshaw (272 Raceschool Yamaha) and James Dunn (GL12 Racing KTM).
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.
The track is situated in Button Street which is just off the A20 between Farningham and Swanley. Leave the M25 at the Swanley Inter-change (J3). Postcode is BR8 8DX.
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