Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki take positives from Revo MXGB opener
By Press Release on 5th May 21
British Motocross Championship Culham Carlton Husband Jason Meara Sam Atkinson
Culham marked the opening round of the Revo ACU British Motocross Championship fuelled by Gulf Race Fuels for the Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki team.
After the championship was not contested in 2020, the team were keen to get back racing and start the year with some strong results.
In the qualifying session, Carlton Husband posted a really strong lap time which saw him finish 10th fastest in the MX2 class. In the MX1 class, Jason Meara also had a strong qualifying to finish 12th fastest. Going into the races both riders were feeling good and looking for strong finishes.
In the opening MX2 race, Husband made a great start but unfortunately, the race was stopped on the opening laps due to an injured rider. In the restart, Husband made another good start and was inside the top three and rode a superb race, battling at the sharp end of the field finishing in a strong seventh place.
The second moto would see drama on the start straight when Husband was involved in a heavy crash as the gate dropped. With his bike twisted and front brake and clutch lever damaged, Husband showed his determination and remounted and pushed hard all moto long to claim 15th at the flag and ninth overall.
Jason Meara
In the MX1 class, Meara was riding well in the early stages of the opening moto until he crashed awkwardly in a slow corner and hurt his shoulder and was forced to retire from the race. With a loss of strength in his arm Meara and the team decided it was best to sit out the second moto.
Sam Atkinson
Also competing over the weekend was the teams youth rider Sam Atkinson in the MXY2 class. Atkinson had a great qualifying session and took pole position by over a second and was looking good going into the races.
Unfortunately, he had a big crash in the opening race and had to ride through the pain to finish eighth. Feeling battered and bruised, Atkinson claimed fifth in the second moto before taking a pair of third-place finishes in races three and four.
Team owner Barry Moore: "We had some good positives to take away from Culham this weekend. I am really pleased for Carlton in the MX2 class he had a great qualifying and a strong seventh in race one. Carlton was wiped out in race two but picked up his bike and showed great character to come from last to 15th with no front brake and clutch lever for ninth overall. Carlton has shown that he definitely has the speed to be at the sharp end of this class.
"In the MX1 class Jason had a strong qualifying session and was going into race one feeling confident. Unfortunately, Jason crashed hard onto his shoulder and had to retire from the race. We decided it was best Jason did not go out in race two as he lost the strength in his arm and he returns home to prepare for round two.
"Young Sam in the MXY2 class had a fantastic qualifying taking pole by over a second but crashed heavily in race one and gritted his teeth to take eighth at the flag. Battered and bruised, he dug deep and took fifth in race two followed by two thirds in races three and four."
Carlton Husband: "Its been a really good day. I think most people came here a bit race rusty, but I felt good all day.
"In the first race, I got a good start, but it got red-flagged and then in the restart, I got another good start and was running in the top three and then dropped back to seventh at the flag. But I was happy with that.
Carlton Husband
"Going into the second race I felt more comfortable, but someone came across me on the start and I went down hard, and it wrecked my bike. I rode the whole race with no front brake and bent bars, but I scored a 15th so Im happy and we have come away inside the top 10.
"Im looking forward to the next round."
Jason Meara MX1: "It has not been a great day for me, as I have ended the day with a sore shoulder but there were some positives to take that my speed was good in qualifying.
"In the race I got a bad start, but my speed was good. I was pushing forward when I crashed on a slow part of the track and hurt my shoulder, but I hope to be back at the next round and go again."
Jason Meara
Sam Atkinson: "Qualifying was good as I took pole by over a second and then in the first race, I got into second and had a massive crash on the step-down but got going again only to crash once again.
"I hurt my wrist in the two crashes, so it has held me back for the rest of the weekend, but I managed to get through it with a fifth and two third-places so Im happy to secure those results."
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