Race report: Culham - 2018 British Motocross Championship

By Sean Lawless on 4th Apr 18

Graeme Irwin kicked off the defence of his MX1 title on top and his teenaged team-mate Conrad Mewse drew first blood in MX2 as ASA Hitachi KTM UK dominated the opening round of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship supported by Pro Clean at Culham Moto Park on Sunday.

Culham also played host to round one of the ACU British Two-Stroke Championship where long, tall Dutchman Mike Kras excelled on his GL12 Racing KTM with a double win to match his pair from EMX300 at Redsand the weekend before.

When conditions are bad then tracks dont come much rougher or more rutted than the Oxfordshire circuit but the organising team stuck to its guns, refused to cancel and put in some smart overnight work to ensure it stayed rideable, with plenty of lines forming which made for some great racing. Sure, it was as harsh as hell but you know what they say about when the going gets tough

Fastest in qualification by just over 0.1 of a second, Irwin started solidly in the opening 25-minute plus two-lap moto. But it was former champ Kristian Whatley (RHR Yamaha) who hasnt raced for over 11 months who took an early lead before Brad Anderson (Verde Substance KTM), another ex-champion, muscled his way to the front.

With the first three GPs of the season under his belt, Irwin was looking fast and fit and within a handful of laps hit the front and never looked back despite pressure late in the race from Jake Nicholls (Buildbase Honda), who took second in his first Maxxis appearance for almost a year.

Nuno Laranjeira

Anderson came home a lonely third ahead of 2010 champion Evgeny Bobryshev (Lombard Express/SRD Suzuki UK) who got a big bump off the start and came from a long way back to make a late pass on Whatley who, understandably after such a long time out of action, faded in the closing stages.Elliott Banks-Browne (Geartec Husqvarna) had sat sixth with a lap to go but a mechanical problem dumped him to 18th.

EBB led race two pretty much from the get-go and after trading early passes with Italian Ivo Monticelli (iFly JK Racing Yamaha) sat at the front for more than half the race before Bobryshev whod had to pick himself up off the deck after an early crash came storming through to the front with just a couple of laps to go.

Once in the lead the Russian opened up almost a six-second advantage over EBB with Irwin bringing it home in third for the overall win. Nearly the perfect day but in the second one the track was sketchy and I was too easy at the start, said Irwin. I was getting swallowed up a bit but about halfway through I feel like I really got going.

Bobby came by me and I could see where he was faster so I caught on to a few of his lines but he got by someone who I got stuck behind for a couple of laps and it just killed the flow. I came strong again and nearly got Elliott at the end but I knew Id done enough to get the overall.

The win gave Bobryshev second overall in his first Maxxis round since sewing up the title in 2010 and he was happy to be back racing and winning in the UK. The second race was good, he said. I had a better start so for me it was a bit easier to stay up front but then I had a massive crash on the fourth lap so I had to come back again.

I had some good lines where I was making up good time so it was a good race. I was battling to the end and I got a win so Im really happy. The track was gnarly and it was easy to make mistakes but thanks to the team they have done a good job to get me on a comfortable feeling bike.

Nicholls had been charging in the first third of the moto before a small crash forced him to come through again to fourth for third overall. Its been a pretty good day all round but a tough one, said Nicholls. We had a problem with the clutch in the first race a rock got jammed underneath the arm so it was slipping after 10 minutes and it burned out.

Race two was going all right and then I made a bad choice of lines, got cross-rutted and tipped over which I think cost me the win. My fitness is good and I think because I like my bike and Im enjoying riding it Im not using half the energy. Im much more relaxed. I know I can win this! Anderson finished behind Monticelli in sixth for fourth overall with Whatley taking seventh to end the day in fifth.

Nuno Laranjeira

The MX2 was a demolition job by Mewse. The 18-year-old is currently sitting fifth in the world and he carried this form into Culham, kicking off in qualification where he was over two-and-a-half seconds ahead of Josh Gilbert (Honda Adventure Centre) who ended the session a surprise second from Mel Pocock (REVO Husqvarna UK).

Gilbert led the opening lap from Pocock before Mewse hit the front and then motored clear, winning by almost 30 seconds. Gilbert hung on for a career-best second from Pocock, with Ashton Dickinson (Craigs Yamaha) fourth from Liam Knight (Pope KTM).

Kiwi teenager Josiah Natzke (Buildbase Honda) racing despite a huge crash in Spain seven days earlier that left him beaten up led the opening laps of race two from Knight, as Mewse was forced to work hard after getting closed in down the start straight.

Just before half-distance Mewse took the lead from Natzke and then raced away to a 28-second win with a series of fast, faultless laps.Its been a fantastic day, he said. I came in here not really knowing what to expect and I was quite shocked. I won every session on track and Im over the moon about that. Weve had a good start to the season in the world championship so I came here on a high and feeling great and it showed in my riding.

Its my first full season in the British championship and Im loving it already. Im having so much fun out there and I love riding in my own country its great to have all the fans and all the support here.Ive had a great day today and hopefully we can continue the season like it.

Gilbert, seventh last season with a best moto finish of sixth, moved into second on lap seven and maintained a comfortable cushion over Knight to seal his first Maxxis podium with second overall.

Thats a career-best by miles, he said. Ive had a good off-season and Im feeling strong but to come out and have two seconds has surprised me. I need to keep this consistency going for the rest of the season.

Pocock took fourth from Natzke for third overall as he made a solid start to the season. The first race I had a good start but unfortunately slipped off and dropped back to about sixth but pushed back to third which was a solid, strong ride in the deep ruts.

In the second I didnt have an amazing start and rode tense if Im honest.I didnt ride to the best of my ability for about 10 to 15 minutes and only really loosened up in the last part of the race but Ill take third overall.

Knights second race elevated him to fourth overall from Dickinson who was ninth second time out. In the new Expert category victory in MX1 went to Tony Craig from Declan Whittle and Ross Rutherford with Knight topping MX2 from Dickinson and Alexander Brown.

Despite pressure in both races from Ashley Wilde (RMJ Husqvarna) who posted a pair of second-placed finishes, Kras dominated in B2S on his first visit to Culham. Winning the opening moto by almost 11 seconds, he was over eight seconds clear in race two to kick off the defence of his title with a maximum points haul.

Im especially happy because to say the least its a track I dont like, he said. I just hate the hard bumps in the ruts its bad for my back and I hope we go to sand tracks now.

I had to ride steady and concentrate on the lines I rode. I think Ashley rode really good today. He could follow me for a little bit and as soon as I had a gap I could loosen up a bit. Its been a good day and if all season is like this then I couldnt be more happy.

Ending the opening race back in sixth, Neville Bradshaw (272 Race School Yamaha) fought back to third second time out for third overall from John Adamson (KTM) and Oli Benton (ASA Hitachi KTM UK).

Race report: Culham - 2018 British Motocross Championship

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