Dirt Store ACU British Motocross Championship gets underway at Lyng

By Dick Law on 30th Apr 24

News Motocross British Motocross Championship

Motocross superstar Jeffrey Herlings returned to the historic Cadders Hill circuit at Lyng in Norfolk with his Red Bull Factory KTM to participate in round one of this year’s Dirt Store ACU British Motocross Championship. As you would expect from a five-time world champion, he won his class, but it was touch and go and he only just got the better of reigning champion Conrad Mewse.

In the two exciting MX2 races, and after several crashes in the treacherous conditions, fellow Dutchman Cas Valk, riding a Gabriel SS24 KTM, took the overall win from the US wildcard rider Jack Chambers (Bike it Kawasaki powered by Stebbings).

As the hardworking members of the Norwich Viking club and RHL team were making the finishing touches to the track on Saturday, and as the riders and race team started to fill the paddock, the weather looked OK, and the track looked in prime condition.But as darkness fell and as those present retreated into the warmth and comfort of their vehicles, it started to rain. Then, it just kept falling all night.

Come dawn, it looked like we may be OK, but while the MX1 riders did their practice and qualifying, the heavens opened up once again and turned the track surface into a load of slop that put a great deal of strain on both riders and machine, blocked radiators and killed engines and caused countless DNFs. But the show went on for thousands of spectators who braved the weather for a day of racing.

Josh Gilbert (Gabriel SS24 KTM), who has fully recovered from his elbow injury, set the fastest time in qualifying from current British champion Conrad Mewse (Crendon Tru7 Honda) and Herlings. Still, when it came to the first race, Mewse got the holeshot from Herlings and the on-form Jason Meara (Moto-Cycle Racing GASGAS) as Gilbert messed up his start and rounded turn one in 13th place with a lot of work to do.

Even before the race was a lap old, Mewse and Herlings were already pulling away from the rest of the pack, leaving Meara in a lonely third place. A fast Brad Todd (DK Offroad Honda) was fourth, and a flying Gilbert was already eighth.

Many riders say that the Lyng track is a bit one-liney, but with all the rain and a racing line appearing, it was almost impossible to overtake because if you went offline, your bike became stuck in the slop.

All this meant that despite Herlings' ability to close in on Mewse, making a pass would take a lot of work. But that didn't stop him from trying.

By half race distance, with the top three still in the same order, Gilbert slipped past Todd to take fourth place.

On the last lap, with the chequered flag almost in sight, Herlings made one final push to snatch the win out of Mewse’s hands, but he came up short by seven-hundredths of a second.

Meara and Gilbert crossed the finish line almost together but nearly two minutes down on the leaders. Todd was a fine fifth from Sam Nunn (John Banks Honda) and Martin Barr (Apico Honda). But there was an extensive list of retirements.

At the start of race two, Herlings got the holeshot from Mewse, Todd, Barr, and Gilbert. But apart from Gilbert passing both Todd and Barr on his way to third place, the top five stayed in the same racing order to the end of the race.

Tristan Purdon (SC Sporthome Husqvarna) and Meara gated sixth and seventh and spent most of the race together till, with a lap to go, Meara slipped through to take sixth away from Purdon.

Nunn was eighth but a lap down, while Carlton Husband (Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki) was ninth after Tom Grimshaw (Apico Honda) gifted him the place after his bike's engine came to a noisy stop.

Overall, Herlings and Mewse were on equal points and in a class of their own, with Gilbert third.

“A second and a first," said winner Herlings, "I am happy with that with track conditions making it so hard to overtake. I couldn't get around Conrad (Mewse) in the first moto, and he was riding really well. We crossed the finish line separated by about half a second. He was riding all the good lines, and with all the rain, there was no other choice. It’s a shame about the weather, but it is what it is. It’s always good to race different tracks, and it’s almost like a good practice day. The second moto was better. I got the holeshot and led every single lap. So, it’s a good day.”

From second on the podium, Mewse mused, “It’s been a good day today. I got the holeshot in the first race and kept my head as I was put under a lot of pressure. I kept Jeffrey (Herlings) behind me in the first race but messed up my start in the second race. I got excited off the start and moved back over the rear wheel too soon, which made the front wheel come up. You have to shut the throttle then, and he got me on the first turn. It was cool to race with Jeffrey, and I learnt a lot”.

When asked about his recent injury and his days racing, Gilbert said, “The elbow is completely fine now. I have been back on the bike for about three weeks now. I feel I haven’t really lost any of my race fitness, and once I got the first couple of sessions done, my arm got used to being used again, as I have been resting it all the time after Spain. It was my starts that let me down today, and that's something I don't usually worry about. You really needed good starts today. After the start of the first race, I came together with another rider and went from almost dead last to third. I had a better start in race two, but it took too long to get to third, and the leaders were gone. But I am on the podium, and it’s only the first round”.

Chambers got the holeshot at the start of the first MX2 race, and while his raw speed and smooth style kept him in the lead, all hell was breaking loose behind him.

Joe Brookes (426 Motorsport KTM) rounded the first turn in second place. On lap two, he was passed by the flying Valk just before his bike came to a grounding halt.

The young Billy Askew (DRT Kawasaki) had gated third and slipped back to fourth as Valk passed him. Then he inherited third as Brookes dropped out and moved into second on lap five as Valk had the first of his crashes. But just a lap later, his bike stopped like so many others, and all that hard work was undone with a DNF.

The evergreen Jake Nicholls (Crendon Tru7 Honda) showed he still had most of his GP pace and all of his style as he took over second place at Askew’s expense and was closing in on the leader Chambers. However, with two laps to go, his bike lost some of its power in the tough going. As a result, he lost second place to the recovering Valk and two corners from the chequered flag. He also lost third to his old rival, Searle.

Making a return to UK racing, Dylan Walsh (MSR Kawasaki) gated eleventh but made his way up to fifth by the end of the race. Joel Rizzi (Dirt Store Kawasaki) was sixth, while the hard charger award; if we had one, it would have gone to Taylor Hammal (Crendon Tru7 Honda), who came from 18th to finish seventh.

Rizzi led the pack around the opening lap at the start of leg two until Valk snatched the lead a lap later and was never seen again. On lap three, Charlie Hayman (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) charged past Rizzi into second and seemed to be holding the same pace as Valk until, on lap nine, his bike joined the DNF group.

Brookes held a solid fourth place until Chambers and Searle found a way past him, and the pair finished third and fourth. Brookes hung onto fifth while Walsh put on a late charge and moved to the pack from 10th to sixth. 

Overall, Valk won by two points from Chambers and Searle. Rizzi just missed out on a podium position by a single point.

“I really enjoyed racing today even though that weather was quite bad,” said a happy Valk. “It’s a nice track, and from the beginning, I was enjoying it as I put in a good time in practice. The first race was a bit of a strange race as I lost my goggles early on and then had a crash, but I still managed to come back to second place. I think Tommy (Searle) went in to change goggles, which handed me a place. In the second race, I didn't get a good start but got into the lead quickly. From then on, I just rode my own race and built up quite a big lead at the end. Happy with my first race here and the first race of the championship and looking forward to the second round.” 

Chambers from second overall said, “It has been a bit rainy and cold, and the sand was really tough. I had a first race win after a couple of falls. As I crashed, I thought they were going to be past me at any time, but I held the lead, put down a couple of fast laps, and pulled away. It's been a brutal day of racing dirt bikes, and I love it. Big thanks to the team for bringing out the truck and doing it properly. Looking forward to the next round, if we come and, more importantly, the next GP.”

Searle said, "I ended the day in third, and I am happy with that. I am also happy for leaving here today healthy and in one piece with conditions like they are because you could easily lose a lot of points here today. I could have been a bit better, but I could have been much worse. All in all, it was an acceptable day."

With two race wins, Jamie Keith (MBRPX Mcguigan KTM) took the overall in the 125cc side of the combined 125/250 youth race. Josh Vail (SJP Moto/ RFX) chased him over the finish line in both races, with Charlie Richmond (JP KTM) notching up two third places.

In the 250 side of the race, Reece Jones (K Tech / Aristocars KTM), with a couple of wins, took the overall, with Harrison Greenough (S Simpson Associates KTM) and Tyla Hooley (KTM) with second place and a third each ending the day on equal points. Greenough was awarded the second-place trophy as he finished higher up in the second race.

With two race wins, ex-British champion Brad Anderson (GASGAS) took the veterans class win from the local rider and multiple Eastern Centre motocross and enduro champion Aston Bird (Yamaha). Essex racer Steve Bixby (KTM) was third overall, with Sydney Bales (Suzuki) just missing out on the podium by four points.

MX1

MX2

125/250cc

125

250

Veterans

1

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