Long Lane Preview: AMCA finale set for thriller as season-long tussles come to a head
By Team TMX on 29th Aug 19
Its the final round of the AMCA British Motocross Championship on Sunday at Long Lane, near Telford, in Shropshire and what an event it promises to be!
With all of the bonus points now added to the riders scores at least two of the classes look set to go right down to the wire with a tense last-moto decider!
In this series powered by Datatag and supported by Dunlop, the MX1 class has thrilled right from the off. Going into the final round Shane Carless (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) is just 28 points better off than Neville Bradshaw (DK Off-road Kawasaki).
Mathematically, James Dodd and Josh Waterman are also still in the hunt for honours so Long Lane is sure to produce some spectacular action.
At present Luke Mellows holds fifth in MX1 but is still struggling with a shoulder injury and his participation this weekend is in doubt.
Should the popular Bristol rider miss out, his current placing still looks to be just about in the bag with enough points on the board to see off the likes of Will Hughes, Ashley Thomas, Gary Gibson, Andrew Smart and Luke Meredith.
In MX2 Jamie Wainwright (Apex KTM UK) will wrap up the title with a moto win in the first race at Long Lane. At present hes 121 points clear of Kristian Whatley who bravely competed at the previous round at Brookthorpe despite suffering from a broken finger.
Whatley sits 45 points ahead of Ryan Crowder with Josh Coleman looking like the only other rider able to break into the final top three.
After his great maiden overall win last time out, Welsh two-stroke rider Corie Southwood is up into sixth place in the standings just behind Luke Dean but ahead of Clinton Barrs, Mark Young, Lee Truman and Matt Ridgway.
Following some epic season-long tussles in the 125cc class, just 12 points separate leader Lewis Dowdeswell (FWC Bay Construction KTM) and Chris Povey (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna).
Having clawed back 25 points during the last two rounds, Povey is certainly a man on a mission and will travel to Long Lane full of confidence.
Currently sitting in third, the consistent Ryan Zebedee is almost home and dry holding a 136-point advantage over Nathan Bache with Jordan Ridgway, Ben Watkins, Tomos Wright, Ben White and Richy Roberts next up.
If Jamie Powell (SRH KTM) scores an opening-moto top-three position at Long Lane and finishes ahead of closest rival Simon Lane that will be enough in his debut AMCA Vets campaign to confirm the title. Another 2019 Vets class debutant Craig Chamberlain currently holds third in the standings,
Having been in superb form right from the off in 2019, Matt Tolley (IDS/Tolley Jewellers KTM) leads the charge to the AMCA Youth title and is 92 points clear of Harry Ridgway with Ezra Blackwell in third.
The postcode for satnav users is TF6 6HR.
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