Full Report: MX Nationals - Rd 6, Crookwood
By Dick Law on 16th Aug 17
the sixth and final round of this years excellent MX Nationals series took place at the new Crookwood Motoparc venue just outside Devises in Wiltshire.
Graeme Irwin claimed his second major title in the space of a fortnight when he clinched the Pro MX1 crown with a race in hand, while Mel Pocock had to wait until the last race to seal the Pro MX2s after being involved in a first-turn pile-up in race one.
The closest championship finish, though, came in the Fly Racing Experts MX1.
Declan Whittle and Luke Parker scrapped it out all day and crossed the finish-line on the last lap of the last race of the series separated by just a couple of feet and two points, with the win going to Whittle.
Elliott Banks-Browne, back to full fitness after being knocked out at the Maxxis round at Blaxhall, powered away at the start of the first combined Pro MX1 and MX2 race, followed into the first turn by Irwin, Gert Krestinov and his Buildbase Honda team-mate Martin Barr.
But as the leaders disappeared round the first lap Pocock, Dan Thornhill, and Chubbie Hammond were in a pile on the inside of turn one.
By the end of second lap Irwin slipped up the inside of Banks-Browne and into the lead and a lap later Barr did the same to Krestinov to move third. James Harrison was passed for fifth on lap four by Jake Shipton, who had also gone past Neville Bradshaw.
For the rest of the race the running order of the top six - all MX1 riders - stayed the same, although Banks-Browne closed in on Irwin and the pair crossed the finish-line almost side by side.
Lewis Tombs and Josh Gilbert were the first of the pro MX2s at the start and Gilbert pushed ahead on lap two and went on to finish seventh in the race.
Tombs crossed the finish line in 11th place as second MX2, with Jake Millward third.
Of those who crashed in turn one Thornhill made his way up to 11th, while Pocock and Hammond finished ninth and tenth in the MX2s. With the championship his, the pressure was off Irwin in race two and his team-mate Barr beat him to turn one, with Banks-Browne and MX2 riders Josh Spinks and Pocock in tow.
Krestinov had started seventh but passed Harrison for sixth at the end of the opening lap and moved past Pocock and Spinks on the next couple of circuits.
Jordan Eccles had made a bad start way back in 26th but was making up ground fast until a mistake going over the top jump saw him part company with his bike and crash heavily.
With Eccles unconscious on the track the race was stopped and declared a result and he was tended to before he was taken to hospital suffering from back injuries.
Irwin had passed Barr two laps before the stoppage and was declared the winner from Barr, Banks-Browne, Krestinov, Harrison and Bradshaw while in the MX2s it was Spinks from new champion Pocock, followed by Micky Eccles, Gilbert, Tombs and Millward.
Overall in the MX1s it was Irwin from Barr and Banks-Browne, while in the MX2s overall it was Spinks from Gilbert and Tombs.
Irwin ended up 32 points clear of Banks-Browne, with Barr third just five points off second, while in the MX2s Pocock ended 22 points clear of Gilbert.
"It's been the perfect year for me and the team as we decided to enter two national series and we have won both of them," said an ecstatic Irwin.
"The track here today was very good and, although I thought it was a bit one-line, I did manage to pass Martin Barr in the second race."I knew I was faster in the ruts so it was just a matter of working out when I could make it happen."
Barr said: "It's been a good series but luck has not been on my side this year as I have often been taken out or run into in the first turn and had to battle my way to the front.
"It's nice to come to a new track so that everyone is on a level playing field but it became very rutty out there and there was only really one fast line and everyone one was on it.
"The only way to get past was if another rider made a mistake or you had to get really aggressive."
Banks-Browne was happy to be back racing and said: "It's taken me almost a month to get over my Blaxhall crash and I haven't been on the bike much till this week.
"I knew coming here I would be a bit unprepared but I was happy with my speed and fitness in the end.
"I finished second in this championship and I think I have showed that I still have it so now I'm just looking forward to next year's series."
Pocock and his team were over the moon with his MX2 win and the champ said: "This means so much. It's been an amazing week for me becoming a father for the first time and now winning this championship. "As a new team to win a championship it is very cool."
Overall MX2 winner on the day, Spinks said: "Qualifying wasn't the best with a seventh and in the first race but in the second I made up for it with a comfortable win."
Gilbert wasn't so happy with his second place, though, saying: "I am gutted really. I had a comfortable win in the first race and in the second I was in fourth and if the race had run its full length I feel I could have got the overall."
Luke Parker needed to take all four wins if he was to take the Fly Racing Expert MX1 Cup away from series leader Declan Whittle.
It started well as he won the first race and he was first over the line in moto two as well and, with Whittle following him over the line, things were getting very tight at the top.
Parker came out all guns blazing again on Sunday morning and won race three, with Whittle again chasing him over the line - so it was all down to the final race of the series.
Parker got the holeshot but Whittle was there with him ready to pounce and on lap three the series leader found himself out front - and he held on to claim the title with just a three-point advantage after a great effort from the unlucty Parker.
Glenn McCormick had a five-point lead over Jake Sheriden at the start of the weekend's racing in the Bell Racing Experts MX2 cup and he wasn't messing about, as he stormed to all four race wins and finished the championship with a 19-point advantage.
Sheriden chased McCormick over the line in three of the races for second overall and second in the championship, with young Josh Coleman third.
Danny Townsend's two wins and two runner-ups gave him the overall in the Elite Clubman MX1 class from fellow double-race winner Sean Barnsdale, with Ben Cryer third.
In the final championship standings Barnsdale led by 23 from Townsend.
Brad Thornhill claimed three wins and a second to top the Elite Clubman MX2s from Fabio Rizzi and Elliot Coo.
Series leader Tony Cadman slumped to sixth overall but but that was enough to secure the championship, with Thornhill moving into second at the expense of Ryan King.
Lewis Hall has been unstoppable in the MXY2s, winning 20 out of 22 races as he took another overall win and finished the series 104 points clear of Ben Clark, the only rider to finish in front of Hall all year. Rossi Beards four-race maximum gave him the 125s overall and the championship from Sam Nunn and Joel Rizzi.
Dominic Lancett won all four Big-Wheel 85 races in style from Bobby Bruce and Tom Murphy and in the final championship standings Lancett was top dog from Kyle McNicol and Bruce and Louie Kessell.
Alfie Jones was already crowned Small-Wheel champion before the weekend but he had to play second best to the flying Charlie Hayman in all four races.
Thomas Harris was third overall and second in the final series standings, while Hayman passed Harvey Cashmore for third.
