REVO Husqvarna are back in the mix
By Sean Lawless on 1st Jun 18
After a weekend off along with his REVO Husqvarna UK team-mate Mel Pocock, Martin Barr was back in action at round three of the Michelin MX Nationals at Hawkstone Park on Sunday and he put in an amazing time to top Pro qualifying on his 250F.
The Irishman was 0.2 seconds ahead of 450 rider Jake Nicholls and then raced to second in MX2 in the opening mixed-capacity moto before a fall put him out of race two when he was chasing Nicholls.
It could have been a better day but my time in qualifying was mega, he said. I had a pretty decent start in race one but a rider went down in turn two and I had to go wide to avoid him and lost quite a few positions. So I put my head down and concentrated on coming through the pack.
Race two didnt end the way I wanted it to but I felt like my old self. I got a really good start, quickly moved into third and was trying to hang on to Jake and Elliott Banks-Browne.
Id just passed Elliott when I went over a jump and landed awkwardly and was catapulted off the bike. It was a pretty big crash Im okay but the bike was bent up.
Still, everything clicked for me and Ive got that feeling back, the way I know I can ride and I think I showed that in the second moto.
With Martin sidelined, Mel brought it home for the team with his 3-2 card good enough for second overall.
It was a good days racing for me, said Mel. I had a third and a second which was solid riding. The track was super-bumpy and gnarly.
In the second race the heavens opened and there was a complete downpour but it was just a good fun days racing. Ill take second overall happy days!
Dylan Woodcock showed a good turn of pace in the first race to finish 14th in class but he DNFd race two with a mechanical issue.
In the SW85cc class Ollie Colmer had a stand-out weekend with his final score of 1-2-2-1 good enough to give him the overall on a tie-break following a fierce final race.
Wed had a weeks break to give everyone time to recover, said team boss Mark Yates. It also gave us a chance to test the new 2019-spec engine components which were trying to get some hours on ready for the British Grand Prix that are brilliant.
I think thats the first time an MX2 rider has taken a pole position for the Fastest 40 which was great for Martin. It was a solid day for him a mistake in the second race cost him a podium but he was really pleased with his speed and the bike and he hasnt hurt himself so hes looking forward to Matterley.
Mels the same. Hes pleased with where hes at and, obviously, he was second on the podium which is a good performance.
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