Nunn top performer at Namur
By TMX Archives on 6th Aug 06
Factory KTM MX2 rider Carl Nunn produced an excellent second moto result at a hot Namur circuit for the Grand Prix of Belgium today and the twelfth round of fifteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship. The Briton finished third for fourth overall in front of 30,000 spectators.
The narrow, winding and dry Namur circuit offered a rough and extremely bumpy terrain through the woodland setting atop the park and cutting through the steep drops around the Citadella fortress. With the high speeds along the 2400 metre course (almost twice the normal length) and the difficulty in seeing bumps and roots through the shade made the tree-lined layout particularly perilous with a slip in concentration leading to a possible diversion into ‘nature'. It was also hard to overtake so the start of the motos on the flat Esplanade section, housing the pits and two waves sections, largely determined the members of the pace-setting group.
Nunn's Grand Prix was the story of two motos, one not particularly special and the other an example of how a positive start and subsequent refreshed confidence can turn a meeting around. He struggled to find a rhythm in moto1 and limped to 11th but was a renewed force after running in the top two from the outset later on.
David Philippaerts' aggressive and loose style was just about contained by the stretched confines of the course and the Italian was by far the quickest rider in the opening moto. However a run-in with some green fabric fencing two thirds of the way into the distance caused the 250 SX-F rider to slow for fear off losing the chain as the mesh embedded itself in the hub of the wheel. Antonio Cairoli was able to pass but Philippaerts weathered the worst of the bad luck and was right on his countryman's back starting the penultimate lap when a small crash effectively conceded space, time and the moto. He was second. A fall in the initial stages of Moto2 meant some hard work in store but his GP was curtailed prematurely when he fell directly in front of Billy Mackenzie and was struck across the chest. It was only the third DNF of the year for the 22 year old.
Marc de Reuver was seventh overall and could not buy a decent start. The Dutchman picked up at least half a dozen positions from outside the top ten to finish fifth in the first moto but was not as effective in race two and passed the chequered flag in thirteenth.
Tyla Rattray announced his decision to remain as part of the works World Championship MX2 team for 2007 on Saturday and was hoping to banish his bad luck that had seen crashes deliver shoulder and knee injuries in the previous two editions. The South African would not be happy after the first moto as a mediocre start and a crash in the formative stages left him fighting at the rear of the pack; he eventually took 17th. Needless to say an improved and consistent performance in race two delivered fourth place behind Carl Nunn. Rattray will now make preparations to fly to Millville and compete in round nine of the AMA Motocross Lites class series.
In MX1 Jonathan Barragan's Grand Prix lasted less than thirty seconds when Josef Dobes landed on the Spaniard's left shoulder clearing the first jump off the Esplanade. The 20 year old could not move the joint and went to hospital for further examination, unable to participate in the rest of the event.
In the World Championship tables all four MX2 riders stand inside the top six of the leaderboard. Philippaerts leads the way in third with Rattray, De Reuver and Nunn following. In MX1 Barragan stays sixth despite his misfortune.
The thirteenth Grand Prix of the 2006 World Championship will take place at the Desertmartin circuit in Northern Ireland in three weeks times on August 26th/27th.
Carl Nunn:
"I did not ride so well on Saturday and it was the same in that first moto. I was struggling a little bit and I think it was to do with the way I was riding. I was attacking things a bit too much instead of flowing. I did not enjoy that first race and was very disappointed. I was 11th, which at some point of the year I would not have been too unhappy with on a track that I don't like but I wanted to do better in the second race and knew I had to do it from the start. I just rode with them at the front and felt so comfortable. I wasn't wasting any energy and hitting lines that I couldn't in the first race. I was more relaxed and letting the bike work instead of forcing it. I am pleased enough with fourth. The single moto podium is what I am looking for. This is one of my worst tracks but I actually had some fun in that second race.”
David Philippaerts:
"I had some good speed at this track. I was fastest in practice, top spot in qualifying and then won the heat. I was a second faster than Cairoli and Pourcel in the race but the backmarkers were a problem and I drifted wide and caught my wheel in the fence. I had no back brake from then. Luckily the wheel was OK and it was a good race because I kept second despite no brake. In the second heat my start was not great as Nagl closed me off. I fell off before the whoops, again because I was boxed in. After three laps I was back up to speed but I crashed, Mackenzie rode over my chest and I had a lot of pain. I really liked the track today. It was OK for me but very dangerous.”
Marc de Reuver:
"Yesterday I rode terribly and today was 100% better. The starts made life difficult for me but I came back well in the first moto. I was a little bit tired at the end. In the second start I went for the berm on the first corner and got caught up with a lot of people, some crashing. I rode my own race from there and I did not want to make any mistakes on this track because it is very difficult; one small mistake could mean that you go into the trees. I have a 450 race coming up soon and that should be fun and in the last GPs I will try to do my best.”
Tyla Rattray:
"I tried to pass Marc and it took me forever to get the bike started. I pushed the whole race to try and get as many points as possible. In the second moto my start was terrible but I railed the second corner before the finish and came out about tenth. I picked off riders one by one as they started getting tired for fourth. As soon as I can get out of the gate well then I should be able to race for the win. I will have to look at that after America and do some more testing. The track was very difficult. It is very rough and gives you the sensation that it can catch you in a second.”
MX1 Moto1
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL YAMAHA 43:13.152
2. COPPINS Joshua NZL HONDA 43:24.561
3. RAMON Steve BEL SUZUKI 43:27.817
4. MELOTTE Cedric BEL YAMAHA 43:30.132
5. DE DYCKER Ken BEL HONDA 43:32.238
6. CROCKARD Gordon GBR HONDA 43:47.267
7. LEURET Pascal FRA HONDA 44:07.271
8. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL SUZUKI 44:21.792
9. GARCIA VICO Javier SPA HONDA 44:26.353
10. AVIS Wyatt RSA KTM 44:37.677
30. BARRAGAN Jonathan SPA KTM 16.687
MX1 Moto2
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL YAMAHA 41:10.064
2. COPPINS Joshua NZL HONDA 41:28.037
3. RAMON Steve BEL SUZUKI 41:38.548
4. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL SUZUKI 41:56.507
5. MELOTTE Cedric BEL YAMAHA 42:02.973
6. NOBLE James GBR HONDA 42:07.511
7. LEURET Pascal FRA HONDA 42:12.457
8. PRIEM Manuel BEL YAMAHA 42:24.522
9. GARCIA VICO Javier SPA HONDA 42:33.778
10. AVIS Wyatt RSA KTM 42:37.356
MX1 Overall classification
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL YAMAHA 50
2. COPPINS Joshua NZL HONDA 44
3. RAMON Steve BEL SUZUKI 40
4. MELOTTE Cedric BEL YAMAHA 34
5. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL SUZUKI 31
6. LEURET Pascal FRA HONDA 28
7. NOBLE James GBR HONDA 25
8. GARCIA VICO Javier SPA HONDA 24
9. AVIS Wyatt RSA KTM 22
10. PRIEM Manuel BEL YAMAHA 21
MX1 World Championship standings after 12 of 15 rounds
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL 592
2. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL 424
3. RAMON Steve BEL 408
4. DE DYCKER Ken BEL 371
5. LEOK Tanel EST 365
6. BARRAGAN J. SPA 273
7. LEURET Pascal FRA 230
8. MELOTTE Cedric BEL 224
9. PRIEM Manuel BEL 210
10. COPPINS Joshua NZL 202
MX2 Moto1
1. CAIROLI Antonio ITA YAMAHA 43:09.307
2. PHILIPPAERTS David ITA KTM 43:11.838
3. POURCEL Christophe FRA KAWASAKI 43:38.685
4. POURCEL Sébastien FRA KAWASAKI 43:45.975
5. DE REUVER Marc NED KTM 43:47.036
6. NAGL Maximilian GER KTM 43:48.122
7. MACKENZIE Billy GBR YAMAHA 44:13.569
8. GONCALVES Rui POR KTM 44:13.994
9. MONNI Manuel ITA KTM 44:25.554
10. SEISTOLA Matti FIN HONDA 44:27.888
11. NUNN Carl GBR KTM 44:39.882
17. RATTRAY Tyla RSA KTM 45:19.601
MX2 Moto2
1. CAIROLI Antonio ITA YAMAHA 41:55.640
2. POURCEL Christophe FRA KAWASAKI 42:00.237
3. NUNN Carl GBR KTM 42:02.284
4. RATTRAY Tyla RSA KTM 42:14.003
5. POURCEL Sébastien FRA KAWASAKI 42:25.267
6. SWANEPOEL Gareth RSA KAWASAKI 42:35.000
7. GONCALVES Rui POR KTM 42:36.610
8. LEOK Aigar EST YAMAHA 42:40.083
9. MONNI Manuel ITA KTM 42:41.279
10. RENET P. FRA HONDA 42:45.624
30. PHILIPPAERTS David ITA KTM 3:32.573
MX2 Overall classification
1. CAIROLI Antonio ITA YAMAHA 50
2. POURCEL Christophe FRA KAWASAKI 42
3. POURCEL Sébastien FRA KAWASAKI 34
4. NUNN Carl GBR KTM 30
5. GONCALVES Rui POR KTM 27
6. MONNI Manuel ITA KTM 24
7. DE REUVER Marc NED KTM 24
8. RATTRAY Tyla RSA KTM 22
9. PHILIPPAERTS David ITA KTM 22
10. LEOK Aigar EST YAMAHA 20
MX2 World Championship standings after 12 of 15 rounds
1. POURCEL C. FRA 458
2. CAIROLI Antonio ITA 432
3. PHILIPPAERTS D. ITA 393
4. RATTRAY Tyla RSA 352
5. DE REUVER Marc NED 338
6. NUNN Carl GBR 307
7. MACKENZIE Billy GBR 264
8. POURCEL S. FRA 259
9. SEARLE Tommy GBR 254
10. SWANEPOEL Gareth RSA 251