One, two, three O'Leary
By TMX Archives on 19th Dec 07
READING the roll of honour for riders who have won three consecutive AMCA 125cc motocross titles, you will find the names of Adrian Bradley, James Cumber and Gary Davies.
Now joining that elite club is Northampton clubman, Brad O'Leary, following a glorious 2007 of AMCA motocross action. But, boy did O'Leary have to work hard for that third 125cc title after a season-long tussle with the experienced Phil Mercer and Lancastrian Lee Payne.
So tight was the tussle for the crown that just 20 points separated the championship-chasing trio as they entered the final round of the series at Nympsfield in October.
For the sidecar boys there was to be, again, eight rounds of super three-wheel action. Dynamic Simon Bradford picked up a remarkable fourth consecutive title, his fifth AMCA championship success in total. Despite a disastrous second round, Bradford still recorded 20 out of a possible 24 moto wins with Simon Morgan returning to the chair to partner him during 2007. Bradford's title winning passenger in 2006, Martin Taylor, joined forces with Steve France for the 2007 campaign, going onto earn the silver medal
position. Taking the bronze in 2007 were Andy Grahame and Neil Friary just ahead of the number two crew from 2006 Dave Petty and Lee Machin and Simon Bradford's dad, Bill partnered by Jeff James.
AMCA 125cc CHAMPIONSHIP
TOP TWENTY: 1 Brad O'Leary (FotoX AMS KTM) 444 points, 2 Phil Mercer (Delkevic Kawasaki) 430, 3 Lee Payne (Malin Floors Kawasaki) 404, 4 Matt Porter (Select Homes Honda) 353, 5 James Lane (Honda Equipe) 292, 6 Mark Hooley (Servo Racing KTM) 243, 7 Owen Delaney (T&W Yamaha) 233, 8 Lee Dunham (MotoExtreme Kawasaki) 217, 9 Jamie Dobson (MTR Honda) 216, 10 Scott Mathia (Wulfsport KTM) 212, 11 Aran Agius (Thornbury Kawasaki) 212, 12 Shaun Pearce (Pete Jones Yamaha) 196, 13 Dan Hill (KTM) 181, 14 Tom Fish (Murray Harper Transport KTM) 168, 15 Brad Greenwood (KTM) 132 16 Andy Marchant (KTM) 122, 17 Carl Benjamin (Thornbury Kawasaki) 110, 18 Michael Reynolds (Yamaha) 83, 19 Dale Halls (Honda) 82, 20 Jack Taylor (KTM) 73.
MOTO WINS: Mercer 9, O'Leary 8, Payne 3, Hooley 2 & Porter 1.
for full report and pictures see T+MX News, Friday, December 21, 2007