Pioneer Wayne blazes the trail
By TMX Archives on 15th Jan 09
THE 2008 British MMX Open Class Championship was all about Wayne Smith and his Pioneer Yamaha! During the course of the six-event, 12-race series, the likeable and ever cheerful Cumbrian only finished two races off the podium and he tied up the series with two-races in hand.But, if his chief rival, PAR Homes Honda's Ray Rowson, hadn't missed two rounds through injury, it would certainly have been a much tighter race for the championship crown.
Smith's quest for the title started back in February at Little Silver Motocross Park – a last minute replacement after problems with the original venue, Matchams Park. However, it was Rowson who came out fighting as he passed fast-starting Bryan MacKenzie to take the first win of the year in the class by seven-seconds from Smith, who had passed MacKenzie mid-race.
Danny Smyth and Alex Rach filled the next two places with Mark Hucklebridge – riding for his final season in top class national events – back in eighth after a clash with Glen Phillips in the very first corner.
Once again MacKenzie got the holeshot in race two with Smith, Rose and Michael Phillips in line astern. This time the Scot's lead was short-lived and a machine problem saw him exit the race on lap five. Smith inherited the lead while Rowson did all he could to catch the new leader after the race came to a close, the gap between Smith and Rowson remained fairly constant but a hard-charging Hucklebridge was fast closing in on the leaders.
In the end, Smith and Rowson tied for points, but Smith climbed on to the top step of the podium by way of his higher fin-ish in the second moto. Hucklebridge claimed third overall thanks to that terrific charge from the back in race two.
The series contenders all had to wait until April for the second round at Whiteway Barton, Devon, and after they spent most of Saturday watering the red-earthed hillside track, it then snowed overnight, though it wasn't heavy enough to spoil the day's racing.
It looked like Smith was going to get the holeshot at the start of the first Open class race, but Richard Lawson sneaked his Kawasaki up the inside into the lead in turn one.
As they came round to complete the opening lap, Smith was out in front and riding with a new smooth, confident style. Mean-while, Lawson hung on to second, despite pressure from MacKenzie, as the leading trio had already opened up a small gap on Jordan Rose and Hucklebridge.
At half race distance, Smith was extending his lead while MacKenzie was through into second, with Rose third and a fading Lawson fourth.
At the flag, Smith took the race victory by just over 14 seconds from MacKenzie with Mark Hucklebridge snatching third from Rose on the last lap.
MacKenzie grabbed the holeshot at the start of race two, as Danny Smyth slid into second spot, while race one winner, Smith, was back in seventh place with a lot of fast riders in front of him on what had become a very one-line track.
With three laps still remaining, Smyth found a way to pass MacKenzie for the lead while Smith ousted Hucklebridge for third position, albeit too late to challenge for the win.
Smyth took his one-and-only victory of the series with a margin of just over two seconds over MacKenzie, who was chased across the line by Smith and Hucklebridge.
FOR FULL REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009