Revo ACU British Motocross Championship race report and results – Round One, Oakhanger

By Dick Law on 21st Mar 23

News Motocross British Motocross Championship

As the 2023 Revo ACU British Motocross Championship fired into life at Oakhanger in Hampshire on March 19, CAB Screens Crescent Yamaha’s Harri Kullas achieved one of his personal goals – to win both motos of a British Championship round. He did this in fine style with a display of dominance on the Dutch-style sand track that winds through the forests of the idyllic Hampshire village. 

In the MX2 class, Swedish late entry Isak Gifting (426 Motorsports/Stebbings GASGAS) had two come-from-behind race wins to take the overall win, while Bobby Bruce, now on a 250cc four-stroke ASA United GASGAS was second overall after holeshotting both races. 

The new track tested the riders to the limit as it wound its way through the trees. Carved into the deep, sandy surface of the forest floor it was all made a bit more difficult by rain during the week before and a heavy overnight shower. Although tired and spent, most riders enjoyed the track as it's always nice to race somewhere new.

As the gate dropped for the first MX1 race, Kullas got the holeshot, turned on his usual smooth riding style and slowly pulled away from the rest of the pack.

Italian Ivo Monticelli (ASA United GASGAS) and defending champ Tommy Searle (GCTI Revo Kawasaki) chased Kullas into turn one, followed by John Adamson (ASA United GASGAS), James Carpenter (CAB Screens Crescent Yamaha), Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Racing GASGAS) while pre-series favourite Conrad Mewse (Crendon Fastrack Honda) was buried deep in the pack.

Adamson crashed on lap one, somewhere at the back of the circuit and came around in almost last place, minus a front number place, as Kullas, Monticelli, and Searle maintained their positions at the front.

The on-form Grimshaw slipped into fifth with Josh Gilbert (Crendon Fastrack Honda) one place behind him as Mewse made his way up the leaderboard.

As the race reached the halfway point, the top three were in the same order, but Mewse was now fourth after passing his teammate Gilbert while Grimshaw slipped down to sixth place.

It all started to happen with three laps to go as Monticelli crashed down to fourth which put Searle in second place. However, the champ immediately made a mistake a dropped back to fourth while Mewse took full advantage of the mayhem and crossed the finish line second behind Kullas but ahead of Monticelli and Searle. Gilbert was fifth from a not-so-well Shaun Simpson (Gabriel SS24 KTM) and Grimshaw.

The first start on the second race was messy with several riders clashing bars into turn one, some going over the sandbank outside the turn. But the rider the most suffered was Monticelli, as he went down in turn two and dislocated his shoulder, which caused the race to be red-flagged before the end of the lap.

At the restart, Kullas got his second holeshot of the day from Gilbert, Simpson, Ash Dickinson (Talk Templant KTM) and Mewse.

A Searle flashed passed the work area for the second time. He misjudged a jump and his bike high-sided him, way into the air. He landed hard and was on all fours at the side of the track.

A lap later, Gilbert slipped off and dropped back to fourth, handing second place to Simpson for three laps till Mewse passed them all for second.

With a couple of laps to go, and as Kullas pulled out more and more of a lead, Dickinson seemed to slow as first Grimshaw, and then Carpenter found a way past him. Gilbert re-took Simpson on the last lap as Kullas took his second win of the day.

Overall, it was Kullas from Mewse and Gilbert on the podium, with Simpson, Grimshaw, and Dickinson just missing out but scoring valuable championship points.

 “We have had so many overalls and race wins over the years but we have never had two wins on one day. We have been very close, but we had never done it, so that is really good,” said a very happy overall winner Kullas, “Over the last couple of years, I didn't go that well at the opening round and finished fifth or sixth and that can put you 10 points behind the leader already so I knew I had to change something. 

“So, I changed my training programme and started it in November. Plus, I had a good winter training on the bike, all with my eyes on the first round, and physically I was ready. But then it was late when we got the race bikes and that side of things became a bit of a struggle time-wise. 

“It's been a bit of a mission getting all the parts we needed as I really wanted to race this year's version of the Yamaha as it has so much protentional over the last years and is so good. We have done a lot of work and even had a suspension guy over from Belgium this week to sort that out. But I felt good on the bike today, which showed in the results.”

Mewse was content with his second place overall. “Second will do for round one. I never like losing as that's not what we work for but 2-2 on the day – I can't be unhappy with that! The track was super gnarly. I loved every bit of it but it caught a lot of riders out. 

“It's nice to have a track like this in the UK and the guys that made it did an awesome job. Harri Kullas did a great job today as he got the holeshots and stayed out of trouble with nice clean goggles. I need to improve for the second round.”

Conrad was joined on the podium by his teammate Josh Gibert. "I am very happy with my third overall as these conditions don't really suit me and are my least favourite. I felt uncomfortable all day long so I’m happy to come away with a podium. So now, with this over, we can get to some tracks that I will feel more at home with and ride better at.”

This year’s MX2 series is wide open and race one proved it! When the gate dropped for the opening MX2 moto of the year, Bruce got the holeshot from Ollie Colmer (Talk Templant KTM), Gifting, Jake Millward (Verde Shiloh KTM), Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) and Jamie Wainwright (WPH KTM). 

But, by the end of the opening lap, Colmer was in the lead as Bruce struggled and dropped back to fourth.

Gifting took his time to get up to speed but by lap three, was in the lead, with Talviku following him through to second place a lap later. Colmer, meanwhile, crashed down to sixth place and then crashed again a lap later.

For the next three laps, Talviku closed in on the leader and made a move for the lead. However, Gifting rode a smart race and held his cool to retake first spot which he held until the finish. 

Meanwhile, Bruce had been battling Millward over third place but that dispute was decided on lap eight when Millward went down.

Talviku held on to second from Bruce and the star of the race, Taylor Hammal (Gabriel SS24 KTM), who came from 23rd at the start, to finish fourth. 

Once again, Bruce took the holeshot at the start of race two from Millward, Alfie Jones (Chambers Husqvarna), Wainwright and Carlton Husband (Phoenix Tools Even Strokes Kawasaki), with the leaders from race one buried in the pack – Gifting was in 14th place with Talviku 21st.

By the halfway point, Gifting was up to ninth with Talviku one place behind him as Bruce and Millward still set the pace. Two laps later, Gifting found a way past Millward, and a lap after, he caught and passed Bruce for the lead. Once out front Gifting was never headed, Bruce took second and Millward was third ahead of Jones and Wainwright.

In this race, Hammal gated 10th and then made his way up to third before crashing down to sixth. As for Talviku, he seemed to run out of steam with four laps to go and finished eighth.

Overall, it was Gifting with two wins from Bruce and Millward, while Talviku just missed out on the podium.

"We managed to go 1-1 and I didn't expect that," said a happy Gifting. "We have had a lot of help from Stebbings and 426 Motorsport, Bikesure and Technical Solutions as we only got all this together a couple of days ago. I only tried the bike for a half hour yesterday at Marshfield, so not have much time to sort things out. We will be more ready at the next round in two weeks’ time.”

Runner-up Bruce was equally happy. "Today has been good. Two holeshots, and I was leading race two until I got passed with a couple of laps to go. Overall, it’s been a good day for the first round of the championship. The track was brutal and I am happy to come out of this alive. I need to carry this momentum forward for the rest of the year.”

Now riding a 250 two-stroke, Millward took third overall. "It was alright, really. In the first race, I struggled a bit with three crashes which made it difficult but I felt a lot better in the second race and rode at a constant pace throughout the race. I am loving the new bike and it suits me down to the ground. I am more than happy to come away from the first round with a podium which gives us something to build on.”

On the youth side of things, last year’s BW85 supremo Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) romped to two massive wins in the 250cc class which makes you wonder why he's not riding in MX2. McKenzie Marshall was second in both races as the riders stretched out a comfortable lead.

With a third and a fourth place, Liam Bennett (GRT Impact KTM) was third overall with Jak Taylor (3Flo/Maddison Yamaha) just missing out on the podium.

Reece Jones (Blue-3 KTM) won both the 125cc races. The first was with style as he was 13th on the opening lap of the combined 125/250 race but came through the pack to finish third on the track but first in class. He did a similar thing in the second race as he started seventh and finished second on the track behind Askew but was once again the class winner.

Wal Beaney (Store 114 KTM) was second in both races for second overall with Jake Walker (Mr T's KTM) third.

Josh Vail (SJP Moto KTM) won both BW85 races with Charlie Richmond (JP KTM) and Drew Stock (Madison Motoverde GASGAS) both tying on points for second overall but Richmond was awarded the runner-up spot by his higher place finish in race two.

Round Two of the 2023 Revo ACU British Motocross Championship will be held at Canada Heights in Kent on April 2.

Results 2023 Revo ACU British Motocross Championship Round One, Oakhanger, Hampshire

MX1

MX2

250cc Youth

125cc Youth

BW85

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