Sword stays sharp!
By TMX Archives on 1st Oct 09
A fast rider can ride any machine fast and Stephen Sword proved that by switching from his MX2 championship winning Red Bull KTM UK to a full blown 450 KTM, and winning first time out at the eighth and final round of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross championships, at Landrake, in Cornwall. The track was in perfect condition for the weekend, the weather was hot and sunny, the racing was fast and furious and the whole thing looked great to the reasonably large crowd.
While Sword was doing his thing in the MX1 class, and with lots of the MX2 riders changing rides for various reasons, the MX2 class was wide open and up for grabs. In the end it was the young excitable Mel Pocock on his UTAG Yamaha who took his one and only podium of the year as others fell around him. Also at the event was the final round of the DBB Ladies, where the unstoppable Natalie Kane riding a MVR-D Suzuki took another two wins and in so doing won every race of the series.
MX1
Sean Simpson, like Sword, had switched his Red Bull KTM to ride MX1 class and got the holeshot at the start of the first race with Tom Church following him round for most of the opening lap until Brian MacKenzie passed him.
Meanwhile Billy MacKenzie had an average start and began his climb up the leader-board from 13th on lap one, and four laps later was in fourth as cousin Bryan slipped back to sixth after a fall.
By the halfway stage Billy MacKenzie was in second and closing on leader Simpson, as Sword started to pull Church in and increased the pressure for third place. A lap later, Billy MacKenzie took the lead which he held to the chequered flag with Simpson finishing second first time out on a 450, some six seconds behind the leader MacKenzie. Sword had finally passed Church to take third while Jason Dougan was fifth.
MX2
Graeme Irwin got the holeshot at the start of the first MX2 race but was passed round the outside of turn one by Michael Phillips, as Neville Bradshaw followed him through by the end of the lap. But it all went wrong for Phillips and Bradshaw as they collided at the back of the circuit and went down. Phillips got going again in eighth, while Bradshaw's bike was harder to start as he rejoined the race back in 25th and struggled the rest of the race to get going again.
LADIES
The DBB Ladies Championship was all about Natalie Kane as she was fastest in practice and led every lap of both races to take the overall on the day, and the championship title.
In race one, Hannah McLeod chased her round the opening lap, but was passed by Kerry Wilson. McLeod crashed down to 18th as the finishing order was Kane from Wilson, Alix Dunlop and Stacy Fisher.
In race two, once again McLeod chased Kane round the first lap, but was passed by Wilson on lap two. As they crossed the finish line it was Kane from Wilson, Fisher and Amber Saunders.
MAXXIS BRITISH MX1 MOTOCROSS
CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 8 (Final) – Landrake MP, nr Saltash, Cornwall (ACU Events Ltd)
1 Stephen Sword (Red Bull KTM) 20 + 25 = 45
2 Billy MacKenzie (CAS Honda) 25 + 20 = 45
3 Jason Dougan (Phoenix Tools CCM) 16 + 18 = 34
4 Tom Church (Buildbase CCM) 18 + 16 = 34
5 Shaun Simpson (Red Bull KTM) 22 + 11 = 33
6 James Noble (Proppa STR Honda) 8 + 22 = 30
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS: 1 Brad Anderson 289 points (CHAMPION), 2 Gareth Swanepoel 250, 3 James Noble 231, 4 Church 212, 5 Nunn 203, 6 Billy MacKenzie 192.
MAXXIS BRITISH MX2 MOTOCROSS
CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 8 (Final) – Landrake MP, nr Saltash, Cornwall (ACU Events Ltd)
1 Mel Pocock (Utag Yamaha) 25 + 18 = 43
2 Pascal Leuret (MAR Honda) 16 + 20 = 36
3 Alan Keet (ProSeal KTM UK) 22 + 13 = 35
4 Scott Elderfield (PAR Honda) 20 + 14 = 34
5 Michael Phillips (DB Honda) 13 + 16 = 29
6 Jake Nicholls (KTM UK) 18 + 11 = 29
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS: 1 Stephen Sword 274 points (CHAMPION), 2 Jake Nicholls 244, 3 Neville Bradshaw 243, 4 Barr 213, 5 Elderfield 205, 6 Karro 195.
DBB BRITISH LADIES MOTOCROS
CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 3 (FINAL) – Landrake MP, nr Saltash, Cornwall (ACU Events Ltd)
1 Natalie Kane (MVR-D Suzuki) 25 + 25 = 50
2 Kerry Wilson (CRM Kawasaki) 22 + 22 = 44
3 Stacey Fisher (Suzuki) 18 + 20 = 38
4 Alix Dunlop (CCM Racing) 20 + 16 = 36
5 Danielle Hipgrave (Hipgrave Roofing KTM) 16 + 15 = 31
6 Amber Saunders (Danger UK Yamaha) 10 + 18 = 28
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS after 3 rounds: 1 Natalie Kane 150 points CHAMPION), 2 Kerry Wilson 122, 3 Stacey Fisher 112, 4 Dunlop 103, 5 Saunders 87, 6 Hipgrave 73.
For full report see T+MX News, Friday, October 2, 2009
Billy MacKenzie, chased by German Max Nagl, finished in runner-up spot in MX1.