Team GB/ACU Motocross of Nations Team Selection
By TMX Archives on 21st Jul 08
ACU Motocross Committee Chairman Brian Higgins and ACU Team GB Manager Mark Eastwood are pleased to announce their team selection for ACU Team GB for the Motocross of Nations 2008, to be held at Donington Park on 27th/28th September 2008. Team GB comprises some of the biggest names in British and WorldMotocross and has been selected based upon each rider's outstandingperformances in 2008.
24 year old Billy Mackenzie, from Longniddry, East Lothian, 19 year oldTommy Searle, from Gouldhurst and 20 year old Shaun Simpson, from Fife,will each carry the hopes of thousands of British Motocross fans asthey battle to bring the Chamberlain Trophy back to Great Britain forthe first time in 14 years.
Mark said, It will be no surprise to anybody that Billy and Tommy arein the Team. It was the third member who was always going to be a verydifficult choice. Shaun's form has certainly stepped up a gearrecently and he is regularly starting to challenge the establishedGrand Prix riders for podium places, climbing onto the podium in bothBulgaria and Sweden.
Billy's MX1 British Championship form has been devastating, leavingeverybody else to fight for 2nd place. Tommy's World Championship formspeaks for itself taking his first double victory and leading theSeries after Round 7. Both riders like the Donington Park circuit andachieved excellent results at the MXGP in 2007, I'm sure Shaun's firstappearance in the MXoN Team will spur him on even more.
We will certainly be aiming for the win, Tommy now has much moreexperience of climbing to the top of a World Championship rostrum,Billy's form on home soil and Shaun's determination, plus of course thesupport from the partisan crowd will add inspiration to the Team.
Budds Creek was my first MXoN as Manager and I enjoyed it immensely,unfortunately we suffered from injury early on, but beating theAmericans on home soil was always going to be difficult, I'm sure wecan make it as hard for other Teams at Donington!
Higgins commented We were very pleased with Mark as team manager inthe USA last year and are sure that he has picked the team with thebest chance of victory at Donington. With the home crowd behind theteam and with the motivation that Mark has shown he can give to theriders, this is probably one of the best chances of success we have hadin recent years