Team Great Britain are ready and waiting
By G2F on 13th Sep 06
The 60th edition of MX of Nations is near. Great Britain is the hosting Nation for this historic event and will rely on the pace and talent of the current cream of the crop in the form of Billy Mackenzie, Carl Nunn and Tommy Searle for their home attack. Team GB heads into the contest with arguably one of their strongest line-ups in years. All three riders have already tasted Grand Prix podium champagne this season, and are ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
Billy Mackenzie (MX1): Normally an MX2 campaigner Billy will ride a Bike it Dixon Yamaha YZ 450F. A top rider in the national series for the last five years since coming onto the scene, the Scot is the UK's most successful British rider since 2001 after winning two MX2 Grand Prix, four motos and five podiums in the last two seasons. For 2007 the twenty two year old will be Britain's only factory rider in the premier MX1 class. "I have been on the team a couple of times before but have never raced the Nations at home,” the Edinburgh-born racer commented. "The British fans are the best in the world so the atmosphere should be incredible. I will be very focussed for this race and getting the best result I can for the team. My season has been going a little bit downhill on the 250 and I don't really have any answers for that so I am looking forward to riding the 450 and getting into the MX1 class for a new challenge at Matterley. I like the track and I know that Johnny (Douglas Hamilton, track designer and builder) is down there now making a few changes and some improvements that were needed after the Grand Prix. I fail to see how it cannot be an awesome event.”
Carl Nunn (MX Open): After finishing runner-up five times Carl Nunn finally realised his British Championship dream in 2005 and successfully defended his crown as he beat Searle to the title last weekend. The 26 year old is the highest placed of all British riders in the World Championship this season and has guided his factory KTM to a current position of sixth in MX2. Two podiums on the 250F are the highlights of a consistent international term that has seen Nunn score points in all but one of the motos, only Grand Prix series leader Christophe Pourcel has a better record. The dependable rider from Bury St Edmunds will steer a 450 SX-F machine in the Open category. "Obviously being in England it feels extra special to be on the team this year and I am excited to be racing the Nations in front of a home crowd,” he remarked. "I am sure there will be a lot of spectators there. I have had a 450 in the garage all year and I have played with it now and again. I will be riding the 2007 spec bike anyway and I won't pick it up until a week before so it will be a bit of a mission to get it set up. From what people have told me it is a nice handling bike so I think it will be alright. You have more power with the 450 and in some ways that makes it easier and in other ways harder to race. It will be a big occasion at Matterley and I just hope the weather will be good.”
Tommy Searle (MX2): Britain's representative in the MX2 class will also make his debut at the Motocross of Nations after an extraordinary rookie World Championship campaign. Searle's experience at international level extends to only fifteen Grand Prix but in that time he has notched a slew of top ten finishes and two podium results for one of the most assured debuts in modern times. Tommy's potential at only seventeen years of age has been recognised by KTM and he will be a works rider for 2007. "It feels really good now that the team has been announced and of course I am very pleased to be representing the country,” he said. "To do my first Nations on home turf will be amazing. Matterley is a great track. I had a good ride there at the GP and I hope I can do so again.”
Both Mackenzie and Searle have already shown their capabilities around the hosting venue Matterley Basin, near Winchester, that entertained the eighth round of the World Championship, the British Grand Prix. Searle marked a maiden overall podium at the meeting while Mackenzie clinched a third position in the first MX2 race and claimed fourth spot in the final classification. With Matterley Basin having undergone a ream of changes to accommodate a bumper crowd from across Europe, and reigning Champions America looking to become the leading Nation in the competition by overtaking Britain's record haul of sixteen triumphs, the stage could not be more prepared for a momentous day in UK motocross
Please call 0845 4566536 or visit the official event site www.mxofnations.com for further information.
Issued by: G2F T: + 44 (0) 161 763 6660 F: + 44 (0) 161 763 6663 E: worldpress@g2f.co.uk