Tyla Rattray wins MX2 class at Hawkstone Park
By TMX Archives on 3rd Mar 08
The Red Bull MX2 factory riders continued with the season's warm-up at Britain's Hawkstone Park on Sunday with Rattray winning the MX2 division and Searle snatching victory in the super final at the end of the day. Second pre-season victory for Rattray after Valence
Rattray, clearingin top form going into the 2008 season said he enjoyed the ride on the steep andunforgiving Shropshire circuit with its most famous obstacles, the deep bombhole', the heart stopping whoop section and the ominous 1 in 3 "Hawkstone Hill"."This is a very good circuit and I enjoyed the ride today. We had good sunnyweather and it was great to get another pre-season victory," the South Africansaid.
Simpson from Team KTM UK wins first moto
Shaun Simpsonfrom the new Team KTM UK won the first moto with Rattray finishing fifth aftergetting tangled up in a scrap that also left teammate Searle back at sixteenthplace. Simpson also went out fast in the second, only to be overtaken by the twoKTM factory riders. Tyla then seized the advantage and crossed the line in frontof Searle, a result that secured him the MX2 victory for the day. Simpson'sadvantage slipped away after he stalled in the second moto and he finished halfway back in the field.
Searle wins super final
TommySearle's moment of glory came at the end of the day when he won the super finalwhere the MX2 riders had a start advantage on the MX1 competitors. Tyla did nothave a perfect start and trailed Tommy who led throughout the race. ShaunSimpson was also up with the front runners but he was eventually overtaken bythe bigger MX1 bikes.
Everts pleased with MX2 result
KTM'sMX team boss Stefan Everts said he was pleased with the overall performance ofRattray, Searle and Simpson, who between them dominated the MX2 section.Impressive also on the results sheets were the two young talents from the newlyformed KTM-supported GP Juniors Team Champ Jeremy van Horebeek who was fourthand sixth in the two MX2 motos and Joel Roelants who was ninth and sixth in afield of some 30 riders on the grid.
KTM factor rider Max Nagl was ahighly anticipated competitor in the MX1 class but unfortunately was not able torace on Sunday. Nagl woke in the early hours of Sunday morning with painful neckcramps and was unable to start. Dutchman Marc de Reuver scored a 3:1 result inthe MX1 motos for victory in that class.
MX2 Results
1. TylaRattray KTM
2. Stephen Sword
3. Erik Eggens
First MX2Moto
1. Shaun Simpson KTM UK
2. Erik Eggens
3. Stephen Sword
4. Jeremy van Horebeek KTM
5. Tyla Rattray KTM
9. Joel Roelants KTM
16. Tommy Searle KTM
Second MX2 Moto
1. Tyla Rattray KTM
2. Tommy Searle KTM
3. Stephen Sword
4. Erik Eggens
5. JoelRoelants KTM
6. Jeremy van Horebeek KTM
22. Shaun Simpson KTM UK
Winner of Super Final
Tommy Searle KTM