MX Nationals youths conquer new-look Preston Docks

The second round of the 2018 Michelin MX Nationals British Championship, held over the weekend of the 19th and 20th of May at Preston Docks in Lancashire, provided a weekend of excellent, closely-fought racing in the youth ranks. With glorious sunshine and a smooth-running programme, the paddock was a happy place to be.

 

With four races over two days, on a rutting-up and challenging track the MXY and 85cc class riders were put through their paces.

 

Callum Green and Aaron-Lee Hanson shared a win and second in each MXY2 race on the first day and each set the fastest lap time, with Josh Peters rounding out the podium in both. Joel Rizzi was on fire in the MXY1 group, not content with merely taking both wins and setting the fastest lap, but he was all over the back of the 250cc-mounted Green in the second race. He kept the pressure on lap, after lap and Green handled it well, blocking every attempt to pass. Whilst it wouldn’t have made any difference to Rizzi’s championship aspirations, the RFX Crescent teamster said; “It would have been a great boost to take the overall win, and there was a time when I believed I had him. Tomorrow’s a new day and I’ll be right back on it.”

 

The youngest group, combining big and small-wheel 85s, were as entertaining as ever. Ryan Mawhinney made the trip from Belfast worthwhile to net a first and second, and joint overall with Jack Grayshon who finished second and first. Vinnie Guthrie and Buster Hart each took a third. Currently lying second in the championship, young Ollie Colmer had a hefty off in the first race and at one stage it looked as if his day was over. Colmer was having none of it though and was determined to get back out for race two. That proved to be a rewarding decision as the Revo Husqvarna rider battled hard with the older Baily Johnston and battled with him all the way to the finish line to finish second with a margin of just over a second.

 

On Sunday Hanson and Rizzi completely blitzed the pack in the MXY2 and MXY1 classes, taking a clean sweep and leading their respective class championships. Bobby Bruce and Sam Price took second and third in race three of MXY1, with Price and Kyle McNicol getting those spots in the very last race of the day.

 

Grayshon’s BW85 dominance was blighted slightly when he stalled his machine within sights of the finish line on the opening lap of the last race, he recovered though to take fourth and was awarded the overall on the day. Sam Atkinson, and Jude Morris finished second and third in the third race, whilst Mawhinney, Hart and Sam Atkinson took the top positions in the fourth. In the small wheel category, it was Leeds-based Bailey Johnston all the way, with Boston Gilbert putting in a consistent performance to take two thirds and third overall on the day. Arai Elcock was the filling between the Johnston and Gilbert sandwich in the third and Colmer, who had battled furiously with Johnston in the last race, took a hard-earned second, keeping his championship hopes alive in second overall.

 

RESULTS

 

MXY2

 

Race 1: Callum Green, 2. Aaron-Lee Hanson, 3. Josh Peters, 4. Kacey Hird, 5. Cailum Meara, 6. Denny Rapson

 

Race 2: 1. Aaron-Lee Hanson, 2. Callum Green, 3. Josh Peters, 4. Denny Rapson, 5. Ben Knight, 6. Cailum Meara

 

Race 3: 1. Aaron-Lee Hanson, 2. Callum Green, 3. Denny Rapson, 4. Josh Peters, 5. Ben Knight, 6. Cailum Meara

 

Race 4: 1. Aaron-Lee Hanson, 2. Callum Green, 3. Josh Peters, 4. Ben Knight, 6. Cailum Meara

 

Overall: 1. Aaron-Lee Hanson 97, 2. Callum Green 91, 3. Josh Peters 78

 

Championship: 1. #13 Aaron-Lee Hanson 159, 2. #49 Callum Green 138, 3. #712 Josh Peters 121

 

MXY1

 

Race 1: 1. Joel Rizzi, 2. Dylan Spenser, 3. Sam Price, 4. Aaron Colley, 5. Bobby Bruce, 6. Tom Murphy

 

Race 2: 1. Joel Rizzi, 2. Bobby Bruce, 3. Kyle McNicol, 4. Sam Price, 5. Oliver Beamish, 6. Dylan Spenser

 

Race 3: 1. Joel Rizzi, 2. Bobby Bruce, 3. Sam Price, 4. Dylan Spenser, 5. Oliver Beamish, 6. Tom Murphy

 

Race 4: 1. Joel Rizzi, 2. Sam Price, 3. Kyle McNicol, 4. Bobby Bruce, 5. Andrew Pohlen, 6. Aaron Colley

 

Overall: 1. Joel Rizzi, 100, 2. Sam Price 80, 3. Bobby Bruce 78

 

Championship: 1. #912 Joel Rizzi 175, 2. #54 Dylan Spenser 125, 3. #57 Kyle McNicol 119

 

BW85

 

Race 1: 1. Ryan Mawhinney, 2. Jack Grayshon, 3. Vinnie Guthrie, 4. Buster Hart, 5. Jude Morris, 6. Callum Baldwin

 

Race 2: 1. Jack Grayshon, 2. Ryan Mawhinney, 3. Buster Hart, 4. Trystan Williams, 5. Callum Baldwin, 6. Harrison McCann

 

Race 3: 1. Jack Grayshon, 2. Sam Atkinson, 3. Jude Morris, 4. Vinnie Guthrie, Ryan Mawhinney, Harrison McCann

 

Race 4: 1. Ryan Mawhinney, 2. Buster Hart, 3. Sam Atkinson, 4. Jack Grayshon, 5. Vinnie Guthrie, 6. Jude Morris

 

Overall: 1. Jack Grayshon 90, 2. Ryan Mawhinney 88, 3. Buster Hart 74

 

Championship: 1. #99 Jack Grayshon 162, 2. #15 Ryan Mawhinney 157, 3. #111 Buster Hart 128

 

SW85

 

Race 1: 1. Bailey Johnston, 2. Arai Elcock, 3. Boston Gilbert, 4. Charlie Reynolds, 5. Ollie Addy, 6. Ben Mustoe

 

Race 2: 1. Bailey Johnston, 2. Ollie Colmer, 3. Arai Elcock , 4. Braydon Ferguson, 5. Boston Gilbert, 6. Ben Mustoe

 

Race 3: 1. Bailey Johnston, 2. Arai Elcock, 3. Boston Gilbert, Braydon Ferguson, 5. Ollie Addy, 6. Ollie Colmer

 

Race 4: 1. Bailey Johnston, 2. Ollie Colmer, 3. Boston Gilbert, 4. Ben Mustoe, 5. Arai Elcock, 6. Ollie Addy

 

Overall: 1. Bailey Johnston 100, 2. Arai Elcock 80, 3. Boston Gilbert 76

 

Championship: 1. #9 Bailey Johnston 172, 2. #6 Ollie Colmer 133, 3. #171 Arai Elcock 128