DE DYCKER MAINTAINS CONTROL OF MX1 AS MX2 BATTLE INTENSIFIES
29 May 2006 - Maxxis

In the absence of Coppins and now Sword, CAS Honda rider Ken De Dycker was able to maintain a fair degree of control over proceedings in the MX1 class of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship held at Landrake on the Bank Holiday weekend.

Meanwhile, the intense battle in MX2 continues between MacKenzie, Nunn and Searle with an on-form Anderson also entering the fray.

With near constant rain for several weeks leading upto round four of the series at the circuit near Plymouth it was a major effort by the event organisers to prevent the track and surrounding paddock from turning into a quagmire. In the end, the rain stopped for race-day and by the afternoon the warming sun had created near perfect conditions for what was a thrilling contest in both classes watched by more than 4,000 spectators.

De Dycker takes back-to-back wins in MX1

There was a slim chance that De Dycker’s CAS Honda team mate Coppins might have been fit for the Landrake round of the Maxxis series but in all likelihood he will make his return in time for the British GP in mid-June. Kawasaki rider Stephen Sword is another now on the injured list and there is much speculation as to when or even if he will return to the Maxxis British series this season.

De Dycker didn’t have it all his own way at Landrake and as he has ridden only a few of the British tracks before it can take the Belgian rider a little while to get into a groove. This is most evident in qualifying where he recorded the fourth quickest time as PAR Homes rider Mark Jones snatched pole from RWJ Honda rider James Noble with Swiss rider Julien Bill third quickest.

In the first MX1 race it was De Dycker who took the holeshot as he blasted several super quick laps to make a break on the chasing pack followed by Maximum Solutions Suzuki rider John May who had a stunning start before eventually fading to tenth.

The unluckiest rider by far was Gordon Crockard from the Team Wulfsport outfit who got tangled up with several other riders on the first lap and ended up virtually dead last. Well and truly fired up though he then wowed the crowd as he tore through the field to finish ninth at race end.

With De Dycker clearing of into the distance it was down to Noble, Bill and Jones who got mugged at the start to fight over the remaining podium places. As May fell back Noble moved into second and never looked back other than to keep a very close eye on Bike It Yamaha rider Bill who pushed Noble all the way before settling for third and his first podium of the season.

In race two, De Dycker didn’t get the best of starts rounding the first lap in ninth with the big surprise of the round Mark Hucklebridge taking on Crockard for the lead. Crockard’s run of bad luck was to continue as he again fell on the first lap – it was all too much as the clearly very animated and frustrated Team Wulfsport rider was unable to continue.

It wasn’t long before De Dycker got settled and by the fourth lap he had taken the lead as Noble, Bill and Hucklebridge became embroiled in a tough battle. The first to flinch was Bill who dropped from second to ninth mid-race allowing Hucklebridge to take third while Noble maintained his second place.

Hucklebridge paid homage to everyone who had cheered him on and was very pleased to be back on a Kawasaki where he started his career this time with the MotoXtreme outfit. Now almost fully recovered from a kidney injury following a crash in Portugal he was looking forward to some more good results in both the Maxxis British series and in the GP’s.

MX1 rider of the day Ken De Dycker also said that things were working out well with his new team CAS Honda and he enjoyed his first outing at Landrake.

Three becomes four in MX2

This seasons MX2 battle for supremacy has become a genuine three way battle as MacKenzie and Nunn go head-to-head with an ever improving Searle. Going into Landrake there was just over ten points between the three and coming out the other side it remains the same with MacKenzie maintaining the narrowest of leads in the Championship table.

If there has been any room for the final podium spot in MX2 it usually has gone to Searle’s Molson Kawasaki team mate South African Gareth Swanepoel. This round though there was a new kid on the block in Pioneer Yamaha rider Brad Anderson who had always been just out of the top three up until now.

Fresh from his overall victory at the Grand Prix of Japan the week prior Bike It Yamaha rider Billy MacKenzie was on it in qualifying pulling out a time a full second quicker than nearest rival Searle with another Yamaha rider in Anderson third.

Race one in the MX2 demonstrated just how evenly matched the top three are – each of whom are interestingly on different manufacturers machines. Nunn took the holeshot and opened up a small gap on MacKenzie and Searle before they gradually reeled him in with MacKenzie snatching the lead on lap five. Searle meanwhile was relegated to third by MacKenzie on the first full lap and slowly dropped back into the clutches of Anderson who got past him for third toward race end. The two traded blows for the last remaining laps with the final an absolute thriller with several desperate lunges by each rider before Anderson held firm for a well deserved podium finish.

In race two Searle took the early advantage over Nunn before the EA KTM rider got past and broke the chasing pack. Further back MacKenzie had his hands full with a resurgent Swanepoel who had recovered from a poor start to take third early in the race. MacKenzie though wasn’t to be denied and he came back to take the final podium position with a few laps to go as Anderson crossed the line in fifth.

MacKenzie commented that the suspension tweaks his Bike It Yamaha Dixon team had made in recent weeks were now beginning to pay dividends as he had been able to maintain his points lead in MX2 despite by his own admission a few silly mistakes at the start of the second race.

All riders agreed that consistency was going to be absolutely critical in the smaller bike class with Searle pleased with his Landrake results at what is his Molson team’s home event. EA KTM rider Nunn, reiterated the need to be on it in every race and said that having a bad day just wasn’t an option in what has become an absolutely fantastic contest.

GP Triple-Header then Desertmartin

The numerous GP teams contesting the Maxxis British Motocross Championship now head from Landrake straight to Bulgaria for what is the first of a GP triple-header followed by round five of the Maxxis British series at Desertmartin in Northern Ireland on June 25.

Included in the testing schedule is the Italian round on the 11 June with the British GP the following week at Matterley Basin near Winchester on the 17/18 June.

RESULTS

MX1 Qualifying

1. Mark Jones PAR Homes Honda

2. James Noble RWJ Honda

3. Julien Bill Bike It Yamaha UK Dixon Racing

MX1 Race 1

1. Ken De Dycker CAS Honda

2. James Noble RWJ Honda

3. Julien Bill Bike It Yamaha UK Dixon Racing

MX1 Race 2

1. Ken De Dycker CAS Honda

2. James Noble RWJ Honda

3. Mark Hucklebridge MotoXtreme Kawasaki

MX1 Overall (Landrake)

1. Ken De Dycker 60

2. James Noble 54

3. Mark Jones 46

MX1 Championship

1. Ken De Dycker 231

2. James Noble 198

3. Mark Jones 158

MX2 Qualifying

1. Billy MacKenzie Bike It Yamaha UK Dixon Racing

2. Tommy Searle Molson Kawasaki

3. Brad Anderson Pioneer Yamaha

MX2 Race 1

1. Billy MacKenzie Bike It Yamaha UK Dixon Racing

2. Carl Nunn EA KTM

3. Brad Anderson Pioneer Yamaha

MX2 Race 2

1. Carl Nunn EA KTM

2. Tommy Searle Molson Kawasaki

3. Billy MacKenzie Bike It Yamaha UK Dixon Racing

MX2 Overall (Landrake)

1. Carl Nunn 57

2. Billy MacKenzie 55

3. Tommy Searle 50

MX2 Championship

1. Billy MacKenzie 211

2. Tommy Searle 203

3. Carl Nunn 200

www.maxxis.com.

More News
  For May 2006
  From Maxxis
  For MX Series
  Biker247.com Home Page