On a Bromsberrow surface expertly prepared by PCMX Tracks/Uley MXC, it was time to go racing at round 2 of the AMCA British Motocross Championship supported by Holab Concepts and Joov Sports Products. And, just like the opener on Easter weekend, not only was the going good but also the weather played ball enabling another big entry to strut their stuff!
The first Championship class to go into battle at Bromsberrow was the BWMA Women with 21 talented young ladies coming under starters orders. Having scored maximum points during round one at Preston Docks, Grace Richards was right on the gas again with yet another unbeaten score. Grace though did not have it all totally her own way as in three out of four moto’s it was Ria Truman who grabbed the holeshot and led the pack. Nadiya Jones also enjoyed a spell of race leadership in moto two but on each occasion, she was headed, Grace still displayed a cool, calculated method and thus find her way through to the front to earn victory! Generally, throughout the weekend, Truman and Libby Chatburn provided the main threat to Richard’s dominance. For Chatburn though a lowly 14th in moto three when slipping out of contention was to prove costly restricting her to the third step on the podium.
Just missing out on that podium pie was the superb Leah Rees-Evans. In all four moto’s she was also right in the mix and on full gas with her singing 85cc KTM scoring a brilliant 5/3/4/4. For Leah it was to eventually be a final 4th overall with Jones, Holly Williams, Ebony Brown, Rheanna Morgan-Rogers and Grace Bates on her Stark Electric bike also in the big points. In the early Championship standings, Richards has already built a 41-point advantage over Chatburn and on current form will certainly be very difficult to knock off that top spot!
There were a superb 37 riders on the start line for the combined Open/MX2 Class. Although stating that he was struggling for race fitness and needed more bike time, Ray Rowson was to again be in great form and showing his true class by eventually winning all four moto’s. Adam Wells and Will Hughes took turns to lead the opener before Rowson came through with just a couple of laps remaining. Taking 2nd was Hughes from Wells and Mark Roberts with Mark Young making a welcome return to racing being the first MX2 pilot home in 5th ahead of Josh Waterman, Liam Gale and James Bates. Once again in the second clash of the weekend, Rowson had to use all of his vast experience to time his winning move to perfection, taking control just a couple of laps from home. The fast-starting Roberts had been the pacesetter up until lap five before being relieved of his duties by Hughes. In an ever-changing leaderboard, Wells was to eventually take the runners-up spot with Waterman and Young the first MX2 riders’ home in 5th and 6th respectively. The ride of the moto though surely belonged to Gale coming from last up to 7th!
After Rowson then led moto three all the way from gate to flag, he had to work hard again for his final race win of the weekend. That man Roberts made another flying start and then held his ground as Ray snapped at his heels. Eventually Mark was relegated back as MX2 rider Lee Truman competing on Sunday only enjoyed a super race to get home in 2nd from Waterman, Hughes, Wells, Roberts, McKenzie Marshall, Young and Gale who this time had climbed back up from an early 20th place . So that meant it was Rowson, Wells and Hughes on the Open podium and Waterman, Young and Gale on the MX2 box. In the title tables, Rowson gloriously leads the way 22 points clear of Hughes whilst Waterman tops MX2 just a single point ahead of Gale. At present though it’s unclear how many of the future rounds Josh will actually be competing at!
Having now committed to do the entire AMCA series, 125cc Championship ace Jimmy Margetson was keen to follow up his unbeaten performance at round one with another big score at Bromsberrow. Whilst Jimmy did go onto add a further 91 points to his tally, at round two he had to settle for the overall runners-up spot. The man defeating him was Corey Hockey and what a story that was to be! Racing a brand-new Yamaha which he had owned for less than one week, Corey won three out of four moto’s. It didn’t start that well for him though, falling very early in moto one before remounting quickly and thus regain forward momentum to then start the chase. In a dramatic affair, Margetson had also bit the dust early on and found himself right back in 23rd place. Brilliantly Jimmy got right back to 2nd as Hockey gloriously steered his new blue machine to a maiden win. Taking 3rd was the always competitive early leader Paul Neale with Charlie Palmer, Luke Newman, Matt Ridgway and a couple of 125cc Youth Wildcards Harley Prickett and Linc Hasted next up. Although Neale made another of his trademark holeshots in 125cc moto two, Margetson was through quickly and looked a likely winner. Hockey though was right on it, reducing the deficit before storming to the front on the final lap. After initially leading, Neale was to drop down to 6th as Harry Linton, Palmer and Newman all overhauled him.
Getting back to winning ways, Margetson then led moto three all the way from Hockey and Ollie Bubb as Palmer, Ridgway, Newman, Hasted, Jack Evans, Wyatt McGregor and Sebby Moore completed the top ten. In the last 125cc battle of the weekend, Margetson was quickest away but early on Hockey got through and that’s the way it remained with Ridgway having another super ride to take 3rd. In the main 125cc Championship it was Hockey, Margetson and Palmer on the box as Louis Perrin-Brown with a 3/2/4/1 scorecard took top honours from Prickett and Jack Evans in the 125cc Youth contest. The early Championship standings show Margetson topping the main series already 41 points clear of Newman and Palmer whilst Ollie Jewitt leads the Youth series from Tom Goodfellow and Sebby Moore. After winning at round one, Jewitt had to settle for 5th overall at Bromsberrow.
The combined BW85cc/SW85cc/BWMA85cc Girls contest saw 33 riders compete and produce some hot action. With super wins in the opening two moto’s, Finley Pickering looked an almost certain victor of the BW85cc class until it all went wrong in the third clash. In 12th early on, Finley climbed two places before disappearing from proceedings on lap two. In his absence Olly Waters led all the way and bag the win ahead of Ryan Jackson, Sean Simout, Oakley Skinner, Olly Truman and Daniel Sheppard. In the last one, normal service was resumed as Pickering again stormed to victory but it was only enough to earn him 3rd overall behind Waters and Skinner. In the AMCA BW85cc title chase, Jackson leads the way with Simout, Skinner and Jenson Clitheroe for close company.
SW85cc registered riders were in great form at Bromsberrow as Mason Brown and Alfie Pincher filled the top two places with Olly Turman in 3rd. Brown’s best placing throughout the weekend was 6th in the final clash whilst Pincher’s strongest ride was 9th in moto three. Pincher at present holds a 38-point advantage over Brown who in turn is just a single further point clear of Jimmy Whiston in the early title chase standings. For the BWMA 85cc Girls, Mylie Evans finished top from Lexi Emery and Cameron Mansbridge but it’s Lexi who is the early series leader.
In the AMCA Vet’s series, the local Lane Brother’s James and Simon scored a couple of moto win’s each with Matt Ryder, Sean Smith, Adam Wilkinson and Richard Meakin also right in the frame. As James extended his Vet’s Over 40’s Championship advantage, Matt Ryder still tops the Vet’s Over 50’s table but his lead is now down to just 8 points.
After topping the charts at Preston Docks, Matt Wright was the Honda Cup victor again during round two and leads the race to bag the 2025 Honda 250R on offer to the overall Champion. At Bromsberrow, he took both moto wins ahead of the combination of Ricky Ryder, Caitlin Newman, Mark Allen and Cameron Chell. Chell was also involved in the Clubman Support racing taking a moto three win and inflicting eventual victor Ady Lakey’s only defeat of the weekend.
Words and Images by Mike Wood
