Mudfest!
By TMX Archives on 17th Mar 06
After seemingly slipping off the motocross map in 2005 the British Masters MX series is back with a bang for '06. After seemingly slipping off the motocross map in 2005 the British Masters MX series is back with a bang for '06. The five-round AMCA Pro-sanctioned championship has picked up British clothing manufacturer Wulfsport as a title sponsor and if round one at Matchams is anything to go by the British Masters are going from strength to strength.The Matchams Park circuit is soft and choppy for the amateurs and schoolies on day one but it still makes for some good racing from the 200-plus riders in attendance. But as the Pro racers roll in to the venue overnight so does a band of stormy weather which dumps enough rain on the circuit to turn it into a right boggy mess.Matchams regular Billy Mac makes easy work of the bad conditions to win the 125 class in fine style. An easy start-to-flag win in the opener is backed up by a come-from-behind second in race two. Brad Anderson wins the final moto but a start straight crash in the opener keeps the Tow Law resident down in third overall behind Wulfsport Honda's Shaun Simpson who sneaks second with a 3-4 scorecard.Consistency is the key to success in the Open class as reigning 125 champ Danny Smyth takes the overall with second and third place moto finishes. Runner up is Monster Mark Hucklebridge whose 6-2 beats Jamie Lewis' 4-4 courtesy of the better second moto tiebreak rule.Pioneer Yamaha's new signing Arunas Gelazninkas looks to have moto one in the bag but a late moto crash from the Lithuanian star allows Bike-it Dixon Yamaha rider Martin Barr to take the chequers. In moto two Mark Eastwood holds on to take the win after early leader Jordan Rose crashes out and Welsh boyos Mark Jones and Glen Phillips both suffer from rear sprocket failure in the grinding paste conditions.The Wulfsport British Masters head to Culham Moto Park in Oxfordshire for round two on March 18/19. For more information on the revitalised series check out www.britishmastersmx.comresultsPro 1251Billy MacKenzie(Bike-it/Dixon Yamaha)50+47=972Shaun Simpson(Wulfsport Honda)45+43=883Brad Anderson(Pioneer Yamaha)35+50=854Alan Keet(JMX KTM)47+35=825Kristian Whatley(Hanson Honda)31+41=726Shane Holmes(Yamaha)30+31=61Pro Open1Danny Smyth(Honda)47+45=922Mark Hucklebridge(MotoXtreme Kawasaki)39+47=863Jamie Lewis(PAR Honda)43+43=864Mark Eastwood(Wiseco Honda)35+50=855Alex Rach(PAR Honda)41+37=786Martin Barr(Bike-it/Dixon Yamaha)50+24=74Amateur 1251James Lane(Honda)35+35+45=1152Ashley Williamson(Kawasaki)43+37+29=1093David Hartley(Honda)7+50+50=1074Sam Simmons(Yamaha)45+13+47=1055David Blackburn(Honda)29+30+41=1006Dave Wall(KTM)27+33+39=99Amateur Open1Richard-Mike Jones(Honda)47+50+50=1472Danny Blakely(Yamaha)50+47+45=1423Charlie Hollis(Honda)45+35+47=1274Nigel Kibble(Yamaha)43+45+39=1275Ray Syson(Kawasaki)33+43+43=1196Mark Fernley(Yamaha)37+29+41=107Words and photos by Sutty