It’s the penultimate round of the 2023 AMCA British Motocross Championship this weekend with the Uley MXC hosting the action at a revamped Bromsberrow circuit. There’s a total of four motos spread over two days for the riders to dispute as they go in search of that final glory.
Words & Images by Mike Wood
Starting with the Open class, it’s been a thrilling season long head to head battle at the top with James Dodd and Henry Williams slugging it out. Incredibly after 17 motos there’s still just 19 points separating these two very fast aces with the equally consistent Will Hughes a further 59 in arrears. Having a great campaign, Mark Roberts is next best followed by Adam Wells, who missed the last round due to injury, and Aaron Collins.
Over in MX2, Shane Carless continues his march towards bagging a hat-trick of titles but at every round there’s been a real determined challenger right on his tail in the form of Rory Jones. Riding a rapid 2-stroke mount, Rory has been joined in the chase of Welshman Carless by the equally quick two-smokers of Lee Truman, Jake Preston and Liam Gale. At present, Alfie Calvert, McKenzie Marshall, Logan Wilcox, Lewis Hall and Rhys Walker complete the top ten.
In the entertaining 125cc class, Luke Dean has been simply on fire scorching to eight moto wins and always ensuring that when he’s not first past the post he’s still in the mix at the top end of proceedings. Whilst Dean is currently a very nice 82 points clear at the top, there’s plenty going on behind him. At present former three times AMCA Champion Jack Cox sits in 2nd place from Harry Linton, Damon Strydom, Charlie Palmer, Luke Newman, Stuart Owen and Yarin Evans. Having just been crowned Acerbis Nationals 125cc Champion, Strydom is just 5 points off Linton and also has Cox in his sights so he could well be the rider to watch out for along with fast Corey Hockey who has recently switched to 125cc racing after starting the season in MX2.
After failing to score in the opening clash of the 125cc Youth Championship at Fatcat Motoparc, from there onwards Shane Jones has superbly won every moto in the series and currently sits 39 points clear at the top. That gap though was only increased after the latest action at Long Lane when challenger Wyatt McGregor suffered from a misfiring engine during the opening moto. Although he unfortunately only picked up 29 points for his efforts, he has still been in terrific form throughout the Championship campaign. Last year’s AMCA 85cc Champion Jack Evans currently holds 3rd in the standings with Will Turner in 4th. At present, just 50 points separates McGregor, Evans and Turner in the hunt for a final medal position whilst Phillip Tchorek is still chasing hard.
This class also includes the BWMA Women’s Championship and Marni Saunders leads that one. Indeed Marni has controlled proceedings just about all the way from round one and is currently 67 points clear at the top with Caitlin Newman, Hannah Jones, Grace Bates, Hollie Roberts, Amber McGregor and Autumn Jenkinson proving to be the main challengers.
Certainly one of the tightest Championship battles at this late stage comes in the SW85cc series with Oakley Kettle just a very nervous 2 points clear of George Clark. Oliver Bebb is 3rd and Mason Care 4th despite missing round three. Had Care been at Warmingham Lane he could well have been chasing the title having also won nine moto’s so far. With Bobby Watson 5th and Ryan Jackson the SW85cc class clear leader in 6th, next up in the title race are three outstanding young ladies, Checoby Rainey, Holly Williams and Leah Rees-Evans. Their performances mean that Holly is topping the BWMA 85cc Girls series, and yes this is the tightest Championship race of all in 2023 as she holds just a single point advantage over Checoby with Erin Howes, Cameron Mansbridge and Poppy Banning next up. The girl on form though in this one as to be Leah Rees-Evans having bagged four overall wins.
In the Vets class it was looking like a title battle to go right down to the wire as the Lane brothers James and Simon hotly disputed top spot. The table has though now got a slightly different complexion after James suffered a DNF during the last round at Long Lane when his handlebars became loose from the clamps! That incident as gave leader Simon Lane a little more breathing space as he now holds a 47 point advantage over his younger brother. Former AMCA Vets Champion Matt Ryder not only sits in 3rd spot in this one but also tops the Over 50’s Vets class. Getting stronger at every round, 2023 comeback rider Rich Meakin is currently 4th in the main Vets Championship with Matt Chaplin, Adam Wilkinson and Brian Staples next up.
So the scene is set for this penultimate AMCA British Championship showdown at Bromsberrow in Herefordshire, HR8 1PB. Admission charges for the event are Adults £10, OAP’s £5 to watch one day of racing or Adults £15, OAP’s £10 for the entire weekend with Children Under 16 getting in for FREE on both day’s if they are accompanied by a paying Adult.
