Heyman fights to fourth in Cusses Gorse MX Nationals Round!
Tru7 Honda Racing Academy rookie Charlie Heyman took his CRF250R to a fantastic fourth overall in Sunday’s MX Nationals MX2 class at Cusses Gorse. The 17-year-old simply got better as they day went on, culminating in a thrilling ride to fourth place in the final moto. He beat rival Taylor Hammal in a drag race to the line by just a tenth of a second to clinch fourth overall.
The conditions on the track were tough for the MX2 riders as the pro class is mixed of 450cc MX1 bikes and 250cc MX2 machines. Although the classes are scored separately, a power-robbing uphill start puts the smaller bikes at an instant disadvantage. And with the track being heavy and rutted after heavy rain the day before, it was a testing event for Heyman and the 250 riders.
The opening moto was difficult as Heyman didn’t get a good start and was buried in the pack. He pushed as hard as he could and made some passes, although he did lose places to Taylor Hammal and Ollie Colmer towards the end of the moto. Heyman took seventh in the MX2 class, but the best was yet to come in race two.
Heyman this time got a better start, alongside many of the 450s, and set a fast pace. He held on to a fine fourth right until the very last corner when Hammal nipped by. But undeterred, Heyman used the power of the CRF250R to drag race his rival to the finish line and he took that precious fourth place back. It was enough to give him fourth overall.
Heyman said: “The day didn’t start too well with seventh in qualifying but I was sure I could do better. Then in the first race it’s difficult against the 450s and I managed to take seventh. That wasn’t too bad a result but I knew my riding could have been a lot better. I just struggled with the track conditions.
“Then in race two I got a lot better start and ran with some of the 450s which pulled me through. I was fourth but went down to fifth place in the last corner. But there is a set of whoops from there to the finish line and I just got back to fourth. So I’m happy with that and finished the day on a high.
In the MX1 class on the Honda CRF450R, Callum Green found the going difficult all day on the rutted and technical track. A tentative ride in qualifying saw him forced to use wide, outside start gate positions which didn’t help his cause off the start. But in the first race, he made consistent progress forward after a decent start. But in race two he slipped off while trying to hold a mid-pack position but made a couple of places back during the race.
After winning in last week’s AMCA championship, Green was disappointed to only take 14th and 12th place finishes. But that was good enough for 12th overall on the day and means he still retains tenth in the MX1 championship which was always his goal for the season.
He said: “I struggled all day. I was just trying too hard and just made silly mistakes all day. I had two good starts from the gate pick I had, but that’s about all I can say about today. I’m certainly not happy or good enough.”
MX Nationals championship round four, MX2 overall:
1 Dylan Walsh 50
2 Jorgen Talviku 42
3 Joe Brooks 36
4 Charlie Heyman Tru7 Honda Racing Academy 32
5 Dylan Woodcock 32
6 Taylor Hammal 31
7 Charlie Cole 27
8 Ollie Colmer 25
9 Glen McCormick 24
10 Joel Rizzi 22
Championship points:
1 Charlie Cole 135
2 Jamie Wainwright 127
3 Carlton Husband 126
4 Joe Brooks 124
5 Callum Mitchell 121
6 Bailey Johnson 109
7 Charlie Heyman Tru7 Honda Racing Academy 94
8 Ben Franklin 71
9 Glen McCormick 66
10 Joel Rizzi 63
MX Nationals championship round four, MX1 overall:
1 Conrad Mewse Crendon Fastrack Honda 50
2 Josh Gilbert Crendon Fastrack Honda 42
3 Harri Kullas 42
4 Triston Purdon 34
5 Tommy Searle 34
6 Tom Grimshaw 30
7 Jason Meara 27
8 Martin Barr 24
9 Stu Edmonds 23
10 Charlie Putnam 20
12 Callum Green Tru7 Honda Racing Academy 14
Championship points:
1 Conrad Mewse Crendon Fastrack Honda 189
2 Josh Gilbert Crendon Fastrack Honda 179
3 Harri Kullas 162
4 Tom Grimshaw 116
5 Ivo Monticelli 80
6 Jason Meara 80
7 Martin Barr 74
8 John Adamson 73
9 Stu Edmonds 72
10 Callum Green Tru7 Honda Racing Academy 66
