Mewse & Johnston rule at Oakhanger! 2023 MX Nationals Round 1 – Race Report & Results

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Last weekend saw the opening round of the 2023 Michelin MX Nationals, powered by Milwaukee. The team was delighted to get the season underway, especially as 2023 marks the 10th year of the prestigious series.

Race Report by Dick Law – Images courtesy of Elliot Spencer

Round One occurred at the brand-new ” Oakhanger ” venue near Bordon in Hampshire. The circuit culminated in months of discussion and negotiations with the landowners. It incorporated a mountain of paperwork, and that’s all before the track was designed and built. In addition, the original date had to be rescheduled after being dealt a delightful hand of typical British weather from mother nature.

When the gate finally dropped on round one, what a track it was! Reminiscent of the legendary circuits in Holland, Oakhanger was a welcomed addition to the series and British Motocross. Saturday featured great days of racing and two blocks for all classes. We even saw the sun poke through on occassion. But mother nature dealt her second blow on the venue. Continual overnight rain created very different riding conditions for the Sunday race schedule. Resulting in a delayed start and only one block of racing for all classes except the pro class.

Conrad Mewse, on his Crendon Fastrack Honda, was fastest in qualifying and dominated both Leatt Pro MX1 races with what looked like considerable ease for a maximum score. While in the Apico Pro MX2s, Verde Sports KTM’s Bailey Johnston scored his first national race win in race one. He continued his winning streak in race two to give him his first national overall.
Last year’s champion, Harri Kullas, got the holeshot at the start of the first combined Pro race from Conrad Mewse, Gavin Stevenson, Jamie Carpenter, Josh Gilbert and Martin Barr.

As the two leaders came around to complete the second lap, Mewse had passed Kullas out of view over the back of the course to take the lead. Mewse stretched out more and more of a lead as Kullas slowed as smoke poured out of the back of his Yamaha, a missing oil filler plug the culprit.

The smaller MX2 bikes struggled in the wet sand, and this became apparent when Johnston, the first of the MX2s, gated thirteenth. He held his own against the MX1s and finished in tenth place on the track, but he was the first MX2 rider home. Callum Mitchell started the race in nine nineteenth place and took full advantage of others crashing out to make his way forward to twelfth but second MX2. Jamie Wainwright was third MX2 home, with Jake Millward fourth.

The track became even more challenging throughout the day. Mewse got the holeshot from Kullas, Gilbert, Barr, John, Adamson, Carpenter, and Charlie Putnam in the second pro race. Apart from Adamson passing Barr at the halfway point, the running order of the top five stayed the same as they became spaced out till the checked flag. As Putnam slipped down to twelfth place, Grimshaw put on a charge and snatched sixth place from Carpenter.

Once again, Johnston got a strong start in the MX2 side of the race and was only beaten into the first turn by Sam Nunn, but that all changed on the opening lap, and Johnston was first back round. Charlie Cole took the MX2 lead from Johnson on lap three but promptly fell back to twentieth place. Johnston finished his race in ninth on the track but was the first MX2 rider home.

Mitchell was in eighth, with a lap to go but was passed by Stevenson and Johnston but was still the second MX2 rider. Millward didn’t get the start he wanted but went from twenty-first to eleventh place and third MX2.

Mewse took the Leatt Pro MX1 overall win from Kullas and Gilbert, while in the Apico Pro MX2s, Johnson had his first national overall win from Mitchell and Millward.

It was very close at the top of the RFX Expert MX1s, with a single point separating the winner Declan Whittle from James Dodd. Whittle had two wins and a fourth after crashing on the fourth lap of the second race, while Dodd didn’t finish out of the top three in his class and even won race two. Jayden Ashwell was third overall.

Ben Mustoe won all three of the RFX Expert MX2 side of the combined expert races and was the overall class winner, while Uldis Friebergs with two-second places and a fourth was second. Jimmy Margetson was third.

In the Motoverde Amateur MX1 class, Lewis Taylor won all three races as Luke Mellows chased him over the finish line every time. John Kirk took the last step on the podium, with Brad Thornhill just missing out.

In the relativity dry of Saturday, Luca Pegg notched up two class wins in the Motoverde Amateur MX2 side of the combined amateur MX1 and MX2 race. But, come Sunday’s wetter conditions, he made a bad start and, with another crash, could only get to eighteenth place by the end of the race. Luckily that was just enough to give him the class overall win by just one point from Alex Buchanan. Raife Broadley finished just a single point behind him, as three points separated the top three.

You don’t have to win a race to win an overall, as Tallon Aspden proved in the Worx Sports Insurance Clubman MX1s with his three-second place. Race two winner Ryan King was second overall, with race one winner Billy Saunders third.

Matt Tolley (426 Motorsports KTM) won the Spiral Clubman MX2s from Matthew Pocock and Aaron Framingham third.
Three big holeshots and three big race wins for Billy Askew in the combined Fly Racing Youth MXY2 and MXY125 class. Bayliss, Utting and Jak Taylor were separated by just three points for second and third overall.

It was three from three for Reece Jones in the 125cc side of the race, with Jake Walker second and Westley McGavin third.
There was no stopping Josh Vail in the Syntol Big Wheel 85s as he took all three race wins. Jamie Keith finished the weekend with two third places and second, placing him second overall, with Charlie Richmond third. Fancied winner Haydon Statt had a disaster of a first race where he finished out of the points, but a second and third meant he ended the day fourth overall.
Joel Winstanley-Dawson with two wins, and a second won the Syntol Small Wheel 85s from Marty Spires and Lucas Lee.

Until Round 2, stay updated with all the latest news and action by following us on www.instagram.com/mxnationalsuk/ or MX Nationals UK | Facebook

Results

Pro MX1 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2
1	Conrad Mewse	50	25	25
2	Harri Kullas	44	22	22
3	Josh Gilbert	40	20	20
4	Martin Barr	34	18	16
5	John Adamson	33	15	18
6	Tom Grimshaw	31	16	15
7	Gavin Stevenson	26	13	13
8	Dan Thornhill	23	9	14
9	Charlie Putnam	23	11	12
10	Stuart Edmonds	21	10	11
11	Jason Meara	18	8	10
12	Callum Green	15	6	9
13	Ben Edwards	15	7	8
14	Miro Sihvonen	14	14	–
15	Louie Kessell	12	5	7
16	Jamie Carpenter	12	12	–
17	Luke Smith	4	4	–

Pro MX2 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2
1	Bailey Johnson	50	25	25
2	Calum Mitchell	44	22	22
3	Jake Millward	38	18	20
4	Jamie Wainwright	33	20	13
5	Ben Franklin	29	13	16
6	Carlton Husband	29	15	14
7	Alfie Jones	28	16	12
8	Charlie Cole	27	12	15
9	Josh Taylor	21	10	11
10	Joe Brooks	21	11	10
11	Charlie Heyman	18	–	18
12	Sam Nunn	14	14	–
13	Shaun Mahoney	9	9	–

Fastest 40 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2
1	Conrad Mewse	50	25	25
2	Harri Kullas	44	22	22
3	Josh Gilbert	40	20	20
4	Martin Barr	34	18	16
5	John Adamson	33	15	18
6	Tom Grimshaw	31	16	15
7	Gavin Stevenson	26	13	13
8	Bailey Johnson	23	11	12
9	Calum Mitchell	20	9	11
10	Charlie Putnam	19	10	9
11	Jake Millward	17	7	10
12	Dan Thornhill	16	2	14
13	Miro Sihvonen	14	14	–
14	Jamie Carpenter	12	12	–
15	Stuart Edmonds	11	3	8
16	Jamie Wainwright	9	8	1
17	Charlie Heyman	7	–	7
18	Carlton Husband	7	5	2
19	Jason Meara	6	–	6
20	Ben Franklin	6	1	5
21	Alfie Jones	6	6	–
22	Charlie Cole	4	–	4
23	Sam Nunn	4	4	–
24	Callum Green	3	–	3

Expert MX1 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Declan Whittle	68	25	18	25
2	James Dodd	67	22	25	20
3	Jayden Ashwell	57	20	22	15
4	Corrie Southwood	53	16	15	22
5	Richard Bird	51	15	20	16
6	Sion Talbot	50	18	14	18
7	Harry Bradley	44	14	16	14
8	Josh Canton	26	13	13	–
9	Josh Peters	12	–	12	–

Expert MX2 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Ben Mustoe	75	25	25	25
2	Uldis Freibergs	62	22	18	22
3	Jimmy Margetson	58	20	22	16
4	Henry Siddiqui	49	11	20	18
5	Shane Carless	48	18	15	15
6	Callum Murfitt	43	13	16	14
7	Josh Coleman	41	15	14	12
8	Mathew Bayliss	36	14	9	13
9	Harvey Cashmore	34	12	11	11
10	Aaron Ongley	33	16	10	7
11	Ashley Greedy	28	8	12	8
12	Ryan Thomson	26	–	6	20
13	Jake Preston	25	9	7	9
14	Charlie Griffiths	23	5	8	10
15	Niall Cregan	20	10	5	5
16	Tom Murphy	19	6	13	–
17	Seth Moir	17	7	4	6
18	Stephen Mullally	8	4	–	4

Amateur MX1 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Lewis Taylor	75	25	25	25
2	Luke Mellows	66	22	22	22
3	John Kirk	58	20	20	18
4	Brad Thornhill	49	15	14	20
5	Joshua Mccorkell	46	12	18	16
6	Sean Wainwright	40	16	11	13
7	Kieren Yorke	33	18	15	–
8	Josh Greedy	32	14	3	15
9	Jamie Dixon	32	11	13	8
10	Callum Gordon	30	2	16	12
11	Ryan Osborn	29	8	12	9
12	Jacob Bowden	28	5	9	14
13	Keelan Southwood	27	9	7	11
14	Adam Reeves	25	7	8	10
15	Dan Holliday	20	10	10	–
16	Ross Millard	19	6	6	7
17	Henry Partridge	18	13	5	–
18	James Smith	12	3	4	5
19	Harry Foster	6	–	–	6
20	Aaron Gardiner	4	4	–	–

Amateur MX2 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Luca Pegg	65	25	25	15
2	Alex Buchanan	64	22	20	22
3	Raife Broadley	63	16	22	25
4	Ben Clark	58	20	18	20
5	Dan Brough	44	14	14	16
6	Charlie Palmer	42	13	15	14
7	Tommi Davies	39	8	13	18
8	Ben White	37	12	12	13
9	Jude Turton	34	18	16	–
10	Grant Martin	29	7	11	11
11	Archie Hicks	27	11	4	12
12	Lewis King-London	20	10	10	–
13	Lewis Glynn	20	5	5	10
14	Harry Fletcher	19	4	7	8
15	Jasper Gibson	18	9	9	–
16	Leon Ongley	15	15	–	–
17	Calum Watson	14	2	3	9
18	Ben Wainwright	12	6	6	–
19	Billy Collins	11	3	8	–
20	Morgan Walters	2	–	2	–

Clubman MX1 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Tallon Aspden	66	22	22	22
2	Ryan King	65	20	25	20
3	Billy Saunders	63	25	20	18
4	Darren Manning-Coe	57	14	18	25
5	James Thompson	44	16	12	16
6	Ben Lightbown	41	15	14	12
7	Richard Evans	37	13	13	11
8	Kalem Hicks	36	10	16	10
9	Jordan Andrews	33	3	15	15
10	Ashley Senior	26	9	4	13
11	Drew Lane	23	–	9	14
12	Max Wood	21	5	11	5
13	Ben Roberts	20	12	–	8
14	Daniel Chapman	18	18	–	–
15	Dean Rodgers	18	4	7	7
16	Charlie Roper	12	11	–	1
17	Jude Gaylard	12	2	10	–
18	Rory Wootton	11	6	5	–
19	17	11	8	3	–
20	Kyle Breslan	9	–	–	9
21	Ryan Davis	8	–	8	–
22	Ryan Bowring	7	7	–	–
23	Charles Haskins	6	–	–	6
24	Michael Graham	6	–	6	–
25	Josh Bailey	5	1	2	2
26	Max Monk	4	–	–	4
27	Andy Watkins	3	–	–	3
28	Matt Smith-Bowen	1	–	1	–

Clubman MX2 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Matt Tolley	65	25	22	18
2	Matthew Pocock	58	11	25	22
3	Aaron Framingham	56	18	18	20
4	Bradley Johnstone	55	10	20	25
5	George Boyce	47	16	15	16
6	Jamie Collins	37	20	12	5
7	Toby Lightbown	36	22	14	–
8	Mitchil Collins	33	13	16	4
9	Max Fletcher	31	14	9	8
10	Jordan Meredith	29	9	7	13
11	Matthew Fuller	27	15	–	12
12	Max Flint	25	12	13	–
13	Chris Corthorn	22	–	8	14
14	Charlie West	20	7	10	3
15	Steve Turvey	19	4	–	15
16	Richy Roberts	19	6	11	2
17	Jack Loveridge	17	1	6	10
18	Elliot Cook	15	2	4	9
19	Jed Stockham	12	–	5	7
20	Sam Menzies	11	–	–	11
21	Jordan Ambler	11	8	3	–
22	Elliot Pugh	6	–	–	6
23	Frankie Elwell	5	3	2	–
24	Liam Deegan	5	5	–	–
25	Jason Taylor	1	–	–	1

MXY1 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Reece Jones	75	25	25	25
2	Jake Walker	66	22	22	22
3	Wesley McGavin	58	20	20	18
4	Chester Hyde	53	18	15	20
5	Ollie Bubb	49	16	18	15
6	Gus Mustoe	39	14	11	14
7	Levi Saunders	37	12	12	13
8	Tyler Jones	35	15	10	10
9	Jack Bearey	28	–	16	12
10	Harrison Greenough	25	–	9	16
11	Braidy Tucker	24	13	–	11
12	Cody Spacagna	24	10	14	–
13	Declan Wright	24	11	13	–

MXY2 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Billy Askew	75	25	25	25
2	Bayliss Utting	62	22	18	22
3	Jak Taylor	58	20	20	18
4	Liam Bennett	52	18	14	20
5	Mckenzie Marshall	47	15	16	16
6	Kayde Rayns	41	11	15	15
7	Lennox Dickinson	38	16	22	–
8	Hudson Roper	37	13	13	11
9	Lee Cameron	35	10	11	14
10	Sid Putnam	34	9	12	13
11	Seth Manners	34	12	10	12
12	Tye Jones	16	8	8	–
13	Kyron Carron	15	6	9	–
14	Domonic Newbury	14	14	–	–
15	Jacob Randell	9	3	6	–
16	Tallon Leask	9	4	5	–
17	Corey Gordon	7	7	–	–
18	Jake O’Gorman	7	–	7	–
19	Tyler Kirby	5	5	–	–

Big Wheel 85 Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3
1	Josh Vail	75	25	25	25
2	Jamie Keith	62	20	20	22
3	Charlie Richmond	58	22	18	18
4	Hayden Statt	42	–	22	20
5	Drew Stock	42	18	9	15
6	Sonny Rooney	40	14	10	16
7	Lewis Spratt	38	11	15	12
8	Zane Stephens	37	16	8	13
9	Blake Ward-Clarke	37	12	16	9
10	Owen Kenningley	34	9	11	14
11	Zane Sibley-Deakin	29	15	14	–
12	Maison Jones	25	8	12	5
13	Alfie Geddes-Green	24	13	–	11
14	Harry Lee	22	2	13	7
15	Harley O’Callaghan	21	5	6	10
16	Lucas Moncrieff	20	10	7	3
17	Archie Stapley	12	3	1	8
18	Cailen jai Griffiths	10	6	–	4
19	Jaden Anderson	7	7	–	–
20	Alfie Herron	7	4	3	–
21	Danny Flude	6	–	–	6
22	Travis Bixby	6	1	5	–
23	Stanley Siebert	4	–	4	–
24	Christopher Brindley	2	–	2	–
25	Archie Congdon	2	–	–	2
26	Silas Mandeville	1	–	–	1