Muddiman motors at 2024 Minicross Nationals opener – Race Report & Results

Despite a delayed start due to weather, Minicross Nationals kicked off its inaugural season with a scorcher at hosting venue Nympsfield on May 12.

Race Report by Minicross Nationals – Feature Image by Paul Wright

The riders set out as they meant to go on, putting minibikes on the map in what was their first event with AMCA. They impressed spectators with their relentless battles and no-nonsense attitude to big hills and jumps.

This saw new riders Jamie Illing, Bernard Chugg, and Dan Grundy take to the track with some great riding. The round was also Neil ‘Nelly’ Holford’s first-ever race, where he finished in 14th place overall, and local man Jeff Pike delivered a consistent ride.

Andy Jones gave the riders in the top five a run for their money in what was his first race in 26 years, but a bike issue saw him DNF in race 2.

Dan Muddiman took the first win of the series in the open class, closely followed by Joao Dias, and Will Ansell secured the lead in the farm bike class.

Round 2 followed on May 26 at Lower Drayton, proving to be more difficult for the riders due to wet conditions and its reputation as a challenging track for both pit bikes and mx bikes.

Blaine Blackwell claimed victory in the second round after a DNF saw him drop to 6th place at Nympsfield, while ‘Mr. Consistent’, Joao Dias, claimed second, placing him at the top of the championship standings.

Jack Saunders who suffered an injury in round 1 came back fighting in round 2, picking up 4th overall, while Dan Fisher proved to be a top five runner. However, his day finished early due to bike issues.

Scott Pohlman claimed victory in the farm bike class, taking home the red plate. Will Ansell – round 1’s winner – missed this round, so he will be keen to close the gap in round 3.

Wildcard entry, Jake Darley proved himself as a rider to watch, securing top five all day, but missed race 2 and Craig Griffiths narrowly missed a trophy in both rounds.

Meanwhile, the battle between Michael Kershaw and Scott Lees unfolded—something to expect throughout the championship. Who will come out on top? Lees has recently bought some serious 7-One Racing upgrades in his quest to win the battle.

Finally, the Biggest B**** award was awarded to Neil ‘Nelly’ Holford, due to only completing one lap over the course of the day. The trophy presented was courtesy Scottie Lees.

It’s all to play for in the rounds to come, with the next round scheduled for June 23 at Brookthorpe. Ben Moran and Jake Pearce are proving to be riders to watch, and the battle between Joao and Dan can only intensify.

For more information and updates, head to 7oneracing.co.uk/minicrossnationals or follow Minicross Nationals on social media.

Results

Round 1

Round 2

Standings

Next Rounds