It was close but no cigar for Jack Beniston in the 2021 Acerbis Amateur Nationals, missing out on the MX1 title by just 35 points, but in 2022 he put the hammer down, and after a stunning run of form during the summer months, was crowned the 2022 Champion at the Fatcat Motoparc in September.
Feature Image courtesy of Matthew Rudd Photography
We caught up with the 24-year-old from the East Midlands for our latest Winners Circle interview and here is what he had to say about his title-winning season:
Dirt Hub: What were your goals leading up to the championship?
Jack: My goal going into the championship was to win as I finished 2nd the year before after a steady start as it was the first championship I’ve been in so I wanted to better that this year so I was really happy that I was able to do so.
DH: What were your favourite and least favourite tracks in the series?
Jack: I enjoyed all the tracks in the series the only downside is that we had to ride Culham twice after Wroxton was cancelled. I would’ve preferred somewhere different, but I don’t think there was much time to plan so Darren had to get what he could.
My favourite track of the series would be Hawkstone Park as I enjoy riding there!
DH: What was your best round of the championship and why?
Jack: The best round/results I had was at Culham for the second time as I took away all 5 wins, so that was a good weekend for me.
DH: Who were your biggest rivals in the series?
Jack: There were quite a few rivals, such as James Hutchinson, Andy Wilson, Luke Meredith, Ed Briscoe and more so I knew I had to stay consistent with good results and stay out of trouble when on track.
DH: Tell us a bit more about how your title-winning season panned out?
Jack: Throughout each round, there were some good battles, which most of the time come down to fitness, who could hold a stronger pace at the later stages of the race and make the least mistakes. I didn’t have many crashes just a few small tipoffs, I try to ride as smart as I can to avoid any big offs.
DH: Who would you like to thank for their support?
Jack: I’d like to thank my brother Ashley Beniston for his support throughout the year with the bike and the transport and his girlfriend Jamie-Lee, who also comes and supports at each round. A big thank you to my sponsors AJS specialist welding services, 1st MX and K-tech suspension
DH: What are your plans for 2023?
Jack: My plan for 2023 is to ride in the Acerbis Nationals again as they’ve got a lineup of different tracks, and it’s a good series to race in. I am also planning on having a go at a couple of the British rounds just to experience it and ride with the top riders in the UK.
Head here for the Race Report from the final round of the 2022 Acerbis Amateur Nationals >> https://www.dirthub.co.uk/brutal-fatcat-finale-2022-acerbis-amateur-nationals-finale-race-report-results/
