The Tru7 Honda Racing Academy squad of MX2 rider Charlie Heyman and Callum Green in MX1 once again tackled the tough Oakhanger track in Hampshire on Sunday in the first round of the MX Nationals and demonstrated the speed both are capable of, although it wasn’t reflected in the overall results. Crashes and mistakes cost them both dearly on a treacherous circuit.
For 17-year-old Charlie Heyman in his second race as a pro for the team, he sent out a clear message in qualifying when he set the fastest time on his Honda CRF250R. But as the pro race was MX2 and MX1 class combined on the track but scored separately, he was always going to struggle against the more powerful bikes on the deep circuit.
Heyman said: “It was a good day at the start as I got first in qualifying and it ended OK as I got a fourth in the last moto.
“My first race wasn’t the best as I didn’t get a bad start but went down in lap two and snapped my clutch lever. I got going again but my goggles were so muddy I couldn’t see. So I pulled in for new goggles but by the time my goggles were there, it was too late. So not the best race.
“But in the last one I got a good start, came through to third at one point and I kept getting filled in. So I settled for fourth. It was a hard track – the hardest I’ve ever ridden. More like an enduro.”
Riding a Honda CRF450R, Green was just outside the top ten in both races and looking to make some passes until disaster struck both times and he went down. Each time he got back up and despite the impact, got back on and rode hard, determined to score some decent points.
In the first race he was in 15th at the flag, but race two he didn’t lose as much time in the spill and brought the bike home 12th which gave him 12th overall.
Green said: “I started off better than I did here last week! I was closer to the pack in qualifying so I know my speed is there. In the first race I came through to 11th in first few laps, went forward then had a pretty big crash. I bent everything – the clutch and bars – but rode it to the finish and got 15th which is not where I want to be.
“Second time I was a bit back in the pack but came through to 11th then got swarmed by 250s trying to make a pass. I went off and over bank and went over the bars again. But I still finished 12th.
“I wanted a bit more today but I’m not badly hurt, although my hips hurt as I went down on both sides. The track was rougher than last weekend as it was a bit faster. But I’m happy to get these races out of the way and hopefully head to drier weather and drier tracks.”
Team co-ordinator Ryan Thorpe said: “After setting the fastest time in qualifying, it was a difficult opening race for Charlie – he’s had a tough start to his adult career, in fact. He had to pit for goggles after a crash but they weren’t in the pit box area so eventually he retired. As he gets more experience at this level, he will learn and improve for sure.
“The second race he was much better and he was battling for second for a while but finished fourth which is a decent result on a very difficult track.
“Callum was as high as 11th in both races but had two crashes which hurt his results. But he knows he now has the speed to get some better results as the season goes on.”
MX Nationals championship round one, MX1 overall:
1 Conrad Mewse Crendon Fastrack Honda 50
2 Harri Kullas 50
3 Josh Gilbert Crendon Fastrack Honda 40
4 Martin Barr 34
5 John Adamson 33
6 Tom Grimshaw 31
7 Gavin Stevenson 26
8 Dan Thornhill 23
9 Charlie Putman 23
10 Stuart Edmonds 21
12 Callum Green Tru7 Honda Racing Academy 15
Championship points after one round: As above
MX2 overall:
1 Bailey Johnson 50
2 Callum Mitchell 44
3 Jake Millward 38
4 Jamie Wainwright 33
5 Ben Franklin 29
6 Carlton Husband 29
7 Alfie Jones 28
8 Charlie Cole 27
9 Josh Taylor 21
10 Joe Brooks 21
11 Charlie Heyman Tru7 Honda Racing Academy 18
Championship points after one round: As above
