The Phoenix Even Strokes Team took the long journey to the East Anglian circuit of Lyng for Round One of the British Championship. Charlie Cole was a huge doubt coming into the race, as he was only discharged from the hospital on Wednesday. However, the pain injection was enough to allow him to line up Sunday morning against a full lineup of the best riders in the UK. Carlton Husband felt fresh from the Scottish Championship two weeks ago, where he had been trying to get as many hours in riding the 450 in this rookie year.
Qualifying got underway, and both riders were positioned just outside the top ten, with Charlie being the twelfth MX2 and Carlton the eleventh MX1 rider.
As the track and conditions grew more challenging, with rain falling before the event and further downpours, it was clear this would be a gruelling day on the bikes. Many teams struggled with technical issues, but the Phoenix Even Strokes Kawasaki stood strong, demonstrating their impeccable preparation and resilience.
Race one began in MX2 when Charlie was involved in a first-turn crash. It was not the start he wanted, and picking the bike up in last position with the pack gone, Charlie set about closing the deficit, firstly to the rider in thirty-seventh! By lap three, Charlie had passed eleven riders and worked his way to chasing down the points-scoring positions. On lap seven, Charlie took seventeenth place, the position he would end up in at the finish flag.
In Race One MX1, Carlton had World Championship title contender Jeffrey Herlings and current British number one Conrad Mewse to contend with. A steady start saw Carlton gate in thirteenth position and work his way into the top ten by lap six. In challenging conditions, Carlton performed great, coming across the line in a solid eighth position.
MX2 Race Two: Charlie gated and managed to get around the first corner in the fifteenth. Working hard throughout the race, Charlie finished eleventh place at the flag and only four-tenths off of tenth. Charlie finished thirteenth overall on the day and fourteen valuable points towards the championship, a fantastic result after being discharged from hospital on Wednesday.
MX1 Race Two: Carlton had another excellent start, with the Kawasaki flying out the gate and rounding turn one in eighth place. A small mistake on lap two cost Carlton a couple of positions, but he regrouped and worked his way back up. As the track caused technical issues for other riders, Carlton powered through to the finish and came across the line in ninth place and eighth overall on the day with 25 points.
Barry Moore – Team Owner
“I’m pleased with the effort from both riders at the weekend. Charlie came out of the hospital Wednesday to lineup and grab some valuable points, and Carlton put in another rock-solid performance in his rookie year. Once again, Chris has put together a great race bike, and no mechanicals show how good Kawasaki is this year.”
Carlton Husband – MX1
“It was an excellent start to the British Championship, with two top-ten results. The weather was crazy, and I had never seen Lyng track the way it was. As always, a big thanks to Chris for the time he puts into the bike and to Barry for the time and effort he puts into making this team so good.”
Charlie Cole – MX2
“I’m happy to get the first round out of the way, but the results were different from what I would have liked. The weather and track were challenging, but the bike handled the conditions well. I now have time to go away and work on some improvements to put myself in a better position for the next round.”
