MMX BRITISH MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Blaxhall Pits hosts round 4 of the ACU British Open and the ACU British PAR Homes Under 21 solo Championships. The club have put in a tremendous effort to get the circuit in perfect condition for the days racing. With a dry hot day predicted, John Blyth the Clerk of the Course, was out at 7:00am ensuring that dust will be kept to a minimum and that all will be ready for the support class to take to the track at 9:15.
The British Open riders hit the track for their 10 minute free practice session before the clock started ticking for timed qualification and it was Relentless Suzuki's Martin Barr who hit the top of the list with a 1:39.017 on his first lap with LPE Kawasaki mounted Kristian Whatley just 0.55 seconds behind, also set on lap 1. Series leader Brad Anderson on the PAR Honda was third a further 0.4 seconds adrift.
Scott Elderfield on the PAR Honda was heading the field on the track for the PAR Homes sponsored Under 21 qualifying and set a time of 1:41.411 on his second flying lap. Nobody could get within a second of this time with KTM UK rider Graeme Irwin coming closest with a 1:42.781. Moto One KTM's Shane Carless got third pick of the gate having posted a 1:42.860.
Race 1 of the British Open Championship saw series leader Brad Anderson overhaul both Scott Columb and Kristian Whatley to take a slender win of just 1.2 seconds from Whatley after the 17 laps in the blistering heat. Carl Nunn on the MVR-d Suzuki passed Columb to take third place nearly 10 seconds adrift.
Shane Carless took off at the head of the PAR Homes Under 21 Championship race 1 with PAR Homes Honda's Scott Elderfield in hot pursuit. It wasn't long before Elderfield hit the front and took off to secure a 4 second victory over Carless. KTM mounted Graeme Irwin had a lonley race in third place 6 seconds behind Carless with Scandinavian Rickard Sandberg in fourth on the Twisted 7 Honda.
Anderson, Whatley, Nunn and Columb set off at the front in race 2 of the British Open but a fall put Whatley out of contention. Anderson then led the way until the clock was ticking down and a miscalculation on his part in slowing for the clock allowed Nunn to make the pass, the distraction was enough to see Anderson on the deck and Columb up in to second spot. Anderson fought back for second at the flag to take the overall win from local man Nunn and Columb in third. Whatley still holds a slender 6 point lead at the head of the championship ahead of Anderson.
The PAR Homes Under 21 Championship is once again proving to be a hard fought contest. Irwin came to Blaxhall as the series leader but with another win in the Second race Elderfield took the overall and maximum points haul. Carless once again finished runner up. A race long battle ensued between Rickard Sandberg and Irwin with Irwin finally taking the third place. With two rounds to go Elderfield, Carless and Irwin all sit on top of the table now with 166 points each, Elderfield top with 4 wins, Carless second with 2 wins and Irwin dropping to third.
The Woodbridge club once again put on a superb event doing justice to this popular series. The next round is north of the border at Leuchars in Scotland on August 2nd
The 2009 ACU British Ladies Motocross Championship has a big name avant-garde
lifestyle sponsor for the upcoming season – clothing brand Dirt Bike Bitch
