Buildbase Honda`s Nico Aubin was the fastest racer at the fourth round of the ACU Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Milton park at the weekend. The track was groomed perfectly and despite heavy overnight rain, the track was watered continually until the start of practice on Sunday morning.
The ground was primed for racing and once the MX2 riders had cleared the lines, the MX1 class took to the circuit.
Aubin made no mistakes in qualifying, setting the bar high with a fast lap some three seconds faster than any of the competition.
The sun (almost) shone for the first MX1 moto as Tanel leok jumped into the lead and was never headed though Nico fought hard from fourth on lap one and slowly but surely began to gather in the cruising Route 77 Energy Honda rider. Three laps from home, Nico was right on Leok and made a move on turn one, only to be blocked and any advantage lost. Leok finished first, Aubin second and a distant Jonathan Barragan third. Buildbase Honda team-mate Steve Ramon had a comfortable ride finishing a much needed fifth.
With Series leader Tommy Searle absent, second placed Leok saw his opportunity to steal more valuable points and in moto 2 did exactly this once again. This outing Barragan and Whatley duelled for second and third place finishing eventually with Barragan taking the advantage. Aubin batteld from a terrible start and one of the last riders round turn one to claw his way to fourth spot for several laps only to fall foul of one of the endless ruts. He crashed and, as the rut was so deep, he couldn`t kick-start the bike, finishing an eventual and disappointing 19th, with Ramon 16th.
Moto 3 was wet. The rain began to fall and the track had deteriorated. Deep, long ruts dictated the track lines and ice-like take-off ramps made the jumps treacherous. Nico decided NOT to go out for his sighting lap and while all the other riders came back plastered in mud, the cool Frenchman stole the advantage, holeshot and was never headed. Barragan and a battling Whatley came home second and third though an unfortunate Leok retired at the halfway stage pushing his bike back to the pits and in doing so, opened up the championship.
ACU MAXXIS BRITISH MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4 – MILTON PARK, NORTHANTS.
MX1 RESULTS ON THE DAY
1 – JONATHAN BARRAGAN – 64 POINTS
2 – KRISTIAN WHATLEY – 58
3 – SHANE CARELESS – 51
4 – TANEL LEOK – ROUTE 77 ENERGY HONDA – 50
5 – NICO AUBIN – BUILDBASE HONDA – 49
6 – BRAD ANDERSON – 41
7 – SCOTT ELDERFUIELD – 40
8 – JAMIE LAW – 40
9 – GERT KRESTINOV – 36
10 – STU EDMONDS – 33
ACU MAXXIS BRITISH MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
1 – TANEL LEOK – ROUTE 77 ENERGY HONDA – 174 POINTS
2 – KRISTIAN WHATELY – 156 POINTS
3 – JONATHAN BARRAGAN – 148 POINTS
4 – TOMMY SEARLE – 146 POINTS
5 – NICO AUBIN – BUILDBASE HONDA – 138 POINTS
6 – BRAD ANDERSON – 110 POINTS
7 – GERT KRESTINOV – 100 POINTS
8 – STEVE RAMON – BUILDBASE HONDA –M 82 POINTS
9 – SHANE CARELESS – 81 POINTS
10 – SCOTT ELDERFIELD – 79 POINTS
The next round of the ACU Maxxis British Motocross Championship is to be held at the spectacular Foxhills circuit, Swindon on Sunday 2nd June.
See you there.
