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Conrad Mewse victorious in Belfast for Arenacross round two

Conrad Mewse lifted the winner’s trophy at the second night of Arenacross action in Belfast.

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The second night of Arenacross action at the SSE Arena in Belfast brought more fantastic action and some stirring performances from the top finishers.

Words: Ben Rumbold | Lead Image: Arenacross UK

There seemed to be more tension in the air prior to the racing than the first night, especially amongst those who hadn’t had the best of nights on Friday. Shaun Simpson was not happy after making mistakes he “never should have made” on the Gabriel SS24 KTM. Elliott Banks-Brown had also had a tough first night on the Mark McCann 64 YouTube Husqvarna and was looking to improve.

One of the most welcome sights was that of Jack Brunell, in his kit and ready to race his Troy Lee Designs GASGAS. After going to hospital for a scan following his Friday night collision with Joe Clayton, it was found that he had bruising on the lungs and a fracture to one of his back ribs. Hoping that adrenaline would see him through the night, he was clearly in pain and looking forward to a week of rest after the racing was done.

Carnage!

As they lined up for AX Pro Heat 1, GTCI Revo Kawasaki’s Tommy Searle was on the inside again, with Jordan Booker and Brunell right next to him! Searle lost his 100% holeshot record for the weekend as Darjen Kawasaki’s Matt Bayliss dived around the outside. Booker dropped his Troy Lee GASGAS in the first rhythm lane as Brunell passed Searle’s teammate Mel Pocock for 3rd. Halfway through, Apico Husqvarna’s Martin Barr was pressurising Pocock, and Tommy was snapping at Bayliss’ heels. He went through at the start of the last lap, but the crowd roared as Bayliss re-passed halfway round, then washed out the front end and Searle couldn’t avoid him! Brunell gratefully took the gifted win ahead of Pocock and Barr, with Searle recovering from his “Scorpion” spill over the bars and salvaging 4th. What an opener!

In the AX E5 Electric Bike race, 7-year-old Jax Knox from nearby Larne led from start to finish with Max Jones and Jack McGrath completing the podium.

AX Pro Heat 2 saw Conrad Mewse line up the Crendon Fastrack Honda on the inside gate and he pulled the holeshot with Joe Clayton on his shoulder. Gabriel SS24 KTM’s Shaun Simpson moved up into a strong 2nd which he would hold to the flag. Mewse’s teammate Gilbert collided with local rider James Mackrel on the All Moto Yamaha powered by Start Solar, and both men went down!

Mewse was tripling out of the second rhythm lane which no-one else is doing in the early heats, and won by nearly six seconds from a much happier Simpson, Banks-Browne, and the Tru 7 Honda of Jake Nicholls.

The AX Supermini Main Event saw Friday’s winner Isaac Ash holeshot again, but Lewis Spratt gave him a much tougher challenge than the previous night. Austin Beasty had a big crash on lap one but got back up to finish 5th. Spratt lost out to Harry Lee, so it finished with Ash 1st, Lee 2nd, and Spratt 3rd.

In the AX65 Youth Main Event it was Friday winner Casey Lister who clearly holeshot again! He surely will be a threat in the 65cc class all year on this form, and he led from start to finish with Ethan Gawley a solid 2nd and John Slade 3rd.

Second block

After the Freestyle boys had fired up the crowd following the interval, and Edgar Torrenteras had baffled many with his bizarre “helicopter” and beatboxing, it was time for AX Pro Heat 3. And again, Searle got out-jumped by an Arenacross specialist, with Brunell chopping across his bows and allowing Matt Bayliss and Adam Chatfield on the FUS Geartec Husqvarna into the top three.

It took Searle three laps to get past Chatfield, then two laps later Brunell clipped a tuff block coming out of a corner and fell from the lead! He got back on quick enough to keep 4th place, as Searle burst past Bayliss in the whoops and sealed a clear win. Chatfield kept 3rd behind Bayliss and ahead of Brunell, so they all avoided the dreaded Head-to-Head races!

The AX Pro Am was a relatively tame race by their standards as 18-year-old Travis Steels holeshot ahead of Josh Greedy as Steve Bixby and Friday’s winner Sion Talbot hit the floor on the 1st corner. Kyle Lane again moved up the order and nearly took the lead as Steels seriously cased the finish line jump!

In trying for the lead, Lane lost out to an opportunist Greedy who couldn’t quite get past Steels, but took the overall win due to his results in the daytime programme.

The Stars keep falling!

In the final AX Pro Heat, Gilbert and teammate Mewse grabbed 1st & 2nd cleanly, but Josh got the end of the first rhythm lane slightly wrong and bailed out big-time on lap two! He was swiftly followed by Simpson, who fell over the back of Banks-Browne and sadly hurt his back, putting him out for the night!  We all hope he is OK to re-join the series in Aberdeen.

Mewse took command from Banks-Browne and Chris Bayliss, but Chris fell through the whoops on the last lap and gifted 3rd to Nicholls as the crash also brought down the unlucky Joe Clayton!

The AX Futures class fired off for their final race of the weekend with local rider Charley Irwin holding the advantage over the even more local Reece Ross. Ross pushed Irwin for the whole race, but with a few riders going down in the first lap it made for a lot of lapped riders and they seriously hampered Ross’ efforts to improve. They finished in that order ahead of Friday winner Joel Fisher in a solid 3rd. 16-year-old Beanie Reece scared the crowd with a big crash on the finish line double but she punched two fists in the air to tell everyone she was OK!

Head-to-Heads

The two-lap Head-To-Head Races were next, and Chris Bayliss employed a brilliant cutback to take an early lead from James Mackrel and cruised to the first win. Then Luke Burton on the AJP Geartec Husqvarna put in a solid shoulder barge in the first turn to keep out Martin Barr!

Next up it was an all-Clayton battle between Joe and his brother, Gabriel SS24 KTM’s Ben. Ben held the inside but Joe went right around him in the first corner and eased away.

The most entertaining scrap was between AJP Geartec Husqvarna’s Jayden Ashwell and Jason Meara on the All Moto Yamaha powered by Star Solar. Meara holeshot from the inside but Ashwell cut back to lead. Meara was faster, and on the crucial penultimate corner he nailed a big block pass and dragged Ashwell’s bike down the whoop section! Ultimately Meara needed the People’s Choice vote to make the Main, which was probably earned right there!

The Semis saw Burton with some solid defensive riding to keep out Chris Bayliss, but despite a solid first corner shove Meara couldn’t keep Joe Clayton back as he blasted past through the whoops!

Burton again held the inside in the final, and on that penultimate corner Joe went for the inside takeout and fell doing so! Burton punched the air as he went through and was so happy after the event!

There was still the Last Chance Qualifier which Chris Bayliss holeshot from Gilbert, but the Honda man had too much speed and took the lead on the first lap. The only drama for Josh was when he clipped and scattered the tuff blocks over a jump, but he stayed on to secure another second row start in the Main! Martin Barr made a hopeful late surge to 2nd but that was the end of the local man’s night.

Pro final

As Searle had guessed in the pits, his early crash cost him the important inside gate, and Mewse made the best of it off the start to lead ahead of Brunell with Tommy in 3rd. The series leader attempted a block pass on the GASGAS but Jack cut back inside to hold the place. Searle got him through the first rhythm lane as he tripled the middle jumps, but he had lost contact with Mewse by a second and a half and had to give chase.

Gilbert was moving forward from a poor start and got past Chatfield and Pocock in successive laps through the whoops. Brunell was a lonely 3rd but Matt Bayliss was getting grief from the old Motocross boys, as Banks-Browne and Nicholls went past to finish 4th & 5th with Gilbert ending his charge in 6th.

Mewse was running at such a pace that he caught the group mid-scrap, and Matt Bayliss actually block-passed the leader back thinking he was in a race for position! With no blue flags in Arenacross, it gave Tommy some hope but ultimately Conrad won by a second and a half at the finish, celebrating with a massive whip!

With Searle earning more bonus points through the two nights it puts the #100 a single point ahead in the standings. Brunell was a brave 3rd, going from hospital one night to podium the next!  He should have something for the MX boys with more Supercross-style layouts to come, but the title scrap between Searle & Mewse is going to be enthralling, with plenty of contenders able to get in the mix as well.  If you’re half-considering going to any of the remaining four nights, I thoroughly recommend it!


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Arenacross

Brunell Crowned 2024 Arenacross British Champion

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Jack Brunell (Stark Future Racing) has won the 2024 Arenacross British Championship presented by Fix Auto UK.


Words: Press Release | Lead Image: Arenacross


With double points on offer in the final round at the OVO Arena Wembley, the Windsor rider finished in third place to take the title in front of a packed ‘home’ crowd in London.

The result means Brunell wins the championship by 34 points ahead of Harri Kullas (FUS Marsh Geartec Racing) with Adam Chatfield (Mark McCann 64 YouTube Channel) in third.

It’s a double-celebration for the new champion, with his Stark Future Racing Team making history by finishing top of the teams championship.

Title Standings

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Arenacross Races to London for the Finale

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London’s calling as the climactic final round of the epic 2024 British Arenacross Championship presented by Fix Auto UK races to the capital on 24 February at the iconic OVO Arena Wembley.


Words: Press Release | Lead Image: Supplied


After seven edge-of-your-seat rounds crossing the length and breadth of the country, the final is set to entertain fans and families alike with a high-octane mix of indoor Motocross racing and Freestyle Motocross, carefully choreographed into a three-hour live performance that includes lasers, pyrotechnics, and unscripted family-focused action all performed to a heart-pumping soundtrack. 

Local hero Jack Brunell (Stark Future Racing) leads the Traxxas Pro Class by 12 points as he bids to end his decade-long wait for Arenacross championship glory, but with double points on offer, the Windsor native will be looking over his shoulder as several rivals remain in contention to take the crown.

In the team standings, Brunell’s Stark Future Racing team lead on 86 points, with Mark McCann 64 YouTube Channel in second with 71 and FUS Marsh Geartec Husqvarna just two points behind in third.

As well as incredible racing all evening, fans can look forward to an electric atmosphere at the OVO Arena Wembley to celebrate the season finale. Expect jaw-dropping freestyle motocross performances, The Fuel Girls bringing the heat with their fired-up pyro show to warm up the crowd, t-shirt cannons, Mexican Waves, rider signings, vendors and plenty of noise means it’s a night you’ll never forget.

Elsewhere on the card, London’s own 9-year-old Jimmy Ball will be hoping to make a big impact in front of his ‘home’ crowd as he races in the AX65 youth class. Elsewhere Kent’s John Slade (10 years old) will be hoping local support carries him through to victory as the current leader of the AX65 Championship.

Reigning Arenacross British Champion, Kent born Tommy Searle will be unable to compete at Wembley and retain his title following an accident earlier in the series. In his role as series ambassador, he’ll be present throughout the event to meet fans, work with the media and keep a watchful eye on the competition, he said: “I love Arenacross and it’s very difficult to be sitting on the sidelines not taking part, but as a fan the championship battle is hugely exciting to watch.

“I’d love to be out there battling for the title, but I’m delighted to be able to continue being part of the event and look forward to meeting as many fans as possible at OVO Arena, Wembley!”

The event will also welcome one of the fastest rising stars of the dirt racing scene, Olivia Reynolds. The teenager from Northampton has been riding motocross bikes since age of three, has been taken under the wing of the legendary US racer Travis Pastrana and holds the world record for the youngest female to ever land a backflip on an MX bike.

Matt Bates, Arenacross Promoter said: “I can’t believe we’re heading to London already! It’s been an amazing season of the British Arenacross Championship presented by Fix Auto UK, with the best yet to come as we go down to the wire.

“The battle in the Traxxas Pro Class has been epic so far and one thing’s for sure, we’ll be crowning a brand-new Arenacross British Champion in London.

“London is without doubt one of our favourite places to visit and there’s no greater buzz than the sight and sound of the crowd rocking at the iconic OVO Arena Wembley as our riders and show wow the fans.

From racing to freestyle, The Fuel Girls and much more – Arenacross is a high-octane evening for the whole family that’s not to be missed!”

Tickets are selling fast, don’t miss the British Arenacross Championship at OVO Arena, Wembley on 24 February 2024.

Visit www.arenacrossuk.com for ticket information now.

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CREO AX Debrief: AX season recap as the team looks towards AMA Supercross

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All season we’ve been making mistakes and coming up short – but as many times as things haven’t gone to plan, we’ve regrouped and doubled down.


Words: Press Release | Lead Image: CREO


I cannot overstate how proud I am of my guys for finding their groove and doing what it takes to continue fighting. I care about what position they cross the finish line, yet it’s not the most important metric. The measurement I’m concerned with is corrective action. Are they learning race craft? Are they consistently reducing mistakes? Are they managing their emotions?

All I’ve seen all season is improvement. My riders, their mechanics, myself – it’s all refined and coming together – at the most important time of our season.

Jorgen closed out the season with a pair of P3s in the second main both nights. His whoops were dialled. This is paramount, because it’s been his weakness all season, and at the right time before we head into SX, he found his technique. I can’t remember if he pulled any holeshots, but he was always toward the front in each race. I applaud his effort and am so pumped on his two podium performances.

Tyler improved his timed qualifying position average and showed more fight in him in Springfield than I’ve seen all season. On Friday he chased down, masterfully passed, and played perfect defence against Nelko to squirt away and own 5th place. Saturday in the second main after getting pushed off the track he clawed back to 9th and an opportunity to take 8th. On the final lap of the main, the final lap of the season, with two corners to go – he absolutely smoked Norred and claimed 8th. Norred didn’t go down, as Tyler simply moved him, but Norred wanted to start shit after the race. Tyler didn’t buy into the bullshit, and I’m so proud of him for big dogging on the track and keeping his cool afterwards.

Dawson had a bad weekend – it started with a mechanical issue of the cam timing being off after having a new top end put in his bike. It’s worth mentioning his engine guy is an ace mechanic, he just made a one tooth mistake on each cam gear when setting the registration marks. I’ve done it before. However, thanks to the help of Marek, Jorgen’s wrench, we were able to correct the issue and reset the timing through some open heart surgery. Dawson also was on brand new supercross suspension, and the stiff bike on the slick track was not the preferred choice. But he stuck it out, finished the weekend, and is moving on with sights set on a full SX training campaign in Florida with Club 57.

I’d love to report what position the guys finished the season in, but the points online have been wrong all season and are wrong today. It’s been pretty disappointing that this has been an ongoing issue, but at the end of the day the points don’t have bearing on our momentum – which is at 100% and we’re ready to rock in SX.

Thank you for supporting CREO during this AX season, we’ll see you in Arlington.

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