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Race Report: Arenacross UK Round 4: Aberdeen Night 2

Full race report from an explosive second AX night in Aberdeen!

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The second night in Aberdeen’s P&J Live Arena promised even more amazing action amongst Britain’s best off-road racers. Tru7 Honda’s Jake Nicholls had missed Saturday night through illness but would line up for the second night, and unfortunately Darjen Kawasaki’s Chris Bayliss had dislocated his knee in a heat race crash on Saturday. He would accompany his brother Matt in opening ceremonies but would not be able to race.

Words: Ben Rumbold | Lead Image: Arenacross UK

In the first Pro Sprint Heat race, reigning MX1 British Champion Tommy Searle on the GTCI REVO Kawasaki was lined up alongside his replacement in the Crendon Fastrack Honda team, MX2 Champion Conrad Mewse! The top two in the series would have to deal with each other in the heat races for the first time this season.  Mewse’s teammate Josh Gilbert was also in with them and beat them all to the first corner, but Searle quickly went to the front through the whoops that began the lap. Elliott Banks-Browne on the Mark McCann 64 YouTube Channel Husky was aggravating Conrad, and the pair swapped 3rd and 4th positions back and forth several times in the opening lap! Finally Conrad pulled a block pass to make it stick on the third lap.

Searle made hey at the front, as Mewse chased Gilbert down for 2nd. He got past through the whoops on lap 6 of the 8, as Joe Clayton did the same to his teammate Banks-Browne for 4th. Mewse gave notice of his speed by closing in on Searle to finish only half a second back by the flag! These two could be going at it like this all season long!

The AX E5 Electric Class delivered one of the best races of the night, with Archie Race from Durham leading into the first corner alongside Bradford’s Roy Townley Junior, who pulled away through the whoops.

Saturday night’s winner Seb Chartell from Towcester moved forward to close in on Roy as Mason Staddon moved up into 3rd. As they started the last lap, Chartell attacked Townley Jr but couldn’t go thru. On the very last circulation they made contact in the penultimate corner, then Chartell blasted around the outside to take the win in the last few feet!

The top four overall that qualify from Aberdeen for the Wembley finale are:

1: Seb Chartell

2: Roy Townley Jr

3: Mason Staddon

4: Seth Golding

Red Flag

Rising from his sick bed like a Phoenix, Jake Nicholls took the holeshot in Pro Sprint Heat 2 from Scottish hero Shaun Simpson and FUS Husqvarna’s Adam Chatfield. Jack Brunell was moving his Troy Lee Designs GASGAS forward from a poor start to slice into 3rd by the end of lap one. Nicholls dramatically crashed out of the lead through the whoops on lap two. The crowd roared as Simpson inherited the lead on his Gabriel SS24 KTM, but the red flag came out to send them back to the gate. Nicholls was interviewed by announcer Jeff Perrett as he walked off but he didn’t make the restart.

There was confusion at the gate as some riders opportunistically nabbed a better start position than the first attempt, and they had to do a complete reset for fairness. It’s under official ACU ruling now!

Brunell made the best of the restart with a much better getaway and holeshot, with Jason Meara in 2nd on the All Moto Yamaha powered by Start Solar and fending off Simpson. Shaun grabbed the lead with a block pass at the start of the whoops, but he badly went over the bars at the end of them! He rode slowly back to the pits but sadly that was the end of his night.

As Brunell cruised away, Chatfield advanced into 2nd past Meara with Jayden Ashwell on the AJP Geartec Husqvarna inheriting 4th as James Mackrel dropped back on his All Moto Yamaha.

Youngsters

After having to battle through traffic on Saturday, AX Supermini star Isaac Ash holeshot on Sunday from Lewis Spratt and Harry Lee. Harrison Schofield moved forward to finish 2nd ahead of Lee and Spratt, whilst in the Small Wheel clash Alfie Stott, the local boy from Aberdeen, drove the crowd wild with the lead in the class!

Archie Edwards made a move past Stott with two laps to go to win the Small Wheel class, as Ash cruised away to another victory by over 5 seconds.

The AX65 saw another gate-to-flag win, this time for Casey Lister ahead of John Slade and Jamie Currie. Finlee Pope was well up off the start, but Caleb Ross and Daniel Devine moved up to 4th & 5th after two laps. On the last lap, Ross dropped back, but Lister cruised to a 4.6 second victory over Slade and Currie and he has a dominant points lead in the series.

Mewse strikes back

In Pro Heat 3 after the interval, it was Mewse’s turn to take the holeshot from Searle with Gilbert 3rd ahead of the two McCann bikes. Clayton passed Gilbert in the whoops and Banks-Browne was snapping at the Cornishman’s heels.

Searle did his best to hang on to Mewse’s coat-tails but again the Honda man had figured out the track. Searle washed out on the corner after the whoops on the final circulation, gifting Joe Clayton 2nd place and a direct transition to the main. Tommy remounted for 3rd to make sure he got through as well.

The Pro-Am Final lived up to its billing as one of the best of the night. Teenager Travis Steels grabbed the holeshot just ahead of Matt Lomas. Sion Talbot, winner of night one on each stop so far, then fought into 2nd place ahead of Josh Greedy. They engaged in a great three-way scrap for the lead. Kyle Lane was back in 4th but could not catch them. Talbot nearly spun off on the loose surface just after taking the 2-lap board. Greedy then went through to 2nd in the whoops, narrowly missing Steels’ back wheel!

Josh looked to make a move in the corner before the whoops on the last lap, but Steels blocked him and Talbot nearly sneaked thru, but Greedy kept it on, and powering through the whoops nearly nabbed Steels again! Travis bobbled in the penultimate corner but just held on from Greedy and Talbot, with the overall also finishing in that order.  The consistent Greedy leads the standings by 4 points from Talbot, with Steels just 6 further back!

In Pro Heat 4 Meara and Brunell went through the first turn and whoops together, with Brunell just coming out on top. Teammates Meara and Mackrel held 2nd & 3rd until Ashwell barged past Mackrel and Chatfield went through as well, which was enough to put “Chatters” directly to the main.

The AX Futures race was a little processional as Charley Irwin made it a clear sweep of all four motos in Aberdeen andtakes a commanding lead in the championship over Joel Fisher, who held a solid 2nd from Jake Farrelly on the night.

Head to head

The H2H races were pretty straightforward up until the last few. Ben Clayton opened proceedings with a fairly straightforward win over Mackrel, then Matt Bayliss pulled the first of numerous holeshots in this competition on his KX250, this time over Martin Barr.

Luke Burton, getting a reputation for being good at these races, holeshot and pulled away from Jake Preston, whilst old buddies Pocock and Banks-Browne went through the whoops side-by-side. Mel gained the advantage but EBB had an issue with the bike and pulled in.

Matt Bayliss outdid another 450 from the start in the shape of Ben Clayton, then things livened up with Burton Vs Pocock! Absolutely together through the first set of whoops, Burton just came out in front by the corner. Pocock then cut back and jumped into the side of Luke, who went down hard! Mel came round on lap two to see Luke just getting up. They sportingly fist-bumped and Mel completed the race.

This left Mel facing Matt Bayliss for the right to progress! The pair of Kawsakis were side-by-side thru for almost the entire first lap! At the start of the second lap Pocock nudged inside to lead. Bayliss got him back, but they came together through the rhythm section and Bayliss hit the ground big-time! Pocock was through but for sure he felt a little guilty about it!

The Pro LCQ was sparsely populated with only 6 riders. Banks-Browne holeshot ahead of Barr and pulled clear to take the win. Barr held off the close attentions of Mackrel for 2nd, and at last had the consolation of the People’s Choice vote so he also made it through to the Main!

Super Super Final!

The Pro Super Final was easily the best of the season so far. Things have been building up to a Searle vs Mewse clash and the pair hit the front immediately, with EBB blasting into 3rd through the first lap whoops! Brunell went for a pass on EBB on lap two but got it wrong, losing out to Pocock and Gilbert in the process. On lap three Banks-Browne shocked everyone by moving past Conrad through the rhythm lane into 2nd! That truly fired Mewse up and he came back with a block pass before the whoops. Suddenly he was right on Searle’s back wheel!

Gilbert and Brunell closed in on EBB for 3rd, but all eyes were on the leaders, as Conrad went inside Tommy for his favourite move before the whoops, and they both hit the floor!  Banks-Browne held off a block pass attempt from Gilbert to inherit the lead as the points leaders picked themselves up!

After several laps Gilbert made a move through the whoops to take the lead from Elliott. A lap later in the same spot Brunell moved inside EBB who briefly took him back on the cutback but just lost out!

Mewse and Searle were flying in recovery and both of the points leaders closed in on EBB as the 2-lap board came out. Mewse got thru but Searle was denied the move by the famous EBB cutback!  On the last lap Brunell spun out on a rock to lose 2nd to Mewse with two corners left, but Gilbert held on for an amazing first win indoors, and it was a Crendon Fastrack Honda 1-2 for good measure!

Mewse was apologetic to Searle in his post-race interview, and he now sits atop the points standings by a single point from the Kawasaki man.  Gilbert is also still in with a shout and getting better all the time. If you haven’t got your tickets for Birmingham or Wembley yet, get in there fast!

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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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