Last weekend saw the opening round of the 2023 Michelin MX Nationals, powered by Milwaukee. The team was delighted to get the season underway, especially as 2023 marks the 10th year of the prestigious series.

Round One occurred at the brand-new “Oakhanger” venue near Bordon in Hampshire. The circuit culminated in months of discussion and negotiations with the landowners. It incorporated a mountain of paperwork, and that’s all before the track was designed and built. In addition, the original date had to be rescheduled after being dealt a delightful hand of typical British weather from mother nature.

Words: Dick Law/Press Release | Images: Elliot Spencer/Michelin MX Nationals

When the gate finally dropped on round one, what a track it was! Reminiscent of legendary circuits like Markelo and Lierop in the Netherlands, Oakhanger was a welcome addition to the series and to British Motocross. Saturday featured great racing and two blocks for all classes. We even saw the sun poke through on occasion. But mother nature dealt her second blow on the venue. Continual overnight rain created very different riding conditions for the Sunday race schedule, resulting in a delayed start and only one block of racing for all classes except the Fastest 40 Pro riders.

Conrad Mewse, on his Crendon Fastrack Honda, was fastest in qualifying and dominated both Leatt Pro MX1 races with what looked like considerable ease for a maximum score. While in the Apico Pro MX2s, Verde Sports KTM’s Bailey Johnston scored his first national race win in race one. He continued his winning streak in race two to give him his first national overall.

Last year’s champion, Harri Kullas, got the holeshot at the start of the first combined Pro race from Conrad Mewse, Gavin Stevenson, Jamie Carpenter, Josh Gilbert and Martin Barr.

As the two leaders came around to complete the second lap, Mewse had passed Kullas out of view over the back of the course to take the lead. Mewse stretched out more and more of a lead as Kullas slowed with smoke pouring out of the back of his Yamaha, a missing oil filler plug the culprit.

The smaller MX2 bikes struggled in the wet sand, and this became apparent when Johnston, the first of the MX2s, gated thirteenth. He held his own against the MX1s and finished in tenth place on the track, but he was the first MX2 rider home. Callum Mitchell started the race in nine nineteenth place and took full advantage of others crashing out to make his way forward to twelfth but second MX2. Jamie Wainwright was third MX2 home, with Jake Millward fourth.

The track became even more challenging throughout the day. Mewse got the holeshot from Kullas, Gilbert, Barr, John Adamson, Carpenter, and Charlie Putnam in the second Pro race. Apart from Adamson passing Barr at the halfway point, the running order of the top five stayed the same as they became spaced out till the chequered flag. As Putnam slipped down to twelfth place, Grimshaw put on a charge and snatched sixth place from Carpenter.

Once again, Johnston got a strong start in the MX2 side of the race and was only beaten into the first turn by Sam Nunn, but that all changed on the opening lap, and Johnston was first back round. Charlie Cole took the MX2 lead from Bailey on lap three but promptly fell back to twentieth place. Johnston finished his race in ninth on the track but was the first MX2 rider home.

Mitchell was in eighth, with a lap to go but was passed by Stevenson and Johnston, still finishing as the second MX2 rider. Millward didn’t get the start he wanted but went from twenty-first to eleventh place and third MX2.

Mewse took the Leatt Pro MX1 overall win from Kullas and Gilbert, while in the Apico Pro MX2s, Johnston had his first national overall win from Mitchell and Millward.

It was very close at the top of the RFX Expert MX1s, with a single point separating the winner Declan Whittle from James Dodd. Whittle had two wins and a fourth after crashing on the fourth lap of the second race, while Dodd didn’t finish out of the top three in his class and even won race two. Jayden Ashwell was third overall.

Ben Mustoe won all three of the RFX Expert MX2 side of the combined expert races and was the overall class winner, while Uldis Friebergs with two-second places and a fourth was second. Jimmy Margetson was third.

In the Motoverde Amateur MX1 class, Lewis Taylor won all three races as Luke Mellows chased him over the finish line every time. John Kirk took the last step on the podium, with Brad Thornhill just missing out.

In the relatively dry conditions of Saturday, Luca Pegg notched up two class wins in the Motoverde Amateur MX2 side of the combined amateur MX1 and MX2 race. But, with Sunday’s wetter conditions, he made a bad start, and with another crash on the way could only get up to eighteenth place by the end of the race. Luckily that was just enough to give him the class overall win by just one point from Alex Buchanan. Raife Broadley finished just a single point behind him, as three points separated the top three.

You don’t have to win a race to win an overall, as Tallon Aspden proved in the Worx Sports Insurance Clubman MX1s with his three 2nd places. Race two winner Ryan King was second overall, with race one winner Billy Saunders third.

Matt Tolley (426 Motorsports KTM) won the Spiral Clubman MX2s from Matthew Pocock and Aaron Framingham third.

Three big holeshots and three big race wins did the trick for Billy Askew in the combined Fly Racing Youth MXY2 and MXY125 class. Bayliss, Utting and Jak Taylor were separated by just three points for second and third overall.

It was three from three for Reece Jones in the 125cc side of the race, with Jake Walker second and Wesley McGavin third.

There was no stopping Josh Vail in the Syntol Big Wheel 85s as he took all three race wins. Jamie Keith finished the weekend with two third places and second, placing him second overall, with Charlie Richmond third. Fancied winner Haydon Statt had a disaster of a first race where he finished out of the points, but a second and third meant he ended the day fourth overall.

Joel Winstanley-Dawson, with two wins and a 2nd, won the Syntol Small Wheel 85s from Marty Spires and Lucas Lee.

Top 10 Overall

Leatt Pro MX1:

1 Conrad Mewse (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 25 + 25 = 50

2 Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 22 + 22 = 44

3 Josh Gilbert (Crendon Fastrack Honda) 20 + 20 = 40

4 Martin Barr (Apico Husqvarna) 18 + 16 = 34

5 John Adamson (ASA United Gas Gas) 15 + 18 = 33

6 Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas) 16 + 15 = 31

7 Gavin Stevenson (Dixon Racing Honda) 13 + 13 = 26

8 Dan Thornhill (Chambers Gas Gas) 9 + 14 = 23

9 Charlie Putnam (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 11 + 12 = 23

10 Stuart Edmonds (S Biggs Commercials Honda) 10 + 11 = 21

Apico Pro MX2:

1 Bailey Johnston (Verde Shiloh KTM) 25 + 25 = 50

2 Calum Mitchell (Lexa MX Husqvarna) 22 + 22 = 44

3 Jake Millward (Verde Shiloh KTM) 18 + 20 = 38

4 Jamie Wainwright (WPH / SBE KTM) 20 + 13 = 33

5 Ben Franklin (Chambers Husqvarna) 13 + 16 = 29

6 Carlton Husband (Phoenix Tools Evenstrokes Kawasaki) 15 + 14 = 29

7 Alfie Jones (Chambers Husqvarna) 16 + 12 = 28

8 Charlie Cole (Blades Bikes Kawasaki) 12 + 15 = 27

9 Josh Taylor (Honda) 10 + 11 = 21

10 Joe Brooks (Yamaha) 11 + 10 = 21

RFX Expert MX1:

1 Declan White (Lings Gas Gas) 25 + 18 + 25 = 68

2 James Dobb (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) 22 + 25 + 20 = 67

3 Jayden Ashwell (AJP Geartec Husqvarna) 20 + 22 + 15 = 57

4 Corrie Southwood (Langmead Kawasaki) 16 + 15 + 22 = 53

5 Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha) 15 + 20 + 16 = 51

6 Sion Talbot (KTM) 18 + 14 + 18 = 50

7 Harry Bradley (JB Tuning Kawasaki) 14 + 16 + 14 = 44

8 Josh Canton (Concept CCF KTM) 13 + 13 + 0 = 26

9 Josh Peters (Jim Aim KTM) 0 + 12 + 0 = 12

RFX Expert MX2:

1 Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75

2 Uldis Freibergs (Lexa MX Husqvarna) 22 + 18 + 22 = 62

3 Jimmy Margetson (Husqvarna) 20 + 22 + 16 = 58

4 Henry Siddiqui (Husqvarna) 11 + 20 + 18 = 49

5 Shane Carless (FUS Husqvarna) 18 + 15 + 15 = 48

6 Callum Murfitt (Team PP Sport KTM) 13 + 16 + 14 = 43

7 Josh Colman (Holeshot MX KTM) 15 + 14 + 12 = 41

8 Mathew Bayliss (Darien Contractors Gas Gas) 14 + 9 + 13 = 36

9 Harvey Cushmore (Chambers Gas Gas) 12 + 11 + 11 = 34

10 Aaron Ongley (723 Racebikes Gas Gas) 16 + 10 + 7 = 33

Motoverde amateur MX1:

1 Lewis Taylor (Van Care Gas Gas) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75

2 Luke Mellows (Forty Four Honda) 22 + 22 + 22 = 66

3 John Kirk (Honda) 20 + 20 + 18 = 58

4 Brad Thornhill (LMC Plant KTM) 15 + 14 + 20 = 49

5 Joshua McCorkell (McCorkell Racing Husqvarna) 12 + 18 + 16 = 46

6 Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) 16 + 11 + 13 = 40

7 Kieren Yorke (MX Revive Honda) 18 + 15 + 0 = 33

8 Josh Greedy (Darien Contractors Kawasaki) 14 + 3 + 15 = 32

9 Jamie Dixon (P&S Yamaha) 11 + 13 + 8 = 32

10 Callum Gordon (MX Revive Gas Gas) 2 + 16 + 12 = 30

Motoverde amateur MX2:

1 Luca Pegg (Motoverde Yamaha) 25 + 25 + 15 = 65

2 Alex Buchanan (Mace Tech Tuning KTM) 22 + 20 + 22 = 64

3 Raife Broadley (723 Race Bikes Gas Gas) 16 + 22 + 25 = 63

4 Ben Clark (Gas Gas) 20 + 18 + 20 = 58

5 Dan Brough (Rutzz Yamaha) 14 + 14 + 16 = 44

6 Charlie Palmer (Apex Gas Gas) 13 + 15 + 14 = 42

7 Tommi Davies (Windows at Creative KTM) 8 + 13 + 18 = 39

8 Ben White (White Transport Honda) 12 + 12 + 13 = 37

9 Jude Turton (MJW KTM) 18 + 16 + 0 = 34

10 Grant Martin (GM Tattooer Honda) 7 + 11 + 11 = 29

Worx Sports Insurance Clubman MX1:

1 Tallon Aspden (LA Groundwork KTM) 22 + 22 + 22 = 66

2 Ryan King (KTM) 20 + 25 + 20 = 65

3 Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda) 25 + 20 + 18 = 63

4 Darren Manning-Coe (Fabrican KTM) 14 + 18 + 25 = 57

5 James Thompson (Thompson Flooring Kawasaki) 16 + 12 + 16 = 44

6 Ben Lightbown (CCM Motorcycles KTM) 15 + 14 + 12 = 41

7 Richard Evans (1SIX4 Racing KTM) 13 + 13 + 11 = 37

8 Kalem Hicks (British Army MX Team Husqvarna) 10 + 16 + 10 = 36

9 Jordon Andrews (KTM) 3 + 15 + 15 = 33

10 Ashley Senior (Honda) 9 + 4 + 13 = 26

Spiral Clubman MX2:

1 Matt Tolley (426 Motorsport KTM) 25 + 22 + 18 = 65

2 Matthew Pocock (MGP Steel KTM) 11 + 25 + 22 = 58

3 Aaron Framingham (Fabrican KTM) 18 + 18 + 20 = 56

4 Bradley Johnstone (Moto Connection Kawasaki) 10 + 20 + 25 = 55

5 George Boyce (Design Scaffolding KTM) 16 + 15 + 16 = 47

6 Jamie Collins (723 Racebikes Yamaha) 20 + 12 + 5 = 37

7 Toby Lightbown (Bell Helmets KTM) 22 + 14 + 0 = 36

8 Mitchil Collins (Work and Welfare KTM) 13 + 16 + 4 = 33

9 Max Fletcher (Mumzie Racing Gas Gas) 14 + 9 + 8 = 31

10 Jordan Meredith (Meredith Motocross Fantic) 9 + 7 + 13 = 29

Fly Racing MXY2:

1 Billy Askew (GTCi Revo Kawasaki) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75

2 Bayliss Utting (Trell Contractors Honda) 22 + 18 + 22 = 62

3 Jak Taylor (Lexa MX Husqvarna) 20 + 20 + 18 = 58

4 Liam Bennett (Apico GMR Husqvarna) 18 + 14 + 20 = 52

5 Mckenzie Marshall (DK Offroad Yamaha) 15 + 16 + 16 = 47

6 Kayde Rayns (Scott Motorsport Yamaha) 11 + 15 + 15 = 41

7 Lennox Dickinson (Apico Husqvarna) 16 + 22 + 0 = 38

8 Hudson Roper (3 Flo Yamaha) 13 + 13 + 11 = 37

9 Lee Cameron (Dyce Carrier KTM) 10 + 11 + 14 = 35

10 Sid Putnam (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) 9 + 12 + 13 = 34

Fly Racing MXY125:

1 Reece Jones (SJP Moto Husqvarna) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75

2 Jake Walker (Mr T Racing KTM) 22 + 22 + 22 = 66

3 Wesley McGavin (KTM) 20 + 20 + 18 = 58

4 Chester Hyde (Matt Pope MC Gas Gas) 18 + 15 + 20 = 53

5 Ollie Bubb (3 Flo Yamaha) 16 + 18 + 15 = 49

6 Gus Mustoe (Matt Gardiner MC KTM) 14 + 11 + 14 = 39

7 Levi Saunders (KTM) 12 + 12 + 13 = 37

8 Tyler Jones (KTM) 15 + 10 + 10 = 35

9 Jack Bearey (NBE Racing Gas Gas) 0 + 16 + 12 = 28

10 Harrison Greenough (Simpson KTM) 0 + 9 + 16 = 25

Syntol Big Wheel 85:

1 Josh Vail (SJP Moto Husqvarna) 25 + 25 + 25 = 75

2 Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) 20 + 20 + 22 = 62

3 Charlie Richmond (KTM) 22 + 18 + 18 = 58

4 Hayden Statt (Manchester MC KTM) 0 + 22 + 20 = 42

5 Drew Stock (Madison Mad 4 MX Gas Gas) 18 + 9 + 15 = 42

6 Sonny Rooney (Husqvarna) 14 + 10 + 16 = 40

7 Lewis Spratt (KTM) 11 + 15 + 12 = 38

8 Zane Stephens (Store 114 KTM) 16 + 8 + 13 = 37

9 Blake Ward-Clarke (GRT Impact KTM) 12 + 16 + 9 = 37

10 Owen Kenningley (Thinkbikegear KTM) 9 + 11 + 14 = 34

Syntol Small Wheel 85:

1 Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource Racing KTM) 25 + 22 + 25 = 72

2 Marty Spires (MJW Specialists Yamaha) 22 + 25 + 22 = 69

3 Lucas Lee (Husqvarna) 18 + 20 + 20 = 58

4 Authur Moore (3 Flo Yamaha) 16 + 18 + 18 = 52

5 Olly Waters (Matt Gardner MX KTM) 20 + 0 + 0 = 20

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