AMCA MX1/MX2 Championship Preview - 24th July 2011

Written by AMCA OFFICE Thursday, 21 July 2011 00:00

So far the 2011 MX1 and MX2 series as produced an abundance of thrilling racing, full of incident and action with Lee Dunham and Shane Holmes leading their respective classes.

In MX1 despite competing in his maiden season, Lee Dunham has been smooth, stylish and ultra-consistent and in the twelve motos completed has only finished outside the top three on one occasion when crashing during race one at Tunstall. Once in control, Dunham will certainly prove to be a very difficult man to remove from that top slot but who’s going to be trying?  Well, now up to 2nd spot and just 29 points in arrears is Brad Turner. Buoyed by a double moto success during the last round at Brookthorpe, Brad is in fine form also enjoying mixing it with the Pro riders in the Wulfsport British Masters series. After starting the series very strongly,3rd placed Clinton Barrs has had his points scoring restricted during the last two rounds following falls so will be determined to get his campaign back on track at Little Bowden.

 Returning to full fitness, Lee Payne has moved up the table to hold 4th whilst Glen Phillips has slipped downwards following last race DNF’s at both Hawkstone and Brookthorpe. Going down to 6th though and you find the form man of the Championship so far!.Despite only contesting eight moto’s due to injury, tough Yorkshire man Richard Cannings has recorded a remarkable six victories and the overall verdict at both Hawkstone and Brookthorpe. With Aaron Crowder, James Lane, Luke Meredith and Matthew Williamson currently sitting in the remaining top ten places, also watch out for Michael Reynolds, Simon Lane, Stephen Tillotson and Shaun Pearce who has recently switched back to Honda machinery whilst local rider Brad O’Leary will again be on a charge after missing the opening two rounds due to a hand injury.

 Just like Lee Dunham in MX1, Shane Holmes the AMCA MX2 leader has been a model of consistency, never finishing lower than 5th spot in any of the nine motos so far completed. Although Shane currently boasts a healthy 41 point advantage at the top,the experienced Yamaha pilot knows that he can certainly not go off the gas if he his to claim his first AMCA title!.Giving chase is Ben Saunders, a former double  ACU Under-21 Champion aboard his lovely 150cc two-stroke KTM, indeed during the last round at Hawkstone, Ben not only took the overall win but also set the fastest qualifying time!!.In this super MX2 series, Holmes, Saunders, Paul Neale, Jack Taylor, Sean Frayne, Ryan Morris and Carl Benjamin have all won races.

 The fast starting Neale is also currently in great form in the Wulfsport British Masters series and the Kawasaki rider is certainly capable of bagging a podium place at Little Bowden  .Jack Taylor and Sean Frayne currently sit in 4th and 5th place in the MX2 table, but despite bagging a moto win each during the opening round at Kerry, they have also endured more than their fair share of misfortune along the way!.Riding in their home group, Taylor and local lad Frayne should have a good knowledge of the Bowden track.  So with back to back rounds at Bowden and then Branston, it’s a great chance for the two determined young guns to fire themselves up the series standings!.

Holding 6th at present is the very quiet Matt Porter, going about his business in his usual stylish, unflappable manner whilst hard-charger Lewis Abbott in 7th is sure to produce another all-action impressive performance.  After taking the overall win at Tunstall, Ryan Morris suffered a Hawkstone Park nightmare but he has already proved that he certainly has the speed to keep moving forward and up the Championship table.  Another rider not enjoying a totally productive 2011 so far is Carl Benjamin, typical of his season, Carl won a Hawkstone moto   before then breaking his ankle!!.On his way back to full fitness, watch out for a very determined Benjamin at Little Bowden. Welsh lad Aled Bellis currently holds 10th spot in this class,  just ahead of IMBA rider’s Scott Williams and Scott Mathia. Also pushing hard in MX2 at present are Edward Briscoe, Martin Jones, Scott Smith and Ryan Crowder.

AMCA MX1 (TOP TEN) 

1 Lee Dunham 588 points 2 Brad Turner 559 3 Clinton Barrs 539 4 Lee Payne 472 5 Glen Phillips 464 6 Richard Cannings 461 7 Aaron Crowder 415 8 James Lane 410 9 Luke Meredith 393 10 Matthew Williamson 385.

AMCA MX2 (TOP TEN)

1 Shane Holmes 474 points 2 Ben Saunders 433 3 Paul Neale 409 4 Jack Taylor 400 5 Sean Frayne 371 6 Matt Porter 369 7 Lewis Abbott 359 8 Ryan Morris 337 9 Carl Benjamin 302 10 Aled Bellis 286.