2024 AMCA British MX Championship R4 at Lower Drayton

During any motocross Championship season, it just about always odds on that at least one round of your chosen series will ultimately be affected by adverse weather and difficult track conditions. And, that’s just what happened during round 4 of the AMCA British Motocross Championship held at Lower Drayton last weekend.

Heavy rain throughout Saturday morning followed by a couple of very hefty afternoon showers turned the Staffordshire circuit into a clutch frying, energy sapping, axle deep sludge fest! For riders it was a true battle of survival as they hauled their machines through the mire in a desperate attempt to get to the finish in both moto’s and score vital Championship points. Not only was it a major test for riders but you also have to feel sympathy for the organising Cannock MXC. After putting in many hours pre-event to produce the best track conditions possible, they were then at it again on Saturday evening as they attempted to repair some of the massive surface damage and thus give day two a fighting chance. Unfortunately, their sterling efforts were to be to no avail as yet more overnight rain left the AMCA to make the inevitable decision of cancelling the second day of programmed action.

So, after the very wet day one qualifying and been done and with conditions probably at their very worse, the first class to go racing was the 125cc entry. Making an absolute nonsense of the difficult going, 125cc series leader Jimmy Margetson was simply superb in moto one leading all the way and taking the win a massive 32 seconds clear of the equally impressive Luke Newman who was celebrating his 30^th birthday! Keeping their wheels in line, driving forward and finishing on the same lap total as the front two were Travis James, Wyatt McGregor, Ollie Jewitt, Patrick Gilligan, Tom Goodfellow, Lewis Roberts and Charlie Palmer who had started well before slipping back to 9^th.

If Margetson’s opening moto winning margin was big, then in the second moto he went a massive 55 seconds clear as again despite feeling unwell Newman took another strong 2^nd. Enjoying his best round of the season so far, McGregor got home in 3^rd this time around to also earn a richly deserved podium spot. Over in the 125cc Youth standings, Jewitt took the overall from Ryan Oboye and Lewis Roberts. That result for Jewitt means that he has reduced Championship leader Goodfellow’s lead down to just 10 points with two rounds remaining.

In the combined Open/MX2 class, it was MX2 which was to produce a whole load of drama! The Championship topping duo of Liam Gale and McKenzie Marshall were both classed as moto one non-finishers. Early on it was certainly going in Gale’s favour as he held 4^th whilst his rival McKenzie was in all sorts of trouble and in last place! Five laps in and Gale went out with mechanical gremlins and although McKenzie did go over the finish line having only completed four laps that was deemed a DNF! Top MX2 rider home in moto one was Lewis Proud ahead of Lee Sealey and Austin Beasty. In a far drier second MX2 moto, McKenzie and Gale were right on it holding 3^rd and 4^th places respectively. Passing and repassing each other they then had a coming together going for the same inside line on entrance to a Lower Drayton corner. Both falling, McKenzie was quickest to fire his bike back into life and thus regain forward momentum. For the unfortunate Gale though it was to be more mechanical gremlins and another unwanted DNF! At the flag crucially McKenzie was the first MX2 rider home enough to also see him move to the top of the Championship table. On the Lower Drayton podium, Proud was to be the victor joined by Sealey and Samuel Bishop.

Over in the Open class, Wildcard Jayden Ashwell came through to pass fast starting Will Hughes and series leader Ray Rowson in moto one as Harvey Tillotson took a strong 4^th. With Ashwell not starting moto two, Hughes produced a classy gate to flag win ahead of rival Rowson. In the overall verdict it was Hughes, Rowson and Tillotson on the podium with Scooter Webster, Jordan Meredith and Kian Bown next up.

Nineteen young Ladies came to the start line for the opening BWMA Women’s Championship moto and boy did they shine in the Lower Drayton slime! Libby Chatburn was fastest away in moto one as she comfortably led title rival Grace Richards, Grace Bates, Hannah Jones, Sophie Jones and Amber McGregor. Gradually though Grace reeled in Libby before taking control with just two laps remaining. The ride of this moto though surely belonged to Caitlin Newman who after falling on lap one and damaging her Honda’s exhaust system she then blasted right back up to 3^rd and finish ahead of Bates, Leah Rees-Evans on her coughing and spluttering KTM, Ebony Brown and Cyra J Carysforth Smith.

In BWMA moto two, the top three positions remained unchanged for the entire duration as Richards, just one day after her 19^th birthday led home Rees-Evans and Chatburn. Producing another super performance, Brown got home in 4^th as Checoby Rainey made amends for a moto one DNF by taking 5^th this time around.

In the combined BW85cc/SW85CC/BWMA Girls 85cc contest, Wildcard Christopher Brindley on his Big-wheeled bike won both moto’s all the way from gate to flag. In the first clash, SW85cc pilot and fellow Wildcard Arthur Moore chase him home with Ryan Jackson, Jacob Ince, Finn Fitzgerald, Daniel Sheppard and Sean Smout in the mix. Moto two and it was Elvis Totney chasing Brindley home as Jackson took a fine 3^rd to thus cement his place at the top of the BW AMCA table. The drama though in this mixed affair was reserved for the SW85cc class as current series leader Alfie Pincher went out on lap four whilst his title rival Mason Brown was to be the first small-wheeled rider over the line. That result means that Brown has also just edged ahead in the Championship race so it’s certainly all to play for in that one. On the podiums in these mixed classes at Lower Drayton were Brindley, Jackson and Sheppard in BW85cc, Brown, Leo Whittle and Jimmy Whiston SW85cc and Lexi Emery the top BWMA Girls 85cc rider.

Although Simon Lane was fastest away in both combined Vets Over 40’s/Over 50’s moto’s, his brother James Lane was to come through to earn the wins in convincing fashion. In the Over 40’s, Mark Swift and a delighted Rich Tudor joined James in taking the podium honours. Over in the Vets Over 50’s, Simon Lane has now moved to the top of the Championship table just ahead of Matt Ryder. With Lane and Ryder both on the Lower Drayton podium, they were joined by Brian Staples.

Completing the Lower Drayton programme, Matt Wright won the solitary Honda Cup Championship moto held ahead of Ricky Ryder and Mark Allen to thus further extend his series advantage in the battle to earn that brand new 2025 Honda 250R. There was also action for a Clubman Under 40 Support class which saw the classy Chris Conduit cruise to a couple of wins ahead of Lloyd Clarke and Billy McGillvray.

Massive well done to all of the riders on their determination and skill shown to master the very testing conditions.    

Words and Images by Mike Wood

The results of the event are below.