2026 AMCA British MX Championship R2

Taking out wildcard entries to compete at round two of the AMCA British Motocross Championship last weekend, four young stars who normally ply their trade in the ACU Motul British Championship all certainly shone very brightly! At Bromsberrow, ASA GasGas rider Ben Mustoe switched from his usual 250F mount to contest and win overall the Open class aboard a 350F machine, Freddie Bartlett went the other way dropping from his ACU MX1 ride to win the Bromsberrow MX2 class which also included ACU rider Max Harris on the Dirthut Yamaha. Harris eventually finished runner-up behind Bartlett whilst Arthur Moore stuck to his normal 125cc mount and thus top the overall Youth standings.

On a truly brutal, rough Bromsberrow circuit where maximum concentration and line choice were equally critical, let’s start with Mustoe’s performance in the Open class. Pushing him all the way for glory was another young star, Tyla Hooley on his Leeds Pallets KTM and who is the AMCA early series leader. Indeed, the overall verdict in this one went right down to a final moto decider. At the start of the weekend, Mustoe led moto one just about all the way with Hooley for close company until the Yorkshire lad lost momentum and ground when going off line on a couple of occasions. So, that was win number one in the bag for Mustoe ahead of Hooley, James Dodd, Will Hughes, Corey Hockey, Ryan Crowder, Mark Roberts, Aaron Patstone, Jayden Murphy and James Bates.

In Open class moto two, it was to see a reversal of roles as this time Hooley led the contest from a chasing Mustoe. On the final turn of the race, Mustoe came close to even losing his hard-earned 2^nd spot when he stalled his motor just managing to restart and regain momentum as Dodd rapidly approached. After climbing up through the pack to get home in 11^th in the first moto, Mackenzie Marshall had a very strong ride this time around to earn 4^th with Hughes, Hockey now definitely dialled into his new CPMX Honda and Murphy next up. After posting the 4^th fastest qualifying time, Liam Gale was to enjoy his best finish of the weekend in this one with 8^th place.

Although weather conditions were a little cooler on day two, the pace at the front of the Open class was still red hot as Hooley and Mustoe simply checked out in the third clash at Bromsberrowt! The result was another victory for Hooley with Mustoe in tow as Dodd bagged a rather lonely 3^rd followed by his FUS Marsh MX teammate Hughes,  Marshall, Murphy and Hockey who scored more big Championship points. Replacing the injured Jayden Ashwell in the AJP team, Ben Clayton took 8^th ahead of Roberts and James Bates. So, it was a 2-1 advantage to Hooley in the win count going into moto four, the final contest. Making no mistake though and riding the perfect race, Mustoe crucially won the last one to also bag the overall verdict. Hooley got home in 2^nd thus increasing his Championship lead over Dodd. Once again Marshall, Murphy and Hughes got home inside the top ten as Crowder riding on his Dad Aaron’s bike finished with a strong 7th.

On a borrowed 250F KTM, Wildcard Freddie Bartlett led the opening MX2 clash all the way from gate to flag. In the early stages another young star, Finley Evans, held 2^nd from defending AMCA Champion Henry Williams, another Wildcard rider Max Harris and Lee Truman. Four laps in and Williams was up to 2^nd as series leader Jayden Jones was moving up the leaderboard after gating in 10^th. In the simply breathtaking action, Harris got up to finish as runner-up in moto one with Williams 3^rd, Luke Dean 4^th, Finley Evans 5^th and Jones 6^th. In this first MX2 moto both Rory Jones and Ray Rowson who had figured prominently at round one recorded that unwanted DNF score!

Fighting back both Rowson (4th) and Rory Jones (7^th) responded in style during moto two to help slightly erase their earlier disappointment! Taking the win again though in style was Bartlett ahead of a rip-roaring tussle for 2^nd which featured Finley Evans and Dean, the verdict going to Evans. Gating down in 10^th, Williams earnt 5^th at the flag as Truman was again right in the mix. Surprisingly finding himself down in an early 19^th, Harris climbed back to 8th but the ride of this moto certainly belonged to Jayden Jones! Falling early on and his bike refusing to initially restart, Jayden was last and with it all to do! The 16-year-old Wulfsport Suzuki rider then turned up the gas and went on the chase, recovering all the way back to 11^th! Also, in trouble in moto two was AJP Triumph rider Jimmy Margetson, forced out of proceedings when his gear selector plate snapped. In an incredible show of team togetherness and support, the AJP team then worked together to get Jimmy back on track. Removing the broken part they then dashed  to their workshop in Hereford, repairing and welding the broken plate back together, before then returning to Bromsberrow on Saturday evening, refitting, and preparing the bike for race action on Sunday!   

So, in MX2 moto three, Jimmy’s repaired bike carried him to 7^th place in a clash won gate to flag by Harris as Bartlett passed Finley Evans to earn 2^nd. Evans was then to be eventually overhauled by Jayden Jones moving from 8^th to 3^rd and Rory Jones. Williams had to settle for 6^th in this one with the consistent Domonic Newbury 8^th, Dean 9^th and Truman 10^th.  In the final MX2 contest, Margetson was right on it and leading the opening seven laps before Bartlett came through for the win ahead of Harris and Williams. Confirming a richly deserved podium place, Finley Evans took 5^th in this moto from Rory Jones. For Jayden Jones though there was to be more trouble, falling on lap one and on that dreaded turn two again, he found himself in last place. What followed then was a simply storming ride, getting himself  right back to 7^th! That result means that Henry and Jayden are level at the top of the MX2 Championship table, what a contest this promises to be!

On his LRT Yamaha, Jordan Wright led 125cc moto one for six frantic laps until Wildcard Arthur Moore came through for the win. Competing in the 125cc Youth class, whilst Moore starred in the opener, fellow Youth riders Oliver Bebb, Oakley Skinner and Bobby Watson also set the tone for the weekend by scoring very solid top ten positions. Also starting in style and putting some very useful points on the board were Wright, Lee Sealey, Ashley Harland and Patrick Gilligan.

After starting with a 6^th place finish, Bebb then produced a simply stunning moto two ride to lead the contest from gate to flag ahead of Wright, Sealey, Harland, Oakley Kettle and Colley. In this one Moore had to climb from an early   20^th spot to get home in 8^th just behind Ted Bullen. Unfortunately, though for Bebb after that great second moto win, he then went from ecstasy to agony as he crashed out of 125cc moto three resulting in the contest being red-flagged. So, in that one Moore recorded another victory with all of the usual suspects, Wright, Sealey, Harland, the very impressive Skinner, Colley and Gilligan in the top ten frame.

In a dramatic final 125cc clash, Wright’s hopes of a podium place were destroyed three laps in when the rear shock on his Yamaha machine self- destructed ! Leading the contest for the opening six circuits was Sealey but Harland was right on a charge getting up to 3^rd. In the last two laps he then stormed past both Moore and Sealey to grab the win. So that meant it was a 125cc podium of Sealey, Harland and Colley with Moore, Skinner and Watson on the 125cc Youth box. 

Not to be outdone, the combined Vets Over 40’s, over 50’s, Over 60’s and Women’s Championship moto’s at Bromsberrow also produced plenty of outstanding action. The FUS Marsh MX boys of Dain Traylor and Phil Mercer controlled the early exchanges of moto one. Eventually taking the win was Mercer from James Lane, Jamie Dobson, Simon Lane, early leader Traylor, Jamie Powell and Lee Martin. In moto two, Aaron Crowder, Dobson and finally Mercer all took turns to lead moto two as Simon Lane, back on it and finding his form after last season’s injury was also in the hunt for glory. Showing that he was definitely back on form, Simon then grabbed the holeshot to lead moto three before a couple of falls eventually dropped him back to 9^th. In a super race, James Lane after gating 5^th came roaring through to get the better of Dobson then reel in and pass leader Mercer on the final lap. Also going right at it in this one was Matt Ryder and Lee Martin, locked into a titanic tussle for 4th, Ryder eventually comimg  out on top. Sam Callow, Crowder, Traylor and Clayton Hogg also bagged a top ten place.

In another classic, the final moto saw Mercer lead the way but behind him there was a great three-way battle between James Lane, Martin and Dobson for 2^nd. Such was the ferocity of that scrap that gradually they were also getting closer to Mercer at the front. Dramatically closing the gap, the crowd watched in anticipation as the leading pack returned into view. Who would get the win though? Well, it was Mercer but what a heart stopping moment he encountered on the very last turn. Approaching an unaware backmarker, Phil had to take emergency action and change his intended line at the final moment to avoid collision, just about claiming the win! So, it was James Lane, Dobson and Martin on the O40’s podium, Mercer, Simon Lane and Ryder the O50’s top three and Andrew Watkins, Brian Staples, Andrew Prosser on the O60’s podium. For the Women, Ria Truman backed up her victory at Bevercotes in round one with another podium topping performance ahead of Hannah Jones and Caitlin Newman. Ria was also the top Lady home in all four motos at Bromsberrow, her highest finish being a 14^th place in moto three.

The mixed Clubman Seniors/Juniors moto’s started with a gate to flag win for Callum Radford as George Clarke (2) and Ayjay Simpson also recorded victories. Indeed, that trio of riders were to be the dominant force throughout proceedings at Bromsberrow, always filling the leading three finishing positions. In the Seniors contest, Clarke extended his series lead with another overall win as Simpson, Radford, Charlie Ludwell, Max Monk and Ricky Ryder were the next best. Making it a very successful weekend for the Radford Windows lads, Callum’s teammate Charlie Osborne was top Juniors Clubman from John Cox, Lewis Day, Lewis Perks, Benjamin Prosser and Kieran Oldfield.

There was to be an unfortunate start to the combined BW85cc/SW85cc and 65cc Youth racing at Bromsberrow when Franky Worrall crashed out whilst leading moto one. In the rerun, Mason Brown took the win from Will Kremer and indeed these two lads were to dominate at the front throughout the weekend! Brown also won moto’s two and four but Kremer did get the better of him during their third meeting. In the BW85cc class it was to be podium pie for Brown, Kremer, Byron Wheldon, Jay Howells and Tyler Oliver. SW85cc glory went to maximum points scorer Tia Doyle from Oliver Moore, Caden James and Aaron Mercer. Finally, Harlee Duffy topped the 65cc contest with an unbeaten score, joined on the podium by Harvey Wood, Fletcher Hicks and Mason Tait.

Massive well done to the organising Uley MXC and PCMX Tracks for getting round two done, it’s now onto the spectacular Brookthorpe venue on May 16^th/17^th for the next action in the 2026 AMCA British Motocross Championship chase.           

 Words and Images by Mike Wood