2026 AMCA British MX Championship R3

Great racing which saw battles continually raging right throughout the pack in just about every moto, all made possible by a Brookthorpe track expertly prepared by Mike Truman, was just part of the story created at a superb round three of the AMCA British Motocross Championship supported by Rokit Tyres. Also making the headlines was an overall win for Leonni Tighe in the Women’s class having her first motocross ride since 2018, Jordan Wright miraculously making the 125cc podium despite a broken wrist and Henry Williams jumping dramatically clear at the top of the MX2 standings..

 Let’s start with that AMCA Women’s Championship win for Leonni Tighe. Having watched the action at round one, she decided it was time to make a motocross comeback and what a performance it was to be! Previously Leonni had raced some enduro events between 2021 and 2023 but having become a mother, she then stopped competing. At Brookthorpe she was straight back on the pace and looking like she had never been away from the sport, continually mixing it not only with the other girls but also some established Vets in what was a combined class. Scoring a 15/13/10/13 the highlight was that 10^th in moto three when she was locked into a simply terrific race long battle with Hannah Jones. Also in great form, Hannah went onto join Leonni on the podium with Amber McGregor in 3^rd as Caitlin Newman, Jaymee Garrood, Sophie Jones, Erin Howes and Ruby Gale also mixed it at every opportunity. Having won the opening two rounds, Ria Truman was a non-starter at Brookthorpe so that means that Hannah Jones is also the new AMCA Women’s Championship leader.

Three weeks ago, during round two at Bromsberrow, Jordan Wright broke his wrist but was still determined to race at Brookthorpe and thus keep his AMCA 125cc title hopes alive. Whilst his LRT Yamaha team expected a damage limitation performance from Jordan to just put some points on the board, the pilot had other, grander designs, going onto claim a truly incredible 2^nd overall! And, that runners-up spot was certainly very hard earned as he battled it out at the front with Lee Sealey and Ashley Harland in four thrilling, rip-roaring contests. Indeed, moto three of the 125cc class produced an absolute motocross classic as Sealey, Wright and Harland went at it racing side by side for several laps entering the turns three abreast with no one backing off, what an epic!

Although series leader Sealey eventually took all four moto wins that doesn’t even begin to tell the story of just how good the racing really was! Equally competitive as the top three and always within striking distance was Aaron Colley whilst the likes of Luke Phillips, Patrick Gilligan, Charlie Palmer and on day one Bradley Tranter amongst others were also right in the mix. At Brookthorpe Luke Newman enjoyed his best performance of the campaign so far going 6/8/9 before then having to charge from last up to 11^th following a crash on the second turn of the final moto. Whilst Sealey made it three out of three overall wins in the main 125cc class, Oakley Skinner scored another 125cc Youth overall win to thus extend his Championship advantage. Oakley and his fellow Youth aces again really took it to the big lads with Toby Adamson, Sean Smout, Bobby Watson, Ted Bullen and the 2025 AMCA BW85cc winner Stanley Siebert also figuring prominently

So, what about MX2? well defending Champion Henry Williams went into the Brookthorpe event level on points at the top with Jayden Jones. But, following round three, Henry now has a nice 42-point advantage and its Finley Evans moving up to 2^nd in the Championship table! On day one at round three, a heavy turn one collision in moto one resulted in a nasty injury sustained by Kurt Evans, get well soon Kurt! In the rerun, Finley Evans got the holeshot before dropping back to 4^th behind winner Williams, Jimmy Margetson and Jayden Jones. Young Jayden had to work hard for that one coming through from 6^th. In moto two Williams then scored another moto win chased home by Finley Evans, Jones, Margetson, Lee Truman, Mark Young and Yarin Evans.

Then in a dramatic opening lap of the first clash on Sunday, Jones was to crash out as Finley Evans scorched to the win with Williams chasing him home. Early on in this moto, Harrison McCann had briefly hit the front before disappearing from proceedings. With Jayden Jones ruled out of the last moto due to medical advice after his race three crash and rain beginning to fall, Finley Evans produced another superb ride to control the contest from gate to flag as Williams scored a safe 2^nd spot. Finishing their weekend in style, Margetson, Truman, Young, Yarin Evans and Jack Evans were the next rider’s home.

Early on in moto one of the Open class , Liam Gale had held 3^rd but was then forced out with a hand injury following a heavy crash which was to curtail his racing for the weekend. That injury sustained is likely to now keep the unlucky Gale out for the next couple of months or so. Mark Roberts also sustained injury at Brookthorpe when crashing out in timed qualifying so let’s hope both lads recover quickly! Back to the racing and the weekend did certainly not start as planned for Open class leader Tyla Hooley as a midpack gate was then swiftly followed by a fall on the opening lap of moto one. Tyla though picked himself up to get home in 4^th as defending Champion James Dodd stormed to victory ahead of Corey Hockey who had bagged the holeshot with Ryan Crowder in 3^rd. Earlier Will Hughes had held that 3^rd spot before falling so it was 5^th for him just ahead of Josh Waterman making a welcome return to action following injury, Ben Clayton and Tyron Cleaver. Moto two and it was ‘Doddy’ all the way despite being under intense pressure from Holley who admitted “I tried everything I had to make a pass but he simply covered superbly every move, there was nothing more I could do!”. In this one Hughes saw off a very determined Crowder for 3^rd as Hockey who was only competing on day one due to UK EVO racing commitments on Sunday, once again started strongly but following a collision when disputing 4^th eventually finished down in 14^th.

Despite never having previously competed at Brookthorpe, Hooley then put to good use the knowledge gained on day one by scoring a brace of superb wins during the second day of action. Celebrating his 37^th birthday, Dodd chased Hooley home as Hughes and Crowder produced a couple of classic no-holds barred battles for 3^rd. On both occasions, Hughes got the verdict by the narrowest of margins to also bag the final podium step. In the overall, Crowder had to settle for a hard-earned 4^th but surely that podium will come before the season is out! Taking 5^th in the final standings was Waterman who had been very competitive all weekend with Clayton and Jacob Bowen next up.

On a weekend of superb racing, the Vets also played their part with some stunning battles which not only featured a fast front three of Jamie Dobson, Phil Mercer and James Lane but you could also throw the likes of Lee Martin, Sam Callow, Dain Traylor, Simon Lane and Matt Ryder into that mix! Renowned for his fast starting, Dobson had to settle for 3^rd in the opening moto as James Lane grabbed the holeshot before being passed early on by Mercer. With all of the above names posting top ten finishes, they were joined by Matt Chaplin and Clayton Hogg. Normal service was then resumed in moto two as Dobson made his obligatory quick start to then go onto the win despite coming under intense and heavy pressure from Mercer.

Both moto’s on Sunday then followed a similar pattern as Dobson led for the majority of the contest before being overhauled by the clever, wily Mercer! Despite being just one day away from his 55^th birthday, ‘Factory Phil’ is still an outstanding rider with incredible track craft and the ability to grind down his rivals before making passes at critical points of a moto. So, in the Vets Over 40’s it was Dobson taking the overall and increasing his series lead over James Lane by another six points as Lee Martin got the final podium spot. Mercer, Simon Lane and Ryder filled the Vets Over 50’s box as the ultra-consistent Brian Staples scored another Vets Over 60’s overall ahead of Andrew Prosser and Daran Williams.

In a stacked and very competitive Clubman’s class, Ayjay Simpson on his Stark electric bike took moto one after a great scrap with Charlie Ludwell and George Clarke. Such was the pace of that front three that they broke well clear of 4^th placed Max Monk with Jack Hollis, Mackenzie Tranter and Callum Radford next up. After the glory of that opening moto win it was though to go all wrong for Simpson in the second clash of the weekend as he crashed out early on. In that one it was Monk all the way from Clubman Seniors series leader Clarke, Ludwell, Hollis, Tranter and John Cox.

On day two, Monk then scored another win in moto three before Clarke proved victorious in the last one of the weekend. In three of the four Clubman moto’s, Charlie Early was the first Junior rider home with his best finish being a strong 8^th in the third clash. That meant that he also took the Clubman Juniors overall top slot from Benjamin Prosser and Lewis Perks. Over in the Seniors contest, Max Monk earned top step on the podium from Clarke and Ludwell.

Backing up his overall win during round two at Bromsberrow, Mason Brown was at it again in the BW85cc class at Brookthorpe this time reeling off a maximum points score. The only rider to get ahead of Mason was Byron Wheldon who briefly led the final moto. In this mixed class which features BW85cc, SW85cc and 65cc riders, the star performer though for me at Brookthorpe was tiny 65cc pilot Cohen Llewellyn. Continually the little KTM pilot was really mixing it up with the lads on the bigger capacity machinery. After starting with a 7^th place, Cohen then reeled off a hat-trick of 5^th places and was involved in arguably the Youth battle of the weekend in moto three when he held off Wheldon. So, on the BW85cc podium it was a top three of Brown, Will Kremer and Cameron Berry. Tate Vincent scored maximum points on his way to overall SW85cc victory ahead of Aaron Mercer, Oliver Moore, Alfie Williams and Zac Williams. And of course, it was that lad Llewellyn topping the 65cc class with Harvey Wood the runner-up.

Well done to the organising Cheltenham Spa MXC and all the riders on producing a classic round three of the 2026 AMCA British Motocross Championship.    

Words and Images by Mike Wood