2026 AMCA British MX Championship R5 at Hawkstone Park

Whether you love it or loathe it, the chance to compete at the iconic Hawkstone Park must surely be top of any motocross riders wish list! Once there though and on the start line, to then have the ability to produce top results and maybe bag a podium spot is a whole different scenario! On Sunday during round 5 of the 2026 AMCA British Motocross Championship, most of the leading contenders in this year’s title races did manage to produce the goods, getting the outcomes they were hoping for and thus ensuring that they are now ready to push on towards the series finishing line.

Starting with the Open class and leader Tyla Hooley had to settle for second overall after being headed by fellow youngster Freddie Bartlett who was under the CPMX Racing Ltd awning for the day. On a 450F KTM for the first time, Bartlett and Hooley proceeded to entertain with two truly outstanding battles of high quality and worthy of the stage that they were being played out on! In moto one, Hooley led for eight rip roaring laps before Bartlett found a way through for the win. Holding 3^rd from gate to flag was James Dodd whilst his FUS Marsh MX teammate Will Hughes took 4^th after holding off Jayden Ashwell making a welcome return after suffering injury at round one. In this one Ashwell’s AJP teammate Ben Clayton, Jacob Bowden, Drew Roe, Michael Parsons and Josh Greedy were next up.

Producing arguably the save of the day, Dodd led the second Open class moto only to spectacularly get into a speedway style, high speed broad slide! Right on the gas and displaying outstanding throttle control, Doddy somehow remained on board as Hooley hit the front with Bartlett in tow. Just three laps in and 16-year-old Bartlett took control and from here onwards it was to be another classic as Hooley was right on his tail and chasing hard for the entire duration. Resisting every move, Bartlett again took the win with Dodd having a very lonely ride in 3^rd, as Clayton, Hughes and Ashwell were also in the mix.

It was to be another Wildcard rider taking the overall victory in the Hawkstone MX2 class as Max Harris was first past the post on both occasions. The racing in MX2 certainly matched the excitement of the Open class by producing its own couple of outstanding encounters! In moto one, Joel Fisher made a stunning start and led the way for three laps before Henry Williams the series leader took over. Henry’s advantage though was to last for just another two circuits before eventual winner Harris came steaming through. Gating initially down in 10^th, Harris was right on the gas finishing 10 seconds clear of Williams whilst Finley Evans, Ray Rowson, Rory Jones, early leader Fisher, Jonathan Evans, Jack Lindsay and Yarin Evans were next home. In this opening MX2 moto, both top six riders Jimmy Margetson and Lee Truman recorded DNF’s going out on lap eight. For Margetson suffering a whole spate of recent misfortune this was further unwanted heartache! Forced to ride his 125cc mount instead of the usual 250F, Jimmy’s engine then expired signalling the end of his Hawkstone participation!

MX2 moto two then produced one of the races of the day as Rowson led and brilliantly held off constant pressure from Williams, Finley Evans, Fisher and Harris. On his rapid 250cc two-stroke Yamaha, Harris though was not to be denied and stylishly picked off his rivals before hitting the front on lap five. In this super contest, Finley Evans eventually bagged a hard-earned 2^nd spot from Williams, Rowson, Rory Jones, Fisher, Jonathan Evans, Yarin Evans and Luke Meredith. With Championship contender Jayden Jones electing to instead travel down to Little Silver and protect his series lead in the Plews British Masters MXY2 class, the Hawkstone results means that Williams has further increased his AMCA MX2 advantage and Finley Evans has moved up into 2^nd spot.

There was drama on the opening lap of the 125cc/125cc Youth moto one at Hawkstone as top contender Aaron Colley and Luke Phillips collided. Whilst Phillips was quickly up and running, Colley was to unfortunately suffer a season ending broken shoulder. At the front, young Oakley Skinner led the way before series pacesetter Lee Sealey stylishly took control. After his super performance during round four, Ashley Harland was at it again coming through from 9^th to chase title rival Sealey home. Jordan Wright, Oakley Kettle. Joseph Robinson, early leader Skinner, Will Turner, Patrick Gilligan and Luke Newman also started with strong top ten placings. Following his early crash, Phillips worked very hard to get back up to 17^th.

After his super moto one start, Skinner was quick out of the blocks again in the second clash only to disappear from proceedings early on. At the front, Jordan Wright led the initial exchanges before the immaculate Sealey took control on lap three before then racing onto another big, vital 25 Championship points. Chasing him home was that man Harland and what an interesting moto he was to encounter! Hit by a riderless bike when entering the famous Hawkstone bomb hole, he dropped down to 6^th before recovering and then inserting heavy pressure on leader Sealey. With fellow title contender Wright in 3^rd next up was a trio of Youth riders Sean Smout, eventual overall winner and wildcard Joseph Robinson and Ted Bullen as Phillips, Gilligan, Bobby Watson and Charlie Palmer completed the top ten.

Ace Suspension boss Aaron Crowder grabbed the holeshot in the opening combined and very competitive Vet’s/Women’s Championship contest. By lap two though it was Phil Mercer hitting the front and in his usual smooth classy style he then glided to the eventual win as Lee Martin took 2^nd with Crowder in 3^rd. As Vet’s Over 40’s series leader Jamie Dobson got home in 4^th from Sam Callow, Matt Ryder and Ashley Locke, Championship title contender James Lane certainly had to work hard for his points! Starting in 7^th a crash dropped him right down to 18^th before a super recovery saw him climb right back to an eventual 8^th. Also producing a stunning performance in this one was Wildcard Women’s Championship rider Lauren May Collingwood. Really mixing it up with some of the more experienced and recognised Vet’s, Lauren was passing for fun and on the gas getting right up to a great 6^th spot only to then frustratingly stall her engine on the final lap and be relegated back to 11^th!

There was then drama at the start of the second moto as Women’s series leader Hannah Jones crashed and restarted a distant last! Undeterred though Hannah got right back on the power to get home in 22^nd place. At the front it was Mercer again taking the win from Martin, James Lane, Crowder, Simon Lane, Ryder and Dobson. First Lady home again and the eventual Women’s overall winner on the day was the super-fast Collingwood in 9^th with Holly Williams, Caitlin Newman and Amber McGregor also inside the top twenty. In the overall results the major headlines saw Lee Martin repeat his 2025 Hawkstone performance with another Vet’s Over 40’s AMCA win, Caitlin Newman move up into 2^nd place in the Women’s series and Mark Tilzey jump above Daran Williams in the Vet’s Over 60’s class to now also hold 2^nd place.

It was fantastic to see over 30 riders on the Hawkstone start line and ready to contest the combined Youth 65cc/SW85cc/BW85cc class. In the two completed contests, Riley Rogers on his SW85cc mount certainly showed his quality by really taking it to the big boy’s! In moto one despite coming under intense pressure from BW85cc series leader Mason Brown, Riley led it all the way to record a super win. Also opening the day with strong rides in a restarted moto were Jack Clark, Will Kremer, Joey Livingstone, Byron Wheldon, Max Hempson, Cameron Jones, Tyler Oliver and Jimmy Whiston.

In Youth moto two, Brown then got his revenge with a classy start to flag win as Rogers having initially gated in 2^nd eventually dropped down to 5^th behind Clark, Kremer and Livingstone. In the overall verdicts it was a BW85cc top three of Brown, Clark and Kremer with Rogers, Sebastian Todd and Luke Swift, all Wildcards on the SW85cc podium. In the 65cc contest Wildcard Walter Barnett took the top spot from AMCA series leader Harvey Wood and Sebastian Vernon.

On his trusty electric powered Stark, Ayjay Simpson led the opening combined Clubman Seniors/Juniors all the way as Charlie Ludwell moved up from 5^th to chase him home. In this one, Seniors class leader George Clarke finished 4^th with Junior’s pacesetter Charlie Osborne down in 16^th. Moto one also saw strong rides from Archie Humphrey, Louis Tilley, Josh Ithell, Joel Kremer, Kieran Davies and Ryan Tilley.

With another copybook ride, Simpson also led moto two all the way as Ludwell again took 2^nd. Gating in 9^th, Clarke got back to 3^rd and thus safely maintain his Clubman Seniors series lead. Defending his Clubman Juniors lead, Osborne was 15^th in moto two and 6^th overall. That meant that he still finished ahead of his closest rivals in the Championship table, Lewis Perks and John Cox.     

Words and Images by Mike Wood