Kawasaki celebrated their third national motocross championship success of 2007 when KRT’s Billy Mackenzie won the Maxxis British title at his first attempt to compliment crowns gained in the USA and France.
23 year old Mackenzie, winner of the Grand Prix of Japan and the first world championship event with the KX450F-SR, gave the manufacturer their first British accolade since 1996 and ended Honda’s seven year dominance in the premier class of the UK competition.
The eighth and final round of the Maxxis-backed championship at a sunny and spectator-packed Pontrilas circuit was actually won by team-mate Tanel Leok who was making a one-off appearance. The Estonian assisted the crew and Mackenzie enormously by defeating the Scot’s main rival Ken de Dycker in the first moto (‘Mac’ was third) and then shadowed and defended leader Mackenzie in the second race until the two factory machines had a safe margin, by which stage he moved through and went on to seal his second chequered flag of the day.
With results of third and second to take second overall Mackenzie confirmed his maiden British Championship by ten points over De Dycker and only missed the podium once from eight rounds, not dropping out of the top four in sixteen motos.
“I have been chasing this for so long and it is something very cool to be British Champion. We did not drop out of the top four in each moto and that’s what wins championships,’ he said. ‘I am glad Tanel came over this weekend, he really helped us out. I knew Tanel would move over if he had to but it was actually better that he won because then I only lost two points.”
“The bike was working fantastically and I holeshotted again in the second race,’ he continued. ‘I had no bother with arm-pump and had eighteen seconds over Ken who was back in fifth. Tanel stayed behind me all the time; he was easily faster but we cruised together and I felt like I had things under control. When we came into the last stages I gave him some space and let him go because he deserved the win. I then concentrated on not making any mistakes and not doing anything stupid.”
“I would like to say a big thank you to Kawasaki,” he added. “They have been amazing this year and have really opened my eyes as to what it is like to be on a factory team. They are a bunch of great people. Steve Guttridge made it all possible, he opened the door and Jan took a chance on me. My mechanic Luka has also been a star. I have never ridden a bike quite like the KX.”
“It was a good day, nice weather and a nice track even if it was hard in the second race because the sun was low and it was difficult to see,“ said a content Leok. ”It is always nice to win, it does not matter what race it is!”
“It has always been a big goal of mine to bring the British Championship to Kawasaki,” said Kawasaki Europe Racing Co-ordinator Steve Guttridge. “We won the MX2 class and the manufacturers in 2004 with Stephen Sword but to win the premier MX1 title with Billy has been perfect, so it has been a very good day. The way that Tanel came over here to help, and the Kawasaki Racing Team approached this meeting, just shows how well we have things co-ordinated. Tanel rode smartly and did a fantastic job.”
Both of Kawasaki Racing Team’s riders will now prepare for the last major meeting of the season at the 61st Motocross of Nations. The Budds Creek circuit near Washington DC in the United States will see Leok spearheading Estonia’s three man team while Mackenzie is one of the star names in the British trio.
Leok will then return to Europe promptly to try and wrap-up the Dutch championship and completed a quadruple for Kawasaki.
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