The Motocross des Nations at Foxhill is infamous for its torrid conditions and riders attending the final round of the British Masters Motocross series had a taste of those conditions this past weekend. ARB Tuning Kawasaki's three riders were amongst those, and all things considered, gave the team a good ending to the British Masters.
Youth rider Vytautas Bucas qualified third in the Youth 125 class on Saturday, and then proceeded to race two solid races in the steadily worsening conditions. While he had to work his way back from sixth in the first race, the second was a run in second all the way to just before the end. Pro Open riders Mark Jones and Jamie Lewis qualified in first and eleventh respectively late on Saturday afternoon.
Throughout the night it rained and left everyone staring at the same torrid conditions as that infamous Des Nations race a decade ago. But, it was ultimately the same for everyone, and all three riders went out to make the best of it. Vytautas started the first race of the day in second and kept pace with the leader Scott Elderfield, but had to concede one place. In the second race, Vytautas led the pack of nine riders from start to finish, most of the other youth riders simply not bothering to try the final race. His overall points gave him first
place.
Mark led the first Pro Open race convincingly, battling with Mark Hucklebridge and a returned Gordon Crockard. A mistake made in the last lap cost Mark dearly as he dropped the bike and lost the lead to his two rivals. Jamie ran a solid race in fifth place, working hard to keep pace with Wayne Smith, but had to concede one place to Danny Smyth with two laps to go.
The second race for both riders was a bit of a disaster. While Mark again took the lead early, a first-lap mistake again cost him the lead and several places. He tried hard to reel in Hucklebridge, Smith and Crockard, but it was all in vain. A fourth place was the best he could get. Jamie started in sixth, soon moved up to fifth, but dropped the bike, which meant that he had to start afresh. By the closing laps of the race he had worked his way back to sixth, but again fell, injuring his elbow, and having to pull out a lap from the end due to the searing pain. Mark ended the day overall in fourth, while Jamie's results gave him sixth.
With the series over, Vytautas walks away as the Youth 125 champion, while Mark Jones ends fourth in the Pro Open championship, and Jamie Lewis one place behind in fifth.
Mark Bishop, the team owner, declared himself very satisfied with the results of the meeting, but commented that it was a shame that the weather had been so unkind to such a well-organised series this year.
Bishop:"Ken has done a wonderful job with the British Masters, and it's a shame that it had to end with such an anti-climax. The riders did a great job, and when you see pro riders paddling through the muck, you know it is bad."
The team will ride its final race at the final round of the Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Hawkstone Park in a fortnight, after which Vytautas will represent his country Lithuania in the Open class at the Motocross of Nations at Donington Park in Derbyshire the weekend after.
The team thanks Ade Threasher Photography for the images.
