Published on 2 June 2017

British Championship at Desertmartin edging closer!

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Words: Malcolm Beattie

With just over two weeks to go to the highlight of the motocross year, the arrival of the MAXXIS British Championship round 5 on Sunday 18^th June at Desertmartin, details have been released by the Cookstown Club of the entry.

Carrickfergus native Graeme Irwin heads the list as the red plate holder of Championship leader in the Premier MX1 Class on his Buildbase Honda, with a slender 4 point lead over his erstwhile team mate, Frenchman Steven Lenoir with popular Latvian Gert Krestinov in third, the curly haired rider always getting a lot of support from his countrymen who are now living in Ireland, and who certainly add a special atmosphere on the day.

Evergreen Geordie Brad Anderson holds down fourth from Elliot Banks Browne with the injured Jake Nicholls in sixth.

Popular Dubliner Stuart Edmonds will also be hoping for a good run, the TM rider is currently 12^th in the Championship, and local interest is also there with a Wild Card ride for Greyabbey man Craig Browne on the Smoke Vent KTM

The big news however, is the return to racing of Grand Prix star Tommy Searle who will be riding for the first time after injury earlier in the year, although nowhere in the Championship, Tommy will be looking to get back on form for his GP return.

In the MX2 Class, there is local interest in Doagh based Martin Barr who is third on his Buildbase Honda after injury left him trailing a bit in the early rounds, but he will be hoping that his favourite circuit will be kinder to him than last year when a crash while challenging for the lead ruined his season, he needs points to chase down Ben Watson on his Hitachi KTM GB mount riding for local businessman Roger Magee, the young Watson has really come good this year and is having an impressive season at home and at GP level, while sandwiched in between these two is Estonian Harri Kullas who has been riding both classes this year, and indeed, has entered for both at Desertmartin, a real iron man there if he can complete all four races!

Also in this highly competitive class are local rivals Glenn McCormick on his Agnew Recovery KTM 31^st in the Championship, and Jason Meara on his similar machine 24th, and Dublin lad Jake Sheridan on his RSR KTM dipping his toe in the waters.

The MXY2 Championship resumes after a two month break, with Keenan Hird leading the Championship on his Team Green Kawasaki from Jake Edey on his KTM with pre season favourites Yamaha mounted Tom Grimshaw & Joe Cadwallader on his Husqvarna third and fourth, local interest here is in the form of TM mounted Galway lad Dylan Stynes, who has been having an excellent season across the water and is currently tenth in the Championship.

It all kicks off at 9.00am on the 18^th with practice and qualifying, with the first race off at 11.55, entry is £25 for adults with concessions for children, so come along and support the home riders.