Crendon Tru7 Honda’s Conrad Mewse clinched the 2024 Fastest 40 MX1 championship crown despite there still being one round left to run, after a determined ride at Hawkstone Park. It marks back-to-back title wins in the series, which was called the MX Nationals until last year.
The event was the first ever combined ACU British championship and Fastest 40 meeting, with points scored by all riders counting towards both championships.
Mewse said: “It’s great to wrap the Fastest 40 championship up. That’s two for two – I won it last year and to defend and do it again is just awesome. It’s a great championship, I love the series and the new format this year.
“As for the racing today, it was a tough one as Jeffrey got the better of me. In the first one I had a terrible start and I came from nearly last to second so that was a good race. I had to accept that to be anywhere near him you have to be near him in the first turn. And I was very far from that!
“Then in the second moto I so nearly had the holeshot but Jeffrey got in front and I hung with him for as long as I could. He’s very, very fast at the minute. I’m trying my best and working so hard and tried to stay with him for as long as possible. But 2-2 on the day behind him was all I had today, and I had some good racing. I’ll keep working and try to stay with him at the end of the race in the British championship rounds left this season.”
Nichols, 7th overall in MX2, said: “I’m not a full-time racer any more so I have to be happy that I rode well and finished seventh overall against such fast competition. I had two top ten finishes and I enjoyed racing on this track. I was lucky to just about avoid the carnage in the first corner of race one but got tangled up a couple of corners later so it was hard work from there on.”
Hammal, 9th overall in MX2, said: “I didn’t start the day off very well at all. The very first fast lap in qualifying I had a big crash and hit the ground pretty hard. I was really hurting after that and that took the wind out of my sails for the rest of the day. “In the first race I didn’t get a great start but was coming through and it got red flagged. I was starting to find a rhythm towards the end but it was too late.
“In the second race I had a better start and was in seventh but couldn’t get by Dylan Walsh. I was trying really hard but I got stuck at his pace which caused me to lose a bit of focus. But I came back at the end so I was happy with that. Seventh is not where I want to be – I should be top three – but it’s a very fast group this year and I feel like I was riding OK in that second race. It’s also not my favourite track where some riders love it here.”
Team principal Dave Thorpe said: “Congratulations to Conrad on taking the championship again. He rode so well and that first race was just stunning the way he came through the pack. And of course, a championship win is well deserved for the whole team who work so hard to give Conrad what he needs.
“Both our MX2 riders rode really well in tough conditions and against such fast competitors. Jake doesn’t ride full-time any more so to come here and run consistently in the top ten is a big credit to him. Taylor had a difficult day after his crash in qualifying. But in race two he was back to battling for good positions. Hawkstone is not his favourite track so I expect he’ll be stronger at the next two rounds.”
