The 2026 Arenacross Tour, Presented by Dirt Store, is preparing to welcome the teams into the paddock within the BP Pulse Live Arena in Birmingham, as a magnificent seven outfits have their machines ready, and athletes primed for the start of the series at the NEC!
All Pro Riders have a hectic night of action ahead of them, from the Qualifying Hot Laps at the start of the night to determine gate position, to three Main Event races that get progressively longer through the night, with the wildcard thrill of Head-to-Head encounters thrown in before that final Main Event.
The Pro riders will give their all throughout the evening, not just for themselves, but because each squad will be vying for the Pro Teams Championship, won for the last two years by Stark Future Racing, who will be defending that honour with a rider who has been at the cornerstone of their indoor success since they first brought the silent machines to the arenas!
2024 Arenacross Champion Jack Brunell is back for his third year with the Swedish brand, and his consistency and experience will surely pay dividends for the squad, who have brought in Birmingham local boy Steven Clarke, from nearby Stourbridge, to race alongside Jack in defence of that Team Championship.
Reigning Rider’s Champion Dean Wilson lines up again for the Armor Vision Powered by St Blazey MX team, and whilst he may be the favourite to retain his title, the squad have turned to Ulster veteran and perennial AX enthusiast Martin Barr to be a solid back-up to the Champ, and to reflect their dealerships interests the team will field both Honda and Stark machinery.
The Dirt Store Triumph Racing team brings the solid pairing of Dylan Woodcock and Eddie Jay Wade, both with a sublime mix of style and aggression, and the squad is determined to take the team title in a series that they are presenting partners of. The black British bikes will sparkle under the lights of the AX Tour!
The Bayliss brothers, Matt and Chris, each bring Husqvarna machinery to the J3M Shocktech Racing squad, and if sheer enthusiasm can earn results then they will be a force to be reckoned with! Numbers 3 & 17 will crank up the entertainment factor as always!
Herefordshire team AJP Racing have a deep family connection to the Triumph brand, so their boy Ben Clayton will ride another of the British machines in this year’s tour, while also bringing along the original AX Champ Adam Chatfield and his trusty 450 Honda to challenge for the top spots.
Substance JPR KTM, run by Spiral GFX boss and rider Jake Preston, fly the flag for the orange brand and have picked up Belfast local James Mackrel as a late replacement for Jason Meara, who is still dealing with health issues from last year. The pair will be keen to get amongst the top five and beyond, especially James who is particularly feisty in those Head-to-Head races!
Italian brand Fantic are represented by a strong Motocross team that turns to AX for the first time, so Phoenix Tools Racing Fantic bring the northern flavour with Scottish battler John Adamson and AX rookie Carlton Husband to show off their XXF 450 machines to the public! Both men are hard-charging, aggressive, and work hard on their fitness, so the longer races in particular should suit their style and give them the track time to improve through the night!
Add these Pro clashes to the AX Pro-Am chaos, Superminis, Minis & E-Minis, plus the incredible feats of the Freestyle MX masters, and you have yourself an amazing night of on-track action! Don’t forget the Fan Zone will be open from 4pm to let fans in for no extra cost with the chance to meet all of the riders above! All roads lead to Birmingham this Saturday night!
