Billy Mac and Tommy shine at Donington…
Published: 10th March 2008
Author: Pondo
The two brightest stars in British motocross ruled the roost at Donington on Sunday – for Tommy, it’s just another step on the road to America, whilst Mac211 started the campaign to regain his title just exactly how he means to go on…
For Billy, a lot of the contest today was mental, but Tommy had to work for it. In the first MX2 moto, it was Pascal Leuret quickest out of the gate, with Shaun Simpson heading a quality pack that included Tommy, Stephen Sword, Gareth Swanepoel, Martin Barr and reigning champion Mike Brown. But it soon became clear that this was a three-horse race – as Simpson and Searle stacked up in second and third, Leuret’s Suzuki slowly towed them clear of the pack. Within a handful of laps, the feisty-looking KTM pair of Simpson and Searle were through into first and second – it was Simpson who lead, but not for long… Tommy’s Red Bull Katoom scrapped past Shaun’s KTM UK-issue bike, and although Simpson made a decent fist of bringing the fight back to the number two of Searle, he hit troubles of his own, first slowing to let Leuret by, then withdrawing altogether. Further back, Swanie came from behind to mug Molson Kawasaki team-mate Swordy as they both charged through the field towards the podium. But the experienced Scot, showing great form after such a terrible couple of seasons, regrouped and repassed the young South African on the last lap to snitch third. Fast-starting Carl Nunn accidently hit reverse on lap one, dropping from third to eighth before settling down – but then a tyre-related incident forced him into the pits for a wheel change. Only slightly more fortunate, Mike Brown stalled his CAS CRF and was unable to restart the beast – circulating a lap down, he eventually brought it home 21st.
For moto two, Swordy came out with his best fighting trousers on – this time, he managed to get away with Searle, Simpson and Leuret, and the battle quickly shaped up as a kick-up between the three Brits, with Leuret again holding a watching brief. Swordy led, but Simpson soon came by – when Searle also made a pass stick, it looked as though Molson’s Grand Prix veteran would join Leuret further back. But the Scot just spat on his hands and went back to work, staying with the battle and repassing Simpson after Tommy made his move for the lead. For a short while, it looked like the number seven of Sword might have a bit of something for Searle, but the KTM star slowly eked out a lead for his second win in what might be his final British Championship round for a while. With Searle effectively withdrawing from the series, on today’s form it looks like the battle will most likely between Swordy and Simpson for the race to take Brown’s crown.
In contrast, the smart money has to be on the MX1 number one plate staying firmly where it is. Billy Mackenzie barely put a wheel wrong all night to win both motos of the MX1 class – holeshotting moto one, the Scot motored out to a comfy lead and just brought it home when arm-pump tantilised with its incapicatating caress. Behind him, Tom Church got on with the business of making a fine debut in the MX1 class, running a comfy second until Kenneth Gundersen, with almost no time on a bike since surgery, came slowly creeping up. Gundo made a pass with just over a lap to go - TC had nothing left to respond with, but making the third step on his big-bore debut is pretty special. Honourable mention goes to Brad Anderson for his fight back after a terrible start saw him in 18th as they crossed the finish line on lap one.
In typical Ando style, it didn’t stop there – the fiery northesterner had a knock-down battle with the normally tranquil James Noble in the second. As the weather threatened to turn nasty, Billy Mac motored calmly away again with TC second once more – this time, however, the Molson Kawasaki star had Gundersen, Noble and Anderson right from the start. Church was soon dropped into a fifth place he would hold until the end, but the places between Gundo, Noble and Ando seemed to change lap on lap. As the silky smooth Norwegian also began to slip back, Noble and Anderson went at it, with the KTM-mounted Noble getting uncharacteristically aggressive at times. But when it comes to aggression, there would only be one winner…! Ultimately, Noble’s attempts to fight back would cost him as he made a mistake that dropped him out of the battle and behind Gundersen once more, where he would finish.
Daytona, by way of contrast, was the sort of rain-soaked mud-fest you would normally associate with Britain at this time of year. With practice curtailed to try and protect the track, the heavens were sufficiently generous as to pretty much make it a pointless gesture – instead of the deep and gnarly Floridian sand, it was just slop, slop and more slop. Nevertheless, the racing went ahead –on a night where everyone made mistakes, it was all about damage limitation, and Reedy had been both the fastest and the least error-strewn on his way to coming out on top of a close battle with Kevin Windham and taking the chequers. But then, astonishingly, with just three corners until the finish, the Thunder from Down Under stalled his bike with the race in the bag. He kicked, and kicked…. And kicked and kicked and kicked. But the San Manuel Band Of Mission Indians YZF had simply just had enough, and the series leader had to abandon his bike and walk home. Windham was the man next along and scooped up the honours with his first Daytona win, ahead of Davi Millsaps and Jacob Marsack, who seems intent on proving his credentials as a mud rider. So far superior had Reed been that he had lapped up to sixth place before retiring, which should have been his finishing position – however, to add insult to injury, he was given a time penalty by the AMA which dropped him a further position. Ultimately, he’s still the man in the driving seat, however, as Windham is still almost a whole win down, despite this gift.
Trey Canard, however, seems unable to put a foot wrong. The Torco Fuels Honda rookie spent his first Daytona Supercross under pressure from the best MX2 rider on the planet (well, clearly the best, until Canard turned up and started to make him look human). Villopoto spent large parts of Friday trying to apply the thumbscrews, but instead it was ‘Poto himself who began making mistakes, after eating large portions of Canard’s roost dropping back and settling for second. Third place went to Matt Boni after Ben Coisy and Suzuki privateer Jim Albertson tangled late on and took each other out.