Brad Todd won both Pro Mx1 races at last weekend’s round four of the Bridgestone Masters of Motocross at a very changeable Ironworks circuit and has now scored six race wins in a row. But, while Todd was doing his thing in the MX1’s Carton Husband, now fully recovered from his shoulder injury, found his old pace to take two hard-fought wins in the Pro MX2’s.
The hardworking member of the Master’s team thought they had missed the worst of the forecast rain, but on Friday night, the heavens opened up and down it came making the packed paddock a mud bath. But as Friday night became Saturday morning, the rain eased off, with the well-protected track was more than ridable for a day of competitive racing. Unfortunately, Saturday evening, the rain returned. But as the riders awoke on the last day, the sun was shining, drying out the track and giving a large number of riders a lot to think about on what was a very challenging weekend.
Todd (Moto-Cycle Yamaha) got the holeshot at the start of the first combined Pro MX1 and MX2 with Dan Thornhill (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) and Liam Knight (Gabriel KTM) in his wheel track and with the first of the MX2’s Husband (Phoenix Kawasaki) in fourth at the end of the opening lap.
For the rest of the race, the large crowd watched Thornhill do all he could to find a way past Todd for the race win. But conditions were against him as offline the sticky mud was deeper, and the bike would try and slip out from under him, and in the turns you needed to drop into one of the deep grooves around all the turns.
But, in the end, Todd managed to hold on for the first win of the weekend with Thornhill under a second behind him. Knight, in his last event before a season-ending knee operation, was in a lonely third place.
John Robson (Bikesport KTM) started fourth but became under pressure from a load of charging MX2 riders from the halfway point and ended his race in eighth but fourth MX1.
As for the MX2’s. Husband, after his great start, spent all but a lap in fourth, but behind him, Jay Hague (Crendon Fasttrack Honda), John Adamson (Gabriel KTM) and Michael Ellis (ICE Husqvarna) were coming, and fast. As the laps counted down, Hague closed the gap on the class leader Husband but just ran out of laps.
Adamson gated eighth but slipped back two places in the tricky condition in the first two laps. He then regrouped to fight his way back to sixth in the race but third MX2 home.
Despite being on an MX2 bike, Husband got the holeshot at the start of the Pro’s second race, followed by Thornhill, Knight, Todd, and Adamson. Thornhill slipped by Husband and into the lead at the end of the first lap, with Todd following him through a lap later. Todd then put Thornhill under a lot of pressure for four laps till he found a way past for the lead and the race win.
Thornhill slipped off at the back of the track and remounted in sixth, allowing Knight, Husband, Adamson, and Hague through. He repassed Hague with two laps to go.
Knight was second to Todd as the pair crossed the finish line, separated by just over two seconds, with Thornhill fifth but third MX1. Husband was chassed over by Adamson less the half a second behind, with Hague a distant third after he stopped to pull out some thick mud that had stuck his rear brake on and brought him to a stop.
Overall, it was Todd with two win’s first from Knight and Thornhill, with Richard McKeown fourth in the Pro MX1’s, while Husband had two wins in the MX2’s from Adamson and Hague, with Ellis just missing out on the podium.
“I honestly only came here today to just ride around to get championship points,” said a happy Pro Mx1 overall winner Todd, “I have been in the hospital the last four days with really bad headaches. But, after I went out in practice, I felt really good, and I went into the races with an open mind as I was thinking I would fade as I have not been riding much for the last three weeks with other things going on, so I am over the moon with the two wins.”
Husband said when asked who this new Carlton Husband is and why he isn’t at all the races, he said, “To be honest, I am going to ask myself that when I get home tonight. I broke my shoulder six weeks ago, and I haven’t been feeling myself. But last week, I have put in a couple of good sessions and have come out this weekend swinging. I just have to keep it up now.”
The rest
Aaron Padstone notched yet another four wins from four starts in the amateur MX1 and now had a seventy-point lead in the championship. Edward Briscoe, who chased him over the line three out of the four times, was second with Benjamin Knight, and George Clarke finished equal on points, third.
With two wins and two-second places, Sam Atkinson won the amateur MX2’s from Dan Brought and Alfie Jones, who had a win each on there was to second and third.
Adam Paxton didn’t finish out of the top three all weekend and, with two wins, took the clubman class overall, while race one and three winner, wildcard Mark Trow was second. Joe Croft was third while Scott Anymore finished on the same points as Croft was fourth but hissed out on the podium because of Croft’s higher place last race finish.
Troy Willerton proved that you don’t have to win a race to win an overall, as with three-second places and a third gave him the overall in the 125cc two-stroke class. Despite winning a race, each Jorden Bachelor and Arai Elock were second and third. After two race wins and a third, Rob Holyoak a DNF in the last race that dropped him down to the eighth place.
Youth
It couldn’t have been tighter at the top of the MXY2’s as both Ban Clark and Max Lewis had two wins, one second and one third each, to finish the weekend on the same points. But Clark claimed the top step on the podium by virtue of his higher place last race finish. Jack Lindsay finished all his races in the top three was third overall, with Jude Turton a distant fourth place.
With three wins and a second, Tyla Hooley won the big wheel 85’s but had to work for it as he came from fourth to win race one. He came from tenth to win race two on the last lap and from sixth to win race three. But, in race four and after he got the holeshot, Billy Askew passed him to snatch the win as Hooley had to settle for a second that time. Askew was second overall, with Josh Vail third.
Reece Jones dominated the small wheel 85’s by winning all four of his races, with Drew Stock second and Jamie Keith third.
Like the small wheel’s Robbie Daly won all four of his junior 65cc races from Alfie Geddes-Green and Olly Waters. Words and pics by Dick Law.
Pro MX1:
1 Brad Todd (Moto-Cycle Yamaha) 45 + 45 = 90
2 Lian Knight (Gabriel KTM) 41 + 43 + 84
3 Dan Thornhill (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) 43 + 41 = 84
4 Richard McKeown (RM22 Husqvarna) 37 + 39 = 76
5 John Robson (Bikesport KTM) 39 + 37 = 76
6 Drew Anderson (Destination MX Husqvarna) 35 + 35 = 70
7 Simon Booth (Acerbis KTM) 34 + 34 = 68
8 Keirren Genge (Meredith Suzuki) 33 + 33 = 66
9 James Hutchinson (YTR Yamaha) 32 + 0 = 32
Pro MX2:
1 Carlton Husband (Phoenix Kawasaki) 45 + 45 = 90
2 John Adamson (Gabriel KTM) 41 + 43 = 84
3 Jay Hague (Crendon Fasttrack Honda) 43 + 41 = 84
4 Michael Ellis (ICS Husqvarna) 39 + 39 = 78
5 Robert Yates (IDS Yamaha) 37 + 37 = 74
6 Rossi Beard (Husqvarna) 35 + 34 = 69
7 Lewis Hall (RHR Yamaha) 34 + 33 = 67
8 Howard Wainwright (RHR Yamaha) 0 + 35 = 35
Amateur MX1:
1 Aaron Patstone (Brenron KTM) 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 = 180
2 Edward Briscoe (EBL Husqvarna) 43 + 43 + 43 + 41 = 170
3 Benjamin Knight (ANSA Yamaha) 41 + 37 + 39 + 43 = 160
4 George Clarke (Artisan Yamaha) 39 + 41 + 41 + 39 = 160
5 Harry Bradley (Hydrogarden Suzuki) 35 + 39 + 35 + 35 = 144
6 Jamie Fort (Honda) 37 + 34 + 34 + 37 = 142
7 John Joe Wright (KTM) 33 + 33 + 37 + 28 = 131
8 Ross Millard (FCWGH KTM) 32 + 32 + 30 + 34 = 128
9 Kieran Clarke (AquaHeat Kawasaki) 34 + 35 + 25 + 33 = 127
10 Brad Thornhill (WMC KTM) 30 + 31 + 33 + 31 = 125
Amateur MX2:
1 Sam Atkinson (Phoenix Kawasaki) 45 + 45 + 43 + 43 = 176
2 Dan Brough (Pinewood Husqvarna) 43 + 39 + 45 + 39 = 166
3 Alfie Jones (KTM) 37 + 43 + 39 + 45 = 164
4 Rory Jones (J4M54 KTM) 41 + 41 + 41 + 41 = 164
5 Mitchell Warhurst (KTM) 39 +35 + 37 + 37 = 148
6 Harry Barker (KTM) 34 + 34 + 33 + 34 = 135
7 Aaron Ongley (KTM) 32 + 33 + 28 + 35 = 128
8 Mitch Armour (KTM) 27 + 32 + 32 + 33 = 124
9 Ben Burridge (KTM) 29 + 31 + 34 + 30 = 124
10 Lewis King-London (Yamaha) 31 + 30 + 35 + 28 = 124
Clubman:
1 Adam Paxton (Honda) 43 + 45 + 41 + 45 = 174
2 Mark Trow () 45 + 34 + 45 + 37 = 161
3 Joe Croft () 41 + 39 + 31 + 43 = 154
4 Scott Alymore (Honda) 37 + 37 + 39 + 41 = 154
5 James Thompson (Kawasaki) 26 + 41 + 37 + 39 = 143
6 Joe Sargent (Honda) 31 + 43 + 35 + 32 = 141
7 Curtis Henderson (Yamaha) 34 + 17 + 43 + 35 = 129
8 Aidan Carney (Husqvarna) 39 + 30 + 23 + 34 = 126
9 Max Wood (EFC Yamaha) 35 + 33 + 29 + 28 = 125
10 Mark Kinsley (Man Scaffolding Yamaha) 32 + 35 + 32 + 21 = 120
125 two-stroke:
1 Troy Willerton (TM UK TM) 43 + 41 + 43 + 43 = 170
2 Jordan Bachelor (Bridgestone Yamaha) 45 + 43 + 41 + 41 = 170
3 Arai Elcock (Manchester MX Yamaha) 35 + 39 + 37 + 45 = 156
4 Joel Fisher (Ad Modular KTM) 39 + 37 + 39 + 39 = 154
5 Hanry Siddiqui (KTM) 37 + 33 + 31 + 37 = 138
6 James Barker (KTM) 34 + 32 + 35 + 35 = 136
7 Bradley Doyle (KTM) 33 + 35 + 34 + 32 = 134
8 Rob Holyoak (Yamaha) 41 + 45 + 45 + 0 = 131
9 Rob Barney (KTM) 31 + 34 + 32 + 33 = 130
10 Dan Arkell (KTM) 32 + 31 + 33 + 31 = 127
MXY2:
1 Ben Clark (RFX Husqvarna) 43 + 45 + 41 + 45 = 174
2 Max Lewis (Husqvarna) 45 + 41 + 45 + 43 = 174
3 Jack Lindsay (Apico Husqvarna) 41 + 43 + 43 + 41 = 168
4 Jude Turton (Gas Gas) 39 + 35 + 37 + 35 = 146
5 Ayden Smith (KTM) 35 + 39 + 33 + 32 = 139
6 Jamie Collins (KTM) 37 + 32 + 34 + 34 = 134
7 Oliver Ruddock (KTM) 33 + 34 + 32 + 34 = 133
8 Josh Bassett (Husqvarna) 30 + 37 + 27 + 37 = 131
9 Cameron Jackson (KTM) 34 + 30 + 28 + 33 = 125
10 Samuel Jackson (KTM) 32 + 33 + 35 + 23 = 123
BW85:
1 Tyla Hooley (DVS Gas Gas) 45 + 45 + 45 + 43 = 178
2 Billy Askew (SJP KTM) 43 + 43 + 43 + 45 = 174
3 Josh Vail (RFX Husqvarna) 41 + 39 + 41 + 35 = 156
4 Finley Evens (GRT KTM) 35 + 41 + 35 + 41 = 152
5 Jake Walker (Husqvarna) 37 + 37 + 39 + 39 = 152
6 Kelvin Kelly (KTM) 39 + 35 + 37 + 37 = 148
7 Will Haddock (KTM) 33 + 33 + 34 + 34 = 134
8 Kyron Carron (KTM) 34 + 28 + 30 + 33 = 125
9 Ryan Waggott (Husqvarna) 31 + 29 + 33 + 30 = 123
10 Jack Brearey (KTM) 32 + 32 + 31 + 25 = 120
SW85:
1 Reece Jones (SJP KTM) 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 = 180
2 Drew Stock (Husqvarna) 43 + 41 + 43 + 43 = 170
3 Jamie Keith (KTM) 39 + 43 + 41 + 39 = 162
4 Chester Hyde (Matt Pope Gas Gas) 41 + 39 + 39 + 41 = 160
5 Blake Ward-Clarke (Blackrock KTM) 37 + 35 + 35 + 37 = 144
6 Hayden Statt (Husqvarna) 35 + 37 + 37 + 32 = 141
7 Sonny Rooney (Gas Gas) 33 + 34 + 32 + 33 = 132
8 Zane Stephens (KTM) 28 + 33 + 34 + 35 = 130
9 Oakley Kettle (KTM) 34 + 25 + 33 + 31 = 123
10 Liam Bell (Husqvarna) 25 + 30 + 31 + 34 = 120
Junior 65:
1 Robbie Daly (KTM) 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 = 180
2 Alfie Geddes-Green (KTM) 34 + 43 + 41 + 43 = 161
3 Olly Waters (KTM) 41 + 37 + 39 + 39 = 156
4 Jack Leese (Max MX KTM) 39 + 41 + 35 + 37 = 152
5 Finley Pickering (Yamaha) 35 + 32 + 37 + 33 = 137
6 Olivia Raynolds (KTM) 37 + 30 + 34 + 35 = 136
7 Jenson Severn (KTM) 33 + 39 + 33 + 29 = 134
8 Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Fasthouse Yamaha) 43 + 0 + 43 + 41 = 127
9 Elvis Totney (Kawasaki) 30 + 34 + 29 + 34 = 127
10 Leo Wilson (KTM) 28 + 35 + 27 + 30 = 120