With a cool and very accomplished performance, Ashley Greedy aboard his Andrew Marsh Motos Yamaha moved to the top of the 2018 AMCA British Motocross Championship MX1 standings at Boraston, Shropshire on Sunday. On a track which was initially a little moist and grippy before becoming dry, slick and dusty, Greedy bagged maximum points, joined in the top three on the day by Ryan Crowder and Josh Waterman.

In this round two of the series powered by Datatag and supported by Dunlop, Greedy also posted the fastest qualifying time although it was to be Waterman who grabbed the moto one holeshot with a very determined James Dodd in tow. Quickly though Greedy moved through and four laps into the contest was now in control after surging past Waterman. The front two then fabricated a clear advantage for themselves with Greedy going onto take the win as Crowder just got the better of Dodd and Gary Gibson in a fantastic race-long scrap for 3rd. Gating right down in 24^th, Rowson got home in 6^th whilst another rider making a strong fight back was Shane Carless, coming from 27^th up to 8^th to finish just behind Luke Meredith.

After that super comeback from FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna pilot Carless, he made it slightly easier for himself in the second moto of the day by leading the charge for three laps before Greedy again took control and thus bag another win. In this battle, Waterman, Crowder, Dodd and Rowson were right in the mix as Paul Neale took 7^th just ahead of his LDR TMC Kawasaki teammate Gibson. In the final Boraston contest, Carless again grabbed the holeshot but it took Greedy just one lap to move into the lead. Turning on the style, the immaculate Greedy raced clear to thus complete his unbeaten performance as Carless was eventually overhauled by Crowder following a super struggle for 2^nd with Gibson, Waterman moving up from 11^th, Dodd moving up from 12^th, Neale and Meredith the next best. In the Boraston mix-up, Andy Smart bravely scored 66 Championship points despite competing with torn ankle ligaments sustained in a crash the previous weekend at Lower Drayton.

In a stunning opening MX2 contest, Josh Coleman aboard his LRS/HTF Husqvarna led the charge with James Wainwright (Gear4 KTM) and Luke Dean (Wildmoor SevenSeven2 Yamaha) in tow. Three laps in and series leader Wainwright found a way past Coleman, followed another three laps later by Dean. In a fantastic finish, Dean then stalked and passed Wainwright on the final circuit to bag a thrilling win with Coleman having to settle for 3^rd. Suffering from a badly injured right shoulder which seriously threatened his participation in Sunday’s event, Luke Burton finally made the decision to compete and give it a go! Luke bravely went at it in moto one and got home in 4^th, holding off Lewis King, Bradley Tranter, Clinton Barrs and Jack Gardner.

MX2 moto two then produced another classic with Coleman again quickest out of the blocks but soon under pressure from King on the LDR TMC Kawasaki and Wainwright who had initially hampered himself by hitting the start gate. Despite the constant attention of his chasers, Coleman on this occasion hung on for victory as the superb Wainwright snatched 2^nd from King. Star of this moto though was surely the high flying, hard charging Dean who after gating 27^th somehow got back to earn 4^th from Barrs, Gardner, Matt Ridgway and Burton. That was some ride to produce!

In a dusty final MX2 encounter, Wainwright led right up until just two circuits from home before Dean moved the Yamaha through for the win and with it a richly deserved overall verdict. Taking 3^rd this time around was the consistent King from Coleman, fast starting Gardner who was enjoying his best Championship outing for a while, Tranter, Barrs and Lee Truman, so on the Boraston MX2 podium it was Dean, Wainwright and Coleman. In extreme pain, Burton was forced out of the final moto and is already 87 points behind series leader Wainwright. With again just a two week gap until the next round of the series, Luke will be hoping that his injury heals sufficiently enough to thus enable him to at least compete and keep his title dream alive!

There was to be drama in the opening 2T clash at Boraston as the gremlins struck Richard Cannings aboard his M and S Brettle/Dirtshifter Yamaha. Holding a big lead and with just 2 laps remaining, Cannings machine started to splutter, misfire and lose power, thus seeing him drop back to 6^th. Taking the win was Sean Eckersley who had initially gated 6^th with Jordan Saunders, James Lane, Bradley Doyle and Jake Parker next in line.

Although Adam Cook and Eckersley briefly led 2T moto two, Cannings had his Yamaha back on full-song for this one. Turning on the style, he took the win from Eckersley, Henry Siddiqui, Danny Lanfear, Doyle and Lane. Not enjoying the best of fortunes so far in 2018, Saunders fell early on lap one and found himself in last spot. Undeterred the Putoline KTM pilot fought back in style to finish 14^th, a great effort.

In the final 2T clash, it was Cannings all the way from Eckersley, Parker, Saunders, Ben Gillett and Doyle. Those earlier mechanical issues for Yorkshireman Cannings meant that he had to settle for 2^nd overall on the day as a rightly delighted Eckersley climbed on the top step of the podium with Doyle earning the final step.

Showing that he meant business, JSR Honda rider Simon Lane was very fast off the start in the opening Vets race. Along with former World Vets rider and Cresent KTM pilot Terry House, the front two quickly fabricated a big advantage for themselves at the front. Behind them though there was a great battle developing as Sean Smith, Gary Jones, Richard Chinn and Brian Staples locked horns for 3^rd as all the time, a fast Matt Gordon was reeling them in! At the front, House eventually passed a stubborn Lane on lap 7 for the win, stylishly going around the outside of his rival in tight Boraston turn as Smith won that afore mentioned big scrap for 3^rd.

Lane again got out of the gate to lead the Vets moto two before House took control for another win. Just like the opening clash, Smith, Chinn, Jones and Staples were right in the mix although this time they were being put under heavy pressure by the gallant Colin Conduit on the 125cc Yamaha. Making it a holeshot hat trick, Lane led the charge to turn one in the final Vets clash and on this occasion he was to earn a deserved win as House gated in 8^th before recovering for 2^nd. In this race after putting in a couple of solid rides, Chinn was to slip off on the slick surface resulting in a 10^th place finish. On the Boraston Vets podium it was House from Lane and Smith.

The only other rider to go through the card in this second round of the series was superb Youth class ace Joseph Brookes. Just like the opening event at Norley, Brookes on the Nationwide Signs KTM led home Charlie Palmer (LDR TMC Kawasaki) and Matt Tolley (Tolly Jewells KTM) in all three motos.

In moto one it was Brookes all the way as Harry Ridgway, Tolley and finally Palmer all took turns to hold 2^nd. Also having a strong opening moto ride were Harvey James, Joshua Main and Joshua Fletcher-Williams. Palmer grabbed the second holeshot of the. day but before completion of lap one Brookes was through and on his way to another win. Making it a faultless performance to thus lead the early Championship standings with a perfect maximum score, Brookes controlled moto three at Boraston from start to finish. Next best was the gallant Palmer, Tolley, James, Main and Ridgway, the younger brother of AMCA MX2 Championship rider, Matt Ridgway.

So with Luke Woodland racing to three wins in the Championship Non-Qualifiers and taking the overall win from Scott Howlett and Harry Greetham, it now onto Bromsberrow for round three on Bank Holiday Sunday.   Words and pics by Mike Wood.