The penultimate round of the 2008 Maxxis British Motocross Championship lived up its billing with both of the main classes enjoying drama packed races to leave the respective title races to be decided at the final encounter at Hawkstone Park in late September. On the day it was Shaun Simpson and James Noble both of KTM UK who took top honours at perhaps the most exciting meeting of the series to date.

Despite heading the MX1 and MX2 categories respectively, both Billy MacKenzie – CAS Honda and Simpson arrived at the undulating Cumbrian circuit carrying injuries that could have potentially ended their championship campaigns. Although the operation to plate Simpson just six days earlier had been deemed a success his lowly eleventh place in qualifying proved he still had an uphill struggle on his hands. Billy’s was a similar story finishing timed practice down in fifth spot.

The first MX2 race was a real epic, with Simpson stealing the initial lead after one of his now customary lightning starts, ahead of the hard charging Zac Osbourne – UTAG Yamaha. Shaun was to surrender to the American on lap five when he stalled and dropped to fifth as he fought to restart his engine. Osbourne would go on to grab the win despite a late mistake of his own, but the story of the race was Simpson passing Stephen Sword – Molson Kawasaki with two laps to go to grab second place. Shaun went one better in race two, taking the win after surviving a collision with Sword, which demoted the Kawasaki rider to sixth at the flag.

Ray Rowson – PAR Honda was the quickest in MX1 qualifying and converted this into a comfortable first race win ahead of James Noble – KTM UK. Tom Church – Molson Kawasaki completed the podium on this occasion, but wrecked his overall chances with a twentieth in the second moto. Noble assured himself of taking the outright victory with a win in race two ahead of a rejuvenated Gordon Crockard – PAR Honda. Marks Jones – Kawasaki recorded a consistent 4-3 result to finish as runner up on the day, just three points ahead of Rowson who found himself down in eleventh spot in the second race.

PAR Honda rider James Allingham cliched the MXY2 championship with a race win and a safe third place to take the title by a comfortable twelve points from Josh Waterman – Team Green Kawasaki. James Hutchinson – Bikesport Yamaha took the overall win with a 2-1 showing, but was never a part of the title race.

The main two championship classes will now be decided at the famous Hawkstone Park circuit on 21st September.



MX1 Moto One: 1: Rowson 2: Noble 3: Church 4: Jones 5: Anderson
MX1 Moto Two: 1: Noble 2: Crockard 3: Jones 4: Anderson 5: Smith
MX1 Overall: 1: Noble 47 2: Jones 38 3: Rowson 35
Championship to date: 1: MacKenzie 280 2: Noble 258 3: Anderson 240

MX2 Moto One: 1: Osbourne 2: Simpson 3: Sword 4: Bradshaw 5: Nunn
MX2 Moto Two: 1: Simpson 2: Barr 3: Bradshaw 4: Osbourne 5: Nunn
MX2 Overall: 1: Simpson 47 2: Osbourne 43 3: Bradshaw 38
Championship to date: 1: Simpson 298 2: Sword 283 3: Barr 245

Click here for full results and championship standings