Team Great Britain are ready and waiting
The 60th edition of MX of Nations is near. Great Britain
is the hosting Nation for this historic event and will rely
on the pace and talent of the current cream of the crop in
the form of Billy Mackenzie, Carl Nunn and Tommy Searle for
their home attack. Team GB heads into the contest with arguably
one of their strongest line-ups in years. All three riders
have already tasted Grand Prix podium champagne this season,
and are ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
Billy Mackenzie (MX1): Normally an MX2 campaigner
Billy will ride a Bike it Dixon Yamaha YZ 450F. A top rider
in the national series for the last five years since coming
onto the scene, the Scot is the UK’s most successful
British rider since 2001 after winning two MX2 Grand Prix,
four motos and five podiums in the last two seasons. For 2007
the twenty two year old will be Britain’s only factory
rider in the premier MX1 class. “I have been on the
team a couple of times before but have never raced the Nations
at home,” the Edinburgh-born racer commented. “The
British fans are the best in the world so the atmosphere should
be incredible. I will be very focussed for this race and getting
the best result I can for the team. My season has been going
a little bit downhill on the 250 and I don’t really
have any answers for that so I am looking forward to riding
the 450 and getting into the MX1 class for a new challenge
at Matterley. I like the track and I know that Johnny (Douglas
Hamilton, track designer and builder) is down there now making
a few changes and some improvements that were needed after
the Grand Prix. I fail to see how it cannot be an awesome
event.”
Carl Nunn (MX Open): After finishing runner-up
five times Carl Nunn finally realised his British Championship
dream in 2005 and successfully defended his crown as he beat
Searle to the title last weekend. The 26 year old is the highest
placed of all British riders in the World Championship this
season and has guided his factory KTM to a current position
of sixth in MX2. Two podiums on the 250F are the highlights
of a consistent international term that has seen Nunn score
points in all but one of the motos, only Grand Prix series
leader Christophe Pourcel has a better record. The dependable
rider from Bury St Edmunds will steer a 450 SX-F machine in
the Open category. “Obviously being in England it feels
extra special to be on the team this year and I am excited
to be racing the Nations in front of a home crowd,”
he remarked. “I am sure there will be a lot of spectators
there. I have had a 450 in the garage all year and I have
played with it now and again. I will be riding the 2007 spec
bike anyway and I won’t pick it up until a week before
so it will be a bit of a mission to get it set up. From what
people have told me it is a nice handling bike so I think
it will be alright. You have more power with the 450 and in
some ways that makes it easier and in other ways harder to
race. It will be a big occasion at Matterley and I just hope
the weather will be good.”
Tommy Searle (MX2): Britain’s representative
in the MX2 class will also make his debut at the Motocross
of Nations after an extraordinary rookie World Championship
campaign. Searle’s experience at international level
extends to only fifteen Grand Prix but in that time he has
notched a slew of top ten finishes and two podium results
for one of the most assured debuts in modern times. Tommy’s
potential at only seventeen years of age has been recognised
by KTM and he will be a works rider for 2007. “It feels
really good now that the team has been announced and of course
I am very pleased to be representing the country,” he
said. “To do my first Nations on home turf will be amazing.
Matterley is a great track. I had a good ride there at the
GP and I hope I can do so again.”
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