Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship 2008
Round 1 – Donington Park – Sunday 9th
March
 MacKenzie
and Searle dominate at Donington
Clear blue skies and several thousand expectant race fans
marked the opening encounter of the 2008 Maxxis ACU British
Motocross Championship held at the famous Donington Park road
race circuit. Although not quite as fast as their tarmac compatriots,
the dirt based riders produced some equally thrilling action
on a track that hosted last year’s British MXGP and
that will welcome the MX of Nations in late September.
Picking up from where he left off last season, reigning MX1
British Champion Billy MacKenzie – CAS Honda in his
new colours delivered a clear message that he has no intention
of surrendering his domestic crown. The twenty-four old from
Scotland was in devastating form throughout the day. Tommy
Searle – KTM UK who just missed out on the MX2 title
last year, also opened his account with an equally dominant
performance.
There was no gentle beginning to the day, with MacKenzie
topping MX1 qualifying by an opponent destroying margin of
nearly two seconds, over the highly rated Kenneth Gunderson
– UTAG Yamaha. MacKenzie took this pace straight into
the first race, and led the field by three seconds as he crossed
the line on his initial lap.
No one had an answer to Billy’s sheer speed, with Gunderson
and Tom Church – Molson Kawasaki having to settle for
the remaining podium places respectively before the race had
even properly begun. It was the same story in the second MX1
moto, with MacKenzie going from the gate to the flag unchallenged
to leave Brad Anderson - Swift Suzuki and Gunderson to pick
up the rostrum scraps this time around.
Searle had to wait until lap three in the first MX2 race
before he hit the front and then disappeared in to the distance
to cross the line fifteen seconds ahead of Stephen Sword –
Molson Kawasaki and Pascal Leuret – Swift Suzuki. It
was almost a repeat performance by Tommy next time out, as
he took command of the race on lap five to come home seventeen
seconds clear of Sword and Shaun Simpson – KTM UK to
end a perfect day for the teenager.
A win and a fifth place was just enough to give Scott Elderfield
– KTM the overall win in the MXY2 class by a single
point over Sam Davis, who finished as runner up thanks to
two consistent third places from his two outings.
The championship will only pause briefly now, before the
battle resumes at the fantastic Canada Heights Circuit on
Sunday 23rd March.
MX1 Moto One: 1: MacKenzie 2: Gunderson 3: Church 4: Noble
5: Anderson
MX1 Moto Two: 1: MacKenzie 2: Anderson 3: Gunderson 4: Noble
5: Church
MX1 Overall: 1: MacKenzie 50 2: Gunderson 42 3: Anderson 38
Championship to date: 1: MacKenzie 50 2: Gunderson 42 3: Anderson
38
MX2 Moto One: 1: Searle 2: Sword 3: Leuret 4: Swanepoel 5:
Barr
MX2 Moto Two: 1: Searle 2: Sword 3: Simpson 4: Leuret 5: Barr
MX2 Overall: 1: Searle 50 2: Sword 44 3: Leuret 38
Championship to date: 1: Searle 50 2: Sword 44 3: Leuret 38
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