All eyes on Oakhanger! 2023 Revo ACU British Motocross Championship Round 1 – Preview & Event info
So here we are, on the cusp of another Revo ACU British Motocross Championship which begins in 2023 with a trip to the brand new Dutch-style Oakhanger venue in Hampshire this Sunday 19th March for Round one of the series.
Feature Image courtesy of K-Tech Suspension & Tommy Searle
Reports are that the track is going to be something else for the riders, with Justin Barclay and Alfie Smith weaving a little of their magic on the sandy MOD land, although not too much as the natural elements will come into their own as the track beds in.
The Oakhanger circuit being built – Image courtesy of RHL Activities
After seeing them duke it out for the ACU British Arenacross title all eyes will be on GTCI Revo Kawasaki’s Tommy Searle and Crendon Fastrack Honda’s Conrad Mewse in MX1. Searle has won the last three MX1 British titles and openly admits the Arenacross tour and YouTube has rejuvenated his career and if the AX is anything to go by he won’t be backing off as he goes for title number 5. Mewse has been the MX2 champion for the last two years and has three in his locker, but with the backing of the three times World Champ Dave Thorpe and his Honda UK-backed set up you know the title is the only thing on their mind. The same will go for Mewse’s Crendon Fastrack Honda teammate Josh Gilbert who finished fourth in 2022 with three trips to the podium, and being back with a team he has had great success with in the past should only bode well for the West Country racer.
Crenden Fastrack Honda’s Conrad Mewse and Josh Gilbert
Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha’s Estonian ace Harri Kullas has come agonisingly close in the last two seasons finishing just 8 and 10 points off champion Searle. Kullas and the team know how to win titles as they have proved at the MX Nationals but will they be able to nail the exclusive Revo ACU British title this year? If not you know he will be there or thereabouts that’s for sure.
Shaun Simpson ended 2022 third in the standings and was solid throughout. This year sees his own SS24 team collab with the Gabriel Insulations team forming the new Gabriel SS24 KTM Racing team with Shaun being the team coach also. Taking some of the business elements out of the equation could see a more focused Simpson and the Oakhanger track will be right up his street and could kickstart his season in the best possible way. Shaun’s teammate Tristan Purdon is a multiple South African champion and had some impressive results last year and made a great start to his Scottish Motocross Championship at Tain a couple of weeks back.
John Adamson – Image courtesy of ASA United Gas Gas
ASA United Gas Gas’s John Adamson was fifth in 2022 and improved as the season went on in his debut 450 seasons and he is joined by the fast-starting Ivo Monticelli who has GP race speed so he could be a rider who gets well in the mix.
Injuries have hit Ashton Dickinson but on his day the Talk Templant racing rider is capable of being at the pointy end, as does Apico Husqvarna’s Martin Barr, Chambers Racing’s Dan Thornhill, Gabriel KTM’s Liam Knight, SBriggs Commercials Honda’s Stu Edmonds, and Privateer racer Brad Todd.
Rookie riders to watch out for are Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha’s Jamie Carpenter and Chambers Racing’s Tom Grimshaw who both looked at home on the bigger bike at the Hawkstone International.
MX2 brings together an intriguing mix of Youth and Experience with some old hats stepping down and some super-talented young guns making their Pro debut.
Dylan Walsh – Image courtesy of GTCI Revo Kawasaki
With the top five from 2022, either stepping up to the 450 or racing elsewhere, when it comes to favourites it’s hard to look anywhere other than in the direction of the GTCI Revo Kawasaki team and their Kiwi racer Dylan Walsh. Walsh has been plying his trade in the States this winter, notching up some impressive AMA Supercross results in the 250 West championship. If you go back to 2019 Walsh won the final three rounds with maximum points and took the title, and if he is in this kind of form this year he will be very hard to beat.
On the experienced end of the spectrum, Elliott Banks-Browne and Jake Millward are interesting additions to the MX2 class. Banks-Browne has won two titles in this class, while Millward has been a front-runner in MX1 so has the experience to challenge for the title on his Verde Shiloh KTM.
Where I feel the real title challenge will come from though will be from the likes of ASA United GasGas’s Bobby Bruce, Crendon Fastrack Honda’s Charlie Heyman, Gabriel SS24 KTM’s Taylor Hammal and SC Sporthomes Jorgen-Matthias Talviku.
These riders all have massive potential which we have seen from Bruce in his EMX125 championship rounds. Injury has plagued his pro career so far and he needs a full season under his belt in 2023 and if he does that he will certainly be a contender. The same could be said of Taylor Hammal who has had a torturous couple of years with injury but the lad has talent and speed in abundance and by the end of the season, I expect him to be battling for the title. Heyman is the next big British hope to step up from the youth ranks after blitzing everyone in sight on a 125. He made his Pro debut in the last round of 2022 recording two great results to finish fourth overall, so already we know he has what it takes to be at the sharp end. Talviku is a rider that if he eradicates mistakes could pose a title threat as he certainly has the pace, and now has GP and AMA experience under his belt you get the feeling the SC Sporthomes team are backing him to be fighting for wins.
Taylor Hammal – Image courtesy of Gabriel SS24 KTM
Other riders certainly not to count out are Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki’s Carlton Husband who took an impressive win at the opening round of the Scottish at Tain and Chambers Racing’s Glenn McCormick and Ben Franklin.
In the dark horse category and riders who I feel could throw a spanner right in the works are Cab Screen Crescent Yamaha’s Sam Nunn and Chambers Racing’s Alfie Jones. Nunn has had a few Pro seasons under his belt now and has shown glimpses of what he is capable of. Give the kid a start and on the right track I wouldn’t bet against him being on the podium or snatching a moto win or two. Jones seems to be able to grind out good results and that will stand him in good stead in a long season and with the experience he gained in 2022 he is only going to improve this year.
There are plenty of Rookies in this class too who could make a big impression and these include Talk Templant Racing’s Ollie Colmer, ASA United GasGas’s Joe Brookes and Ben Mustoe and Chambers Racing’s Harvey Cashmore.
Some riders with a year or so’s experience under their belts and who will be looking to get amongst the front runners will be Sam Atkinson, Bailey Johnston, Jack Lindsay and Kyle McNicol.
One last rider to watch out for especially this weekend in the sand will be Jamie Wainwright. Don’t bet against him for getting some big results if everything falls into place.
Alongside the MX1 and MX2 classes, the Youth 250 and 125 classes begin their campaign as do the Big Wheel 85s. There is plenty of talent in these groups, and with riders moving around classes it will be interesting to see who will emerge as the front runners after the weekend.
Ollie Colmer and Ashton Dickinson – Image courtesy of Talk Templant Racing
Entry Lists
For the latest up-to-date entry lists >>CLICK HERE<<
Tickets
Adults – £22.50 – (Over 12’s)
Child – £5 – (age 4 to 12)
Family – £52 – (two adults and two Children)
You can purchase your tickets here <<
Tickets are also available on the Gate
The Venue
Nearest Postcode: GU35 9HF
What3Words: LINED.GURGLING.SPILL (https://what3words.com/lined.gurgling.spill)
Please ensure when you are heading to the event you approach from A325 and turn right onto Oakhanger Road if you are approaching from the North or turning left if you are approaching from the South.
Once on Oakhanger Road continue for roughly 600m and the entrance to the site is on the left.
Please do not come from the Village (Oakhanger)
Live Streaming
Nothing has been released recently about the Live Streaming of this event. Last year the last rounds of the Championship were live-streamed by Dirt World TV and as we understood it this was set to continue in 2023.
Timetable
Dogs
RHL has released the following statement with regard to dogs:
“We have negotiated with the MOD that if you MUST bring your dog it must be kept on a lead at all times within your camping space and any dog mess picked up. Failure to adhere to this will jeopardise the running of the event. Please work with us.”
