Gilbert & Rizzi rule the roost in Oxford! 2023 Michelin MX Nationals 3 – Race Report & Results

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For round three of the top-rated MX Nationals Motocross series, it was back to the familiar Oxford Motoparc near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, a track the hardworking team pioneered last year that became the sensation of 2022.

Race Report by Dick Law – Feature Image courtesy of Crendon Fastrack Honda – other images by MX Nationals.

The circuit was looking much better with the passing of time to settle the track and a winter and some sunshine to bring on the greenery. The track workers re-contoured some jumps and made minor improvements to improve what was already a great track.

In the Leatt Pro class, the Crendon Fastrack Honda teammates of Josh Gilbert and Conrad Mewse have been winning most of the national motocross championships this year, with Mewse taking most of the wins. But things changed last weekend as Gilbert showed he had the speed and the confidence and won both Pro MX1/MX2 races with Evgeny Bobryshev (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) dividing the Honda pair, relegating a sickly Mewse down to third overall, the poorest finish he has had all year.

But, in the Apico Pro MX2s, the overall was up for grabs as none of the riders could put two decent races together. Joel Rizzi (Gas Gas), with a win and a fifth, won the overall, but at the same time, Carlton Husband, who was suffering clutch problems, and a hurting Charlie Cole (Blade Bikes Kawasaki) came from last and almost last to sixteenth and twenty-fifth in the first race. They managed to back in race two with some strong races to give them second and third overall, with only five points separating the top five in the class.

At the start of the first combined MX1 and MX2, no one was more surprised than Bobryshev when he got the holeshot. He was chased into turn one by Gilbert, Mewse, Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha), Evo Monticelli (ASA United Gas Gas), Tommy Searle (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) and Tom Grimshaw (Chambers Gas Gas).
Searle and Grimshaw had a coming together at turn three when the different ruts they chose merged into one, and neither of the riders wanted to give way. Luckily, they both continued the race after a bit of a wobble. But as they despaired around the opening lap, Cole and Joe Brooks (GRT Impact KTM) were seen untangling their machines.

As the riders came around to complete lap two, Gilbert took the lead from Bobryshev, and a lap later, Mewse pushed Bobryshev down another place. For the rest of the race, Mewse did all he could to close on his teammate, and he did get to his back wheel a couple of times but could never affect a pass. With about three laps to too, Mewse seemed to decide to settle for second place as they crossed the finish line separated by just under six seconds.

Meanwhile, Bobryshev had been caught and passed by Kullas, but as the “plus two laps” board came out, he passed him back for third in the race, with Kullas settling for fourth.

Monticelli and Searle spent all race in fifth and sixth as Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM) slipped past Grimshaw for seventh place.

In the MX2 side of the race, Charlie Hayman (Tru7 Honda) had gated in fifteenth place and was the first MX2 rider till, on lap eight, and with a comfortable MX2 lead, his bike had some technical problems, and he pushed it back to the paddock, and out of the race. This incident left Rizzi with the class lead and the win as he crossed the line in fifteenth. But while all this was happening, Husband, after his first lap crash, was flying through the pack from thirtieth place to finish right behind Rizzi. Dylan Woodcock (Fantic) was third, with Calum Mitchell (Laxa MX KTM) fourth.

At the start of the second race, Gilbert got the holeshot from Bobryshev, and that was the order they stayed in the whole race. Monticelli gated third but was passed by Mewse before the start on the second lap, with Searle and Kullas doing the same later around the lap.

Miro Sihvonen (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) and Purdon swopped places on the opening lap. They spent the rest of the race together, crossing the finish line in seventh and eighth places. Monticelli was passed by both Kullas and Searle on lap eight to finish his race in sixth, with Kullas and Searle in fourth and fifth places.

Cole was unchallenged in the MX2 side of the race after Jamie Wainwright (WPH KTM) crashed out on the first lap, Brooks faded from eleventh to fourteenth, and Husband slipped back into the pack from thirteenth place with clutch trouble.

Brooks ended up second MX2, with Wainwright third.

Overall, in the MX1s, it was Gilbert from Bobryshev and Mewse, with Kullas missing out on the podium for the second week running, but in the MX2s, it was Rizzi, one point clear of Husband, with Cole third, three points off the win.

James Dodd (FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna) was Mr 100% in the RFX expert MX1s, winning all four of his races. Richard Bird (Allmoto Megabikes Yamaha), who didn’t finish out of the top three, was second overall, with Sion Talbot (KTM) a distant third.

With a couple of wins and second places, Ashley Greedy (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas) won the RFX expert MX2s from race two winner Mathew Bayliss (Darjen Contractors Gas Gas), with race three winner Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas) third.

Only two points separated the top two in the Motoverde amateur MX1s as Josh Greedy (Darjen Contractors Kawasaki) with three wins and a fourth place just beet race one winner, Luke Mellows (LM Kitchens Honda) with Sean Wainwright (Fasteddy Racing Honda) third.

It was even closer at the top of the Motoverde amateur MX2s as a single point separated wildcard rider Ben Clark (Rock Oil Husqvarna), who didn’t win a race, from Shaun Springer (Multitek Gas Gas), the winner of race one. Race two winner Dan Brough (Rutzz.co.uk Yamaha) was third, just six points off the win.

Only eight points separated the top four in the Worx clubman MX1s as without winning a race, Tallon Aspden (LA Groundwork KTM) won the overall with race one and four winner Billy Saunders (WMS Commercials Honda) second, just two points behind. Wildcard Justin Robinson (KTM) was third, while a DNF in race one spoilt Danny Webster’s (Husqvarna) weekend as he went on to win two of his next three races.

With two wins and two second places, Matt Tolley (426 Motorsport KTM) won the Spiral clubman MX2s from Aaron Framingham (Fabrican Racing KTM) and Matthew Pocock (MGP Steel KTM).

In the youth side of things, Billy Askew (GTCI Revo Kawasaki) again won all four of his Fly MXY2 races from Liam Bennett (Apico Husqvarna) and Jak Taylor (Lexa MX Husqvarna).

Wildcard rider Wal Beaney (KTM), with three wins and a second, won the Fly MXY125 from race one winner Tyla Hooley (Fantic) and Shane Jones (Gas Gas) third.

Josh Vail (SJP Moto Husqvarna), with three wins and a second place, won the hotly contested Syntol big wheel 85s from Jamie Keith (MBR X&P KTM) and race three winner Charlie Richmond (KTM).

Joel Winstanley-Dawson (Techsource Racing), with two-second places in Saturday’s sticky and muddy conditions, made up for it in the dryer and faster Sunday conditions by winning both races for the Syntol small wheel 85 overall. Winner of both Saturday’s races, wildcard rider Lucas Lee (Husqvarna) was second overall, with Chad Price (SC Sporthomes Husqvarna) third.

The next round will be on the 5th and 6th of August at Cusses Gorse. Be there.

Results

Pro MX1 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2
1	Josh Gilbert	50	25	25
2	Evgeny Bobryshev	42	20	22
3	Conrad Mewse	42	22	20
4	Harri Kullas	36	18	18
5	Tommy Searle	31	15	16
6	Ivo Monticelli	31	16	15
7	Tristan Purdon	28	14	14
8	Miro Sihvonen	26	13	13
9	Tom Grimshaw	24	12	12
10	Jamie Carpenter	22	11	11
11	Jason Meara	19	10	9
12	Dan Thornhill	18	8	10
13	Martin Barr	16	9	7
14	Callum Green	14	6	8
15	Gavin Stevenson	10	4	6
16	Tom Murphy	8	3	5
17	Stuart Edmonds	7	7	–
18	Michael Ellis	5	5	–

Pro MX2 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2
1	Joel Rizzi	41	25	16
2	Carlton Husband	40	22	18
3	Charlie Cole	38	13	25
4	Joe Brooks	36	14	22
5	Jamie Wainwright	36	16	20
6	Calum Mitchell	33	18	15
7	Dylan Woodcock	31	20	11
8	Sam Nunn	28	15	13
9	Bailey Johnston	25	11	14
10	Shaun Mahoney	12	12	–
11	Charlie Heyman	12	–	12

Expert MX1 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	James Dodd	100	25	25	25	25
2	Richard Bird	82	20	20	20	22
3	Sion Talbot	73	22	16	15	20
4	Aaron Ongley	62	13	13	18	18
5	Corrie Southwood	60	14	10	22	14
6	Aaron Patstone	56	18	14	9	15
7	Jay McCrum	53	12	9	16	16
8	Harry Bradley	48	16	18	14	–
9	Nathan Green	46	10	11	13	12
10	Josh Canton	45	8	12	12	13
11	Aidan Bruce	40	11	8	11	10
12	Josh Peters	37	15	22	–	–
13	Frazer Norrie	35	7	7	10	11
14	George Clarke	15	–	15	–	–
15	Scott Elderfield	9	9	–	–	–

Expert MX2 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Ashley Greedy	94	25	22	22	25
2	Mathew Bayliss	89	22	25	20	22
3	Ben Mustoe	75	20	10	25	20
4	Josh Coleman	74	18	20	18	18
5	Ollie Beamish	61	13	16	16	16
6	Henry Siddiqui	54	14	14	15	11
7	Callum Murfitt	53	12	15	12	14
8	Harvey Cashmore	53	15	12	13	13
9	Jimmy Margetson	47	–	18	14	15
10	Seth Moir	44	11	11	10	12
11	Niall Cregan	40	16	13	11	–
12	Charlie Griffiths	9	–	9	–	–

Amateur MX1 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Josh Greedy	93	18	25	25	25
2	Luke Mellows	91	25	22	22	22
3	Sean Wainwright	80	22	20	18	20
4	Brad Thornhill	58	20	14	12	12
5	Jamie Dixon	54	8	18	14	14
6	Callum Gordon	51	12	11	13	15
7	Ryan Osborn	51	15	15	8	13
8	Adam Reeves	50	13	9	10	18
9	Joshua Mccorkell	45	6	8	15	16
10	Henry Partridge	43	11	10	11	11
11	Lewis Taylor	43	–	13	20	10
12	Keelan Southwood	39	9	12	9	9
13	Daniel Maule	38	16	6	16	–
14	Jacob Bowden	36	14	16	6	–
15	Harry Foster	32	10	7	7	8
16	Reece Wain	19	7	–	5	7
17	Kieran Yorke	4	–	–	4	–

Amateur MX2 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Ben Clark	84	20	20	22	22
2	Shaun Springer	83	25	22	16	20
3	Dan Brough	78	22	25	13	18
4	Mitch Armour	68	14	18	20	16
5	Raife Broadley	56	–	6	25	25
6	Jonathan Rodrick-Evans	54	18	16	11	9
7	Charlie Palmer	48	5	14	14	15
8	Archie Hicks	47	12	13	9	13
9	Tom Hughes	39	13	11	4	11
10	Leon Williams	39	9	15	15	–
11	Leon Ongley	37	10	9	10	8
12	Alex Buchanan	36	16	12	8	–
13	Tommi Davies	33	11	10	12	–
14	Charlie Griffiths	32	–	–	18	14
15	Lewis Glynn	24	–	7	7	10
16	Morgan Walters	24	7	8	3	6
17	Harry Fletcher	21	–	4	5	12
18	Ben White	21	15	–	6	–
19	Jasper Gibson	16	4	5	–	7
20	Stephen Mullally	15	6	2	2	5
21	Ben Wainwright	13	8	1	–	4
22	David Finnemore	4	–	3	1	–

Clubman MX1 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Tallon Aspden	76	20	20	22	14
2	Billy Saunders	74	25	14	10	25
3	Justin Robinson	73	22	16	15	20
4	Danny Webster	68	–	25	25	18
5	Josh Young	63	13	15	20	15
6	Darren Manning-Coe	62	–	22	18	22
7	Kalem Hicks	55	18	13	12	12
8	Drew Lane	45	2	18	9	16
9	Josh Bailey	42	10	9	13	10
10	Ryan Davis	39	5	10	11	13
11	Calum Watson	26	8	11	7	–
12	Ben Lightbown	24	15	8	1	–
13	Jude Gaylard	23	–	12	6	5
14	Dean Rodgers	21	16	3	–	2
15	Lewis Anderson	20	6	–	14	–
16	Richard Evans	20	–	6	5	9
17	Rory Wootton	20	12	–	–	8
18	Mitch Brooks	16	–	–	16	–
19	Michael Graham	15	9	1	4	1
20	David Wilcox	14	–	–	3	11
21	Ashley Senior	14	3	4	–	7
22	Ollie Kingston	14	–	–	8	6
23	Ryan Bowring	14	14	–	–	–
24	Jordan Andrews	14	7	7	–	–
25	Chris Corthorn	13	11	2	–	–
26	Charlie Roper	9	4	5	–	–
27	Max Wood	5	–	–	2	3
28	Fraser Rogers	4	–	–	–	4
29	Daniel Chapman	1	1	–	–	–

Clubman MX2- Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Matt Tolley	94	22	22	25	25
2	Aaron Framingham	74	20	20	14	20
3	Matthew Pocock	73	12	25	20	16
4	Charlie West	62	9	13	18	22
5	George Boyce	59	25	18	11	5
6	Richy Roberts	53	18	14	8	13
7	Bradley Johnstone	50	3	15	22	10
8	Jamie Collins	44	14	12	16	2
9	Jack Ratcliffe	38	–	11	12	15
10	Jordan Ambler	38	13	2	9	14
11	Jordan Meredith	36	16	10	3	7
12	Jake O’Gorman	33	–	–	15	18
13	Adam Dyer	32	15	1	13	3
14	Max Fletcher	31	8	8	4	11
15	Matthew Fuller	29	10	5	6	8
16	Mitchil Collins	28	–	9	7	12
17	Hayden Stevens	21	5	16	–	–
18	Toby Lightbown	21	11	–	10	–
19	Sam Menzies	16	4	3	–	9
20	Danny Townsend	12	6	6	–	–
21	Luke Coker	9	–	–	5	4
22	Frankie Elwell	8	–	7	–	1
23	James Lee	7	1	–	–	6
24	Max Flint	7	7	–	–	–
25	Spencer Stanbridge	6	–	4	2	–
26	Cameron Vickers	2	2	–	–	–
27	Jake Evans	1	–	–	1	–

MXY1 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Wal Beaney	97	22	25	25	25
2	Tyla Hooley	91	25	22	22	22
3	Shane Jones	65	14	16	20	15
4	Wesley McGavin	64	12	18	18	16
5	Harrison Greenough	60	20	20	–	20
6	Chester Hyde	57	11	14	14	18
7	Ollie Bubb	49	16	15	16	2
8	Jack Meara	44	9	8	13	14
9	Archie Girdham	43	7	12	11	13
10	Cody Spacagna	38	13	11	5	9
11	Kai Thorpe	37	8	10	15	4
12	Ryan Waggott	34	18	13	3	–
13	George Corke	31	–	9	12	10
14	Declan Wright	30	4	5	9	12
15	Max Corke	25	–	4	10	11
16	Tyler Jones	25	6	3	8	8
17	Jack Bearey	23	10	6	–	7
18	Gus Mustoe	22	3	7	7	5
19	Braidy Tucker	19	5	2	6	6
20	Will Haddock	17	15	–	2	–
21	Caden Tomlin	10	2	1	4	3

MXY2 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Billy Askew	100	25	25	25	25
2	Liam Bennett	86	22	22	20	22
3	Jak Taylor	76	16	18	22	20
4	Bayliss Utting	69	15	20	16	18
5	Mckenzie Marshall	66	20	12	18	16
6	Fin Wilson	62	18	15	14	15
7	George Hopkins	49	10	10	15	14
8	Kayde Rayns	49	13	14	13	9
9	Seth Manners	45	11	9	12	13
10	Sid Putnam	45	12	13	9	11
11	Kyron Carron	43	9	11	11	12
12	Lee Cameron	36	8	8	10	10
13	Lennox Dickinson	30	14	16	–	–

Big Wheel 85 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Josh Vail	97	25	25	22	25
2	Jamie Keith	86	22	22	20	22
3	Charlie Richmond	85	20	20	25	20
4	Finlay Pickering	64	18	16	14	16
5	Blake Ward-Clarke	59	10	18	16	15
6	Lewis Spratt	55	16	15	10	14
7	Stanley Siebert	52	15	14	12	11
8	Harry Lee	47	11	–	18	18
9	Harley O’Callaghan	46	12	13	9	12
10	Maison Jones	45	9	11	15	10
11	Zane Stephens	44	8	12	11	13
12	Travis Bixby	44	14	10	13	7
13	Archie Stapley	36	13	9	5	9
14	Archie Congdon	30	6	8	8	8
15	Silas Mandeville	27	7	7	7	6
16	Freddy Richards	22	5	6	6	5

Small Wheel 85 – Overall

Pos	Competitor	Points	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	Joel Winstanley-Dawson	94	22	22	25	25
2	Lucas Lee	92	25	25	20	22
3	Chad Prince	70	16	18	18	18
4	Reuben Jenkins	70	18	20	16	16
5	Authur Moore	62	20	–	22	20