Yamaha Motorcycles

Ray makes hay at Preston Docks! 2024 AMCA British Motocross Championship Round 1 – Race Report & Results

2024 AMCA British Motocross Championship Round 1 Race Report

On an Easter weekend when the offroad fixture list was severely decimated by the recent deluge of wet weather, there was to be one very notable survivor as the AMCA got their 2024 British Motocross Championship up and running.

Race Report and Images by Mike Wood

Selecting Preston Docks MX as the intended venue for round one proved to be an absolute masterstroke and incredibly wise as the sandy, Lancashire track was in prime condition along with it crucially also providing predominantly hard standing pits parking. When you then throw into the mix a big entry list boosted by a whole host of wild-card entries hungry for some race action, all the ingredients were in place for a red-hot early season thriller! And, that’s just what proceeded to unfold in a series which this year has received additional support from Holab Concepts and Joov Sports Products.

MX2 winner Rory Jones

First up in the 2024 series was the combined Open/MX2 Class and with that mixture of engine capacities, the action was always going to be very frantic and extremely interesting. In the opening moto Ray Rowson, a rider who had previously competed at the top level of UK motocross was fastest away. Using all of his vast experience, Ray on the big 450F Honda held his advantage for two laps until three very fast MX2 Wildcard riders, Rory Jones, Ben Mustoe and Josh Waterman all found a way through. As Jones, the 2023 AMCA MX2 Champion took the win, early leader Rowson got home in 4th from Mark Roberts, Will Hughes and first MX2 series registered rider Liam Gale. After gating right down in 23rd, showing great style and speed, McKenzie Marshall stormed right up to 8th on his 250F KTM, also indicating that there was going to be plenty more to come from him as the weekend unfolded!

McKenzie Marshall the MX2 runner-up

As the immaculate Jones led moto two from gate to flag, young Mustoe was to produce arguably one of the rides of the weekend! Finding himself right down in 30th he then stormed through the field to get home in 2nd as Waterman took another solid 3rd after gating 7th. Continuing the MX2 domination, Marshall was 4th with Hughes the first MX1 pilot to cross the line in 5th. Completing the top ten was Rowson, Logan Wilcox, Gale, Adam Wells and Roberts. Having badly broke his leg last year and currently awaiting a further operation on the damage, Wells is still in immense pain so another top ten placing was particularly pleasing for the Midlands based rider.

The third big Open/MX2 clash was to be a very dramatic affair as both Marshall and Jones led the moto before suffering high speed, spectacular crashes which occurred ironically at exactly the same point on the circuit! Incredibly both lads were able to jump back up, shake themselves down and quickly return to race mode! Also in this one, Waterman was involved in a five-rider collision on turn one unfortunately injuring his hand and being forced out of proceedings. At the front though and taking full advantage of Marshall’s and Jones tumbles, Mustoe was relentlessly racing onto the win. Showing fantastic character, Marshall still somehow recovered to claw his way back and bag a super 2nd from Rowson, Roberts, Jones and Wilcox.

With the track at it’s very roughest, Mustoe then crashed out of the last moto early on requiring medical attention a fate also suffered by Gale. The LRT Yamaha pilot took a heavy hit but although remounting his chances of a possible MX2 podium had been demolished. Upfront, Hughes on his new big green Kawasaki led the way for seven laps before those MX2 aces Marshall and Jones came through and take control. As Hughes eventually took 3rd from Rowson, the heroic Wells scored a fantastic 5th. So, on the Open podium, Rowson rolled back the years to climb the top step joined by Hughes and the very consistent Roberts. In MX2, Wildcard riders Jones, Marshall and Wilcox took the honours.

Charlie Palmer, 4th in the 125cc Championship class

For 2024 the main 125cc Championship and 125cc Youth Championship is a combined contest. Although that meant that in this one there was a stacked start gate, there was though absolutely no doubting the eventual winner! In all four moto’s, Jimmy Margetson simply cleared off and scorched to massive wins, his smallest victory margin being a mere 33 seconds! Whilst Margetson’s style and speed were a joy to watch, the action behind him was equally stunning. Generally, it was Luke Newman, Harry Linton, Charlie Palmer and Wyatt McGregor providing the fireworks whilst Ollie Jewitt, Tom Goodfellow, Callen Jai Griffiths and Sebby Moore carried a major Youth 125cc threat.

Jimmy Margetson the runaway 125cc-Championship class winner

As the immaculate Margetson waltzed to his first moto win of the weekend, Newman took 2nd from Linton, Palmer and McGregor with Jewitt, Goodfellow, Travis James, Jai Griffiths and Bobby Watson next up. On completion of this one, runner-up Newman discovered that his engine had lost all compression and having been extremely fortunate to make it over the finishing line he was then forced to switch bikes for the second clash of the day! Jumping aboard a brand-new machine, Luke frantically ran the new power plant in before then proceeding to grab the 125cc mot two holeshot only for that man Margetson to quickly take control! Newman’s new bike did though stay on tune and was singing all the way to the chequered flag as it carried him to another great runners-up spot. Once again Palmer, Linton, McGregor and Jewitt were in the frame. Having recently moved up from competing on 85cc machinery, Moore and Mason Care both gave a great account of their ability taking 7th and 8th respectively.

Ollie Jewitt the 125cc Youth Championship class-winner

Both of Sunday’s two moto’s saw runaway victories for Margetson chased all the way the usual suspects. So, with the racing done, the 125cc Championship podium was Margetson, Newman and Linton whilst the superb Jewitt topped the Youth 125cc box from Goodfellow and Moore. Although Margetson had entered round one as a Wildcard, it appears that he may now be contesting the entire series. On the Preston Docks evidence, it’s certainly going to take a seriously fast fellow competitor to stop his march!

125cc Championship class runner up Luke Newman

In 2024, the BWMA Women’s Championship has reverted to having its own standalone moto’s and at Preston Docks a fantastic 23 young Ladies/Girls were on the start line. And, what superb entertainment they were to provide culminating in a thrilling last moto. In the opening clash of the weekend, it was Grace Richards leading fellow Wildcard Libby Chatburn all the way from Nadiya Jones in 3rd. Several of last year’s top BWMA 85cc had moved up in class for 2024 and in this one Holly Williams was first new girl home in a great 5th. Despite still competing on her 85cc mount, Leah Rees-Evans really mixed it up to earn a fantastic 7th, one place ahead of the 2023 BWMA 85cc Champion Checoby Rainey. Also inside the top ten were Hannah Jones, Caitlin Newman and Grace Bates aboard her Stark Electric bike.

Leah Rees Evans 4th in the BWMA class

With Richards in complete control again in moto two, Nadiya Jones took 2nd as Chatburn produced a stunning performance coming from last up to 3rd with Ebony Brown, Rees-Evans, Rheanna Morgan-Rogers and Williams next up. Making it a hat-trick of wins, Richards then comfortably was first past the chequered flag in moto three from Chatburn and Nadiya Jones as Rees-Evans rolled off another stunner and bag 4th.

Libby Chatburn the BWMA runner-up

So, to the last BWMA clash of the weekend and probably the best as Jones grabbed the holeshot before quickly being overhauled by Richards. Also swiftly moving through though was a very determined Chatburn and after hounding her rival for five laps, Libby hit the front. During the next four laps, battle raged as the leading duo ripped up the Preston sand but with just a couple of laps remaining, Grace was back in control and there she remained. Taking 3rd again was the very consistent and equally fast Nadiya Jones ahead of Brown, Rees-Evans, Morgan-Rogers, Williams and Hannah Jones. After scoring her fourth victory of the weekend, Richards topped the podium from Chatburn and Nadiya Jone. Defending BWMA Champion Marni Saunders missed this one due to other commitments but she is due to return for round two at Bromsberrow on April 20th/21st, this series just gets better and better!

Nadiya Jones the BWMA 3rd place finisher

There was no doubting the star of the 85cc racing at Preston as serial National winner Joel Winstanley-Dawson turned on the style! Grandson of former top motocross promoter Ken Winstanley, young Joel looks a certain star of the future displaying incredible speed, style and total control as he stormed to four moto wins. Also looking to have an abundance of star quality was the SW85cc winner Arthur Moore and he was indeed the rider who provided the main challenge to Winstanley-Dawson’s dominance. In in moto one, Moore really took it to Winstanley-Dawson, grabbing the holeshot and in a high-speed terrific scrap led most of the way until his rival got through on the last lap for the win.

In this one, last year’s SW85cc AMCA Champion Ryan Jackson from Ireland took a superb 3rd with Jenson Clitheroe, son of former top rider Rob in 4th. Another super SW85cc pilot Finley Cookson was 5th as Oakley Skinner, Sean Simout, Alfie Pincher, Jack Bullock and Jacob Ince completed the top ten.

Joel Winstanley Dawson the BW85cc winner

After Cookson had made a great start to moto two, it was then Winstanley-Dawson all the way as Moore, Jackson, Clitheroe, Simout and Skinner chased him home. Although Jackson and Moore briefly led moto’s three and four respectively, there was simply no stopping that lad Winstanley-Dawson as he reeled off another couple of classy wins. So, the BW85cc podium consisted of Winstanley-Dawson, Jackson and Clitheroe with Moore, Alfie Pincher and Tyler Shaw making up the SW85cc box. The 85cc racing also included the BWMA 85cc Girl’s contest with Lexi Emery topping that one from Cameron Mansbridge. In the four moto’s at Preston, both girls certainly got stuck in with Lexi’s best finish a 16th place in the final clash and Cameron’s 22nd in the same moto.

James Lane, the Vets Over 40 winner

After just missing out on the AMCA Vets title in 2023, James Lane started the new campaign with four moto wins and an overall victory. On each occasion though James had to do it the hard way typified by the action in moto one when he passed early leaders Julian Freeberne, Mark Swift and Matt Ryder. Indeed, Ryder the defending AMCA Vets Over 50’s Champion was consistently the pacesetter in the opening three clashes before 2023 AMCA Vets Over 40’s Champion Simon Lane led the last one. For the elder of the Lane brothers having now turned 50, Simon though did not have the most memorable of weekends. In the first two his Yamaha bike was billowing steam as the engine filler plug had worked loose and was spitting oil! Then in race three the bike ground to a halt with a broken clutch early on, forcing him to switch over to bike two. In the Over 40’ it was eventually James Lane, two-stroke mounted Adam Wilkinson and Swift the top three with Ryder, Adrian Lewis and Simon Lane on the Over 50’s box.

Wyatt McGregor, 5th in the 125cc Championship class

In a busy programme, there’s also a new class for 2024 in the AMCA, the Honda Cup being open to any riders owning a Honda 250F purchased after 2021. With amazing prizes on offer at each round including the glamorous red FLY helmet, the real golden carrot is that the eventual Championship winner will take home a brand new 2025 CRF250R! At Preston, Joshua Fletcher-Williams won the opening moto of the series but already injured he was then run over by an opponent on turn one when competing in moto three of the Open/MX2 Championship! Unable to start in the second Honda Cup race, Matt Wright took the victory and also the overall top slot. Both the Honda Cup and the AMCA British Motocross Championship series moves onto Bromsberrow on April 20th/21st for round two.

BWMA winner Grace Richards leading Libby Chatburn in their final moto thriller

Results

Open

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Ray Rowson 94 25 22 25 22
2 Will Hughes 90 20 25 20 25
3 Mark Roberts 80 22 18 22 18
4 Adam Wells 76 18 20 18 20
5 Harvey Tillotson 62 15 16 16 15
6 Martin Jones 57 14 14 13 16
7 Lee Clarkson 54 13 13 14 14
8 Jordan Meredith 47 12 12 10 13
9 Michael Wall 46 16 15 15
10 Aaron Collins 44 10 11 12 11
11 Kian Bown 42 11 10 11 10
12 Billy MCgillivray 24 8 7 9
13 Matthew Jones 18 9 9
14 Aaron Brown 12 12
15 Luke Davies 8 8

MX2

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Rory Jones 92 25 25 20 22
2 McKenzie Marshall 81 16 18 22 25
3 Logan Wilcox 69 15 16 18 20
4 Ben Mustoe 69 22 22 25
5 Liam Gale 56 18 15 16 7
6 Tim Burrows 50 9 12 13 16
7 Adam Nevitt 44 11 11 4 18
8 Samuel Bishop 42 8 9 11 14
9 Ben Walker 41 10 10 8 13
10 Will Turner 40 4 7 14 15
11 Josh Waterman 40 20 20
12 Daniel Nevitt 37 7 6 12 12
13 James Bemrose 30 6 8 6 10
14 Logan Jay Powell 29 3 5 10 11
15 Patrick Gilligan 29 12 2 15
16 Oliver Davis 27 5 4 9 9
17 Lee Sealey 27 13 14
18 Christopher Jackson 16 1 7 8
19 Matt Wright 16 2 3 5 6
20 Jordan Wright 14 14
21 Joshua Fletcher-Williams 13 13

125 Championship

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Jimmy Margetson 100 25 25 25 25
2 Luke Newman 88 22 22 22 22
3 Harry Linton 78 20 18 20 20
4 Charlie Palmer 74 18 20 18 18
5 Wyatt McGregor 64 16 16 16 16
6 Macauley Davies 60 15 15 15 15
7 Scott Corfield 52 14 14 12 12
8 kye marshall 39 13 13 13
9 Jack Jordan 28 14 14
10 Jamie Johnson 22 11 11

125 Youth

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Ollie Jewitt 95 25 25 20 25
2 Tom Goodfellow 87 22 18 25 22
3 Sebby Moore 75 13 22 22 18
4 Cailen Jai Griffiths 69 18 13 18 20
5 Lewis Roberts 59 14 15 14 16
6 Romeo Mead 57 11 16 15 15
7 Mason Care 50 20 16 14
8 George Bromley 45 12 11 12 10
9 ryan oboye 42 8 9 13 12
10 Louis Tilley 38 10 8 11 9
11 Oakley Kettle 35 14 8 13
12 Bobby Watson 34 16 12 6
13 Ted Bullen 33 7 10 9 7
14 levi reading 31 4 6 10 11
15 Max Brick 28 6 7 7 8
16 Tyler Lane 20 5 5 4 6
17 Travis James 20 20
18 Thomas Knifton 17 3 4 5 5
19 Linc Hasted 15 15
20 Oscar Bott 10 3 3 4
21 Harley Piper 9 9

Womens

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Grace Richards 100 25 25 25 25
2 Libby Chatburn 86 22 20 22 22
3 Nadiya Jones 82 20 22 20 20
4 Leah Rees-Evans 64 14 16 18 16
5 Rheanna Morgan-Rogers 64 18 15 16 15
6 Holly Williams 59 16 14 15 14
7 Ebony Brown 58 8 18 14 18
8 Hannah Jones 53 15 12 13 13
9 Checoby Rainey 50 13 13 12 12
10 Grace Bates 44 11 11 11 11
11 Amber McGregor 40 10 10 10 10
12 Caitlin Newman 37 12 7 9 9
13 cyra-j carysforth smith 30 6 9 7 8
14 Millie Sweeney 24 9 8 7
15 Erin Howes 23 4 6 8 5
16 Sophie Jones 18 5 5 4 4
17 Sasha Tollet 9 2 2 2 3
18 Lucy Fearn 9 3 6
19 India Hodgkinson 8 3 3 2
20 Elizabeth Knifton 1 1

Vets Over 40

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 James Lane 100 25 25 25 25
2 Adam Wilkinson 86 22 22 22 20
3 Mark Swift 82 20 20 20 22
4 John Butler 67 18 15 16 18
5 Richard Meakin 61 12 18 15 16
6 James kay 56 14 13 14 15
7 Nicholas Pawson 56 15 14 13 14
8 Ben Knifton 47 13 10 12 12
9 Thurlow Bone 45 9 12 11 13
10 Daniel Lee 39 10 9 10 10
11 Ian Jesson 36 8 8 9 11
12 David Wilcox 32 16 16
13 Ste Marlow 22 11 11
14 Rick Darlington 18 18

Vets Over 50

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Matt Ryder 94 25 22 25 22
2 Adrian Lewis 76 18 16 22 20
3 Simon Lane 72 22 25 25
4 Brian Staples 54 16 20 18
5 Julian Freeberne 38 20 18

Big Wheel 85

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Joel Winstanley-Dawson 100 25 25 25 25
2 Ryan Jackson 88 22 22 22 22
3 Jenson Clitheroe 80 20 20 20 20
4 Sean Smout 70 16 18 18 18
5 Oakley skinner 64 18 16 14 16
6 Jack Bullock 59 15 15 15 14
7 Jacob Ince 54 14 13 16 11
8 Arley Marshall 50 9 14 12 15
9 Terry challinor 43 12 11 8 12
10 Zach Lakin 37 8 7 9 13
11 Finn Fitzgerald 37 10 12 6 9
12 Corey Harrison-Ross 33 6 8 11 8
13 Ryan Tilley 33 11 9 7 6
14 Max Charlton 23 13 10
15 Rafe Sloane 20 10 10
16 Aston Whitehead 20 13 7
17 Samuel Gibbs 20 5 5 5 5
18 Rylie Hubble 17 7 6 4
19 Corey Daubney 15 4 4 3 4

Small Wheel 85

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Arthur Moore 100 25 25 25 25
2 Alfie Pincher 82 20 22 20 20
3 tyler shaw 77 13 20 22 22
4 Freddie Darvill 70 16 18 18 18
5 jimmy Whiston 61 18 15 13 15
6 Leo whittle 58 14 13 15 16
7 finley cookson 52 22 16 14
8 mason brown 40 12 12 16
9 Aston Whitehead 29 15 14

Girls 85

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Lexi Emery 100 25 25 25 25
2 Cameron Mansbridge 88 22 22 22 22

Honda Cup

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2
1 Matt Wright 47 22 25
2 Joshua Fletcher-Williams 25 25
3 Ricky Ryder 22 22
4 Mark Allen 20 20

Clubman Under 40 Support

Pos Competitor Points R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Ben Seaburg 94 22 22 25 25
2 Ady Lakey 82 25 15 20 22
3 Rhyce Ward 68 20 20 16 12
4 Ben Fletcher 67 25 22 20
5 Rob Longworth 57 16 13 15 13
6 Tommy Taylor 56 18 16 11 11
7 Ricky Ryder 55 15 14 12 14
8 Joe Willoughby 52 11 12 14 15
9 Ben Hurley 47 18 13 16
10 Chris Duckett 44 14 11 9 10
11 Calum Marlow 42 13 10 10 9
12 Mark Allen 37 12 9 8 8
13 Alfie Duckett 36 18 18

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