After making the very bold decision to go ahead with their 2020 AMCA British Motocross Championship, it’s time at long last for the eagerly awaited action to start. Five quick-fire rounds in just six weeks will decide the titles, starting with the opener at Boraston on Sunday. In what promises to be a hectic and very exciting series which is again powered by Datatag and supported by Dunlop, all of the classes running are stacked with high quality entries.
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In MX1 the 2019 Champion Shane Carless will unfortunately be unable to defend his title after suffering a dislocated shoulder. Waiting to take his crown though are a very long list of potential moto winners and hungry,top challengers. Two former AMCA MX1 Champions in Luke Burton and Josh Waterman will lead that quest for honours along with Neville Bradshaw and James Dodd, both MX1 top three finishers in 2019. Also top performers in 2019, throw in Ashley Greedy, Will Hughes, Luke Mellows, Andrew Smart , Sean Wainwright and Welsh ace Corie Southwood moving up into the big bike class after some great results in MX2. Raising the bar to a new, high level in AMCA MX1, you also then need to factor in new boys to the series such as Tommy Alba, Adam Chatfield, Liam Garland, Corey Hockey, Zac Stealey and Scooter Webster. What an entry this is with a simply thrilling race for honours surely guaranteed!!
Ray Rowson the 2017 AMCA MX2 Champion returns for another shot at a title in 2020 but he will have to surely be at his very best if he is to realise his dream! One rider he will certainly have to defeat is the superb young 2019 AMCA MX2 King Jamie Wainwright. Just like MX1, the entry list in the race for MX2 honours is stacked and top class, featuring big hitters such as Josh Coleman, Ryan Crowder, Jansen Day, Luke Dean, Cory McShane, Bradley Tranter and Lee Truman. After winning the 2019 AMCA 125cc class, Lewis Dowdeswell steps up to 250F racing and is surely worth watching out for along with FUS Marsh MX Husqvarna teammate Jordan Eccles making his AMCA Championship debut , Henry Williams returning to action after knee surgery and Mark Young.
After just missing out on the 2019 AMCA 125cc title, Chris Povey will be determined to go one better this time around. His main competition for honours in 2020 could come from two new AMCA riders, the fast, flying Apex KTM duo of Damon Strydom and James Hanscomb. Other riders sure to be right in the mix include Brad Malin returning following major knee surgery, Jimmy Margetson, Matt Ridgway, Travis Steels and a certain Clinton Barrs. Several of the 2019 AMCA Youth 85cc lads have also moved up to 125cc racing this year including the Champion Matt Tolley and you can be sure that these talented young pilots will be determined to give a good account of themselves. This class always provides plenty of close, thrilling, no-holds barred racing so it could well yet throw forward a previously unnamed challenger!!
Three times AMCA Vets Champion Simon Lane is sure to be a leading contender in the chase for 2020 honours along with his brother James Lane. Now on Mid-West Husqvarna machinery, the Gloucester based Lane boy’s will again face regular Vets top ten finishers such as Sean Smith, Stephen Marlow and Brian Staples. Returning to AMCA Championship action, Paul Burn and Kevin Rogers should also challenge and don’t forget another former AMCA title winner in Andrew Watkins.
With most of the lads who finished above him in the 2019 AMCA Youth 85cc class having departed for 125cc action, Yarin Evans could well be considered as one of the favourites to take top honours this time around. At the time of going to press, 26 riders had committed to the 2020 85cc Championship chase and with more sure to follow its going to be another super show from these enthusiastic young pilots.
Mike Wood http://www.offroad-action.co.uk/
