The Michelin MX Nationals returns to Cusses Gorse for one last hoorah.
This weekend will see the final Michelin MX Nationals to be run at the awesome Cusses Gorse MX circuit as the venue will be closing its gate for the last time at the end of the 2023 season. There’s been some memorable and brilliant races in the history of the MX Nationals at Cusses Gorse, and, no doubt, this weekend will be no different.
Track builder and co-owner Justin Barclay has again made changes to the circuit ahead of last weekends FIM World Sidecar GP championship round and will be used by the MX Nationals this weekend. The circuit will, as always, be in tip-top condition for round four of the championship. Cusses Gorse is also the spiritual home of the UK Straight Rhythm, so on Saturday night, there will also be the second Straight Rhythm event of the year to help sign off the Michelin MX Nationals’ final visit to the immaculately prepared Wiltshire circuit.
With the championship at the halfway stage, it’s shaping up nicely with obvious rivalries to look out for as it effectively goes into the second half and that push for titles that are still on the table. In the Leatt MX1 Elite class things are spicy between the Crendon Fastrack Hitachi Tru 7 Honda Racing teammates Conrad Mewse and Josh Gilbert, with only two points separating them after Gilbert’s emphatic 1-1 overall win at Oxford Moto Parc last time out. Defending champion Harri Kullas (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) isn’t out of the running to make it a hat-trick of titles on the spin as he’s only 19 points off series leader Mewse and will be motivated to stop Honda dominance and get his first overall win of the 2023 championship. Tom Grimshaw is putting together a solid championship run in fourth for his Chambers Racing team, albeit someway off the top three, but he’ll have to keep an eye on Ivo Monticelli (ASA United Gas Gas), who is only 19 points back. Other names who will be right in the thick of it will be John Adamson (ASA United Gas Gas), Evgeny Bobryshev (SC Sportshomes Husqvarna), Jamie Carpenter (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha), Tristan Purdon (Gabriel SS24 KTM), Martin Barr (Apico Factory Racing Husqvarna), Callum Green (Tru 7 Honda Racing Academy), Miro Shivonen and his teammate Charlie Putman (SC Sportshomes Husqvarna).
Things are also pretty tasty in the Apico MX2 Elie championship, with Jamie Wainwright (WPH SBE Pure Redline KTM) holding onto the red plate by two points over Phoenix Even Strokes Kawasaki’s hard-charging Carlton Husband. Also enjoying the party at the top is Charlie Cole (Blades Kawasaki), who is just another point back and Calum Mitchell (Lexa Racing) only another two points behind. Opening-round winner Bailey Johnston (Verde Shiloh KTM) has now dropped down to fifth, just seven points behind Mitchell. With only 12 points separating the top five in the championship at the halfway stage it’s fair to say it’s one of the tightest championship battles in national motocross anywhere in the world right now! Charlie Heyman (Tru 7 Honda Racing Academy) will be looking to get his first race win under his belt after the bad luck of the previous round when he was leading moto one. Rookie pro Joe Brooks (GRT Impact KTM) is showing he’s getting to grips with pro racing as he sits in sixth in the series just ahead of Charlie. Other notable names to watch are Sam Nunn (Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha) and Glen McCormick (Chambers Racing Team), who lie ninth and tenth in the championship, respectively. Expect to see Taylor Hammal going for the win on his Gabriel SS24 KTM as he races the championship for the first time this year and knows his way around Cusses Gorse as good as anyone. Jorgen Matthias Talviku (SC Sportshomes Husqvarna) will also be showing his hand for the first time in this year’s championship and will also be in with a shout of the overall victory. Dylan Woodcock will also be making his debut for the Verde Shiloh KTM team filling in for the injured Jake Millward and no doubt adding ‘more sugar’ to the sweet mix of Apico MX2 racers on show.
As always, it’s not just the pros that provide great race action at the Michelin MX Nationals, and there are hard-fought championship battles bubbling up as the temperature rises in many of the other classes. Expect bar-banging action in the Syntol Superminis, Fly Futures, Spiral Clubman MX2, Work Sports Insurance Clubman MX1, Motoverde Amateur and RFX Expert classes over the two days of racing.
Another Straight Rhythm showdown will provide Saturday night’s entertainment, where Dylan Woodcock will be looking to make it back-to-back victories following his win last time out at Oxford. Also Rumoured to be lining up are Jack Brunell, Miro Sihvonen, Charlie Putnam, Jamie Carpenter and Glenn McCormick. This time it will be all in with just one pro class of competitors. The Farm Bike class will also be running and is always fun to watch.
Practice starts at 9am on both days. The Leatt MX1 and Apico MX2 Elite riders will line up behind the gate on Sunday.
Spectator tickets and camping passes can be purchased via Spectator Tickets – MX Nationals
Cusses Gorse is easily located by following What Three Words BOWHEAD.RACING.GEEK
If you can’t make it to Wiltshire to watch the action, DirtWorld-TV will be live streaming on Sunday, and you can tune in via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DirtWorld-TV
Words by MX Nationals UK | Photo Credit: MX Nationals UK
