Round 2 of the World Championship – Appalling conditions dampen CAS Honda hopes in Spain

Freak torrential rain put a dampener on the CAS Honda team’s bid for valuable points in the second round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Spain.

Riders Billy MacKenzie and MIke Brown had battled impressively in the MX1 qualifying heats on Saturday, finishing seventh and 12th respectively in dry, sunny conditions at the Bellpuig circuit, north-west of Barcelona. But the heavens opened on race day and turned the track into a sodden battlefield which defeated most riders.

Despite the worst conditions seen in more than a decade, Billy was the fastest in the warm-up, but failed to maintain his momentum in the first race.

Following a poor start, Billy found himself at the back of the field on the first lap. But with typical grittiness, he picked his way through a battlefield of fallen riders and abandoned machines to fifth in the middle stages of the race.

Sadly, a lack of concentration saw him fall off twice in the closing stages of the race and he could only manage a disappointing eighth place.

Mike got off to a better start, running in eighth place in the early stages, but lost his goggles and his eyes filled with mud, leaving him unable to finish the race.

Both riders were hoping for a better run of luck in the second race of the day, but the heavens stayed open, conditions on the hillside track got even worse and the organisers called it off. It was a bitterly disappointing end to a fruitless weekend.

“These were the worst conditions since 1997, but that’s no excuse,” said CAS Honda team manager, Neil Prince. “Billy is riding very well we just have to work on the small mistakes. The weather was appalling and the track conditions were horrific, there were lessons to be learnt and I am confident that Billy and Mike will put them into practice next weekend in Portugal.”

Billy MacKenzie afterward said “I felt good after coming through the field from the back but slipped off and lost a couple of places, this was disappointing after all my hard work”.

Mike Brown was running nearer the front of the race but the loss of his goggles finished his race (see picture below. Needless to say, he was extremely disappointed.

RESULTS

MX1 Race 1

1 Steve Ramon, 2 David Philippaerts, 3 Ken de Dycker, 4 Josh Coppins, 5 Tanel Leok, 6 Kevin Strijbos, 7 Tom Church, 8 Billy MacKenzie, 9 Clement Desalle, 10 Lauris Friebergs.

MX1 Race 2

Cancelled

World Championships Standings

1 De Dycker, 70 points; 2 Ramon, 63pts; 3 Philippaerts, 55pts; 4 Coppins 47pts; 5 MacKenzie, 46pts.

See pictures below (& the change in conditions from Saturday to Sunday!)

MacKenzie during Qualifying

Mike Brown on Sunday!

By: CAS Honda