Smith takes in Devon
April 07, 2008
When the teams and spectators woke on Sunday morning at Whiteway Barton in Devon for the second round of the 2008 British MMX Championship to see a covering of snow on the ground and more in the air, the worst was expected but with qualifying set to start the sunshine appeared and this was how it would stay throughout the day. It would actually be dust that would cause problems for the riders come race time.
Qualifying practice went well for the top guys from round one apart from Ray Rowson who was out with a serious injury after taking secnd overall in the opening event of the series but it would be reigning champion Wayne Smith on his Pioneer Yamaha that would take pole from Jordan Rose and Bryan Mackenzie.
Race one got underway well for the Twisted 7/MOTO/Animal Kawasaki team, with Richard Lawson leading the field round the opening lap but on lap two Wayne Smith took the lead and set about pulling away, Lawson was followed by his team mate Mackenzie with Rose and Michael Phillips rounding out the top five. Smith and Mackenzie had checked out leaving Lawson, Rose, Phillips and the advancing Hucklebridge fighting for third place, but with Rose and Hucklebridge looking strong they pulled out from the other two. Smith stayed out in front to take an easy win from Mackenzie by fourteen seconds, a last corner pass by Hucklebridge saw him snatch third from Rose and Lawson took fifth ahead of Phillips in sixth.
A storming start from Mackenzie in race two saw him get the holeshot, ahead of Danny Smyth and Hucklebridge with Smith in fourth. An early pass saw Smith pass Hucklebridge for third place but a few laps on a mistake saw Hucklebridge reclaim the position. An exiting battle was going on for top spot with Mackenzie and Smyth entertaining the crowd with some good close racing but Smyth would prove to be the stronger of the two and stretch out a small lead with a few laps to go, Smith was also back on the trail of Hucklebridge and he took third back with only a couple of laps to go. Smyth would eventually hold on to take the win from Mackenzie with Smith third and Hucklebridge fourth. Lawson and Jamie Law completed the top six.
This gave Wayne Smith the overall victory on the day from Mackenzie and Hucklebridge, and he now has a 19 point lead over Hucklebridge in the championship standings.
Report and images by MOTO reporter Ade Threasher
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