Month: July 2023

The Lee Dunham Racing (LDR) experience will attend the Apico 2-Stroke Festival at Sellindge, Kent, this weekend, July the 22^nd and 23^rd, offering tuition and try-outs on a small range of Kawasaki motocross bikes from the extensive LDR training range.

The taster lessons will be run using Kawasaki KLX140 small wheels (age 10-15) and KLX140 big wheels (age 13-plus). They are suitable for novice riders and those who want to improve their riding skills. LDR will offer professional coaching to help beginners get started with the basics of off-road riding, such as understanding the motorcycle, its components, and how to approach riding.

For riders who have already caught the motocross bug, and are already competing, the LDR sessions will offer guidance on how to take their riding to the next level.

LDR will be on hand throughout Saturday and Sunday. Booking in early each day is advised to secure a slot.

Commenting on the LDR initiative at this year’s Apico 2-Stroke Festival, promoter Dave Willet said; “We know getting started on a dirt bike can be a little intimidating, so we’re offering a safe and comfortable environment for beginners and new riders to enjoy the experience. Lee is an expert and will guide riders through every aspect of off-road riding, dishing out a whole load of confidence on the way.

“We look forward to seeing huge grins when visitors to the Festival either get on two wheels for the first time or improve their riding skills!”

A pay-on-the-gate option is available to spectators, but money-saving advance tickets can be bought online right up until 6pm on Friday, 21^st July – BOOK HERE.

Pictured: Lee Dunham was on hand to help Team GB at the recently held FIM World MX Junior Championship.

The seventh running of the Apico 2-Stroke Festival featuring the Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals gets underway this Friday, the 21^st July. The gates to the Sellindge track in Kent will open at midday on Friday for competitors to pitch up, park and get ready for a weekend of fun in the sun and enjoy a packed schedule of uber-hot racing.

With the best part of 300 Pro-to-Youth riders signed up for the event, the early entry time will be welcomed by riders travelling a longer distance as well as for those who like to be organised and get set up well ahead of race day.

The best of British MX will contest the Festival classes with Tommy Searle, Conrad Mewse, Josh Gilbert, Dylan Walsh, Josh Spinks, Martin Barr, Dylan Woodcock, Ollie Beamish, Callum Mitchell, James Dunn, Brad Todd, Micheal Ellis, Glenn McCormick and Jordan McCaw all in the mix. Top road racer Bradley Smith is also racing and, while taking a short break from World Superbikes, Scott Redding will be at Sellindge in a team manager role to his Shredxtv 125cc riders Brad Jones and Josh Daniel.

Youth MXY2 star Billy Askew will, in his adult debut, go up against the pro riders in the weekend’s Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals, and is sure to give team-mate and mentor Searle a run for his money!

On the youth front, and fresh from contesting the FIM World Juniors, Robbie Daly will contest the BW85 class going up against the likes of Charlie Richmond and Jamie Keith.

Saturday’s schedule will start at 9am with the first ACU British Open 2-Stroke Championship class practice. Twenty-minute practice sessions will follow for all classes with the BW/SW85s out last. The racing will kickstart with the ACU British 125 Open 2-Strokes at 11am.

Sunday’s timetable will also start with a 9am 25-minute practice session for the Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals MX1 and MX2. The practice block will host 10-minute sessions for the rest of the classes, finishing at approximately 10.35am. Sixteen classes which are guaranteed to provide non-stop race action will follow.

Spectators will be spoilt for choice with so much to watch and are advised to rock up early to enjoy what is anticipated to be the best weekend of motocross racing in the South East this summer.

A pay-on-the-gate option is available to spectators, but money-saving advance tickets can be bought online right up until 6pm on Friday, 21^st July – BOOK HERE.

The Apico 2-Stroke Festival, incorporating the Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals, gets underway this weekend, Saturday the 22^nd and Sunday the 23^rd of July, at the Sellindge track in Kent.

Ringing the changes once again, the Festival’s promoter Dave Willet is introducing a Youth Mini Track for young and novice riders to actively take part in structured races alongside, yet separate, to the main races.

While the older youth racers and adults will be battling it out on the challenging old-school-style, fully-graded MX track, Junior 65s and Auto riders will have a specially-prepped track in the woodland section. Riders of Electric balance bikes will also get the chance to compete within the environment of a national race event as a small circuit will be set aside for their own exploration races.

Each class will have a maximum of 10 riders. If more riders sign up, then additional groups will be added into the programme to satisfy demand and give everyone the opportunity to ‘have a go’. There will be three races per day, per class, providing plenty of track time for the young wannabe ‘pros’.

“We’re introducing these introductory-level races to open up the Festival to everyone that fancies a go at racing,” said Willet. “Quite often, very young riders are given a few laps of a flat field to race on, however, we’ve built a proper circuit which will test their skills and hopefully give them a taste of what it’s like to compete within a professional arena.”

Interested guys and gals can enter via Go Race MX, with entries open right up until Saturday the 22^nd of July at 7.30am.

Enter HERE

The Apico 2-Stroke Festival, featuring the Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals, is proving to be the UK’s premier destination for up-and-coming youth motocross talent with the introduction of a new qualifying system.

Thanks to the popularity of the Youth 125cc group, the team behind the Festival has decided to give more riders in the 125/250F class the chance to race by hosting a timed morning qualifying session which will result in A and B Group races. The addition of qualifying will create a new classification which, in turn, will free up an extra 20 places and allow the growing list of reserve riders the opportunity to participate in the expanding Festival.

“The weekend is a fantastic platform for young riders to showcase their skills and gain experience,” said Apico 2-Stroke Festival promoter Dave Willet. “We know that with hard work and dedication, there’ll be plenty of future champions amongst our riders and we want them all to enjoy the Festival.”

The Apico 2-Stroke Festival returns to the traditionally-styled motocross track at Sellindge, Kent, over the weekend of the 22^nd and 23^rd of July 2023.

Rider entries are still open via Go Race MX – HERE

Advance spectator tickets are on sale – HERE

The Team GB FIM Junior MX World Championship crew rode their hearts out for their country last weekend in Romania. They pitted their strengths against the best youth riders in the world to finish 10^th out of 36 countries.

The top three countries were Italy, the Netherlands and France. Only 13 countries had a finish in each of the 125cc, 85cc and 65cc classes and, if a machine fault hadn’t halted the progress of young Casey Lister in the 65cc class, Team GB would have been a cert for fifth overall ….

With such a huge turnout out for the highly-revered World Juniors, the competition was always going to be tough and closely fought.

Ollie Colmer was the highest-placed Brit in the 125cc group, finishing 16^th overall. Robbie Daly was ninth overall in the 85s, while Casey Lister was 18^th in the 65cc class.

This was the first outing for the new Team GB Juniors under the guidance of Dave Willet, with help and support from ex-racers-turned-trainers Glen Phillips, Ashley Wilde and Lee Dunham.

Reflecting on the weekend, his support network and young warriors, team manager Willet said; “I’d like to thank all riders and their parents, our sponsors, and every member of the team for their hard work and dedication. This weekend was an incredible and inspiring experience for us all.

“It was a challenging yet rewarding experience. The riders worked tirelessly to stay focused, and the efforts put in by every single person involved on, and off, the trace was inspiring.

“The dedication and commitment that these riders have each demonstrated has been remarkable. They were always determined to put their best foot (wheel) forward and really put their all into this event.

“I’m sure that the riders will take what they’ve learned this weekend and apply it to future events. It’s been an unforgettable experience that we’ll all cherish for a long time.

“We’d like to wish Jake Walker a speedy recovery. He was fired up and ready to go out to Romania but got injured the weekend before at the British Championship at Schoolhouse. It’s such a shame because the track at Bucharest would have suited his style and, obviously, all his stuff was already in the truck.”

Team GB was supported by Armor Vision, ACS Scaffolding Ltd, MGP Steel Erection Ltd, Paul Grimshaw Vehicle Movements, ZERO9 Motocross Graphics, and MotoHead Magazine.

Next up for Willet and crew is the Coupe de l’avenir in Belgium over the weekend of the 30^th September and 1^st of October.

Ends.

Pictured: Team GB World Juniors showing support for missing team member Jake Walker #99.

The Apico 2-Stroke Festival is gathering speed as the UK’s top adult and youth racers sign up for the two-day event which will be held on Saturday the 22^nd and Sunday the 23^rd of July at Sellindge, Kent.

Money-saving advance spectator tickets can be booked on-line for just £10* per person for the whole weekend, saving the hassle and additional cost of paying on-the-gate. Under-12s can gain admission free-of-charge and overnight Friday/Saturday no-frills, space-only camping is just £10.

The weekend is set to witness incredible and close racing across a range of classes that cater for young small-wheel 85cc riders right the way through the ranks to reigning British MX Champions – Tommy Searle and Conrad Mewse – together with Pro level competitors, each vying for a share of the considerable prize money. With £12,000.00 on the table for the Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals, paying out to 10^th place per race across both MX1 and MX2 classes, they’ll take no prisoners when the start gate drops.

Elsewhere, there are ACU-sanctioned British Championships to be won for novice and clubman-level 2-Stroke enthusiasts, which will also attract prize money. For the youth contestants, there is the chance for two riders from the 85cc and 125cc classes to earn ambassador status, and a top-value £2,500 prize, with high-end MX clothing and protection specialist Leatt.

Sticking with the affordability angle, the individual rider entry fee for all Apico 2-Stroke and Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals classes is just £62.50.

CLICK HERE to enter online via Go Race MX.

As well as the competitive on-track action, there’ll be a fun mechanics/pit bike race, try out sessions on a purpose-built taster track, Traxxas remote-controlled vehicle have-a-go, trade stands, and catering available throughout the weekend.  

Racing starts from 9am each day.

Classes – Saturday and Sunday:

ACU British 125 two-stroke

ACU British Open two-stroke

ACU British Evo two-stroke

ACU British Super Evo two-stroke

Red Bull Pro Stroke National Clubman MX1

Red Bull Pro Stroke National Clubman MX2

Red Bull Noughties (age 25 + machine year 2000/2008)

Over 40s Open 2- stroke  

Youth 250F

Youth 125

Youth BW/SW85

Sunday only:

Red Bull Pro Stroke National MX1/MX2

On-line spectator booking is now available CLICK HERE!

*Plus booking fees.

Pictured: #426 Conrad Mewse at the 2022 Apico 2-Stroke Festival.

Image credit: Adam Duckworth Photography.

When the Apico 2-Stroke Festival opens for a weekend of action-packed motocross racing over the 22^nd and 23^rd of July 2023, a number of ACU-sanctioned British Championship titles will be up for grabs.

But, says organiser Dave Willet, “interested riders shouldn’t be put off by the title, as the classes are also all about fun, and are open to all abilities, whether that’s at club level or those recreational riders who prefer to ride at practice days.”

On the 125cc-front, any rider aged 15 and over can race on a dual adult licence which means youth riders who would normally enter the Youth 125 category, could move up and race with the adults, race for prize money and race for the chance to be crowned the ACU British 125 Two-Stroke Champion.

The ACU British Open 2-Stroke class is also open to riders with different skill sets and, again, there’s prize money on offer as well as the British title. “The racing at the Festival is for anyone looking for an action-packed weekend full of premix fun,” explained Willet. “There really is something for all riders and they don’t need to be out at the front of the pack to enjoy the vibe and get stuck in. Obviously the Red Bull Pro Stroke Nationals are for the hard core Pro and ProAm guys, however, when it comes to grass-roots racing with a British crown in the mix, any competent 125cc or 250cc rider who fancies a go will be welcome. What’s more, if any of the over 15-year-old 125cc riders reckon they can mix it with the adults, we will be more than happy to help them.

CLICK HERE to enter online.

“The racing has been awesome to watch over the years,” added Willet, “and we can’t wait to see what this year will bring.”

Classes – Saturday and Sunday:

ACU British 125 two-stroke

ACU British Open two-stroke

ACU British Evo two-stroke

ACU British Super Evo two-stroke

Red Bull Pro Stroke National Clubman MX1

Red Bull Pro Stroke National Clubman MX2

Red Bull Noughties (age 25 + machine year 2000/2008)

Over 40s Open 2- stroke  

Youth 250F

Youth 125

Youth BW/SW85

Sunday only:

Red Bull Pro Stroke National MX1/MX2

On-line booking is now available for all classes via Go Race MX, CLICK HERE!

Pictured: Apico 2-Stroke Festival – British 250s #25 Jamie Law _ #433 Jack Lindsay.