After careful consideration, the management team behind Team GB Junior MX Worlds have announced the riders who will be representing Team GB at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, to be held at the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde in the Netherlands, on 14th July 2024,
Huge congratulations to all selected riders, chosen for their considerable race skills, dedication and hard work. Let’s bring home some medals for our country.
“It was a difficult job whittling down the selection to just five riders per class from such a large pool of British youth motocross talent,” said team manager Dave Willet. “Everyone was so close. However, ultimately, after much discussion and deliberation, we have decided on the following riders.”
MX Team GB Junior World team manager Dave Willet, the driving force behind the Apico 2-Stroke Festival featuring the Red Bull Pro Stroke National, has got together with his Team GB co-organisers to put on another couple of youth motocross training days; one in the UK and one in Holland.
Following on from the successful outing at Doncaster Moto Parc in April, the second Team GB Junior World training day will be held at FatCat Moto Parc on the next bank holiday, Monday the 6th of May.
This presents a perfect opportunity for riders and their families to enjoy a full-on weekend of both competitive and fun motocross activity, as the practice day follows a weekend of racing at FatCat, with rounds of the 90 Racing MX Club Championship, and Dirt Store British Youth Motocross Championship qualifying rounds.
The day at FatCat will be swiftly followed by the chance to ride and train on the very circuit that will host the 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship. On Thursday the 23rd of May, immediately prior to the Whitsun bank holiday weekend, Willet has privately hired the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde in the Netherlands for an afternoon training session and is opening it up to UK youth riders.
Heerde is a superbly professional and permanent facility in the centre of Holland, which will also be open to the public on the Wednesday before the Team GB Junior World track day.
Commenting on the upcoming initiatives, Willet explained; “With the UK youth motocross season starting so much later this year, there are only a limited number of opportunities for our youth riders to get some proper bike time.
“We hope that, by offering riding time at the popular FatCat Moto Parc and the world-class Heerde venues, youth riders can benefit by honing their skills on two very different tracks and take advantage of training alongside their peers. What’s more, with the selection process for the Junior Motocross World Championship looming, the Team GB talent scouts will also have time to monitor the riders’ progress.”
Both training days at FatCat and Heerde are open to 65cc, 85cc, and 125cc youth riders. They will be attended by leading youth coaches Glen Phillips, Ashley Wilde and Lee Dunham who will, as always, be ready to help out and share a hot tip or two.
Gearing up for an action-packed weekend of racing, the ever-evolving Apico 2-Stroke Festival, featuring the Red Bull Pro-Stroke National, returns to Sellindge in Kent this summer with a three-day celebration of motocross from the 16th to the 18th of August.
Entries are now open for the 2024 edition of the Festival, which is set to deliver a programme of high-adrenaline entertainment from the Friday, when the finely-sculpted and challenging track opens up to youth riders on 50cc, 65cc and 85cc machines, right through to close of play on the Sunday after all adult class riders have had their fun.
In addition to the flat-out racing on the main track, the second track at Sellindge MX will be turned over for a spot of something different, with races for wanna-be Pros from the age of just three years on balance bikes, and bar-bashing pit bike racing for adult riders. Elsewhere, there’ll be an interactive village set up offering tryout sessions for novice riders of all ages, enabling them to get a taste of the joys of motocross.
A welcome fixture on the UK’s MX race calendar since 2017, the Apico 2-Stroke Festival runs in association with the ACU to grant full British Championship status for its 2-Stroke 125, Open, Evo and Super Evo classes. In addition, youth classes catering for 125, 250F, BW and SW85s as well as Over-40s open 2-stroke will take place.
Festival promoter Dave Willet, together with Dylan Brown, the owner of main sponsor Apico Factory Racing, have agreed a multi-thousand-pound prize fund/product deal which will deliver a host of winning opportunities to riders across the full breadth of classes.
Red Bull is once more supporting the Festival with support over the weekend for the Red Bull Pro Stroke National Clubman MX1/MX2 and Red Bull Noughties. Then, on Sunday, the Pros roll out for the Red Bull Pro-Stroke National with classes for Pro/Expert MX1 and MX2.
Race schedule:
Friday/Saturday:
Youth 65 (7-11 yrs)
Youth 50 (6-8yrs)
Youth Sw 85 (9-12yrs)
Youth Bw 85 (11-14yrs)
Saturday/ 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 125
Youth 250F
E2 (4-5yrs)
E3 (4-6yrs)
E5 (6-8yrs)
Electric Balance Bike 16” (3-5yrs)
Electric Balance Bike 12” (3-4yrs)
Farm Bike/Pit Bikes (Adults)
Sunday only:
Red Bull Pro Stroke National MX1/MX2
“Be sure to mark your calendars,” said Festival promoter Dave Willet. “And join us for a weekend full of high-speed thrills and festival fun. This year’s event will herald the start of something big in 2025, which I can promise will be a game changer. Watch this space!”
The Team GB Junior World programme enjoyed a positive start to its 2024 campaign when the first training session of the new season took place at Doncaster Moto Parc (DMP) last week.
The 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship will be held at the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde in the Netherlands, on the 14th of July 2024. With only a short window of opportunity for team boss Dave Willet and his team of experts to monitor potential candidates and whittle down the field of highly-talented youth riders to just five per class across 65cc, 86cc and 125cc, dedicated ‘talent spotting’ days such as the one at DMP are crucial.
Over 40 riders of all abilities turned up to enjoy the challenging conditions on the 4th of April, and with highly-respected coaches Glen Phillips and Ashley Wilde on hand to offer a few top tips, they were able to combine a spot of fun with some serious tuition.
As he continues to cast the Team GB net far and wide in the search for the best British youth riders, Willet said: “We had a fantastic day at Doncaster Moto Parc for the first team GB Junior World training session. Despite the overnight rain, the track was in great condition and provided a challenging experience for all riders.
“As previously outlined, many British-based championships will not take place before the cut-off point when we need to make the tough call as to who to include in this year’s team. So it is necessary to run our own sessions to give all interested parties a chance to shine.
“Huge thanks go to Paul Grimshaw Vehicle Movements, the ACU, and Ed and Karen of DMP for providing the facility and for their backing. I must also give a shout out to Glen, Ash and MotoHead Mag for giving their support and helping to make the day so successful. We managed to put in nearly two hours of rider timing, giving all involved invaluable experience.”
Pictured: Alfie Geddes Green. Image credit: Adam Duckworth Photography.
The ACU Apico 2-Stroke Festival British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship is gearing up to be one of the best!
The official ACU Apico 2-Stroke Festival British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship has been running under the umbrella of the annual Kent-based Apico 2-Stroke Festival since the event’s inception back in 2017.
Now, with the Championship in its eighth year, a groundbreaking collaboration has been formed with the Fastest 40 to enhance the reach of the series and extend it to eight rounds. Six rounds will coincide with the Fastest 40 Championship, kicking off at the iconic Hawkstone Park, while the sixth and seventh rounds will be a Saturday/Sunday double header at the Apico 2-Stroke Festival, incorporating the Red Bull Pro Stroke National, at Sellindge MX, Kent, over the weekend of the 17th and 18th of August.
The pre-season status of the class proved this partnership to be a popular one, with riders quickly registering their interesting and securing their entries for the season.
The ACU Apico 2-Stroke Festival British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship schedule is;
The Apico 2-Stroke Festival has a long-standing relationship with leading off-road media outlet MotoHead which will serve to guarantee in-depth exposure for the British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship and its competitors.
Furthermore, Dave Willet, the promoter of the Apico 2-Stroke Festival is also the Team Manager for the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship and the FIM Coupe de L’Avenir. He will be in attendance for all the British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship rounds, keeping a close eye on all competitors as they showcase their skills on the track.
“This alliance between the Apico 2-Stroke Festival and the Fastest 40 is hugely important for the UK motocross scene,” said Willet. “The EMX Style format for the 125cc class where youth and adult riders are combined, yet scored separately, will help to develop younger talent. We believe the challenge of competing against more experienced riders will motivate and prepare them for a career in the sport.”
The Auto Cycle Union (ACU) has confirmed its partnership with Dave Willet of the X-Bladez Club and will collaborate with him and his crew on projects planned for the Kent-based Sellindge MX and other facilities.
The ACU is committed to facilitating seamless operations and fostering a conducive environment for all motorcycle sport activities. The organisation will support Willet and his associates in their endeavours to operate premium practice and training days and become ACU-registered coaches.
Willet and Co played a pivotal role in successfully placing a number of the UK’s talented youth motocross riders on the world stage last year, firstly in Romania at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship and then in Belgium for the Coupe de l’Avenir.
While Willet was the front man, it was thanks to the efforts of his valued team, sponsors and, of course, the parents who shared their wealth of experience in race craft and training, to support the young racers. They all worked together to develop the youngsters’ on and off-bike talents and encouraged them to act in a professional manner while representing their country. This clearly made an impact with the ACU.
Sonia Goggin, the ACU’s Motocross Commission Co-ordinator said; “We look forward to supporting Dave and his support network every step of the way, to achieve outcomes that benefit the sport in the UK.”
Commenting on this important step forward, Willet added; “We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with the ACU for our new plans. This partnership aims to achieve outcomes that will greatly benefit the off-road sport community.
“Our ultimate goal is to provide facilities that will introduce new concepts, making it easier for beginners to enter the sport. Additionally, we will be offering a variety of training opportunities under ACU affiliation.
“We are confident that this collaboration will bring positive changes to off-road sport in the UK, and we can’t wait to get going.”
Pictured: Dave Willet and team are passionate about nurturing the UK’s motocross fraternity.
In line with many organisers of large scale events, the Apico 2-Stroke Festival featuring the Red Bull Pro Stroke National heavily relies on the support of both local and national partners in order to successfully run its race meetings.
As plans for the 2024 Festival at Sellindge MX in Kent start to take shape, long-term partner Ovenden Plant Hire has renewed its relationship with promoter Dave Willet for the eighth edition of the event.
“It’s amazing to have Ovenden continue its support.,” said Willet. “The firm has been with us from the very beginning. Ovenden is a family-owned, Kent-based company with over 45 years’ experience in plant hire, haulage, contracting, and much more and the team behind it truly loves motorsport. It’s fantastic to have them on board in 2024. They’ve been such an integral part of making this event possible, and we couldn’t have done it without them. They’ve literally helped shape the event and venue.”
The 2024 Apico 2-Stroke Festival will be held over the weekend of the 17th and 18th of August at Sellindge MX, Kent which is located between Ashford and Folkestone.
Pictured top: 2019 Apico 2-Stroke Festival – #15 Bradley Wheeler, ACU British Open 2-stroke Champion and #91 Nathan Watson – who was picked for Team GB in the Motocross of Nations that year.
The Red Bull Pro Stroke National is set to be back with a bang in 2024, bigger and better than ever.
Running alongside the Apico 2-Stroke Festival weekend at Sellindge MX track in Kent, on Sunday the 18th of August, the Pro and Pro-Am event will see both MX1 and MX2 riders race against each other at the same time, on the same track. While this will make an epic spectacle for spectators, the competitors will have the reassurance of both classes being scored separately.
Festival promoter Dave Willet believes the Red Bull Pro Stroke National provides an important platform for UK racers to test themselves and put themselves in front of heavyweights within the sport. For example, Conrad Mewse deputed on a KTM450 against Tommy Searle in 2022, and upcoming young gun Billy Askew stepped up as a youth rider to compete against the adults and won the MX2 class, highlighting his skills to Red Bull in the process.
Willet outlined his thoughts; “While, like most, I am a believer in the 125 2-Stroke class as a stepping stone into Europe, it would be rash to discount MXGP as the pinnacle of the sport. Our aim is to offer a way to help develop our riders and the sport in the UK to help younger riders get on the world stage.
“Also, in 2023 the Red Bull Pro Stroke National was up there in terms of offering big prize money, perhaps the biggest for a single event in the UK. That’s important too and is an incentive that will continue.”
Pictured: Billy Askew at the 2023 Apico 2-Stroke Festival. Image credit: Adam Duckworth Photography.
The recently-launched official ACU Apico 2-Stroke Festival British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship will kick off at Hawkstone Park in March 2024, when the Fastest 40 takes to the iconic motocross track near Shrewsbury.
The 2024 Apico 2-Stroke Festival partnership with the Fastest-40 will see an eight-round, ACU-sanctioned British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship. The Festival at Sellindge in Kent in August will include a Saturday/Sunday double-header, providing two rounds of the series. The Fastest-40 will run the other six rounds on a nationwide basis.
There are few motocross racers who don’t relish the chance to race at Hawkstone. The chance to race and to rip up the famous Hawkstone Hill is an opportunity not to be missed. And, for some of the fastest youngsters in motocross, getting to mix it with several 125cc vets in a full 40-rider line-up, all fighting for a British title, on such a challenging track, will be a dream come true.
The ACU Apico 2-Stroke Festival British 125cc 2-Stroke Championship schedule is as follows;
Round 1 – March 30th – Fastest 40
Round 2 – April 20th – Fastest 40
Round 3 – May 11th – Fastest 40
Round 4 – June 1st – Fastest 40
Round 5 – July 6th– Fastest 40
Round 6 – August 17th – Apico 2-Stroke Festival
Round 7 – August 18th – Apico 2-Stroke Festival
Round 8 – September 7th – Fastest 40
“With some of the fastest youngsters in motocross sharpening up their skills for this championship, it’s going to be ultra-competitive, especially when you add-in some of the 125 veterans,” said Apico 2-Stroke Festival promoter Dave Willet. “I’m sure the atmosphere will be off the scale, and I can’t wait to see 40 riders in the main race battling right the way through the field.”
