Stuart Edmonds off to strong start in MX Nationals

Stuart Edmonds was the top local rider at the opening round of the MX Nationals, bringing the Apico Husqvarna FC450 home in sixth overall after two tough days racing at the demanding FatCat Moto-Parc track in Doncaster.
Ballyclare rider Charley Irwin won the Senior class overall at DesertmartinBallyclare rider Charley Irwin won the Senior class overall at Desertmartin
Ballyclare rider Charley Irwin won the Senior class overall at Desertmartin

Edmonds finished behind Estonian rider Harri Kullas on the Cabs Screens Crescent Yamaha in the ProMX1 class.

He said: “I’m very happy with how the season is going and a big thanks to the Apico Husqvarna team, my mechanic Dave and Sophie for all their hard work and support.

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“The FatCat track got really rough during the races and was physically exhausting but it was the same for everyone. Despite not making great starts I was able to fight my way through the pack in the first couple of corners in all my races.

“I got stronger through the weekend and my Sunday results were really good with a fifth and sixth,” he added.

Glenn McCormick had a mixed weekend on the Chambers Husqvarna, finishing 13th overall in the ProMX1 with his results including 11th, 10th, a DNF and ninth.

“I qualified ninth, which I was happy with, then in race one I made a decent start before going over the bars after just moving into seventh,” he said.

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“I tucked the front and dropped outside the top 20 before fighting back to 11th.”

In race two he was again up to seventh but dropped to tenth in the last five minutes.

Sunday’s opening race saw the Glenoe rider retire after twisting his knee at Turn 1 but he was back out again in race two to finish ninth.

Other locals Gary Gibson, and Jason Meara finished eighth and 10th respectively overall.

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There was a great result in the MX1 Experts class for Ballymoney rider Jordan McCaw who claimed his first podium in MX Nationals on the Suitor autofix KTM.

“I have been working on my sand riding over the winter and it is definitely improving,” said McCaw.

“I’ll keep working towards that top step of the podium.” Former champion, Lisburn’s Richard Bird finished fifth.

Cole McCullough continued his great season in the SW 85 class with four emphatic victories for the overall win while Ivan Kerr claimed second overall in the MX1 clubman class.

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Meanwhile, Mark McLernon was the best of the locals finishing second overall at Dean Moor for the opening round of the British quad championship.

It was an eventful day for the Hillsborough rider with bad starts not helping.

A crash off the start gave him no chance in race of winning race two. He finished third for second overall.

p MCCNI ran the first round of their 2021 championship at Desertmartin at the weekend with over 200 competitors and for the first time since lockdown fans were in attendance.

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All the competitors were keen to get racing and the action was hot and heavy.

In the MX1 class it was Newtownabbey rider Jay McCrum who took the overall result with two wins on the new FONAcab KTM. It could have been a clean sweep had he not crashed in race three.

Charley Irwin was flying in the Senior class on his Discount Beds 125 Yamaha. The 14 year-old from Ballyclare didn’t get a good start off the gate in race one and a crash didn’t help his cause but he soon made up ground to finish a fighting third behind Tony McCann.

In his final two races he took the chequered flag first to claim the overall win.

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Matthew Beattie rode his Solid Fabrications KTM to the overall win in the ‘B’ class.

In the auto’s there was no stopping Ethan Gawley while Lennox Dickinson was an impressive winner in the BW 85s. Ollie Holland ran out the winner in the 65cc class.

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