Congratulations go to Connor Walkley...2010 MXY2 Champion
ACU academy member and LPE Kawasaki pilot Connor Walkley secured enough points to be acclaimed as the 2010 MXY2 Champion following the first race win at Silverstone. Connor followed up with a third place finish in race two coming through from an eight place start position to claim the days overall prize too. Race two was won by American Jesse Wentland with a gate to flag storming performance.
Overall podium result
1st Connor Walkley 25+20=45
2nd Joe Jones 20+18=38
3rd Matt Burrows 22+13=35
Final Series Positions 1st ..Connor Walkley 179, 2 Matt Bayliss 126, 3 Luke Norris 124
Round Two Lyng... Commiseration's to Bradley Pocock
Lovely old traditional Lyng in Norfolk was the choice setting for round two of this years MXY2 series - and it really should have been a great day out for Bradley Pocock. As series leader he had the honour of attaching the red plate - and was looking forward to riding for the first time a brand new Cosworth Yamaha worth a small fortune. The day however soon ended in total grief for young Pocock - it appears that he took a hit from a passing rider in the opening free minutes of qualification when trying to re start the machine. The injury once again proved to be serious for Brad and he suffered yet another broken leg - the third in as many years. It goes without saying the unfortunate incident took the edge of the whole MXY2 show - but the show went on with Gary Sharp nailing down a flying lap sixth time around to convincingly win the qualification session being 2.5 sec ahead of Kelvin Townsend, with Jake Shipton a further second behind in third.
In the opening moto Gary Sharp,Tom Kelly, Kelvin Townsend, James Dunn, Connor Walkley and Matt Burrows were the six holding sway in that order as they finished the opening lap. The race settled down into a rhythm with Sharp and Kelly at the front dominating proceedings and Tom Kelly actually briefly took over at the head of the field for one lap mid race. In the closing stages however Kelly faltered from second place and Sharp's clutch failed to let Connor Walkley in to claim the race win. Matt Burrows ran a good solid race to pull through from sixth to claim second with James Dunn finishing in third. Luke Norris picked up fourth with Sharp in fifth and Kelly recovering to take sixth. The fastest lap of the race went to Gary Sharp.
Race two, Tom Kelly and Gary Sharp once again took the early control but Tom's time at the front was again short lived as he lead just the opening lap. From there on Gary Sharp made absolutely no mistake as he powered home to take the win setting the fastest lap once again and finishing three seconds ahead of Connor Walkley. Matt Burrows started in fifth and finished in third with Luke Norris, Harry Mc Kenna and Matt Bayliss rounding out the top six. Tom Kelly finished in seventh.
Overall on the day 1st Connor Walkley 25+22, 2nd Matt Burrows 22+20, 3rd Gary Sharp 16+25
Championship Standings, 1st Connor Walkley 87 points, 2nd Gary Sharp 69. 3rd James Dunn 64.
Round One Mallory Park................Results...........Combined Maxxis Gallery
Race One
With the Mallory Park track conditions being really heavy and testing following the previous days rain the opening race of the 2010 MXY2 series proved to be a tough and changeable affair - as James Dunn on the two stroke Doodson Suzuki lead the field away and for the opening two laps. Matt Bayliss then took a brief turn at the front only to be replaced by Jake Shipton on lap four. Bradley Pocock was prominent race long, always in the top five - and he eventually finished in a very solid looking second place. James Dunn remarkably fought his way back to the front and reclaimed the lead with just three laps to go - but when just half a lap from glory James dropped off the front again and it was Jake Shipton who gleefully claimed the opening race win. Connor Walkley took a third place finish following a magnificent charge through the field all the way from dead last and Dunny restarted to finish in fourth. Joe Jones making his youth series debut looked right on the pace and ended race one in fifth and Gary Sharp took sixth.
Fastest Lap Race One ...Matt Bayliss (7th)
Race Two.
As the metal dropped on race two with the course conditions having vastly improved and now being nigh on perfect it was Matt Burrows who snapped up the hole shot and led for the opening circuit before Bradley Pocock took full command on the Dixon Cosworth Yamaha. As the race settled down into a rhythm Matt Bayliss and Team Green's Connor Walkley were the ones on the move upwards through the top six and they proved to be the race two powerhouse chargers. By the closing stages with Connor now suffering from dehydration following a bout of food poisoning and his exertions in the opening moto it was left to Matt Bayliss to apply the maximum pressure. As the chequers came down Brad won it stylishly, but only just, as he and Matt crossed the line virtually together with Connor being a further 18 seconds adrift in third. Joe Jones followed up his first race fifth with another highly creditable fourth placing as Tom Kelly hung on to claim fifth from Ryan Houghton in sixth. At the end of the day...... Bradley Pocock - Absolutely brilliant to see him back to top form, back on the top step of the box and giving it the big smile on a Maxxis podium
Fastest Lap Race Two Bradley Pocock (1)
Overall Podium Result.... 1 Bradley Pocock, 2 Connor Walkley, 3 Matt Bayliss.
Series Preview
Take forty of the nations very best young MX riders
at the under 18 year old youth level - and then let them loose in a mini
competition on the under-card of Maxxis.
That was the basic recipe formulated at the end of the 06 season, and
it's a plan to give the next generation of budding young MX stars a real
taste of the big stage experience and all before they move over into the
pro ranks. Judging by the results thus far - you have to say this particular
experiment has proved to be both successful and entertaining for all concerned.
The past winners of the Championship have been Irish man Graeme Irwin,
who won the inaugural competition back in 2007 as a 15 year old, followed
by fellow country man Edward Allingham who lifted the title in 08. Last
year however it was the turn of the English to dominate as Danger UK's
Josh Waterman got the better of PAR Honda pilot Luke Hawkins in a thrilling
head to head encounter that saw the West Country duo bag all of the race
wins 5-3 in Waterman's favour. At the end of the season it was Team Green's
Connor Walkley who came on as the strongest of the other challengers,
and he claimed third place overall in the final standings.
Fifteen year Old Connor from Caerphilly in South Wales is once again on
the start line for this season's fourth MXY2 series - and starts the 2010
season as a strong favourite to lift the crown in many peoples eyes.
However taking a glance down the list of challengers and with Bradley
Pocock aboard the Dixon- Cosworth Yamaha now back to his very best form
(following last season unfortunate injuries), together with fourteen year
old Ryan Houghton entering the fray- it could be an all engrossing battle
at the sharp end. The list of other potential challengers doesn't quite
end there either as with a trio of Suzuki mounted riders in James Dunn,
Matt Burrows and Bradley Banks along with the likes of Luke Norris, Jake
Shipton, Damon Wales, Kelvin Townsend, Gary Sharp and two stroke specialist
Joe Jones in the line up there is more than enough quality in depth to
spring a few surprises .
The competition has proven to be hard to forecast in past years particularly
when thinking of the 07 and 08 years with virtually a different race winner
at each round, but what ever shape or form this year's series eventually
takes on one thing is for sure - it's bound to be quite compulsive viewing!
