The Sun was out and so was a massive crowd of spectators at the Marshfield Motoparc on Good Friday for the annual Mike Brown Memorial Motocross.
Running since 1988 the Mike Brown Memorial event has incorporated the Huck Cup since 2017, raced in memory of the much missed Mark Hucklebridge and it’s this class of the event that brings out the big guns, and this year the most star-stacked entry yet.
Reigning champ Josh Gilbert on his Crendon Fastrack Honda drew first blood by going quickest in qualifying and backed that up by taking the early lead in Moto One setting a blistering pace at the head of the field ahead of Sand Ace Todd Kellett. Lurking behind this duo was Gilbert’s Crendon Fastrack Honda team mate Conrad Mewse, another former winner of the Huck Cup, and he would make the move into second on lap two before hunting down the leader.
Gilbert would keep Mewse at bay until lap nine when he would scythe his way to the front and go on to win the moto ahead of Mewse by four seconds. Kellett would keep close to the lead duo to finish third and a good distance ahead of the Cab Screens Crescent rider Harri Kullas. Shaun Simpson would battle it out with his Gabriel SS24 KTM teammates, Tristan Purdon and Taylor Hammal to finish fifth, with Purdon claiming sixth and Hammal suffering from goggles issues but showing good speed in seventh. Chambers Racing’s Tom Grimshaw showed his move to a 450 has been a good one and ended the moto in eighth beating a host of top names in the process. Dan Thornhill who made a fantastic start finished ninth with Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha’s Sam Nunn rounding out the top ten.
Moto 2 told a similar story to the first, with Gilbert steaming away into the distance, and building up a good lead at the front of the chasing pack. Kullas would also be out of the traps quickly and would hold Mewse at bay for a few laps but Conrad couldn’t be contained and was quickly into second and hunting down the leader. Mewse made som quick moves on Gilbert mid-way through the moto before putting the hammer down and pulling clear for a dominant moto victory and the Huck Cup win. Gilbert would end his day with a solid 2-2 and the second spot on the box while Kellett would pull through the pack, past Kullas who would eventually pull out to finish third, rounding out the podium on the day also. Hammal show’s he can ride a 450 with the best of them finished fourth, with Grimshaw in fifth, Thornhill sixth, Jay Hague in seventh, Simpson who came from last after a second bend crash with Nunn eighth, Brad Anderson on the 2 Stroke ninth and Charlie Cole a great 10th.
Talking of Charlie Cole he would go 1-1 in the Jude Morris Celebration Trophy races to take win this Trophy for the first time keeping his cool to keep the hard charging Alfie Jones at bay. Jones would end the day second overall with Jak Taylor third. For the full Jude Morris Celebration Trophy Report >>CLICK HERE<<
The Champions of Champions class saw some great action with some big names from yesteryear taking to the track including the likes of Tom Church and Glen Phillips. The man to beat though was Jamie Skuse who looked well at home with the Marshfield track, winning both motos for the overall ahead of the impressive Phillips. Tyrone Cleaver put in two solid moto’s to finish the day on the box in third.
Over in the Mike Brown Memorial Over 50 category, there was no stopping Brian Wheeler on his CR500 who was silky smooth and grabbed the chequers in both motos for the overall. The real battle was for second with Chris Brown and Jeff Perrett duking it out until the last bend in moto two, with Brown having the edge and taking second in the race on in the overall over Perrett who finished the day a great third.
In the Mike Brown Memorial Under 50’s Alan Pearce notched up a pair of moto wins to claim the victory with Joe Monk second overall and Jed Stockham in third.
The stacked Open 2 Stroke class saw Josh Coleman storm to maximum points and the overall ahead of Aaron Ongley and Archie Hicks, while in the 125’s Seth Manners was the number one, Ben Cryer was second and Kenzie Cole was on the podium in third.
Another rammed class was the Clubman where Harry Fletcher claimed the overall after going 2-1, and the scoreline was matched by Scott Meredith but the winner’s trophy would go the way of Fletcher for triumphing in race number two. John Mackenzie would end his day third.
A huge well done must go the Tom and Alan Brown for putting on such a great event and Lawson Benjamin and his Thornbury MX team for providing a great track and venue. Roll on 2024!
For the Full Results >>CLICK HERE<<
Images by Dave Rich