A star-studded International motocross lands in Ireland as things heat up for the annual Brian Bell Memorial Motocross at Downpatrick, Co. Down.
Although Ireland may be absent from the FIM World Motocross championship calendar for 2011, the Temple MCC made amends for it by bringing a touch of International flavour to the running of the Brian Bell Memorial Motocross at Downpatrick Moto Parc in Co. Down. Bringing in a strong line of international talent including multiple world champion Frenchman Michael Pichon and Spaniard Jonathan Barragan to compete against the best of Irish talent that included our very own Martin Barr and Gordon Crockard, ensured that one of the most prestigious races on the Irish calendar would return to its former days of glory. With the hillside track being prepped to within an inch of its life, the overnight rain helped make for a demanding course that brought with it some close racing.
In a line up that included a list of who’s who on the world scene, it proved to be a local man less than 20 miles away that was fastest out of the traps for the first of the International races. The AJ Plumbing KTM of David Gorman showed no fear of his peers as he pushed his way in front for the opening lap, quickly followed by the Relentless by TAS Suzuki of Gordon Crockard. As Crockard struggled to find a way past Gorman, it was the Home Bakery Honda of Michael Pichon that found a way past both as he took the lead, some 50yrds before the end of the opening lap. Out front Pichon, pushed hard to try and gap the field that included a hard charging Barragan. The KRT Kawasaki rider was intent on reaching the front and by the 12 minute mark he took advantage of an early back marker and slipped past Pichon into the lead. As Barragan cleared off, the battle for second began to heat up. Crockard was making inroads into Pichon, reigniting their GP rivalries of old. As close as he got, it was still not close enough allowing Pichon to hang onto second by four seconds over Crockard. Behind them the Bud Racing Kawasaki duo of Greg Aranda and Dylan Ferrandis held station in fourth and fifth respectively. A poor start by Milko Potisek left him with a lot of work to do but he would eventually work his way to sixth powering past a strong performing Ed Allingham on the final lap. Allingham, beginning to show shades of his former self started as high as fourth but eventually finished seventh ahead of Tommy Merton, David Gorman and Richard Bird who rounded out the top ten.
Pichon is still very fast...
Although Barragan had put in a stunning effort in the opening race, it was a local win the crowd had come to see and as the start gates dropped for moto two, it was the homegrown hero of Crockard that was going to deliver just that. With a clear track, Gordon was out front and eager to make an impression, but it wouldn’t be easy with some of the world’s best in tow. Focusing on himself, he worked his own race, not failing to the pressure being applied behind him by the closing Spaniard. Barragan was keen to steal focus and pushed hard to work his way to Crockard’s rear axle but the pressure he applied unnerved only himself as he stalled the Kawasaki in a corner. Struggling to restart, a freight train of Frenchmen led by Pichon surged past and suddenly Crockard was the benefit of a seven second advantage. Finally the Kawasaki fired back into life but now the race was truly on, Barragan had work to do. As the race passed the halfway stage, Gordon was still out front and the Spaniard had finally disposed of the French legion, who were in a battle of their own. Lap after lap, Pichon, Aranda and now Aubin fought it out with third eventually going in favour of Aranda while behind them Gorman and Merton traded places as a slow starting Allingham picked off Jim O’Neill, Michael Mahon and Drew Goudy. Urged on by the spectators, Crockard matched Barragan’s pace lap after lap; the advantage was still his. Time was ticking down and although he managed to get within a couple of bike lengths, it wouldn’t be close enough giving the crowd a home win they’d wanted.
Crockstar gave the crowd a home grown victory in moto two...
The final race of the day was to be the most hotly anticipated, as the forty strong riders lined up for the main feature race the Brian Bell Memorial. With a heft prize fund of £500 on the line, Barragan wasted little time in grabbing a monster holeshot. When a crash midway through the opening lap that included Greg Aranda, promoted Crockard from fourth to second and onto Barragan’s tail, it seemed we were in for a final epic dash for the cash. For a couple of laps, Gordon applied the pressure until he disappeared. A broken chain had left him stranded, handing Barragan an easy run of things. Never headed the race would be his as Crockard gifted him an easy win. After unlapping himself, Aranda was making progress, eventually working his way back up to ninth by the race’s end, just behind Allingham. Merton and Bird spent most of the race locked in a battle fighting it out for sixth as ahead of them a French quartet tried to decide the remainder of the podium. Initially Potisek held the advantage before Pichon found his way past. Aubin, again gating poorly was making inroads into Ferrandis while together they gained on the duo in front. Passing Ferrandis, Aubin set after Potisek and finally grabbed third by the race’s end, making a thrilling end to an eventual day’s racing.
Barragan worked a monster holeshot in the grand final
While Spaniard Jonathan Barragan may have won today’s Brian Bell International Motocross at Downpatrick it was Irish motocross that turned out to be the real winner… Today was a great day to be at the races!
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