April 25th, 2022.

Nora-MX Championship, Round 1, Sherwood MX Park, 16th & 17th April 2022.

The opening round of the 2022 Nora-MX Championship took place at a sunny Sherwood MX Park over the Easter weekend on a sandy and well-prepared track.


#3 Oli Sansom was quick off the start

A few changes to last year’s format saw the Rookies joining the Pro/Pro-Am class and Masters A and B running together.

Oli Sansom had an early lead in the Pro/Pro-Am/Rookie class, ahead of Harry Walker. By the end of lap one however, Dafydd Davies had taken the second place spot with Dean Dillon behind in third. A determined Walker fought back, fighting his way past Dillon and Davies before finally blasting past Sansom and into the lead. Sadly, Walker’s machine encountered mechanical issues and he was left trackside on the final lap. The battle for the lead continued all the way to the chequered flag with Jamie Morgan passing Sansom and Carl Bunce taking third in front of Dillon.

Race two, and Sansom secured a second holeshot with Walker second, followed by Davies and Dillon. It was all change as the first lap got underway when Davies took the lead from Walker while Sansom was third and Morgan fourth. As the track roughened, Davies and Walker swapped places a number of times, with Walker taking the win – his victory was short-lived though as he was hit with a five-place penalty for jumping the start gate. Davies may have finished second on track, but he collected maximum scoreboard points. Dillon blasted into third, just a few laps from the end, with Sansom in fourth, fighting off Morgan.

The second day’s racing provided just as much excitement. Davies blasted into the lead in race three, to take the win. Jack Naylor held second, but was challenged by Walker who fought past to take second. Naylor battled to stay ahead but an on-form Morgan fought past to relegate him to fourth. Naylor grabbed the holeshot in the last Pro group race of the weekend, however, he was quickly overtaken by Walker. Davies experienced mechanical problems on the start and did not join the race. Walker held the advantage to take a solid win. Naylor dropped out of the top five, leaving Chad Beevers and Craig Fisher to tussle for a top three position, before Luke Berlyn, recovering from a slow start, blasted into second on the final lap.


Dafydd Davies #15 and Harry Walker #7

The Masters A and Masters B classes had three races on Saturday and another two on Sunday. In race one, the battle was between Ed Davies, who took the holeshot, and Paul Winrow, who fought past into the lead. Davies was not about to give up easily and blasted back into the lead, leaving Winrow, Johny McKnight and Darren Bridge to challenge for second to fourth. Winrow left nothing to chance in the second moto, quickly taking lead from Davies with Bridge holding third. Davies fought back, but Winrow held on for the win. Disaster struck for Davies who was left trackside with problems. Race three was tough with the track rough and dusty, but the riders were determined to gain as many points as possible. Winrow took an early lead in the third race, and enjoyed a start-to-finish win. Davies and McKnight battled for second with McKnight taking the runners up slot in the final few laps.

Day two again saw Winrow out front, taking both wins ahead of Davies and McKnight. Davies’ unusual second race setback cost him a few points which meant he finished the meeting in third overall behind Winrow in first and McKnight in second. Winrow left the opening Nora-MX round as Masters A championship leader.

Ross Dillon dominated the 250 class, taking wins in all five races, with Andrew Black close behind and taking second overall.

The Clubman Elite and Clubman classes raced together and proved to be another great format. They also had three races on Saturday and another two on Sunday. The riders who stayed for both days dominated the overall with Daniel Scott Evans taking the championship lead from Joe Pryke and Catrin Davies.

Round 2 will take place at Culham Moto Park over the weened of the 21st and 22nd of May 2022.

Full results are available on Speedhive – CLICK HERE 

Words: Tracy Thacker/Quad Online
Images: John Cook/Tracy Thacker