Dobb faces Everts and Pichon at Hawkstone

World 125cc motocross champion Jamie Dobb faces a tough pre-season challenge at Hawkstone Park on February 17. The KTM rider from Derbyshire lines-up at the gate with fellow champions Stefan Everts and Mickael Pichon in the non-championship international.

Dobb will ride a 250 KTM against Mickael Pichon on a factory Suzuki 250 and 500 world champion Stefan Everts with a thundering Yamaha 500 four-stroke.

And if that’s not enough the Salop Motor Club have also signed up former 250 number one Frederic Bolley to make his debut on a Rinaldi Yamaha YZ250, British Open class champion Gordon Crockard who joins Dobb in the KTM squad, and Everts’ Yamaha team-mate and fellow Belgian Marnicq Bervoets.

The 125cc class is equally impressive – headed by none other than Pichon. He’s aiming to ride in the 125 and 250 classes in this year’s world championship and is using this meeting as part of his pre-season training.

He will come under close scrutiny from Brit Stephen Sword on the Motorex Husqvarna, Belgian ace Patrick Caps, and American Tallon Vohland who makes his debut for the British-based MJ Church Kawasaki.

The event will follow the British Championship format with two 25-minute races for each class, with the fastest 20 from each class going head to head in the final race of the day – the 125cc machines being given a five-second start. That meant there’s a potential of seeing the world’s best racers three times in one afternoon.

Qualifying is from 9.15am, with the first race at 11.45am. Hawkstone Park is situated just off the A49, 10 miles North of Shrewsbury.