Champ returns in MX1

Defending champ John Coppins won both races in round two of the MX1 Maxxis British Motocross Championship at Polesworth on Sunday.

The CAS Honda rider missed the opening event two weeks ago with a dislocated shoulder.

Coppins got the hole-shot and dominated both 30 minute ‘motos’. Coppins’ Finnish Honda team-mate Jussi Vehvilainen pushed the reigning champ to the flag in the first sprint and battled for the runner-up position with Yamaha’s Gordon Crockard in race two.

Paul Cooper – who won round one – scored third and fifth places to hold the series lead – by two points over Vehvilainen. Coppins now sits 6th.

The Polesworth circuit, near Tamworth, replaced the Pontrilas venue. That was ruled out by poor weather in Herefordshire. The midlands track became a rough and challenging prospect for the riders as the proceedings wore on.

The MX2 class found two winners in the forms of factory KTM rider Carl Nunn and Yamaha’s Billy Mackenzie.

The next round of the Maxxis British Championships is at Lyng (Norfolk) in two weeks.