Author: Paul Irwin

The Motul ACU British Motocross Championship heads north of the border to Duns for Round Seven the penultimate round of the 2026 season this weekend, and the last chance for the chasing pack to close the gap before it all comes down to the wire at Blaxhall.

RFX 125 class
In the RFX 125 class, Drew Stock has carried the red plate all season and leads on 273 points. Harley Marczak is his nearest rival in second, 77 points back, and returns for Round Seven after missing Round Six, with Joel Winstanley-Dawson close behind in third on 184. Archie Stapley sits fourth on 164, ahead of Lucas Moncrief on 155 in fifth and Hayden Statt completing the top six on 146. Stock’s lead is now big enough that the title could mathematically be wrapped up in Scotland if he extends his advantage over the weekend, though Marczak, Winstanley-Dawson, and Statt, who returned at Round Five, will all want to make a statement and keep that door open for as long as possible.

MX2
The MX2 class has been anyone’s guess throughout 2026, and there’s no reason to expect the Scottish round will be any different. Round Six served up the standout racing of the season, with everyone on the edge of their seats and hanging over the fencing. Charlie Heyman heads the standings on 258 points, with Gyan Doensen his closest challenger 57 points back. Ben Mustoe sits third on 171, narrowly ahead of Tommy Searle, who slipped to fourth on 169 after withdrawing from Round Six following practice, and Charlie Richmond on 165. Billy Askew completes the top six on 160, with just 11 points covering third through sixth. Like the RFX 125s, Heyman’s gap has grown large enough that the title is mathematically within reach at Duns, but with “expect the unexpected” the theme of the season, and that midfield battle still so tight, nothing is a foregone conclusion.

JMR U21
It’s not much different in the JMR U21 championship. The same two riders top the U21 table, with Heyman on 263 points and Doensen 44 behind in second. But the order shuffles further down, with Charlie Richmond moving ahead of Mustoe into third on 188 points, just 2 clear of Mustoe’s 186 in fourth. Billy Askew sits fifth on 171, with Ollie Colmer rounding out the top six on 167, a genuine scrap for those places heading into Duns.

APICO MX1
Moving onto the Apico MX1 class, Conrad Mewse leads the way on 265 points, with Oriol Oliver keeping the pressure on just 16 points back after delivering two race wins at Round Six. Ben Watson sits third on 232, a further 17 points adrift, ahead of Taylor Hammal, who has delivered consistently in fourth on 209. Tristan Purdon rounds out the top five on 166, with Tom Grimshaw completing the top six on 140. With the gap at the top so tight, MX1 is the one class where the title battle looks set to go down to the wire at Blaxhall, whatever happens in Scotland.

With three of the four championships potentially in the balance, Duns could crown champions before we get to the Blaxhall finale, this is a round no MXGB fan can afford to miss, every point gained or lost here could decide where the titles are settled.

Don’t miss the action. Get your tickets for Round Seven at Duns now: https://mxgb.co.uk/schedule/scotland-duns-2026/

The 2026 Motul ACU British Motocross Championship touched down at Canada Heights for round six under baking heat, and after six hard-fought motos across Apico MX1, MX2 inc JMR U21’s and the RFX 125cc class, nobody left with an easy overall.

Unlike the clean sweeps of round five, Canada Heights served up a genuine dogfight in every class, with Oriol Oliver, Gyan Doensen and Brian Gyles taking the round wins, but each of them having to work for it.

Apico MX1: Oliver Survives a Last-Lap Shootout

Race one set the tone for a properly scrappy afternoon. The start went down hard into the first corner, and it was Oriol Oliver who came out the other side in front, taking the early lead before Conrad Mewse worked his way back to second. With two laps to go it looked settled, until the closing stages turned into a genuine last-lap showdown, Oliver holding his nerve to take the win over the line ahead of Mewse. Tristan Purdon rounded out the top three.

Race two brought drama of a different kind. An early red flag forced a full restart, and when the gate dropped again it was Carlton Husband who grabbed the holeshot and swaggered clear of the field, with Adam Sterry giving chase. Oliver, from further back, ground his way through the pack to take control of the race, with Mewse never letting the gap stretch too far behind him. Sterry held on for third, one of the rides of the day after returning from injury, while Purdon was left just one place shy of a moto podium in fourth. Ben Watson’s race ended in a DNF right on the final lap, handing Purdon the extra couple of points he needed to podium pie.

With Oliver going 1-1, he took the round overall, but it was Mewse’s consistent 2-2 that mattered most to the championship picture, extending his cushion at the top of the table. Purdon’s 3-4 was good for third overall, with Sterry’s late charge in race two lifting him to fourth on the day.

Apico MX1 Rnd 6 results

| 1 | Oriol Oliver | 1 | 1 | 50

| 2 | Conrad Mewse | 2 | 2 | 44

| 3 | Tristan Purdon | 3 | 4 | 38

| 4 | Adam Sterry | 5 | 3 | 35

| 5 | Taylor Hammal | 4 | 5 | 34

| 6 | Tom Grimshaw | 6 | 6 | 29

MX2 inc JMR U21: Doensen Runs Heyman Down, Brookes Wins a Classic

Charlie Heyman holeshotted race one and looked set to add to his points cushion at the top of the table, but Gyan Doensen had other ideas. Doensen hunted him down through the moto and, with the laps ticking away, put the hammer down to snatch the lead before the time was up to take the chequered flag, denying Heyman what looked for a long time like a certain win. Ollie Colmer completed the top three.

Race two was, by common consent, the closest race of the season so far, the kind that had the whole crowd hanging over the fences. Jamie Keith led the way with just five minutes and two laps to go before a small mistake cost him four places and the  four-rider battle Doensen, Joe Brookes, Billy Askew and Joel Rizzi that had developed behind him swooped past to battle it to the wire for the win. It was Brookes who came out on top at the flag, taking his first win of the season, with Askew second and Rizzi completing the podium, with two seconds separating the top four.

Doensen’s 1-4 was enough to take the round overall, while Brookes’ storming 8-1 lifted him to second on the day. Askew’s consistent 5-2 rounded out the top three, a tough round for Heyman, who slipped to sixth overall despite still leading the championship table comfortably.

MX2 Rnd 6 results

| 1 | Gyan Doensen | 1 | 4 | 43

| 2 | Joe Brookes | 8 | 1 | 38

| 3 | Billy Askew | 5 | 2 | 38

| 4 | Ollie Colmer | 3 | 6 | 35

| 5 | Ben Mustoe | 4 | 5 | 34

| 6 | Charlie Heyman | 2 | 9 | 34

RFX MX125: Moore and Gyles Trade Blows, Statt Strikes Back

Arthur Moore took the holeshot in race one and set about stamping his authority on the class, leading from start to finish, with Brian Gyles keeping him honest. A slight slip out in the final laps made every corner count in the final stages of the race but held steadfast for his first ever British 125cc win.

Race two had a sting in the tail. Archie Stapley led the opening laps before Drew Stock hit the front and rode on to cross the line first, only for an official points deduction for a yellow-flag infringement to demote him after the chequered flag, handing the moto win to Hayden Statt. Gyles took second on the road, with Joel Winstanley-Dawson third.

Gyles’ 2-2 was enough to edge the round overall, with Statt’s 3-1 second on the day. Moore’s race-one win wasn’t quite enough to hold on to the top spot once the second moto was done, dropping him to third overall, while Winstanley-Dawson’s strong second race lifted him to fourth and further tightened the title fight, with Stock’s difficult afternoon leaving him down in fifth.

RFX MX125 Rnd 6 results

| 1 | Brian Gyles | 2 | 2 | 44

| 2 | Hayden Statt | 3 | 1 | 43

| 3 | Arthur Moore | 1 | 6 | 37

| 4 | Joel Winstanley-Dawson | 6 | 3 | 35

| 5 | Drew Stock | 5 | 4 | 34

| 6 | Archie Stapley | 4 | 5 | 30

Canada Heights lived up to its billing as one of the trickiest tracks on the calendar, and true to form, there were no foregone conclusions across any of the three classes. Oliver’s last-lap heroics kept the MX1 title race alive, Doensen’s late charge and Brookes’ breakthrough win shook up the MX2 order, and the RFX 125 class continued to see class rookies take the spotlight.

The series now turns north into the Scottish borders for round seven at Duns on August 9th, the penultimate round of the championship, before the season concludes at Blaxhall on September 27th.

With three rounds left on the 2026 calendar, the Motul ACU British Motocross Championship rolls into one of its most storied venues this weekend – Canada Heights in Swanley, Kent. If you’re not able to make it trackside for this one, you dont have to miss out as Dirt Store MXGB – TV brings all the action to you!

Before we take you trackside and watch the action unfold, check out how the championship is shaping up…

REF MX125: The Closest Class in the Paddock
Drew Stock still leads, but his cushion has been shrinking fast. Harley Marczak has cut the gap down to 43 points, and from third to sixth – Joel Winstanley Dawson, Olly Waters, Archie Stapley and Lucas Moncrief – it’s basically a four-way scrap for the podium.
Genuinely, this might be the tightest class in the whole championship right now.

MX2: Heyman’s in Control, But the Chasers Won’t Quit
Charlie Heyman’s 55-point lead over Tommy Searle is the kind of gap that looks comfortable on paper, but Searle’s never been a rider to fade quietly. He and Billy Askew both put in big rides at Canada Heights last season, and with Searle on good form again this year, don’t write him off just yet. Gyan Doensen sits third, with Charlie Richmond and Ben Mustoe rounding out the top five.
The JMR U21 picture is just as compelling. Heyman tops that table too, with Doensen and Richmond setting the pace. Richmond’s got a bit of history at this circuit, having gone close in the MX125 class here last year, only to be beaten by Jamie Keith, who’s since stepped up to MX2. Two riders who clearly know this track – keep an eye on them.

MX1: It’s Getting Tight at the Top
Conrad Mewse still leads on 221 points, but Ben Watson is right there with him, just five points back. Oriol Oliver isn’t far behind in third on 199, and Taylor Hammal in fourth is close enough to make things interesting if he can find a big result.
Behind that lead group, there’s a serious cluster of riders: Tristan Purdon, Bobby Bruce, Tom Grimshaw, Jamie Carpenter and Ben Edwards – all separated by next to nothing.
Worth noting: Mewse went through Canada Heights completely unbeaten last year, so he clearly likes what this track has to offer.

Canada Heights has a long history of shaking things up. It’s a track that rewards good starts and clean lines, and punishes anyone who gets it wrong, which means it tends to throw up results nobody saw coming.

With the points this close across MX1, MX2 and MX125, round six has all the ingredients for a genuine surprise. Keep an eye on the riders just outside the top five; Canada Heights could produce this season’s breakout ride from a name nobody’s talking about yet.

You can catch every lap of the action on

The 2026 Motul ACU British Motocross Championship rolled into Monster Mountain in South Wales for round five, and by the end of the six motos across MX1, MX2 and the 125cc class, three names had stamped their authority on the day. Jeffrey Herlings, Charlie Heyman and Hayden Statt each went 1-1 to claim clean-sweep overalls, but as ever at this fast-paced Welsh venue, the story ran far deeper than the top of the standings.

Before the gates dropped on the opening moto of the day, riders, teams and fans inside Monster Mountain fell silent for a moment’s reflection in memory of Keith Thorpe, father of three-time World Champion David Thorpe, who sadly passed away earlier in the week. A respected figure across both the national and international paddocks for decades, the tribute was a fitting reminder of the deep family roots that run throughout this sport. The full crowd observed a minute’s silence before racing got underway.

Apico MX1: Herlings Untouchable and Mewse Digs In

If anyone arrived at Monster Mountain wondering whether Jeffrey Herlings would simply walk through the MX1 class as a wildcard among the regulars, they had their answer before the chequered flag fell on race one. Mewse chose an interesting gate pick near the doghouse that served up the hole shot, only to be passed by Herlings on the opening lap. Herlings took the opening moto by a comfortable 17 seconds over championship leader Conrad Mewse, then backed it up with an even more dominant second-race win, crossing the line nearly 13 seconds clear once again.

Mewse, however, did exactly what a points leader needs to do in the face of unbeatable pace; he banked the second step of the podium (after a second hole shot in moto two, much to his surprise and the commentators) in both motos and left Wales with the maximum haul available to him once Herlings was out of the equation. It’s the kind of damage limitation that keeps a championship campaign alive, even on a day when the fastest man on the track wasn’t fighting for points.

“Two hole shots, I can’t remember the last time that happened”, Conrad Mewse stated to Jeff Perrett on the podium after moto two.

Ben Watson was the form rider of the rest of the pack, going 3-3 for a comfortable third overall, while Taylor Hammal impressed with a strong 14th to 4th turnaround between races to take fifth on the day. Oriol Oliver’s 4-5 was enough for fourth overall, just edging out Tristan Purdon, who was solid all day with 5-6 finishes.

Ben Watson addressed the champion standings at the end of the day, “ It’s still early to be thinking about the championship… it’s good that Jeffrey came, it would have been 2:2 and added two more points otherwise”

Apico MX1 Rnd 5 results

| 1 | Jeffrey Herlings | 1 | 1 | 50

| 2 | Conrad Mewse | 2 | 2 | 44

| 3 | Ben Watson | 3 | 3 | 40

| 4 | Oriol Oliver | 4 | 5 | 34

| 5 | Taylor Hammal | 7 | 4 | 32

| 6 | Tristan Purdon | 5 | 6 | 31

MX2: Heyman Extends His Stranglehold

Charlie Heyman arrived at Monster Mountain with a healthy points cushion in MX2, and he left with it looking even healthier. Two wins from two starts, the second by a margin of over nine seconds, means the gap at the top of the table has only grown.

The more interesting story was unfolding behind him. Charlie Richmond was the model of consistency with 3-3 finishes for a clear second overall, and was delighted to put it back on the box. “It’s so good to be back up here, it’s been a while…I kind of forget I’m racing Tommy Searle and EMX riders,” Charlie Richmond

It was reigning champion Tommy Searle who completed the podium. After a scrappy fifth in race one, Searle carved through to second in race two, the kind of statement ride that suggests Searle is far from ready to hand the reigns over to the younger competitors in the class, as he stated to Perrett in his podium interview “It’s great to see Charlie (Richmond) get his first podium, I like seeing that, but I also like being on the podium too!”

Jamie Keith tied points with Searle but had to settle for fourth, with Searle securing the higher placing in the second race.

Gyan Doensen rounded out the top five overall, while Joel Rizzi’s race-two charge from 11th to 4th was one of the bigger climbs through the field.

MX2 Rnd 5 results

| 1 | Charlie Heyman | 1 | 1 | 50

| 2 | Charlie Richmond | 3 | 3 | 40

| 3 | Tommy Searle | 5 | 2 | 38

| 4 | Jamie Keith | 2 | 5 | 38

| 5 | Gyan Doensen | 4 | 8 | 31

| 6 | Ollie Colmer | 6 | 7 | 29

RFX MX125 Statt Dominant, but the Stock/Marczak Title Fight Tightens

Hayden Statt marked his return to the field, first by securing top spot in qualification, then by taking his first MX1225 race win, then backing it up in race two to take his first MX125 round overall too. With Statt having missed two rounds, the championship story belonged to the chase behind him. Drew Stock, who arrived in Wales with a commanding 35-point lead, could only manage second and third, while it was Joel Winstanley-Dawson who emerged as the day’s biggest mover, jumping from sixth in race one to second in race two for third overall.

Harley Marczak, tipped pre-event as Stock’s closest rival, had a more mixed day, taking third in race one before fading to seventh in the second moto, good enough for fourth overall. With Stock dropping points and Winstanley-Dawson firing on all cylinders in both motos, the gap at the top of the RFX MX125 table has tightened heading into round six.

Olly Waters and Lucas Moncrieff both posted respectable top-six overalls, while Christopher Brindley’s leap from tenth to fourth in race two was one of the standout rides of the day in the smaller-bore class.

RFX MX125  Rnd 5 results

| 1 | Hayden Statt | 1 | 1 | 50

| 2 | Drew Stock | 2 | 3 | 42

| 3 | Joel Winstanley-Dawson | 6 | 2 | 37

| 4 | Harley Marczak | 3 | 7 | 34

| 5 | Olly Waters | 8 | 5 | 29

| 5 | Lucas Moncrieff | 5 | 8 | 29

Monster Mountain delivered exactly the kind of round five drama the championship has come to expect. Herlings’ guest appearance reminded everyone what a factory-level pace looks like without troubling the title fight itself. Heyman continues to look like the MX2 class of 2026, and the 125cc class, already billed as the surprise package of the season, lived up to the hype with a genuine shake-up near the top of the standings.

All six motos are available to watch back in full via Dirt Store MXGB-TV’s live broadcast on YouTube from the weekend. The series now turns its attention to round six at Canada Heights on July 12, where Mewse, Heyman and Stock will all be looking to tighten their grip before heading north into the Scottish borders for round 7 – Duns on Aug 9^th and then back southeast for the final round at Blaxhall on Sept 27th.

The Motul ACU British Motocross Championship crosses the bridge into Wales for Round 5 at Monster Mountain and is the one and only time the series heads over the River Severn in 2026. Nestled just outside Merthyr Tydfil in the heart of South Wales, and with the championship now firmly into its second half, the pressure is well and truly on across all three classes.

RFX MX125 Class
Four rounds down, four still to play. Drew Stock heads to Monster Mountain with a commanding 35-point lead over class rookie Harley Marczak. Stock has claimed all bar one of the race wins so far but could this be the round where one of the rookies steps up and takes their first win? Joel Winstanley Dawson, Ollie Walters, Archie Stapley, Alfie Herron and Lucas Moncrieff are all firmly knocking on that door, with just 16 points separating the five of them in the fight for third through seventh. This class never fails to deliver.

MX2 Class inc JMR U21
Charlie Heyman holds a commanding 37-point lead at the top of the MX2 standings, though he didn’t have it all his own way at Round 4 at Landrake. Ben Mustoe occupies second place, but Tommy Searle, a veteran of the class, is breathing right down his neck, with just six points separating the pair.
Below them, the battle is as fierce as it gets. EMX contender racer Gyan Doensen has shown real form at recent international rounds, having stepped onto the podium at the last two EMX events, and could be the man to shake things up, likewise fellow EMX contenders Billy Askew and Joe Brookes complete the top six, with just a handful of points separating fifth, sixth and seventh. The MX2 class is like a pack of cards thrown into the air. Anyone’s guess where they’ll land come Sunday evening, the depth of talent in this class is as fierce as ever.

Apico MX1 Class
It couldn’t be tighter at the top. Conrad Mewse arrives at Monster Mountain carrying the red plate, but just a single point separates him from former red plate holder Ben Watson, with Oriol Oliver sitting just 12 points off the lead in third, making this a genuine three-way title fight heading into the second half of the season. Oliver has been in fine form on the MXGP circuit, posting several top-10 results.
Keep a close eye on Taylor Hammal in fourth, who has been making serious strides up the order, while Adam Sterry returns and is always a man to watch when the gate drops. But the name on everyone’s lips this weekend is Jeffrey Herlings. The former world champion is back in town and will be sure to mix things up as ‘the Bullet’ does what ‘the Bullet’ does, it will make for unmissable racing.

Round Five represents another pivotal chapter in the 2026 season. Spectators are in for a genuinely great day of MX racing action.

Tickets are available online or on the gate, so come and witness the crème de la crème of British motocross, with the added bonus of Jeffrey Herlings delivering the kind of highlights that only ‘the Bullet’ can provide.

Monster Mountain is ready. Don’t miss it.

The MXGB team rolled into Landrake. on May 17th for round 4 of this years ACU Motul British Championship. With mixed weather all week Sunday turned out to provide almost perfect conditions for some amazing racing. The circuit was truly technical.

 

Storm Dave didn’t stop the British championship marching on at Preston Docks. After the winds ripped through the circuit on Saturday night, destroying everything in its path, the MXGB crew started early getting the venue back in shape and by 9 o’clock we were on track with the MX125 class.

The crowds turned up to watch and the venue was packed despite the cold for the afternoons racing.

Congratulations to our winners, but for those who don’t know what happened, you can catch up with all the action by following MXGB-TV on YouTube or watch the last two rounds on the links below

Preston Docks Round 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKF0U7GFdrE&t=38s

Hawkstone Park Round 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQPkJWVVNRk&t=12658s

See you all at Lyng on May 3rd.