Can-Am's Justin Reid Closes
In As Series Moves North To Duns
2008 British MMX Quadcross Championship
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Justin Reid
Can-Am DS450 ATV Racer
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Europe (9/4/2008)
- After a six week break in the series, Justin Reid
and Team Can Am made a welcome return to British
Championship action on Sunday the 31st of August,
Quad Racing Scotland promoting the penultimate round
of the 2008 ACU British MMX Quad Championship at
the superb Duns Motocross Park, the venue just fifteen
miles inland from Berwick Upon Tweed near the Scottish
/ English border. Approaching the meeting focused
on improving his position in the series, Justin
once again put in a fantastic performance to finish
a credible 11th overall despite being hampered by
difficulties in timed practice and the closing moto,
Justin maintaining 14th in the series and reducing
the gap to 13th to just three points.
Race
One
A new venue on the British Championship circuit,
the fast two-mile circuit provided a challenging
mix of tabletops, doubles, triples and a testing
whoop section that would demand the most from
bike and rider. Having never ridden at the venue
before and with a chain problem that limited Justin
to just four laps in timed practice, Justin struggled
to get the proper bike set up for the varying
conditions but was still able to secure a front
row start. A fantastic start to the opening moto
saw Justin get incredible drive off the line and
round the first corner in 6th, the Lonestar /
PEP suspension working overtime to smooth out
the bumps and allowing Justin to move up to 4th
halfway around the opening lap before completing
the first of thirteen laps in 5th. A slight mistake
on the following lap saw Justin drop back two
slots, but quickly finding his rhythm Justin passed
Mark Watson for 6th as they approached the ten
minute mark in the twenty five minute plus two
lap race. The lack of prior circuit knowledge
and limited time in practice to get his bike properly
set up prevented Justin from attacking the circuit
in his normal manner, but despite being at an
obvious disadvantage to many of his fellow competitors,
Justin valiantly resisted the many challenges
of the chasing pack as best he could as the race
progressed, Justin circulating in 9th with ten
minutes remaining. Now embroiled in a fierce battle
with Carl Bunce but determined not to yield the
position, Justin used the skills and wisdom that
have helped him win previous championship honours
to fend off the numerous challenges from Bunce
over the remaining four laps, Justin bringing
the Team Can Am DS 450 to the chequered flag after
thirty minutes fast and furious racing to finish
in a well earned 9th.
Race Two
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International
ATV Rider Justin Reid on his Can-Am DS450
ATV
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With the forecast rain making an earlier than
predicted arrival some forty five minutes before
the start of race two, the riders were left with
a surface that had changed from polished and hard
pack in many places to slick and muddy as they
took to the line. Justin's start to moto two did
not go according to plan, Justin getting a poor
drop on the gate to round the first corner in
12th before being shunted of the track and dropping
back to 20th two corners later. Quickly finding
his rhythm and with the Can Am DS450 working perfectly
after some set up changes during the interval,
Justin started to scythe his way through the field,
moving in to 17th by the end of the opening lap
before moving past Oli Sansom and Mark Watson
for 15th two laps later. Comfortably adapting
to the tricky conditions, Justin gradually increased
his pace and continued to make up places, moving
past Joe Maessen and his team-mate Ricky Tordoff
in consecutive laps for 13th as the race approached
half distance, but the horrendous conditions were
taking their toll on Justin's bike, the sticky
mud adhering to every surface and causing the
bike to run hot. Once again using his wisdom and
making the difficult but wise decision to reduce
his pace to preserve his bike and finish the race,
Justin pushed as hard as conditions would allow
for the remaining fifteen minutes of the moto,
Justin temporarily dropping back to 14th before
passing Lindsay Duke and race one victor Leon
Beda in the closing stages to take the chequered
flag after twelve gruelling laps in a respectable
12th.
This has been another solid performance from
Justin and Team Can Am, Justin's results impressive
given the various challenges that had to be endured
throughout the day. Obviously disadvantaged by
the lack of valuable bike set up time during his
short practice session, Justin's first moto performance
showed that he belongs at the sharp end of the
pack and can be competitive with the top runners
despite a poor bike set-up. Justin showed skills,
determination and tenacity, qualities that will
no doubt see him move further up in the series
standings at the final round on the 21st of September.
Justin Reid
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International
ATV Racer Justin Reid
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'It's a shame that I had the problem with the
chain in practice because it didn't really give
me a chance to learn the track the way I would
have liked to, I only actually had one shot at
getting a decent qualifying time. The first race
was ok, but I had to get to grips with the track
fast and lost out a few times in the opening laps.
I was really looking forward to the second moto
but the rain started just before our race and
totally destroyed the already slick track - it
was more a matter of just surviving it in the
end. I'm looking forward to this weekend to try
and get back on top of the points in the Ulster
Championship.'
Next Race: Saturday 6th September
- 2008 Highland Bakery Ulster Premier Quadcross
Championship (Round 5), Downpatrick Motocross Park,
Downpatrick
ATV
Race Results |
| Race
One |
Race
Two |
1. Leon Beda
2. Paul Winrow
3. John Mitchell
4. Ricky Tordoff
5. Paul Holmes
9. Justin Reid
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1. Paul Winrow
2. John Mitchell
3. Simon Hammersley
4. David Wray
5. William Waggott
12. Justin Reid
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Championship
Standings (after 7 of 8 rounds) |
1. Paul Winrow 333
2. John Mitchell 218
3. Ricky Tordoff 211
4. Paul Holmes 191
5. William Waggott 170
14. Justin Reid 108
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