Rattray favourite for SA Motocross GP
15 July 2008
South African Tyla Rattray, world MX2 championship leader, will be the popular favourite at the Leatt-Brace South African Motocross Grand Prix taking place at the Alkmaar circuit in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga from 18 to 20 July.
Rattray, on a factory Red Bull KTM, has been a leading challenger in the MX2 category for a number of seasons. Injuries at inopportune times have scuppered his hopes of joining Greg Albertyn and Grant Langston on the list of South African world champions, and his band of local followers will be hoping that this is his year.
The premier MX1 category has been characterised this season by the inconsistency of the top championship contenders. By contrast the MX2 category has been dominated by three riders, who between them have won 16 of the 18 motos run so far.
Wins
Rattray has six wins to his credit, while second placed Italian, Antonio Cairoli (Yamaha), the reigning champion, has seven wins and third placed Briton Tommy Searle, on another Red Bull KTM, has three wins.
The other wins have come from sixth placed Frenchman Nicolas Aubin (Yamaha) and Italian Davide Guarneri (Yamaha), who is way down in 15th place in the championship.
Only 23 points separate Rattray, Cairoli, and Searle at the top of the championship table, with the Briton losing a little ground at the last round in Sweden. But the domination that Rattray, Cairoli and Searle have exercised over the category is further illustrated by the fact that fourth placed Shaun Simpson (KTM) is 87 points behind Searle. It all suggests that the coming weekend will produce another straight fight between the trio.
The likes of Simpson, Portuguese rider Rui Goncalves (KTM), Aubin, two other Frenchmen in Xavier Boog (Suzuki) and Steve Frossard (Kawasaki), and Italians Manuel Monni (Yamaha) and Guarneri have had their moments this season. They are all capable of pulling off an upset, but it would be a major surprise if Rattray, Cairoli and Searle dropped by the wayside.
The sentimental money will be on Rattray and the home crowd will have high expectations for the Durban rider.
Test of character
For Rattray, however, leading the world championship and racing on home soil is going to be a test of character. With Shannon Terreblanche (Beursfoon Suzuki) out for the rest of the season after breaking his femur at the German Grand Prix, the only other South African to regularly feature in the world championship this season is Wyatt Avis.
The Honda rider has had a patchy season and is in 20th place in the championship. He will be hoping that home ground support will help lift his game.
The top overseas riders will be joined by South African wildcards. For the local riders it is an opportunity to appear on a world stage and perhaps dent some overseas reputations.
The Africa Invitation event also provides a chance for riders affiliated to the Africa Motorsport Union (AMU) to get a taste of international motocross.
Qualifying
Both the world championship MX1 and MX2 categories are restricted to 30 riders on the grid and South African and AMU race hopefuls will have to qualify for places, with the MX1 contingent having the easier task.
On the provisional MX1 start list for the Alkmaar event, there are 18 overseas riders with the rest of the field to be drawn from 10 South Africans, two Zambians and a single entry from Zimbabwe. Included in the South African squad are the likes of Richard van der Westhuizen, Brandon Wheeler and Jared Geldenhuys.
In the MX2 category there are 22 entries from competitors who regularly compete in the world championship. AMU entries include 13 from South Africa and one each from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya.
Categories
The MX1 category is for 175cc to 250cc 2-stroke and 290cc to 450cc 4-stroke motorcycles. The MX2 category is for 100cc to 125cc 2-stroke and 175cc to 250cc 4-stroke motorcycles.
Both categories will race over two motos with race distance of 35 minutes plus two laps.
The ladies will also have their day at Alkmaar. There will be five roses among the thorns in the Africa Invitation event with Motorsport South Africa obtaining special permission from the world controlling body, the FIM, and Youthstream, the rights holder for the world championship, to run the race.
The ladies all compete on a regular basis in the Ladies Open Class in the South African championship. The ones to watch are championship frontrunners Cindy Porobic and Nanda Swiegers.
The dark horse is Roxanne Blainey, with Nicol Welch and Nadine Pretorius capable of springing upsets.
Tickets
Ticket prices for the Leatt-Brace South African Motocross Grand Prix will be R240 per person for a two-day pass, R110 per person for a Saturday pass, R 210 per person for a Sunday pass, and R250 per day for a paddock pass with a 50 percent reduction for children under the age of 12.
Tickets will be on sale at Computicket.
SAinfo reporter
Would you like to use this article in your publication
or on your website?
See: Using SAinfo material
