With 2013 still in its infancy, Honda’s CRF has wasted no time in setting out its racing agenda for the year ahead, taking its first national championship title with barely a month ticked off on the calendar.
Honda (UK’s) official off-road racing team, Buildbase Honda and rider Adam Chatfield, were last weekend celebrating their first taste of success and their first silverware of the season, after taking the crown in the Pro-Class of the Arenacross UK Championship. Putoline Honda’s Neville Bradshaw would also lay claim to runners up spot, locking out a Honda one two in the overall championship classification.
The Arenacross UK Championship title marks a perfect start to a year packed with further racing activity for Honda in domestic, overseas and world Motocross. In just a few weeks time, the Buildbase Honda team begin their ‘outdoor’ campaign, competing in both the Maxxis British Motocross and Red Bull Pro Nationals Championship, in both MX1 and MX2 classes. Reigning Red Bull Pro Nationals Champion, Nico Aubin remains with the team for another season and is joined by two-time World Champion Steve Ramon in MX1, whilst seasoned pro, Stephen Sword is drafted in for the MX2 challenge, creating a formidable line-up across the premier classes.
The World Motocross Championship is also due to kick off in a matter of weeks, with the Honda World Motocross team fielding an ultra-competitive line-up of Max Nagl and Evgeny Bobryshev in MX1. On the other side of the Atlantic the AMA US Supercross series is already in full-swing, with Team Honda Muscle Milk riders, Trey Canard and Justin Barcia challenging for regular race wins and overall championship honours in the 450cc class, while Geico Honda are showing strong in the 250cc Lites class.
It is shaping up to be a year to watch and one full of promise for all those aboard Honda CRF machinery.
Simon Herbert, Manager – Sales Planning, Honda (UK)
“We are absolutely delighted to be starting 2013 in such a positive manner, with our first national championship success of the year. The plan is very much to add to this with further victories throughout 2013. We are pushing hard in off-road at present, in both Motocross and Enduro, introducing all new models such as the CRF450R; placing more emphasis on our racing activity and launching initiatives such as the Dave Thorpe Honda Off-Road Centre. Such results are reward for our efforts and we are keen to maintain and build on this momentum going forward.”
