apico – MotoHead

Barr bounces back after Hawkstone spill

admineaserm — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:05:23 +0000

The first round of the Motul British Motocross Championship for 2025 took place at the iconic Hawkstone Park Motocross Track, where Apico Factory Racing are the series sponsor of the prestigious MX1 class. With Tom Grimshaw still recovering from a shoulder injury picked up during Arenacross, it was all on Martin Barr to fly the flag for the team in MX1.

It was nice to see the MX1 start gate practically full for the first round, which meant qualifying was busy, and Martin got his fast lap in on the first attempt for 6^th gate pick. With the new structure that involved an LCQ in a stacked MX2 class, the first MX1 race didn’t start until after 2.00 PM.

Martin had a decent start, coming out of the woods and down the first set of jumps in 12^th position. As he settled into the first couple of laps, he started to pass riders looking fast and comfortable as he made his way into the top 10 and was in 9^th position when it happened. Martin took a different line on the approach to the famous bomb hole area of the track, hitting a soft spot that stopped the bike in its tracks and pitched him off due to the speed and momentum he’d been carrying. Luckily, Martin avoided a serious injury and managed to come away with superficial cuts and a bloody nose. This disrupted Martin’s flow and had him a little dazed. The bike had suffered some movement to the controls, and Martin’s helmet was damaged in the impact, which meant he was unable to continue the race.
After making sure he was okay, Martin and the team decided to continue the meeting and compete in the second race.

After making a similar start to the first race, rounding the second corner in 12^th place, Martin went about attacking the field, passing a couple of riders and pushing to the last quarter of the race where he passed Carlton Husband, Jason Meara and John Adamson to finish 7^th. After the incident in the first race, this performance was nothing short of heroic from the Ulsterman.

Dylan: “Firstly, I’d like to congratulate Paul Irwin and his team for all their efforts in raising the profile of the British Motocross Championship. It was evident that the changes they have brought are of a benefit not just to the riders and teams but the sponsors of the series, too.I am relieved that we made it out of Hawkstone as a team, as Martin’s incident could have easily brought our season to an early close. Anna and I had discussed at length with Martin whether to continue the meeting, and he decided he was fit and could compete in the second race.

After qualifying 6^th and pushing through the second race to the very end to finish 7^th I am very pleased with Martin and his performance. We have a break in the Motul British Motocross Championship until May, where we hope to see Tom under the awning supporting Martin as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury.I would like to thank the sponsors for making the 10^th year of our Apico team possible, and all the team members and fans for their continued support”.

Dates revealed for UK’s No.1 fun fest!

admineaserm — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 17:40:52 +0000

The weekend of the 1^st to the 3^rd of August has been set for the 2025 edition of the Apico 2-Stroke Festival featuring the Red Bull Pro Stroke National.

Running at the hugely popular Sellindge MX in Kent, on Saturday the 2^nd and Sunday the 3^rd of August, with set-up access from Friday, the 1^st, the UK’s fave Festival of Motocross is primed to be another racing calendar highlight.

The Apico 2-Stroke Festival runs in association with the ACU to grant full British Championship status for its 2-Stroke 125, Open, Evo and Super Evo classes. In addition, youth classes catering for 125, 250F, BW and SW85s as well as Over-40s open 2-stroke will take place.

As previously announced, this year, the Evo and Super Evo classes form part of a four-round British Championship with the first two rounds running alongside the ACU British Vet Championships at Toddington in Bedfordshire. The final two rounds will see the Evo competitors return to the home of Evo at the Apico 2-Stroke Festival.

Red Bull is stepping up its involvement for the 2025 Festival with incredible support over the weekend for the Red Bull Pro Stroke National Clubman MX1/MX2 and Red Bull Noughties. Then, on Sunday, the Pros roll out for the Red Bull Pro-Stroke National with classes for Pro/Expert MX1 and MX2.

More information will be available soon at 2strokefestival.com and on the Festival’s social media pages. Entries will open towards the end of February.

Apico Honda rounds off British title series

admineaserm — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:47:22 +0000

It was a blustery start to the final round of the Dirt Store British Motocross Championship at Preston Docks, though that didn’t stop the fans from turning out en masse for the season finale. With Preston Docks being less than an hour away from Apico HQ, this was to be the team’s home round in the premier British Motocross Championship for 2024.Qualifying went very well with Martin putting in an early fast lap which eventually gave him 4^th gate pick and Tom struggled to get a clear lap putting 13^th fastest at the end of the session.
YouTube Vlog Of MXGB Preston Docks Final Round Here

In race 1, as the gate dropped both riders made good progress down the start straight before Tom, admittedly, made a mistake and came together with Martin. Unfortunately, this resulted in both riders losing several positions and having a lot of work to do in the race. Martin proceeded with caution for the first few laps, eventually finding his rhythm on the 6^th lap and pushing on in 10^th position for most of the race. Tom managed to get on the back wheel of Martin on the 7^th lap and they both pushed through, passing Jason Meara and Carlton Husband to finish inside the top 10 in 8^th and 9^th respectively.Race 2 was another start disaster for Martin, who ran into the rear of Josh Gilbert in the first corner and found himself down the order in 17^th. As a testament to his speed, experience and sheer determination Martin set about attacking the field making up 7 positions within the first 2 laps and was on the edge of the top 10. Martin pushed on again and passed his MXoN teammate Jason Meara to get close to Tom, who’d had a good start comfortably inside the top 10 and held a steady position throughout the race. It was a switch of positions with Tom finishing 8^th and Martin 9^th for race 2 and the overall on the day.

Martin finished 7^th and Tom 8^th in the Dirt Store MX1 British Motocross Championship 2024 standings.
Martin: “The last 3 rounds have been somewhat of a disaster, from lying 3^rd in the championship to ending up 7^th is not where I see myself and I can run up at the front as I’ve shown. All in all, I’ve enjoyed the season, I finished 3^rd in the Apico Pro MX1 Fastest 40 Championship and won the Wrights Engineering Class with Apico Honda at the Vets Des Nations, and I still have to compete for Team Ireland in the Motocross of Nations, so looking to end the season off in the final there with Apico Honda and my teammates.

“The switch to Honda Motorcycles aboard the CRF450R was a massive boost for everyone, I’ve loved the bike, and it has certainly helped my season. I’d like to thank Dylan & Anna for my third season with their team, the atmosphere and vibes are always positive, fun, and very good which contributed to my good results. I’d also like to thank all the team and personal sponsors. Without you guys, I could not go racing. I know there’s more to come from my riding career, hopefully, I’ll be back at the start line next year, I have not finalised a deal yet, but hopefully it will be.”

Tom: “It’s been a season where I’ve learned a lot. There were a number changes for me with the Honda CRF450R, where I had to get better at starts, I managed that, and I certainly feel comfortable and that I’ve been making progress over the last 3 or 4 meetings. I wish there were 2 or 3 races left as my riding is improving. I’ve finished 8^th in the Dirt Store MX1 British Motocross Championship and 4^th in the Apico Pro MX1 Fastest 40 Championship and got a win with Martin and Jamie Law in the Wrights Engineering Class at the Vets Des Nations with Apico Honda, so it’s been a solid season.I settled well into Dylan and Anna’s team; it’s been a nurturing environment that has helped my racing. I’ve improved a place compared to last season in the MXGB Championship and will continue an upward trajectory with my racing. I would like to thank the team, especially Dylan and Anna for believing in me and giving me an opportunity with Apico Honda. To all the sponsors and my trainer, thank you for the support this season.”

Dylan: “The whole team were excited to attend Preston Docks for the last round of the Dirt Store British Championship and it didn’t disappoint, both Martin & Tom performed well finishing inside the top ten all weekend. Overall, the season has been a mixed bag for both riders. Tom took some time to adapt to the Honda CRF450R and came strong towards the end of the season. It was the other way round for Martin, who has had a great season that was hampered by a couple of poor rounds at the end. This unfortunately affected his 3^rd place podium finish in the Championship.I’m happy with the season and I can’t thank Honda Motorcycles UK enough for their support and trust, all the sponsors and team members for all their hard work throughout the year, not forgetting my partner Anna, who allows me the time to put all this together so we can go racing at the highest level.My season highlight must be the VMXdN Foxhills event, we mounted Martin, Tom & Jamie Law on CR250 Honda 2 strokes and finished the Wright Engineering Team event as winners which was a nice feeling. Matterley Basin MXON is the last dance this year with Martin representing Team Ireland and then it’s a little time off to reflect and build again for next season.

Glory for Apico Honda at VMXdN

admineaserm — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:10:48 +0000

GOLDEN GLORY for Apico Honda as the team takes multiple podium positions at the Vets Motocross Des Nations at Foxhill this weekend. As well as Martin Barr and Tom Grimshaw, Apico Honda welcomed back Jamie Law as a team rider for the VMXdN. The weekend of racing was condensed to a Sunday of madness due to weather conditions however, spirits were not dampened on the day! The altered Sunday race structure consisted of 1 qualifying block and 2 race blocks overall.

Tom Grimshaw: Tom was competing on an individual basis in the first class in a block of nine. Having qualified with the 4^th fastest lap time, Tom secured himself a strong position for the day of racing ahead in the Evo Ultra Class Sponsored by Garland Powersports. Consistency proved to be key in the three laps Tom took qualifying with all lap times being within eight seconds of each other.While securing the fastest lap time in race 1, Tom fought tooth and nail with Sam Nunn for 1^st position. Tom describes how he “flipped into another gear when it came to race time”, having managed to apply pressure and secure 2^nd place on race 1 with a 2 second difference from Sam Nunn. Tom brought an unbeatable mindset to race 2, securing a strong start out the gate and pulling away from the competition. With no room for error in his performance, Tom edged into 1^st place, and brought it home, with Sam Nunn close behind.

Through having “a lot of good battles with a lot of good people” in his races, Tom’s victory secured him the fastest lap time yet again and beat his previous time from race 1 by 6 seconds. Despite securing the same number of points as Sam Nunn, Tom took first place overall in the Evo Ultra due to his race 2 result. Tom states “I had a lot of gate drops, made some really good moves and really enjoyed racing on the 2-strokes. The crowd was amazing and were cheering me on and I had some of the best battles I’ve had in a long time”.

Team Event: The team came together to compete in the Wright Engineering National Team Race. Our two resident riders combining forces with returning team member Jamie Law was a thrill to witness. All team members qualified in the upper half of the table, with Martin just missing a top 5 qualifying spot. A tight seven second window separated the team’s best lap times.

Race 1 saw a solid performance with all three members finishing in the top 10. Tom held strong in his battles to reach a podium position in this heat, with Martin and Jamie close behind. Martin managed “to work up the table into a good position” and finished in 4^th for race 1. Jamie struggled out of the gate on race 1 however managed to “pick a few off and reach 9^th position by the end of the race. Inside the top 10 is grand”. Tom talks on how the riders “managed to stay consistent throughout as a team” which led into a great position for the team going into race 2.

Race 2 saw a collaborative push from all riders in the team. Jamie held a steady and progressive race as he managed to climb three positions within the race time to finish inside the top 10. Jamie proved a formidable force as he “backed the boys up in the team races. I’m happy with the results which is all that matters”. Martin fought hard to retain his place at the top of the pack; he describes how he “got a great start out the holeshot. Tom Kellett passed on the first lap, but I kept my head down and managed to finish in 2^nd”. Tom also managed to hold the line of his position, finishing in 4^th position to complete Apico’s amazing team performance.The collaborative effort from each rider saw Apico Honda take 1^st place in the Wright Engineering National Team Race. An amazing performance from Martin Tom and Jamie!

Martin Barr: Martin went on to represent Northern Ireland in the VMXdN International Team Race Sponsored by Crescent Yamaha. This particular class is also a team event; however, Martin’s teammates were unable to ride, leaving him as the only team rider for this class. Despite this, Martin was able to produce some strong results with “the bike performing well and never missing a beat” throughout the day. Qualifying went well with a high finish of 4^th place and 1.89 seconds behind the fastest lap time.Firing off a strong start out of the gate in race 1, Martin found himself performing at the top of the pack with a gradual climb from 3^rd to 2^nd in lap 2. Martin managed to hold the line through the course of race 1 to finish in 2^nd with a 1.6 second gap between him and Tommy Searle. This provided some valued results going forward. Advancing into race 2, Martin’s determined mindset was unphased by the challenge before him and was yet again able to perform under pressure. Progressing up the table through the race from 4^th to 3^rd in lap 2 and defending the podium position to the finish.

Martin states “I went out and did what needed to be done. I had two really good races to give me a great result”. Martin performed well with top 2 lap times in both races, he placed 3^rd overall in the races and Northern Ireland took 8^th on a team basis. Martin further commented that it was “a mega weekend with a brilliant atmosphere all round.”

Dylan Brown: I’ve been looking forward to this event all year, and once again VMXdN Foxhill didn’t disappoint. Martin & Tom have been consistent all year onboard our Apico Honda CRF450s, so with very little track time on the 2strokes I was a little nervous going into the weekend to be honest. I’d spent a few hours building Martin a race bike from scratch, Tom also hadn’t had much seat time, and it was a pleasure to have Jamie Law dust off his own bike and join the team for a one weekend deal.

“Looking at the other teams involved in the Wright Engineering Team Event was like a British Championship Class, several teams looked on paper to be very strong, however I was confident the boys would play their part to bring home a good result. Martin & Tom at the front was a good start to the day, and I knew Jamie would always give his teammates 100%. It was a slender 3-point advantage going into the final race of the day and with another solid performance the boys brought home the win. Tom ran at the front in his individual race in the Ultra Evo Class and placed P1 Overall, Martin was a lone rider in the International Team Event for NI and managed a solid result passing Mike Brown and hanging with Tommy Searle to secure P3 overall in class. On the whole, coming away with the Wright Engineering Team win makes me feel very proud. “

Hard luck Hawkstone for Barr

admineaserm — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 12:23:43 +0000

The team arrived at Hawkstone Friday for the penultimate rounds of the combined Dirt Store British Championship and Motul Fastest 40 British Championship. In an unprecedented move to see the best riders in the country compete at both championships, the promoters had decided to run together in a tough season due to rider injuries in both race series.

The practice was challenging, with Martin putting in his fastest lap from the start, for what ended up being 9^th gate pick. Tom pushed through, putting his quickest lap towards the end of the session to finish 8^th in qualifying.Tom Grimshaw: “Hawkstone is one of those tracks where I can have a really good day or a terrible one, fortunately, this was a good one! I was happy with my qualifying, I was a second short of the top 4, though happy with the 8^th gate pick. I managed to get great starts in both races, in race 1 I was in the top 5 finishing 7^th at the flag, and I held 4^th position for the first third of race 2. I was unfortunate as I hit a bit of a wall mid-race after going at the front runner pace and a group of riders managed to pass me who were very close by. I wasn’t happy with that, but I learnt something from it. I rode out the rest of the race at a good pace, losing a place towards the end to Carlton Husband where I finished 8^th and tied on points for the overall to finish 8^th. I’d like to thank the team and everyone in my corner for helping me develop over the season, the Honda CRF450R performed so well in both races, it shows the work I’ve been putting into starts this weekend and I’m pleased with the bike”.Martin Barr: “It was a tough weekend, the hardest I’ve had this season for one reason or another. Qualifying started with P9, the track was fast and not rutted, though I knew it would rough up throughout the day, so I wasn’t overly concerned with my gate pick. I got an okay start in the first race and soon worked my way up to 6^th feeling comfortable. The breather pipe split in the last quarter of the race, fuel was going in my face, and I swallowed some. This put me off my rhythm and I crashed whilst trying to be sick. It was a battle to finish the race, though I managed to come home 9^th in race 1. I was feeling rough in between the races and had a bad headache. I tried my best, though my concentration was suffering, I managed to go out in race 2 and make the best of a tough situation, finishing 10^th and 10^th overall in the Apico MX1 Class of the Motul Fastest 40 and DirtStore British Motocross Championships. It hurts as I was 3^rd in both Championships before the weekend and have dropped to 6^thin the DirtStore British Motocross Championship and 4^th in the Motul British Championship. We’ll regroup now and try to get points back in the last few races of the season. The Honda CRF450R didn’t miss a beat and performed really well, I’ve had such a great season with the bike and I’m thankful for the effort the team put in to support me competing at the top level of British Motocross”.Dylan Brown: “I was pleased for Tom, he had excellent starts in both races showing that the Honda CRF450R is more than capable of competing straight out of the gate with the likes of Jeffrey Herlings and his factory machine. Tom’s progress has been steady throughout the season as he’s settled into the team. He’s gelling with the bike, and this showed over the weekend.Martin Barr had the toughest meeting of the season, where he was unlucky with his breather pipe splitting and ingesting fuel mid-race 1. Martin crashed due to being unable to concentrate and this affected his whole weekend. Hats off to him as it could have been a lot worse, to finish top 10 after everything was not a bad result at all.We now look to the last round of the Motul Fastest 40, which incorporates the RedBull Pro Stroke element of the Apico 2 Stroke Festival in a couple of weeks. Thanks to the team and sponsors for their continued support throughout the 2024 season”.

Team Apico hit the Heights

admineaserm — Thu, 30 May 2024 14:23:31 +0000

The Bank Holiday weekend saw the team head south for the second round of the Dirt Store British Motocross Championship, held at the popular Canada Heights venue in Kent.

Known for well-attended British Championship rounds, Canada Heights had the added draw of Jeffrey Herlings competing in MX1 to bring in the crowds. Qualifying went well with Martin timing things right and putting in 4^th quickest on the first lap of the session. Tom managed to find his fastest lap towards the end of qualifying to achieve the 10^th gate pick.

Martin Barr: “After tagging onto the back of Conrad Mews in qualifying and seeing some of his lines I managed to put in a quick lap that was good enough for P4. The start will be crucial and I’m looking forward to the racing”.
Tom Grimshaw: “Qualifying was not bad, P10 in the end. I was falling down the order a little, so we made some adjustments to the bike. I then went out and put in a fast lap. It’s not the best or worst position to be in, there are a few gates to choose from and I’m looking forward to the racing”.Race 1: It was a case of 2 extremes – Martin managed to fire his Honda CRF450R out of the gate with Herlings and Mews into 3rd, whereas Tom who had swapped to his spare race bike and DNF’d the race around the first corner due to a broken fuse. Although that was the end of Tom’s race, Martin managed to put on a great display pushing on to the halfway point where a few mistakes were made, and he lost his rhythm resulting in Trystan Purdon passing him. Martin managed to keep his flow going until the end to finish 4^th in the MX1 class.Race 2: Tom had a much better start, taking the outside and pushing right upfront into the top 3 down the straight before being pushed by the pack a little wide to 5^th on the opening lap. Martin didn’t have the best start, hitting a bump out of the gate causing him to lose drive and vital milliseconds up the start straight. Martin was inside the top 10 and went about passing a couple of riders before spending most of the race in a battle with Tristan Purdon and Jason Meara. Martin finally managed to pass Meara towards the end of the race to finish 6^th. Tom felt a little tight after missing the first race and struggled to get used to the rough track. Regardless, Tom rode well, keeping on the race pace and battling with Sam Nunn before crossing the line in 9^th place.

Dylan Brown: The team had a weekend of highs and lows, Martin had a great start in the first race upfront of the MX1 pack in the top 3 for the duration, eventually finishing 4^th. Tom was unlucky and a blown fuse cost him that race. Things seemed a little more even in the second race, where Tom was inside the top 10 with Martin, without track time from race 1 making it difficult for Tom. He managed to maintain his position and finish 9^th. Tom is now 11^th in MX1 for the series.In Martin’s second race, he kept the pressure on Jason Meara for more than half the distance before managing a pass on a tight track. Unfortunately, after the pass, there were only a couple of laps left and Martin was unable to capitalise on the riders in front so he finished 6^th. That meant he achieved 4^th overall for the round and moved to 4^th in the MX1 Championship.We’re currently preparing for the Motul Fastest 40 at Landrake this weekend as the season moves to the busy period. Thank you, as always to the people and sponsors behind the scenes that help to make things happen for the team.

Apico squad seeing red for Foxhill VMXdN

admineaserm — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 19:36:20 +0000

With the annual VMXdN Foxhill firmly entrenched as being the “must attend” meeting of the year it’s no surprise that we are already getting news of team entries! The annual event takes place at the iconic Wiltshire GP circuit on the August bank holiday weekend (22^nd-26^th).

The first team to be announced in the Wright Engineering National Team Race is the Apico Veterans Squad, these guys are back in force and plan on building on their 2023 success. Now on Hondas in their assault on the British Championships, we have heard they are building a few 2002 CR 250s as we speak in preparation for the event!

Returning to the squad is Northern Ireland’s Martin Barr. Having raced all around the globe in an illustrious career which has so far spanned three decades. Barr has raced for world-leading manufacturers Husqvarna, KTM, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha since turning pro after leaving school at 16, having already won the British 85cc Supercross Championship in 2001. The victories and podium finishes have continued throughout Barr’s career with a win and second-place finish in the Red Bull Pro Nationals championships, a second and third place in the MX1 British Championship and 2nd in the MX1 Red Bull Pro Nationals Championship over the years. Barr has also represented Ireland 14 consecutive times at the MXON. A top geezer and first-class MX rider.

Jamie Law also returns to the Apico Veterans Team. JLaw, as he’s known around the paddock, is one of the most experienced riders at British championship level and a two-stroke advocate. After 20 years as a professional MX racer, JLaw took his first-ever British championship podium in 2022 at the series opener. He is still competing and training like he always did.

The new boy on the squad is youngster Tom Grimshaw who raced in the 2022 and 2023 event but is now on the Apico Honda squad for his “day job”. After a successful youth career racing British, EMX & World Championships, Tom moved into the adults ranks again racing British Championships, EMX & World Championship events, proving due to his size he’s more of an open class guy as he can certainly ride one properly and his aggressive style will be a thing to watch on a 250 2-stroke in the natural valleys of the Wiltshire Grand Prix circuit. This team is packed full of talent and experience to boot, and they will take it to the line when the gate drops.

Dylan Brown will take the role of team manager. “I know the guys very well and for the most part the riders are Vets’ age. We’ve always had a family vibe at the racing with Martin & Jamie for many years and Tom fits right into our program. It’s a brilliant weekend to have the guys together with their families for a weekend of fun once again (though it does get serious when race time comes around lol). Again, we plan on raising money for the Air Ambulance, so please swing by the pits to view some special bikes on display under the Apico tent.”

“Team entries are coming in thick and fast and some of the names already signed up will be keeping our marketing department busy in the coming months.” Dave King – Promoter VMXdN Foxhill

With the increasing attendance in its first two years of the VMXdN Foxhill festival held over the August Bank Holiday weekend has advised that they must cap the quantity of camping slots available due to space and safety limitations, and they are anticipating that all camping passes will be sold prior to the event opening.

“Last year we were almost at capacity and with the increase already we are expecting to sale out prior to the gates opening on August 22^nd” explained DocWob – Promoter VMXdN Foxhill. “We expect the 2024 event to be ticket only, so it’s advisable to pre book to guarantee your place, you certainly don’t want to miss this one.”

Tickets for the four-day festival are available from https://vmxdnfoxhill2024.eventbrite.co.uk

2-Stroke Festival’s biggest rider reward package

admineaserm — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 16:14:24 +0000

The team behind the Apico 2-Stroke Festival featuring the Red Bull Pro Stroke National has confirmed its biggest-ever rider support for its 2024 three-day event.

Promoter Dave Willet and long-standing partner Dylan Brown of Apico Factory Racing have agreed a £15,000 deal for the increasingly-popular summertime race weekend which has become a firm fixture on the calendar for riders of all abilities, whether just-for-fun or fast-paced and competitive motocross.

The extended collaboration is expected to open the doors to the many high-end brands distributed by the Burnley-based trade firm, delivering more opportunities for rewarding riders across the ranks.

Commenting on the significant prize pot, Willet said: “Ever since my first event, one of my main concerns has been to support those who support us. After opening the event up to more riders and classes at short notice last year, I quickly realised I need to try and give back to more riders. Dylan and his partner Anna have been brilliant over the years and recognised I need the type of investment that will allow us to achieve just that!”

Speaking on behalf of the Apico team, Brown added: “Anna and I absolutely love coming to the Festival each year. Witnessing the riders and spectators enjoying themselves and the positive energy that comes with it is really inspiring. We feel it’s the best event to give back to the motocross community and, as such, we take great pleasure from being in a position to increase our level of support.”

A confirmed date, entry details and ticket information will be released very shortly at www.2strokefestival.com

Apico Husky team says farewell

admineaserm — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 10:40:37 +0000

The Apico Husqvarna team will be a very different operation the future, with the closing of the race workshop at Apico HQ. Dylan Brown, who co-owns and runs Apico and the race team with his wife Anna, has issued the following statement:

Firstly, I’d like to thank you all for your support this year and many of you for all the seasons we’ve had with the Apico Husqvarna Team. Competing at the top level of British Motocross isn’t easy, your help is appreciated. However, time has come to close the doors on the Apico Husqvarna workshop.

The efforts to run the team from Anna and I are significant, from the hours I spend maintaining the race bikes, to race days through to this very press release you are reading right now. I would like to think we’re one of the teams in the British paddock that present your products well. Not only at the racing but through all our marketing channels too.

This year has had more lows than highs with Jack Lindsay, our MX2 rider badly breaking his leg at the very first round of the championship. This left us as a one rider team for all competitions. Martin Bar also picked up injuries after a crash at Blaxhall, which resulted in missing a round of the MX Nationals & British Motocross Championship.

Martin Barr finished a respectable 6^th in the MX1 Class at the Michelin MX Nationals and 14^th in the British Championship. These results somewhat reflect the tough season Martin has endured, but that’s racing. We still managed to fit in the Apico 2 Stroke Festival, VMXdN Foxhills and the Arenacross Tour and still have the British GP and MXoN to compete in, where Martin has been the number one choice for Team Ireland once again.

Over the past nine years we have had a lot of success, Steven Clarke EMX250 Champion, 2^nd Overall British Championship. Bry McKenzie 3^rd Overall British Championship, Jamie Law 4^th Overall British Championship, Stu Edmonds British Open 2 Stroke Champion, Multiple top ten championship finishes and a straight 5^th,6^th 7^th Weston Beach Race for Law, Burrows & Edmonds and not forgetting multiple MXoN for Ireland.

Anna and I would like to personally thank the following for the contributions to the team over the past nine years, Steven Clarke, Bry McKenzie, Zander Brown, Kristian Whatley, Matt Burrows, Jack Lindsay, Stu Edmonds, Jamie Law, Martin Barr & Zac Stealey for all their efforts on track. Scott Cannon, Josh Owen, Mark Southwick for all the bits in between, James Martin, Allistar Holland, Dave Russell & Ian Marshall for their time on the spanners, Karen & Mike Law for providing the team food and entertainment and all the rider families.

Its not the end for the team, but we will have a different look, with new colours and the same passion and desire.

We look forward to 2024 and the new changes, but now its time to say Thanks again for your support and farewell to Apico Husqvarna.

Anna and I hope you can be a part of what’s to come, we’ll see you all again in the new season.

Apico go full retro for Foxhill VMNDN

admineaserm — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 18:11:42 +0000

This race weekend was a little different than usual, as Apico Factory Racing was a sponsor for Vets Motocross des Nations at Foxhill. The Apico Vets team wore recreated, retro Apico clothing in the stacked Wright Engineering National Team Class. The Apico Hydration Station, something we have done at other offroad events, was there to raise funds for the Northwest Air Ambulance with the help of Ice Valley. We also had some of Rob Herring’s factory bikes from over the years as an Apico-sponsored rider on display.

As one of the U.K.’s hotly anticipated motocross events of the year, with a crowd well over 35,000, and online viewers of more than 150,000 across 40 countries, this was the event to be at in 2023. The 2023 lineup for the Apico Veterans included Matt Burrows, Jamie Law and currently Apico Husqvarna rider, Martin Barr. Martin was on a Stormworks Garage Husqvarna, with Jamie and Matt acquiring and building their machinery for the event.With the full team arriving on Friday, we all got together in the evening to share a meal like old times. The Apico Veterans were joined by Josh Spinks in an impromptu photoshoot in the restyled Apico retro clothing. After a quick pitstop in the beer tent, the team settled for an early night in anticipation of the racing ahead.The sounds and smell of 2 Strokes filled the air on Saturday morning, transporting everyone back to the 90’s and early 00’s. The bikes Dylan had worked on in the lead-up to the event were nothing short of special. All the bikes had been Rob Herring’s from the late 80’s – early 90’s as a sponsored Apico rider. The oldest bike, one that had not seen the light of day since Rob Hooper formerly of Heron Suzuki had dismantled it all those years ago, was a 1989 RM250. With magnesium parts such as the wheel hubs, spindles and an aluminium factory tank, this bike was special. The specialist engine casings stamped RH-89-3 showed the real factory pedigree of this machine.Hi Res Images: Credit Free From Adam Duckworth & Haggis HartmanThe 2 Honda’s were from 1991 & 1992. The 1991 Silkolene Honda CR250 was described by Rob Herring as a missile. He also said this was his favourite performance-wise of the bikes. The 1992 Castrol Honda CR250 was a very attractive piece of history, one that adorned many a bedroom wall as a poster from DBR in the early 1990s. Both these Hondas had spent a good number of years as part of the furniture at Apico HQ. This was the first time in a very long time that the bikes had been to an event of such magnitude.
Saturday was somewhat of a special day as Rob Herring and his wife Amanda visited the Apico stand. Rob took the time to discuss the bikes and times from yesteryear. One thing that came across from Rob was his gentlemanly nature, a true ambassador for British Motocross and one we’d hope to see riding the event in 2024!It wasn’t all retro and just the Apico Vets we had to keep an eye on. There were a number of Apico-sponsored riders competing at the event including Carlton Husband (3 O/A National Team), Brad Todd (19^th O/A National Team, with a DNS), Josh Spinks (18^th O/A International Team Individual), and the Pococks. All 4 brothers raced in the event. The 3 youngest all raced the Ultra Open Class with Brett 10^th O/A, Maff 13^th O/A & Bradley 16 O/A. We have to give a special mention to Mel Pocock Jnr, who showed strength and determination by riding with a broken leg for pretty much all the races to take Team GB to the top of the podium!Danny McCanney, normally associated with Enduro racing competed for the Isle of Man in the International races. Some may have been surprised to see him finish top 10 in the International Team Individual scores, beating a few ex-British Champions along the way! The Isle of Man finished a respectable 8^th in the International VMXdN Class.
Back to business with the Apico Veterans in the National Team Race and qualifying went well with Law 12^th Barr 17^th and Burrows 37^th. This particular class was stacked with talent over the last 10-15 years of British Motocross Championship racing. It was certainly the racing to watch across the weekend.Race 1 was tough with Jamie Law making a start inside the top 10 and holding his position until a crash on lap 4. He remounted dropping several positions and crossed the line 13^th on his 2002 Honda CR250. Martin made a steady start passing a couple of riders before crashing and damaging his Husqvarna. Determined, he remounted down in 27^th and battled to the line for 26^th. Matt was 30^th and dropped to 33^rd by the time the flag was out.Race 2 was the best of the team performances Jamie Law made a great start inside the top 4 and made his way to P2 by the end of the race. Martin Barr had a better start than in race 1, struggling as the front fender broke off on the first lap. This left him to face his own roost for the rest of the race to cross the line 16^th. Matt Burrows had his best finish of the day in 24^th place.Race 3 on Sunday saw Jamie dig deep putting in a solid performance, making a single pass for 6^th at the flag and Martin having a relatively clean race to finish 15^th. Matt was unfortunate to have a DNS due to a mechanical. This would be the team’s score to drop for the overall place in the National Team Event.Race 4 saw a clean start for Martin leading the Apico veterans in 6^th as they dropped into the valley from the start with Jamie close behind in 8^th. Matt was around 22^nd at this point though managed to maintain a position within the top 30 by the time the flag waved. Martin hung on for a while before Jamie passed and finished 11^th with Martin pushing the old Husqvarna for 15^th at the flag.The team’s combined scores tallied 190 and 8^th place finish in the National Team Event. Jamie Law had the standout result of joint 3^rd overall tying on points with Apico-sponsored rider Carlton Husband. Martin finished 13^th and Matt 35^th respectively.

Dylan: “The highly anticipated ‘Motocross Event of the Year’ didn’t fail to disappoint, delivering on all levels. It was nice to see faces old and new and display some historic bikes associated with Apico. We met Rob Herring on Saturday and gained his insight into the times and racing back when Apico was starting in the off-road industry. The time we spent with Rob on Saturday affirmed that he is the great guy people remember from his heyday.It was nice to see the Apico Vets in retro Apico clothing, a nod to where the company initially started all those years ago. With the 40^th anniversary of the company looming, it was a special event that meant something to Anna and I. It is not something we’re likely to forget for a long time.We’d like to give a special thanks to Ice Valley for supporting us in raising donations for the Northwest Air Ambulance Service. This is something close to my heart and an important self-funded charity when called upon by the offroad community. It’s not something we like to see attending an offroad event, though I am sure there are a lot of thankful people out there who have called upon Air Ambulance services over the years. This showed in the donations from the spectators and people from the industry. We have given back over the years at other events by running the Apico Hydration Station with Ice Valley. This year we managed to hit a record £2,000.00 in donations. I’d like to thank our staff and helpers for their efforts in raising the funds for the Air Ambulance this year on Apico’s behalf at the Vets Motocross des Nations at Foxhill.Congrats to the VMXdN team on putting on a fantastic event for the second year. It is truly one of the best events on the calendar. A special shout out to all our sponsored riders and of course Team GB on winning the International Race Overall. We look to this weekend as usual service resumes with Apico Husqvarna and Martin looking to finish on a high at the Michelin MX Nationals this weekend”.

Photos by Adam Duckworth and Haggis Hartman