Thixton wins big at Donnybrook
THERE was no stopping for former Zimbabwean champion rider Ashley Thixton during the third round of the 2017 National Motocross Championship series at Donnybrook yesterday where he scored a hat-trick of victories.
Thixton, who is now racing for the Grainger Racing Team KTM, was just fired up as he won the MX1, MX2 and 125cc classes.
In the main MX1 Class, Thixton won all the three heats comfortably to take the first step on the podium ahead of Warren Thorne and Doug Mellor.
Sadly, there were only four competitors in this class.
The script did not change for Thixton in the MX2 and 125cc classes where he won all the heats without raising much of a sweat.
In the MX2 Class, Thixton came first ahead of Zvishavane-based rider Tafadzwa Mawarire and Luke Wheeler while in the 125cc Class he beat young Tristan Grainger and Mudiwa Chigumba into second and third place respectively.
Thixton was naturally happy with his performance yesterday and hopes to do well in the next events.
“I am very happy for the win and I hope I will continue with the fine form in the upcoming events.
“I would like to thank the Grainger Racing Team KTM as well as my sponsors for their support. I now look forward to the next events,” said Thixton.
Mawarire, who came second behind Thixton in the 125cc Class, was happy to return to motocross racing after a while.
The Zvishavane-based rider said it was time to prove himself after a short lay-off.
“I think I need to do much and I thank my sponsors Sandrik Mining Zimbabwe and Tandamanzi for helping me.
“It has been long since I raced as I returned from a long break due to some financial constraints but I am happy that I have some partners who are helping me,” said Mawarire.
Like Thixton, talented young rider Daiyaan “D” Manuel was also in sparkling form yesterday as he swept to victory in the 65cc A Class, winning all the three heats ahead of Emmanuel Bako and Lee Chigumba (Jnr).
After settling for second place behind Thixton in the 125cc Class, young Tristan Grainger did well to take the first step on the podium in the 85cc A Class in which he was just too good for a field of nine riders.
Manuel came second in this class ahead of Bako while fourth and fifth places went to Sam Wheeler and Tanya Muzinda. Muzinda, the country’s top female motocross rider who is now sponsored by CBZ Holdings and NetOne, attributed her poor performance yesterday to a hip injury which she sustained during her practise session last Monday.
She said she was still in a bit of pain after last Monday’s crash.
“I could have performed much better today had it not been for the pain in my hip but all the same this event helped me in my preparations for September’s British Girls National Championships at Wroxton in Oxford, England, where I will be racing against some of the top female riders from England and other European countries,” Muzinda said.
Top honours in the 50cc A Class went to Declan Barrett who beat Josh Halkier and Luke Southon into second and third places.