The 2024 NORA British Cup concluded on the weekend at Marshfield and NORA CRS Development rider Mitch Conway ended the Championship with an 11th overall after the three rounds and missing the second round at Culham due to bike issues.
Here is a run down of how the weekend went for Mitch.
Lessons learnt at Marshfield for NORA Cup Finale. Although Mitch wasn’t in contention for a decent overall position in the NORA Cup, due to electrical bike issues at round 2, we thought we would use this round to try and draw some positives of what could have been.
We started early on Saturday morning, with a track walk held with Stephen Sword and the NORA CRS Development Team, who gave some useful tips on how to ride the Marshfield track. The track had been watered heavily and was pretty heavy going for the 3 groups out before me, but would dry well for my qualifier.
Practice and Qualifying – All started well, with me riding steadily and remembering the track and I did my usual, in waiting to put a “hot lap” in, when the track was clear, but half way round I made a silly mistake and had a small soil tasting session, again knocking my right knee. This obviously spoilt my flow for the session, but I got back on and despite the pain, managed to get a final decent lap in, to get 6th gate pick, before the qualifying session ended. I dosed up on Paracetamol and Ibuprofen to try and help with the pain and swelling.
Race 1 – I started in about 10th place, but due to a first corner pile up, managed to work my way through and kept pushing bringing it home in 5th place, managing to hold off Fabian Jnr Morrison, who had fallen earlier in the race.
Race 2 – My start was great and got to the first corner in 3rd place and halfway through the first lap, I moved up to second spot, behind Harley Prickett. I held the place for another couple of laps, but was then passed by Shane Jones, who’d had a bad start. I kept going and crossed the line in 4th place, which I was please with.
Race 3 – Another decent start, but a frustrating battle with several riders in and around the 5th to 7th mark, I felt that the bike was underpowered and although I was quicker on the downhill sections, I would lose time on the steeper uphill areas (I later found out that I had left the bike in traction control and was severely down on revs on the uphills). I frustratingly came over the line in 5th place, but know I could’ve finished higher.
Race 4 – A superb start and managed 2nd or 3rd around the first corner, I managed to stay on the pace, but Shane Jones had got the holeshot and managed to break free from Harley Prickett, who eventually fell on lap 5. I managed to stay within passing distance, but made a few silly mistakes and got the chequered flag in 4th spot.
I learnt a lot this weekend, having realised that if I get the right bike set up, I can stay on the pace of the top three. I know I have to work on my body positioning for corners, to get better speed and more confidence. I’m confident that I could have made the podium for the Championship, if I’d made the second round at Culham, but we need to move on and concentrate on putting things together for the remaining races left in the season.
Many thanks to NORA 92 and Thornbury MX for putting together a very enjoyable series & to my team mate Jack Evans, for taking the Youth Championship, I really enjoyed our continual race battles. Finally thanks to the NORA CRS Development Team, associate sponsors and to our own Factory Motocross Graphics, James E Smith Timber Products and to Mission MX.
