Paul Holmes and Team KTM UK now lead the ACU British MMX Quad Championship after an epic performance to take their first outdoor race and overall wins of the 2009 season.
Team-mate James Hellewell also doing the team proud by putting in a superb display to record his first British Championship points in only his second meeting at this level.
A challenging circuit with a varied mix of jumps, fast straights and tricky roller and rhythm sections, Duns Motocross Circuit in Scotland provided a comprehensive test of abilities for both riders and machines, but using the excellent power and handling of the KTM 505SX, Paul and James easily dealt with the various challenges they faced.
After setting his first ever fastest time in qualification with a margin of over one and a half seconds, Paul faced an uphill battle in both motos on his way to the overall, having to fight his way from 6th to 2nd in the first race before putting in a dominating display in the closing moto, Paul blasting his way through the field from an opening lap 5th to take a comfortable race win.
A second row start saw James at a disadvantage in both races, but with maturity and skills beyond his years, James made the most of the performance of the KTM and moved his way through the thirty strong field to finish inside the top twenty and score points in both motos, James finishing ahead of many of the more seasoned riders to add to the delight of team mentor Richard Cole.
Richard commented afterwards " this has been a fantastic day for the team and I am delighted for Paul, James and KTM. Both riders have done the team proud with their performances, and it is a true testament to just how good and Ready To Race the KTM 505SX is, when you see a first year production bike compete and beat full race spec machines on a track that demands it all. Paul and James keep going from strength to strength each week, so we are really looking forward to the remainder of the year."
Paul Holmes
"Absolutely fantastic, today I took my first ever pole position, race win, overall win and now lead the British Championship, it's been an awesome day. This circuit is one of the most varied and challenging layouts on the calendar, as it has so many different aspects to it, but the Team KTM UK 505SX was well up to the challenge and was fantastic to ride, I was able to make the most of the power and handling in the rougher parts of the circuit to move my way through. The more time I ride and adapt to the bike the better it becomes, and I know that there will be more to come as the year progresses. This has been a fantastic result for myself, Team KTM UK and the KTM 505 SX, and it's really good to give something back for all the hardwork and support that goes on behind the scenes to make this such a competitive package."
James Hellewell
"I'm really happy with the ways things have gone today. I did struggle to get a really quick lap time in practice but only just missed out on a front row start which obviously put me at a disadvantage, but I was able to work my way through in both races to get some points on the board. The KTM 505SX was working really well and we got a really good set-up that coped with everything that was asked of it, and as I adapt to the bike I know my speed and results will improve and I will be able to finish higher up the leaderboard. I'm looking forward to the next round at Desertmartin in May where I will be aiming to improve on my results."
Results
Race One
1st - Paul Winrow
2nd - Paul Holmes KTM 505 SX
3rd - John Mitchell
4th - Leon Beda
5th - Mark Watson
17th - James Hellewell KTM 505 SX
Race Two
1st - Paul Holmes KTM 505 SX
2nd - Paul Winrow
3rd - Jason Macbeth
4th - Leon Beda
5th - Mark Watson
20th - James Hellewell KTM 505 SX
Championship Standings (after 2 of 9 rounds)
1st - Paul Holmes 85 (KTM 505 SX)
2nd - Paul Winrow 83
3rd - John Mitchell 70
4th - Jason Macbeth 64
5th - Mark Watson 60
22nd - James Hellewell 5 (KTM 505 SX)