Posted: Wednesday, 15th October, 2008 : 11:32 AM - - 4,027 Reads

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It was a guru vs. new boy affair when Everts, riding a Red Bull KTM 450 finished the race just over two minutes ahead of Britain's Shaun Simpson, who joins the Red Bull KTM MX2 Factory Team in 2009 and this year finished fourth in MX2 world championship riding for KTM UK. It was the twenty sixth time the race had been held on the UK beach, won on the first occasion by Willie Simpson, Shaun's father.

Everts, one of the most revered personalities in motocross racing said before the event claimed he was not as fit as he used to be but the results indicated he still has the strength, skills and winning spirit to triumph. Everts victory, ahead of Simpson in second, MX2 World Champion, Red Bull KTM factory rider Tyla Rattray in eighth place on a KTM 450 and two times World Endurance champion and Grand National Cross Country Champion David Knight (KTM 450) who finished thirteenth, showed he has lost none of his sting on two wheels. Everts is and remains the King of Sand.

Simpson, recently crowned MX2 British motocross champion, showed his skill early in the race defying the bigger capacity bikes and rounding the first corner in the top ten. He tackled the formidable dunes and had Everts in his sights half way through the first lap. But then he lost the front in a brave attempt to take on the maestro and instead settled in to find his rhythm for what was a very long race. At the end of the day, the 20-year-old Scot piloted his KTM 250SX-F into second place behind his mentor to be one of only three riders to complete all 18 laps.

Speaking after the race Shaun said: "The second hour was the hardest as I forgot to put my drinks pack on during the first pit stop, so I got quite dehydrated. The last hour was OK as I picked it up on my second stop, and that gave me anextra spurt for the final push. To finish second behind Stefan on a two-fifty four stroke is a great result both for me and KTM."

David Knight actually had a double chance as he also entered the ATV class, “Because I was unable to compete at Weston last year I was really looking forward to this year’s event. It’s just too bad that both races weren’t two hours long as I’d have won both if they were. The quad event was just a bit of fun. It was going really well but I’m not sure if I got some water in my fuel or what because near the end of the race my bike started to cut out. Like I said it was just a bit of fun, so I wasn’t too worried about it. Fourth’s not too bad, but it could have been a win if I’d had a little luck on my side.

“Not finishing the solo event is really disappointing. I was really pleased with the way I rode, enjoyed battling with Josh Coppins more than any other race I’ve ever done, I just can’t believe that having done the hard work and got into the lead it all ended with me finishing down in 13th. I made a great start but then decided to follow Everts and Coppins for the opening lap. We all broke away from the others and I had such a laugh racing with Josh. We kept passing each other for about an hour. My first pit stop went well but my bike didn’t start so I had to bump start it, which meant I was about 50 seconds behind Everts then. By the second pit stop I was right with him and coming out of the fueling area I was leading.

“With about 40 minutes to go I was about 30 seconds ahead. That’s when my bike stalled and it took me about one-minute to get going again. Everts past me and although I was closing in on him my bike stopped again close to the pits and that was that. I’m not sure what the problem was but I was out of the race. Weston is hard on bikes but my motor was running well until it stalled the first time.”

The race, in which there was a field of over 900 starters, was run in Indian summer temperatures in the 20's on England's south west coast and attracted around 100,000 spectators.

Results – ’08 Weston Beach Race (Solo)
1. Stefan Everts, Belgium, KTM, 18 laps 3:07.26.37
2. Shaun Simpson, Britain, KTM, 18 laps 3:09.39.28
3. Jamie Lewis, Britain, Honda, 18 laps. 3:11.25.01
4. Ashley Greedy, Britain, 17 laps, 3:07.46.69
5. Tom Church, Britain, Kawasaki, 3:10.13.59

Results – ’08 Weston Beach Race (Quads)
1. Jeremie Warnia (Suzuki) 17 laps
2. John Mitchell (Yamaha) 17 laps
3. Carl Bunce (Suzuki) 17 laps
4. David Knight (Red Bull KTM Off Road Team) 17 laps

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