Great Britain will play host to the sixth round of the FIM MX1 and MX2 Motocross World Championships this weekend on a brand new track at
Mallory Park, built inside the famous road racing facility.
David Philippaerts may have been denied a home victory last time out in Italy, but the Monster Yamaha rider has now built a firm 28 point MX1 title lead over Suzuki's reigning champion Steve Ramon heading into the much-anticipated Mallory terrain.
Third place in the championship is held by Philippaerts's team-mate and pre-season favourite Joshua Coppins, popular with the British fans from his time with CAS Honda and still seeking his first victory of the 2008 season.
Ken de Dycker is another former CAS rider, and British championship competitor, who is now Ramon's team-mate at Teka Suzuki. The Belgian returned to the front in wet conditions at Mantova and holds fourth in the championship, five points ahead of Billy Mackenzie.
Mackenzie has taken de Dycker's CAS ride for 2008 and will be the home favourite for premier-class success on Sunday. The #211 won grands prix last season for Kawasaki but small mistakes have cost him dear so far this year, with second place at round one his best result so far for the HRC-backed team.
Frenchman Sebastian Pourcel has much greater consistency problems, the Kawasaki star having taken three moto wins already this season - but sits just sixth in the points after also suffering three non scores.
Meanwhile, de Reuver's Mantova heroics resulted in his very first premier class victory, but the tall Dutchman is presently only seventh in the standings for Martin Honda, two points clear of KTM's Max Nagl - winner of race two at Mantova.
The MX2 class has seen a three-way battle for supremacy between Yamaha's reigning double champion Antonio Cairoli and
Red Bull KTM team-mates Tyla Rattray and Tommy Searle.
