Summarize

The bikes are prepared, the riders are fit and the sleeps are counting down very quickly to that moment when another South African National Motocross Championship explodes into action at Terra Topia in Gauteng come Saturday 20 February. So far, it seems that the Cannabis Energy Drink & TRP Distributors SA MX series will run in a regular seven round championship around the country following last year’s many post-lockdown double headers.

The big questions are who will steal that first holeshot, who will win and who will be crowned 2021’s Kings of South African Motocross? Starting with the big banger 450cc open MX1 men, all eyes will be on Cathcart, EP hero Tristan Purdon and his Red Bull KTM after his dominant march to the 2020 title. But rest assured that he will not have it easy.

2020 runner up David Goosen has jumped ship to ride a Rockstar Energy Husqvarna and he and that rebranded team are determined to make a big mark this year. Cape Town Tinswalo Yamaha rider Anthony Reynard ended last season off with some incredible pace and will be a man to watch. Also keep an eye on Jesse Wright's Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha, KZN kid Cameron Durow’s Red Bull KTM, Free State rider Johan Vogelesang and Marco de Vrye, who has been super quick in the regionals, in the top class.

Several open riders will also race in quarter-litre MX2 again this year and they include come from behind ’20 champion Anthony Reynard who will want to start off where he left off on his Tinswalo Yamaha. He will have Tristan Purdon's and Cameron Durow's Red Bull KTMs, David Goosen's Rockstar Husqvarna, Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha lads Dalton Venter and 125cc High School graduate Christiaan Celliers among those after his scalp.

Veteran motocrosser Ian Topliss will be back for more for over-40s MX3 glory aboard his Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha, but he has Brett Bircher and Alec Combrink among others on his case. Kayla Raaff will want to continue her 2020 unbeaten record riding her Kawasaki in SA Ladies Motocross. She will however first have to deal with the likes of the ever-improving sisters Jadene and Cheyene de Lima and other quick ladies.

Moving on to 2021 South African school kid motocross, 2020 125cc High School champion Jonathan Mlimi’s KTM will once again have to beat Miguel de Waal, never mind Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha pair Hayden Tully and Garrick Henley. Add Ridgeway Husqvarna duo Lucas Venter and Callan Merrick Broskie, KZN trio Rory Donaldson, Luke Grundy and Michael Struik and 85cc graduate Wian du Plooy ready to impress in the bigger class. And light the blue touch paper!

Talking 85cc and graduates, the talking point in the big-wheeled class will be 65cc champion Neil van der Vyver's Rockstar Energy Husqvarna and Red Bull KTM kid Trey Cox leapfrogging straight up to challenge the under-15 85 cc lot. Their rivals there include Wian du Plooy, Ashton Martin and Alex Cooper. 

Under-11 Pro Mini champion Liam Botha and his Husqvarna will want to pick up where he left off and will have Thor Johnson, Tristan Durow Jordan van Wyk and Louis Mostert among the many snapping at his heels.

Under-11 65cc will be wide open with van der Vyver and Cox stepping up, but Out of Africa Monster Energy Yamaha lad Aiden Henley will have 50cc champion Trenton Kretzmann's Perry Husqvarna, Cruz Martin, Alex Cooper, brothers Blake and Evan Frost to contend with. Add Ruben Benjamin Cawood and Mienke Cawood, Ruan Plekker, Kyle Pienaar and Jake van Schoor as well as international Riley Rocher to that hot pot.

Both 50cc champion Trenton Kretzmann and Brody Bircher will also be back for another season in the baby class. They have targets on their backs however and Ross Mackenzie, Joshua Peters-Newman, Maxwell Fourie, Casper van Zyl, Jayden Terblanche, Seth van Vuuren, Aiden Retief, Kaylin Oosthuizen, Troy van Vuuren, Lou Rademeyer and others taking aim.

Racing continues without spectators under lockdown regulations at Terra Topia, which restrictions will hopefully ease as the Cannabis Energy TRP Distributors continues into the 2021 season.

After Terra Topia this weekend, it will be off to Port Elizabeth on 3 April at Rover, followed by Welkom on 22 May and back to Gauteng for the 3 July round at the brand new Legends motocross track. Then it’s down to Zone 7 in Cape Town on 18 September, Bloemfontein 23 October and the 20 November finale in Pietermaritzburg.

The 2021 South African National Motocross Championship is proudly presented by Motorsport South Africa in partnership with Cannabis Energy Drink, TRP Distributors, Prepsol, Bridgestone, Thor, Gaerne, FMF, Pro Taper, 100%, Fly Racing, Ogio, Racestar Graffix, BG and the Sunoco Race Shop.