News and Events

Click on the titles to read more:

• 100mph Fastest Lawnmower Challenge
• Maico lay down the Gauntlet
• Maxima fuelled by Atol takeover
• Relationship is lubricated to the Max…ima!
• Dunlop provide the grip in Maxima Maic-over
• Brits go mad for Maxima
• Life as the underdog helps Neil go-4 it
• Davies Consolidates Lead In The  British 2 Stroke Championship

100mph Fastest Lawnmower Challenge

The National Motor Museum is making an attempt on the World Lawnmower Speed Record.  The record was set in the USA in 2006 by Bob Cleveland who achieved 80mph.  No-one has attempted to beat the record since then.

Team Runningblade plan to bring the World Record to Great Britain with a challenge on the Pendine Sands in February 2010. The driver, Stephen Voikins, has assembled an impressive team and Atol Motor Fuels have agreed to sponsor the Challenge.

Read more about the team and what's involved at http://fastestlawnmower.nfshost.com/index.html
back to top

Maico lay down the Gauntlet

With the traditional May Bank holiday weekend providing some varied and interesting Race results up and down the U.K. Maico provided a rather interesting result of their own as Neil Berry took on the 500 two stroke class in the O.R.P.A. British Clubmans Championship……on a 320!

Having only had three hours on the bike, Maico Internationals, Dunlop Maxima rider arrived at the well graded Horsham circuit on Sunday morning as the “underdog” being 180cc short of every other machine he was preparing to do battle with.

Day one of the two day event saw him fighting to get a decent jump out of the gate leaving all the work to be done on the track, working his way through the field to grab a third in his first outing followed by two fifth places.

Moving to the Northchapel venue for day two the refreshed rider, who has just recently received sponsorship from “Tanks Direct” (suppliers of specialist jet wash water tanks), took a cautious approach to the first outing on the unfamiliar circuit finding himself in sixth as the chequered flag was shown. Race two was a different kettle of fish altogether as he found his gating form, grabbing the holeshot and staying in front of the charging pack for over three laps clearly proving the capability of the 320 against a plethora of service Honda’s and other oriental exotica. Another strong start in race three saw him up near the front again before a rear wheel puncture dropped him back to an eventual fifth.

After two days of fighting the gargantuan 500’s on the 320 firecracker, Berry took a very credible 5th place overall.

back to top

Maxima fuelled by Atol takeover

Following the steady rise in popularity of America’s much loved, Maxima Oil, the distribution of the brand on this side of the pond has been taken over by race fuel company Atol Fuel L.T.D. the motor-sport division of Wessex Petroleum.  

Throughout the winter months the Dorset and Hampshire based firm have been in close negotiations with the American company working towards a successful conclusion to a deal which will see them as exclusive distributors for the whole of the U.K. and Ireland.

Atol, are a high profile brand in the superbike and karting industry, supplying high grade, high octane race fuel as well as being the distributors of Elf Oil, and are very pleased to add Maxima’s extensive range to their portfolio.

Already supplying race fuel and oil to the Motocross industry they are now looking to increase their market share with the Maxima label.

For further information on Maxima products please contact Anthony Webb at Atol on 02380 884088.or email: sales@atolfuel.co.uk

back to top

Relationship is lubricated to the Max…ima!

As the relationship between the motor-sports division of Wessex Petroleum U.K, Atol Race Fuels, and Maico International grows, the distributors for the iconic two stroke machines took a promotional role with the Maxima Oils importer and headed west for an Enduro event on Wednesday 4th June.

Taking a mid-week break from Motocross, Maico Internationals Dunlop Maxima rider Neil Berry launched himself into a two and a half hour Enduro following a promotional photo shoot for Maxima oils.

The first of the three round series was held on an 8 mile course. Putting in a solid performance his aggressive; never say die riding style could be spotted from the numerous viewing points around the circuit. With numerous pro riders not finishing for various reasons Berry now finds himself ahead of several factory supported teams and will be looking to consolidate his position at the next round which is scheduled for 11th of July, with the final event being staged in September.

back to top

Dunlop provide the grip in Maxima Maic-over

With the 09 Maicos breaking cover last week the distributors are pleased to announce support from two leading brands for their riders this year.

High profile tyre manufacture Dunlop will be supporting the team this year providing all the grip that could be required, whilst newly appointed U.K. Maxima Oils distributor Atol Fuels U.K. will be keeping the bikes lubricated to the highest level.

A press spokesman for the distributors told us, “We were supported with Maxima last year and have been very impressed with the products,its obvious why it’s so popular in America, and receiving support from Dunlop for this year has been a massive boost to us, everyone knows the Dunlop name is synonymous with quality”.

Maico will be releasing full details of their team very soon.

back to top

Brits go mad for Maxima

Following the acquisition of the sole distribution rights in the U.K. and Ireland for the high profile American oil “Maxima”, by the motor-sport division of Wessex petroleum, Atol Fuels, the Southampton (U.K.) based company are pleased to announce that the first shipment has landed on U.K. shores.

Maxima has a well established track record in the States with the iconic Ricky Carmichael being without doubt, its most popular devotee of the whole range of products in recent years. The campaign to raise public awareness of the brand in Blighty has got off to a great start with a massive number of off road specialist retailers expressing an interest in stocking the product.

Companies interested in stocking the products, or those interested in tracking down their local supplier, should contact Anthony Webb at Atol on 02380 884088.

back to top

Life as the underdog helps Neil go-4 it

Despite feeling the effects of a nasty training spill ten days ago, Maico Internationals “Dunlop Maxima” Rider Neil Berry is starting to relish facing the start grid as the underdog as once again he put his 320 Maico on the line in a 500 two stroke class on Sunday the 31st of May.

Entering a round of the S.M.X. 500 two stroke championships the determined racer, who has been getting in plenty of practice laps since grabbing a 5th in the O.R.P.A. British Clubman’s Championship a few weeks ago, faced the opposition with renewed vigour and although he dropped it on a first lap bend, charged through the field to take an eventual 4th place.

Feeling somewhat perturbed by the frustration of a result he clearly wasn’t happy with, the Maico protagonist put himself on the grid for the Open Expert A group determined to better his 4th place result in the 500 class. Lining up against a variety of 450 machinery Berry suffered a nightmare in the first race as he lost the clutch just before the start, launching him unexpectedly into the dropping gate. His never say die attitude kicked into play and he fought his way back through the field to take a mid-pack finish to the first moto.Being more aware of his mechanical restriction in the second race, he let the pack catapult from the gate and gently slotted the bike into gear with almost no clutch, and calculated his assault on the rest of the race working his way through the field to snatch the lead two laps before the chequered flag was shown, taking the win.

Feeling pretty comfortable after his second race victory the Bournemouth based racer was in no mood to let the last race go and was clearly not going to be outdone by a limping clutch. Taking the same approach as he had done in the previous outing he stormed through the field fighting for the lead, but was ultimately outdone by the clock and had to settle for a very close second.

back to top   

Davies Consolidates Lead In The  British 2 Stroke Championship.

Round 6 of the British 2 Stroke Championship took place this weekend at the famous British Championship circuit of Canada Heights, with heavy downpours in the days leading up to the event and with a track that was incredibly wet come Friday evening, a difficult meeting looked to be on the cards.

However, Saturday morning greeted us with glorious sunshine and a light breeze, just what was required to ensure another day of exciting 2 stroke action, sure enough by the time the qualifying sessions had ended and racing was to begin the track was in near perfect condition.

TM mounted rider Jim Davies, who currently tops the championship standings, was out on track in the first of the 125cc expert qualifying heats. Setting the second fastest time by the end of his session was good enough for Jim and this would allow him that vital early pick of gate position for the upcoming races.

The game plan today for Jim was simple, to qualify well, to secure three solid race finishes without taking any risks, to try to extend his lead and to stay clear of trouble and avoid losing points to his rivals, with a decent points advantage in the championship standings Jim had everything to lose and nothing to gain.
With sensible, yet uneventful calculated rides placing himself 5-2-6 after three rides Jim and his TM 125 machine managed to take third overall on the day, with his rivals behind him he secured more valuable points to extend his lead in the championship to nearly 150 points.

Round 7 of the British 2 Stroke Championship will be held at Pontrilas, Hereford on the 15th August.  


With Thanks to our sponsors.

Atol, Elf - Race Fuels and Lubricants, Electraction, Pirelli, Renthal, Regina, Pro-Clean, Kleenrite, Carbone Lorraine, Fusion MX.
back to top