Buildbase Honda’s Graeme Irwin sewed up his first Maxxis ACU British MX1 Championship at round seven of the series at Preston Docks on Sunday.

Irwin won both MX1 races – extending his Maxxis win-streak to eight motos – and clinched the title with victory in the second 25-minute plus two lap race after resisting early pressure from EWC contender Nathan Watson who’d taken up a wildcard ride.

“It’s awesome, fantastic, amazing,” said the 24-year-old Irishman. “I can’t believe it. This year everything’s just clicked. The team, the bike, everything. I’ve been given the tools to do the job and I can’t thank everybody enough. My wife, my whole family, the team, all my sponsors – it’s amazing.

“We’ve won eight races in a row now which is some serious momentum. In that last race today I was like ‘should I think of the championship and let Nathan Watson by’ but I just couldn’t have anybody talking about an enduro rider coming to the British championship and winning so I put my head down.”

Irwin was joined on the podium by Brad Anderson (Verde Sports Racing KTM) who went 2-4 and Nathan Watson who ran 6-2.

Ben Watson bagged the MX2 championship on the same day after missing almost the entire 2016 season through injury, won the opening MX2 moto and led race two before American wildcard Darien Sanayei (Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki) passed him just after half-distance.

With his main title rival Martin Barr (Buildbase Honda) struggling with starts all day Watson knew he could afford to ease his pace and still take the title with one round to go.

“I’m absolutely over the moon,” he said. “I came here with a 42-point lead and knew I had to leave here over 50 ahead if I wanted to win the championship so I pushed on in both races. I won the first race and was second in race two – I’d have loved to have pushed harder in the last one and tried to fight for the win but I thought of the bigger picture.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to the whole team and everyone who’s backed me after being out almost all of last year. It feels great to come back and win the championship.”