Tough Belgian 250cc GP for the CAS Honda riders.

In treacherous conditions and in front of 20,000 spectator's the CAS HONDA team riders all suffered some type of trouble in the Belgian 250cc Motocross Grand Prix.

American Robbie Reynard who rode the Belgian race, as a special guest for the team was the best placed CAS rider, finishing in eighth place after crashing out in the first few laps.

Reynard made a brilliant charge through the field, coming back from 28th place on lap three the 25-year-old American clocked some consistent lap times, moving into the top ten by lap 15 and then passing fellow CAS rider Jussi Vehvilainen with two laps to go.

Vehvilainen who was riding with an injured hand finished in ninth place, he was also involved in the same crash as Reynard in the first lap.

Paul Cooper held 8th place on lap one, and then came through to seventh before he had problems and retired to the pits on lap eight.

The fourth member of the CAS 250cc effort was Japanese rider Yoshitaka Atsuta. Having come back from an early season injury the rider known for his courage and determination finished in 18th place, just as his teammates (Reynard and Vehvilainen) both crashed so too did the former Japanese champion.

Qualification:

Vehvilainen was the top CAS rider in qualification with the Finnish rider claiming 6th place in qualification with a time of 1'49.991s.

"The track is not good," Vehvilainen said. "I know everyone has the same track to race on, although it is so difficult to get good lap times on this track."

Cooper finished in 8th place on Saturdays timed laps, he also knew it was important to get inside the top ten. "Anywhere in the top fifteen will be good for this start," Cooper said. "I don't like this track, I don't know anyone that does. I just put in enough effort to get in a good position to make a good start, and I think I've done that."

Reynard came in 10th place on Saturday, while Atsuta was 22nd.

250cc race:

As the riders hit the first corner Paul Cooper had positioned himself in the top ten, although Reynard, Vehvilainen and Atsuta were all struggling at the rear of the field. With riders crashing all over the sandy Genk circuit the CAS boy's were involved in the mayhem. Reynard who was making his Grand Prix debut was not impressed.

"I had a bad start," Reynard said. "Then a rider crashed in front of me and I hit him, somebody hit me from behind and I was like last when I got going again. I didn't like the track in the first place and with mud all over the outside of the corners it was really difficult to pass guys. It took me a few laps to get my rhythm going, then I felt okay, I was happy with the second part of the race, and did some pretty good lap times."

Vehvilainen gated terribly, then found himself in trouble with Reynard as the field traveled through the forest section of the rough sandy circuit.

"I got a bad start out of the gate," Vehvilainen said. "A guy in front of me was all over the place on the track and I hit him. I got going again and then Reynard crashed in front of me with a KTM rider. I also struggled a little with my injured hand, and also the track was so muddy and really not easy to pass on. Once I got going it went okay, I was able to move into 8th place and was making good times. With a few laps to go Pichon passed me I looked behind and saw a Honda rider, I thought it was Coppins (who was in second place) and slowed to let him also pass, however it turned out to be Reynard, which was a bad mistake."

Paul Coopers race began with him inside the top ten, however a problem dropped the South African out of contention, then out of the race.

"I had an okay start," Cooper said. "I was about 10th or something like that. I didn't get into any trouble like everyone else, which was great. After a few laps I had passed two or three guys and was in 7th place behind Dobb. I was not losing any time on Dobb and I felt relaxed, then the bike began to play-up and I had to stop. I didn't like the track, no places to pass, it's just a terrible place."

Yoshi Atsuta had a bad start, and like so many of the competition found himself on the ground. "I had a muddy spot at the start," Atsuta said. "I really had a bad position going into the first corner, although everyone went on the inside on and I went for the outside line. I was about 11th. A guy crashed in front of me and I crashed into him, which was not a good beginning for me. I got my first GP points, which was good. The track is terrible, although everyone has the same track to race on."

500 GP:

Jussi Vehvilainen finished a brilliant 6th place in the Open class race after a terrible start.

"I had a bad start," Vehvilainen said. "Then I crashed and was like in 28th place. I worked my way into the top ten by mid-race and really felt good as the race closed out. I had some trouble with my injured hand, other than that it was a good race."