The 2026 Arenacross Tour is preparing to welcome eager local fans into the SSE Arena in Belfast this weekend, as the second and third rounds of the series take place under the lights of the spectacular riverside venue.

There is a good level of home talent ready to line up and enjoy the home support, as well as the fact that they have had significantly less travel time for this race than usual.

Looking to crack the top ten in the SuperMini class is Matthew Kelly-Edwards, sporting the same #100 as former AX Champ Tommy Searle, hailing from nearby Glenavy, he’s lining up for his fourth Belfast Arenacross at the tender age of 11: “It doesn’t feel real that we race on the same track as Dean Wilson and all the Pro riders, but racing in front of a packed arena is what has kept me coming back for the last four years.”

Matthew started because his Dad raced, catching the bug at a track called Moto45 just outside Coventry, and his best racing memory is finishing second in the Donegal Championship on his old 65cc machine. And for the first time, Matthew joined us for an event outside of Belfast with an entry for Birmingham just two weeks ago! “It felt cool to race Birmingham, to do AX in England in front of some of my sponsors and family. We were at signing on and suddenly realised Deano was chatting casually in line behind us! I had some drama with a goggle lens popping out and a broken front brake, but I’m very happy to be racing the whole Championship this year.”

Matthew will be joined in the SuperMini class by third-generation rider Carter Williams, who is starting to take this sport very seriously as he moves to a Big-Wheel 85 for 2026: “We just came back from a trip to Spain for winter training, riding at Red Sand with [top British riders] Josh Gilbert and Conrad Mewse, and even [2024 MX2 World Champion] Kay de Wolf, which was amazing! Team MGMX, a youth team run by Matt Gardiner, has helped me the last few years, I was picked to represent Team Ireland in a team race in Belgium when on the 65, it was frightening but a great experience.”

Belfast Arenacross will be the first step on a comeback for young Carter: “Last year I had a few injuries with two broken collarbones, but hopefully this year I can stay injury free and build up my confidence again. Belfast Arenacross is my first time, totally out of my comfort zone but it’s a lifetime memory, especially riding the same track as Dean Wilson and our own Martin Barr.”

Hailing from the opposite side of Northern Ireland is Erin Deazley from Castlederg, and she is “absolutely buzzing” to be back in front of her home crowd: “It’s an unreal experience, and to be the only girl competing is an absolute privilege. It would be nice to see more girls competing in the future. It’s easy to be starstruck when you’re walking around and see Deano and Marty Barr just hanging around the paddock. We’re happy with how Birmingham went, and if I can get my starts on point then I think a top five is an achievable target for Belfast.”

Once more, Motocross is distinctly a family affair for Erin, with her uncles and grandfather competing and running a practice facility just outside Castlederg called Aghyaran MX, so if anyone from that side of the country wants to give it a go, look it up!

Almost falling out of bed to race this weekend is six-year-old Zach Elliott in the E-Mini class, who lives just ten minutes from the arena! “Usually a race weekend consists of a boat trip to England or Scotland with a lot of travel.” Zach has been racing electric bikes for three years, becoming both K2 and K3 Irish Master Kids Champion, and racing EXGB rounds on his Revvi has been a great stepping stone to Arenacross. “The buzz of walking out into a packed arena for the first time is something I’ll never forget, and something I have dreamt about since going to my first AX with Dad. Looking forward to giving it my best shot at the weekend, especially with the Belfast crowd right behind me!”

When asked how excited he was for Belfast, seven-year-old local Bangor boy Noah Barr (no relation to Martin, although he’ll be racing Marty Junior!), said, “Out of ten? About a thousand! I’ve been to Belfast to watch last year, but this is my first time racing there. It’s gonna be amazing!”

With Noah in the E-Mini class will be Zack McCorkell from Londonderry, who “Can’t wait to send it” in his first Belfast AX. “I watched my Daddy race and always loved it. I started on a Revvi at two years old, now I’m six! We had bike issues in Birmingham which was disappointing as I was in sixth place. We made a trip to SX Worx in Sheffield and done some testing, so fingers crossed we have it sorted. Can’t wait to see yous all at Belfast #161 Zack attack!”

As announced before, there is no livestream of this event, so the only way to catch these riders in action is to get to Belfast on the 13th and 14th of February! Join us for the all new 2026 Arenacross Tour, Presented by Dirt Store, as we see out the series in style!