Grasstrack
Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of motorcycle racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. It is one of the oldest types of motorcycle sports in the UK with the first meetings having taken place in the 1920s.
History
In the United Kingdom, kidney-shaped circuits were sometimes used to include a right hand bend, and undulating hillsides were also used to increase the challenge for riders. The events traditionally occurred after haymaking and before harvesting season on newly-cut fields. Postwar grasstrack circuits included "permanent" venues such as Brands Hatch and Mallory Park which were not simple oval shapes, although solo motorcycle races were run in an anti-clockwise direction. Later, these were converted into tarmac circuits with races using the more common clockwise direction associated with modern roadracing.In the modern era, it is generally similar to Speedway with races usually taking place over 4 laps from a standing start. Unlike Speedway, which has 4 riders per race, Grasstrack racing can have many riders in each heat and the circuit is normally longer allowing higher speeds. Grasstrack has three solo classes, 250 cc, 350 cc and 500 cc together with three sidecar classes; left-handed 500 cc and 1000 cc and right-handed 1000 cc.
The British Grasstrack season usually starts in early spring around the Easter holidays and runs through the summer/autumn months. More spectacular racing takes place at larger roped tracks including the Poacher and ASTRA Champion of Champions and Grand Slam meetings in Kent and in particular the most exciting meeting of all at the famous Rhodes Minnis circuit.
The pinnacle of the domestic Grasstrack season is the British Masters Championships. This official ACU championship is where the British champion is crowned in the mainstream 500 cc solo and 1000 cc right hand sidecar classes. Many famous Speedway riders such as 1976 world champion Peter Collins started their racing careers in Grasstrack. Some Speedway riders continue to take part in national Grasstrack meetings when their schedule permits. Grand Prix road racers John Surtees and Gary Hocking also began their racing careers in grass track competitions. Other competitors from the postwar era included now-famous names such as Bernie Ecclestone and Murray Walker.
In Europe the same sport is often called Long Track racing. This is exactly the same setup as British grasstrack which has tracks normally around 600–800 meters in length, but is held on the continent with tracks up to 1000–1200 meters in length and with speeds reaching 90 mph – 100 mph. The machinery used is the same as are the riders.
Grasstrack Motorcycles
Grasstrack racing motorcycles look quite similar to Speedway machines but there are different engine capacity limits for each class. In the UK there are classes for 250 cc, 350 cc and 500 cc bikes. Unlike Speedway bikes which have no gears, Grasstrack bikes usually have a 2 speed gearbox. Both Speedway and Grasstrack bike have no brakes. The only other main difference is that speedway bikes have no rear suspension and are shorter in length, usually by around 10–12 inches.Also there is a class called Pre-75. These are bikes that have been made before 1975. The three classes in Pre-75, are 250, 350 and 500 cc.
As well as solo racing, sidecar racing is also quite popular and often very spectacular. There are mainly three recognised classes, 500 cc and two 1000 cc classes. Again, they all run on methanol, and the 500 cc class and the 1000cc Lefthand sidecar class run anti-clockwise around the oval track, and the 1000 cc class clockwise. The reason behind the difference in direction is often asked, the main reason being the origin of each class. The 500cc sidecars having been developed in mainland Europe, where drivers drive on the right of the road. The 1000cc sidecar has been developed in the UK where road users drive on the left. Therefore, the sidecar wheel is always found on the nearside of the vehicle.
The fastest recorded oval lap record is held by UK's Kelvin Tatum MBE at Rastede in Germany at an average speed of 144.31 km/h.
Junior Grasstrack racing
Riders can start in Grasstrack racing at a young age. Junior Grasstrack clubs cater for riders with motocross bikes as well as Grasstrack machines.Organisation
Whilst there are several Grasstrack racing clubs in the UK, the sport is regulated by the governing body of British motorcycle sport, the Auto Cycle Union who organise an annual British championship.British Championships
The British Grasstrack Championships take place at two separate events. The 250 cc and 350 cc solo, 500 cc sidecar and 1000 cc Left Hand sidecar championships take place at the ACU British National Championships. The 500 cc Solos and 1000 cc Right Hand Sidecar Champions are decided at the ACU British Masters Championships. Qualification for the National Championships are by way of a National Gradings List. There is a British Masters Qualifying event held to determine qualification for the British Masters Final event.The current ACU British Champions are Zach Wajtknecht, Tom Perry James Shanes, Josh Goodwin/Liam Brown, Richard Webb/Jake Pope and Rod Winterburn/Billy Winterburn. The ACU British Under 21 Champion is Luke Harris.
The British Championships are important events, particularly for 500 cc solo and 500 cc sidecar riders. The results of the championships determine who is to represent the nation on an international level for the FIM World Longtrack Championships and the UEM European Sidecar Championships. More recently a World Championship has emerged for 1000 cc Right Hand sidecars. Qualification is determined on results from both the British Masters event and the British Sidecar Speedway Championships. Many 500 cc solo riders race Grasstrack for their profession, therefore a good result in the British Masters is essential.
List of British Grasstrack Champions
| Year | 250 cc Solo | 350 cc Solo | 500 cc Solo | 500 cc Sidecar | 1000 cc Sidecar | LH Sidecar | Under 21 |
| 2017 | Henry Atkins | Rob Finlow | James Shanes | Josh Goodwin/Liam Brown | Mark Cossar/Carl Blyth | Richard Webb/Jake Pope | Zach Wajtknecht |
| 2016 | Jed Collins | Tom Perry | James Shanes | Josh Goodwin/Liam Brown | Rod Winterburn/Billy Winterburn | Will Penfold/Ricky Pay | Luke Harris |
| 2015 | Zach Wajtknecht | Tom Perry | James Shanes | Josh Goodwin/Liam Brown | Colin Blackbourn/Carl Pugh | Will Penfold/Ricky Pay | No Winner |
| 2014 | Zach Wajtknecht | Harland Cook | Andrew Appleton | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Rod Winterburn/Liam Brown | Martin Cuff/Colin Clarke | James Shanes |
| 2013 | Harland Cook | Matt Etherington | Cameron Woodward | Josh Goodwin/Liam Brown | Mark Cossar/Carl Blyth | Will Penfold/Adrian North | Josh Dingle |
| 2012 | Harland Cook | Andy Mellish | Cameron Woodward | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Mark Cossar/Carl Blyth | Dave Penfold/Richard Webb | Tom Perry |
| 2011 | Craig Drury | Jason Handley | Andrew Appleton | Josh Goodwin/Liam Brown | Rod Winterburn/Liam Brown | Dave Penfold/Richard Webb | Tom Perry |
| 2010 | Harland Cook | Richard Smith | Andrew Appleton | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Mark Cossar/Carl Blyth | Dave Penfold/Richard Webb | Tom Perry |
| 2009 | Harland Cook | Jason Handley | Lewis Denham | Nick Radley/Abi Radley | Mark Cossar/Tom Cossar | No Winners | Jamie Rodgers |
| 2008 | Paul Cooper | Richard Smith | Jason Handley | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Rob Bradley/Shaun Simpson | Terry Nicholas/Michael Raymond | Jamie Rodgers |
| 2007 | Paul Cooper | Jason Handley | Glen Phillips | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Colin Blackbourn/Paul Whitelam Jnr | Terry Nicholas/Michael Raymond | Lewis Denham |
| 2006 | Neil Taylor | Jason Handley | Andrew Appleton | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Rob Bradley/Shaun Simpson | Martin Cuff/Steve North | Lewis Denham |
| 2005 | Lee Street | Jason Handley | Paul Hurry | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Rob Wilson/Ian Whale | Tony Penfold/Steve Fish | Lewis Denham |
| 2004 | David Knowles | Lewis Denham | Paul Hurry | Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg | Paul Whitelam/Kevin Jones | Tony Penfold/Carl Bell | Jamie Rodgers |
| 2003 | Adam Shipp | Paul Cooper | Joe Screen | Lester Goodwin/Andrew Stevens | Rob Bradley/Tristan Winterburn | Hywel Phillips/Aled Thomas | Chris Harris |
| 2002 | Adam Shipp | Jason Handley | Paul Hurry | Lester Goodwin/Andrew Stevens | John Halsey/Jason Glenie | Terry Nicholas/Mike Harrison | Andrew Moore |
| 2001 | Paul Cooper | Jason Handley | Kelvin Tatum and Glenn Cunningham | Lester Goodwin/Andrew Stevens | Rob Bradley/Tristan Winterburn and Gary Jackson/Carl Pugh | Hywel Phillips/Aled Thomas | Matt Read |
| 2000 | Lee Street | Tony Atkin | Kelvin Tatum | Lester Goodwin/Clive Goodwin | Rob Wilson/Tony Miles | Martin Cuff/Jason Relf | Ryan Tolley |
| 1999 | Mark Wadsworth | Tony Atkin | Kelvin Tatum | Lester Goodwin/Clive Goodwin | John Halsey/Jason Glenie | Hywel Phillips/Jamie Moss | - |
| 1998 | Richard Smith | Jason Handley | Rained off-No Champion | Lester Goodwin/Clive Goodwin | Rained off-No Champions | Martin Cuff/Jason Relf | - |
| 1997 | Jason Stott | Tony Atkin | Paul Hurry | Paul Miller/Dave Collin | Gary Jackson/Mick Stace | Barry Geer/Robin Geer | - |
| 1996 | Mark Wadsworth | Jason Handley | Kelvin Tatum | Paul Miller/Dave Collin | Gary Jackson/Mick Stace | No Winners | - |
| 1995 | Carl Wilkes | Paul Hurry | Joe Screen | Paul Miller/Lester Goodwin | Roger Measor/Shane Lapham | Neal Owen/Andrew Evans | - |
| 1994 | Mark Wadsworth | Tommy Palmer | Simon Cross | Kevin Leide/Dick Oldroyd | Roger Measor/Shane Lapham | Luke Patcholl/Julian Browning | - |
| 1993 | Graham Thomas | Tony Atkin | Mark Loram | Brian Palmer/Scott Dunn | Ivor Matthews/Peter Jones | Bill Penfold/Nigel Shaw | - |
| 1992 | Graham Thomas | Andy Riley | Joe Screen | Kevin Leide/Alan Pithouse | Ken Lane/Mark Edwards | Tommy Penfold/Liam Chivers | - |
| 1991 | Mark Wadsworth | Andy Riley | Mark Loram | Cecil Taylor/Ian Thompson | Richard Piggott/Martin Bailey | John Fish/Gary Moore | - |
| 1990 | Mark Wadsworth | Andy Riley | Simon Wigg | Carl Squirrell/Lyn Green | Steve Smith/Keith Wall | Terry Patcholl/Luke Patcholl | - |
| 1989 | Mark Wadsworth | Joe Screen | Simon Wigg | Cecil Taylor/Alistair Haggarty | Steve Dewison/Dave Ward | Dave Penfold/Keith Miles | - |
| 1988 | Andy Phillips | Andy Phillips | Steve Schofield | Cecil Taylor/Tex Goodwin | Steve Dewison/Dave Ward | John Fish/Martin Smith | - |
| 1987 | Mark Wadsworth | Simon Cross | Martin Hagon | Cecil Taylor/Tex Goodwin | Steve Dewison/Dave Ward | Barry Huggett/Nigel Shaw | - |
| 1986 | Mark Wadsworth | Steve Schofield | Simon Cross | Nick Radley/Shaun Harvey | Roger Measor/Dave Harris | Ernie Penfold/Dave Apps | - |
| 1985 | Mark Wadsworth | Steve Schofield | Simon Wigg | Nick Radley/Chris O'Connell | Roger Measor/Dave Harris | Dave Penfold/Tom Penfold | - |
| 1984 | Mark Wadsworth | Steve Schofield | Martin Hagon | Nick Radley/Chris O'Connell | Alan Blewitt/Barry Metcalfe | Ernie Penfold/Dave Apps | - |
| 1983 | Mark Wadsworth | Steve Schofield | Simon Wigg | Cecil Taylor/Mal Goodwin | Steve Smith/Trevor Pye | Barry Huggett/Nigel Shaw | - |
| 1982 | Mark Wadsworth | Steve Schofield | Simon Wigg | Nick Radley/Chris O'Connell | Ted Tucker/Dave Ward | Jim Penfold/Steve Dempsey | - |
| 1981 | Dave Baybutt | Steve Schofield | Simon Wigg | Clyde Cardy/Allan Morrison | Dennis Teasdale/Keith Chapman | Mick Turrall/Tony Strivens | - |
| 1980 | Jeremy Doncaster | Steve Schofield | Trevor Banks | Steve Smith/Trevor Pye | Steve Smith/Trevor Pye | Ernie Penfold/Nigel Shaw | - |
| 1979 | Dave Baybutt | Clayton Williams | Trevor Banks | Clyde Cardy/Allan Morrison | Dave Heath/Ray Andrews | - | |
| 1978 | Mark Wadsworth | Gerald Short | Brian Webb | Rob Stoneman/Rowland Broomfield | Steve Smith/Trevor Pye | - | |
| 1977 | Mark Nicholson | John Britcher | Chris Baybutt | No event | Ken Smith/Mick Burr | - | |
| 1976 | Chris Baybutt | John Britcher | Brian Maxted | No event | Ted Scott/John Atkinson | - | |
| 1975 | Dave Brown | Chris Morton | John Britcher | No event | Alan Artus/Graham Higgin | - | |
| 1974 | Chris Baybutt | Gerald Short | Chris Baybutt | No event | Ted Scott/John Atkinson | - | |
| 1973 | Dave Baybutt | Stan Luck | Brian Maxted | No event | Steve Smith/Roy French | - | |
| 1972 | Chris Baybutt | Peter Collins | Don Godden | No event | Cecil Taylor/Brian Knight | - | |
| 1971 | Tony Black | Peter Collins | Brian Maxted | No event | Roger Measor/Trevor Bullock | - | |
| 1970 | Mervyn Price | Chris Pusey | Chris Pusey | No event | Gerry Wheeler/John Holt | - | |
| 1969 | Dave Baybutt | Chris Pusey | Brian Maxted | No event | John Miell/David Miell | - | |
| 1968 | Chris Stewart | Bill Bridgett | Andy Ross | No event | Dave Hunter/Brian Cox | - | |
| 1967 | Fred Watts | Chris Stewart | Don Godden | No event | Mick Webster/John Justice | - | |
| 1966 | Don Godden | Tony Black | Tony Black | No event | Mick Webster/John Justice | - | |
| 1965 | No event | Tony Black | Don Godden | No event | Dave Hunter/Ivan Kitching | - | |
| 1964 | No event | Alf Hagon | Reg Luckhurst | No event | Bryan Rust/Dave Heath | - | |
| 1963 | No event | Alf Hagon | Reg Luckhurst | No event | Nigel Mead/Dave Hunter | - | |
| 1962 | No event | Alf Hagon | Alf Hagon | No event | Bryan Rust/Dave Heath | - | |
| 1961 | No event | Alf Hagon | Denys Goodacre | No event | Bill Evans/Ian Paskin | - | |
| 1960 | No event | Alf Hagon | Austin Cresswell | No event | Bill Evans/Ron Jones | - | |
| 1959 | No event | Alf Hagon | Alf Hagon | No event | Freddie French/Gordon Wosley | - | |
| 1958 | No event | Murray Briggs | Murray Briggs | No event | Chris Vincent/Ivan Kitching | - | |
| 1957 | No event | Martin Tatum | Martin Tatum | No event | Bill Evans/Ron Jones | - | |
| 1956 | No event | Austin Cresswell | Alf Hagon | No event | Bill Evans/Ron Jones | - | |
| 1955 | No event | Denys Goodacre | Martin Tatum | No event | Bill Evans/Ron Jones | - | |
| 1954 | No event | Alf Hagon | Alf Hagon | No event | Bill Evans/Ron Jones | - | |
| 1953 | No event | Sid Mintey | Austin Cresswell | No event | Derek Yorke/Jim Green | - | |
| 1952 | No event | Sid Mintey | Austin Cresswell | No event | Derek Slate/AN Other | - | |
| 1951 | No event | Sid Mintey | Dick Tolley | No event | Cyril Smith/AN Other | - |
The British Sand Ace Championship takes place on Guernsey. The current champions are Zach Wajtknecht and Rod Winterburn & Billy Winterburn.
European and World Championships
The FIM, the World's motorcycle racing authority run a World Longtrack series as well as a World Team Cup. Although both events are named 'Longtrack', they often are competed for on Grass. The World Longtrack series competitors must qualify through a series of Qualifiers. Riders must be selected by their nations motorcycling authority. Riders then must compete in Qualifying rounds and hotly contested Semi Finals before reaching the World Longtrack series proper. The World Team Cup involves each team consisting of 3 riders racing each other for points. The top team at the end is the winner. Great Britainare the current World Team Cup Champions.
The UEM hold a European Grasstrack championship, where qualification is similar to the World Longtrack. However, the competition culminates in a one-day event. The UEM also holds a European Championship for sidecar competitors. 500 cc sidecar machines from several countries compete in 2 semi finals, and the championship is decided on a one-day final.
List of World Longtrack Champions
World Individual Championship| Year | Solos |
| 2019 |  Dimitri Bergé |
| 2018 |  Martin Smolinski |
| 2017 | Mathieu Tresarrieu |
| 2016 | Erik Riss |
| 2015 |  Jannick de Jong |
| 2014 | Erik Riss |
| 2013 |  Joonas Kylmakorpi |
| 2012 | Joonas Kylmakorpi |
| 2011 | Joonas Kylmakorpi |
| 2010 | Joonas Kylmakorpi |
| 2009 | Gerd Riss |
| 2008 | Gerd Riss |
| 2007 | Gerd Riss |
| 2006 | Robert Barth |
| 2005 | Robert Barth |
| 2004 | Gerd Riss |
| 2003 | Robert Barth |
| 2002 | Robert Barth |
| 2001 | Gerd Riss |
| 2000 |  Kelvin Tatum |
| 1999 | Gerd Riss |
| 1998 | Kelvin Tatum |
| 1997 | Tommy Dunker |
| 1996 | Gerd Riss |
| 1995 | Kelvin Tatum |
| 1994 | Simon Wigg |
| 1993 | Simon Wigg |
| 1992 |  Marcel Gerhard |
| 1991 | Gerd Riss |
| 1990 | Simon Wigg |
| 1989 | Simon Wigg |
| 1988 | Karl Maier |
| 1987 | Karl Maier |
| 1986 |  Erik Gundersen |
| 1985 | Simon Wigg |
| 1984 | Erik Gundersen |
| 1983 |  Shawn Moran |
| 1982 | Karl Maier |
| 1981 | Michael Lee |
| 1980 | Karl Maier |
| 1979 | Alois Wiesbock |
| 1978 | Egon Muller |
| 1977 |  Anders Michanek |
| 1976 |  Ivan Mauger |
| 1975 | Egon Muller |
| 1974 | Egon Muller |
| 1973 | Ole Olsen |
| 1972 | Ivan Mauger |
| 1971 | Ivan Mauger |
| 1970 |  Jon Odegaard |
| 1969 | Don Godden |
| 1968 | Manfred Poschenreider |
| 1967 | Manfred Poschenreider |
| 1966 | Manfred Poschenreider |
| 1965 | Bjorn Knutsen |
| 1964 | Kurt W Petersen |
| 1963 | Bertil Stridh |
| 1962 | Bertil Stridh |
| 1961 | Timo Laine |
| 1960 | Josef Hofmeister |
| 1959 | Josef Hofmeister |
| 1958 | Josef Hofmeister |
| 1957 | Basse Hveen |