If you’re after some top-class grasstrack racing, then get along to Pilford Farm, Uddens, Wimborne BH21 7BD this coming weekend, 3rd/4th October. That’s the venue and dates for the big Wimborne Whoppa event, and what an epic it promises to be, with major titles and British Championships to be won!
Words and Images by Mike Wood
This grasstrack extravaganza starts on Saturday 3rd when it’s the best of GB Youth racers, GT140’s aces and Clubman sidecars on centre stage and providing the entertainment. Starting with the stars of tomorrow, and in the E-Bike British Championship class, there are riders with very familiar surnames coming under starters orders! Young Cruz Harris, son of Chris ‘Bomber’ Harris, Axel Bowtell, Reggie Goodwin and Florence Rickards will be joined by Oscar South, Maddie Adams, Blake Wooley, JJ Falconer, Hadley Woodey and Harry Wicks. Having won the 2025 E-Bike British title, Kody Pay moves up to contest the Cadets and Auto Cadets in a class which includes the defending Auto’s Champion Dalton Wright. This contest also features Grayson Rickards, JJ Falconer, Levi Collins, Isla Gannon, Kobi Gutteridge, Harry Worrall and Alfie Shipp.
Cadet British champion in 2025, Albie South will be attempting to make it a British title double as he this time starts in the Juniors class. Having put in some very impressive laps at Ipswich Speedway, Albie could be one of the favourites for the 2026 Juniors crown as he faces off against Lucas Astley, Rogan Wooley, Brayden Blyth, Harry Little, Dakota Wright and Daisy Torres. In the final British Youth Championship class, Ollie Binns faces a very hectic weekend as he not only defends his Intermediates title but then switches to the main 500cc Whoppa solo class on Sunday! Opposition in the Intermediates will be provided by the very fast Archie Rolph, who has had a fantastic season on the shale, including qualifying for SGP3 held in Wroclaw, Poland, Jack Scully-Syver, Kane Newby, Finley Theobald, Archie Whitelam and Luton-James McAlinney, who has enjoyed several outings racing in Holland during the season. Completing the Youth action are Lucas Astley, Jessica Cox, John Cox and Archie Whitelam, who are due to contest the 125cc International British Championship.
READ MORE: GRASSTRACK NEWS
Also on the programme for a busy day, one of the Wimborne action is a packed entry of GT140’s as they dispute the destination of the 2026 British Championship title. Last year at Owslebury, it was young Max Broadhurst taking the win ahead of his dad Wayne, with Mark Scopes in 3rd. All of that top three go again this weekend, as do fellow top ten finishers from 2025, Steve Newsham, Luke Wicks, Kevin Gwillam, Ian Clark, Duncan Burton and Charlie Hall. In last year’s final, Ian Clark suffered mechanical issues when challenging for the lead, so he will surely start the 2026 event looking for redemption and another title! The GT140’s though are always ultra-competitive and entertaining so picking a potential winner from a quality field of 24 starters in somewhat a lottery!
Completing the Saturday action is a Clubman’s Sidecar class, and that too is full of top crews. Topping the entry is Cornish ace Mark Courtney with Leon Torres in the chair. Challenging them will be the determined, talented and very enthusiastic young guns, William Offen/Joe Hand, Luca Whitelam partnered by Ant Goodwin and Frankie Courtney partnered by Connor Measor. Also coming to the tapes are Barry Smith/Alan Hoskins, Matt Tyrell/Shaun Yates, Joe Mogg/Jake Cuttler and Jim Penfold/Danny Hill.
So, onto Sunday and what superb entries the Wimborne club have managed to assemble for the main events. Let’s start with the 500cc sidecar class, which will be competing for the right to be crowned 2026 British Masters Champions. Last year at Ledbury, Mitch Godden/Paul Smith saw their hopes of adding another title to the bag disappear due to a puncture. In that final, Josh Goodwin made it a remarkable title number seven with passenger Scott Goodwin enjoying his first success. Goodwin and Godden will both be at Wimborne to go for further glory, as will Barrie Bennett/Rowan Lucas, 2nd in 2025, along with the likes of Shane Freeman/Tobi Vere, Chris Neame/Zoe Pay, Trevor Heath/Sam Heath, Shaun Hughes/Louis Bennett, Richard Webb/Ant Goodwin and Paul Whitelam/Liam Brown. Also, in the entry and adding some very intriguing international flavour will be the Australian crew Jason Blackshall/ Katie Barnes. Having won the 2025/26 Australian series and 2024/25 Broadford series, expect the Aussie crew to be fast, ultra-competitive and right in the mix!
Having successfully defended his British Masters 1,000cc Right-Hand sidecar title just three weeks ago in Cheshire, Gareth Winterburn, with Frankie Courtney in the chair, will be looking for further glory at the Whoppa. Going back to the Masters, Terry Saunters/Liam Brown were in simply fantastic form going through the card unbeaten before mechanical issues robbed him of a chance to go for glory in the final. Also suffering mechanical gremlins were Mark Cossar/Wayne Rickards, borrowing two different outfits throughout the day. So, after those Masters disappointments, Terry and Mark are sure to be right back on it this weekend and very determined to bag the Whoppa top honours, a title won by Saunters in 2025. As expected, this is another highly competitive class with a quality entry and plenty of potential winners. John Hand/Adrian North, Clint Blondel/Lewis Davis, Dale Fish/Jordan Fish, Will Penfold/Ricky Pay and Tom Cossar/Ryan Wharton are certainly some of the crews worth looking out for, along with, hopefully, injury permitting, Neal Owen/Jason Farwell, who produced an outstanding performance at the recent British Masters.
And so, to the big 500cc solo Whoppa contest and what a stunning line-up it is! Topping the entry and defending his Whoppa crown is Chris Harris, the four-time British Masters Champion. Also starring at the Masters, James Shanes, Max Perry, Paul Cooper, Mickie Simpson and Darryl Ritchings all start this weekend and should be major contenders at the Whoppa. The quality, though, in this class drips right through the entry, and also in the bracket of potential winners you can certainly include 2025 World Long Track Champion Zach Wajtknecht and double World Under-23 Long Track Champion Jake Mulford. Adding International flavour to the Whoppa in 2026 is young Dutch lad Niek Meijerink, 6th in the 2025 final and experienced Danish ace Jacob Buckhave. With the likes of Charlie Wood, double 2026 ACU British Champion Ashton Vale, Jordan Derrick, Thomas Vining and Ollie Binns also in the mix, the 2026 Whoppa promises to be one hell of a cracker!
Admission charges and times for the event are as follows: Saturday £10; adults with under-16s FREE.
Saturday practice is at 11am, with racing at 12.30pm. Sunday £20 Adults with under 16’s FREE or alternatively you can purchase a ticket for the entire weekend at £30. Sunday practice is scheduled for 10am, with racing at 12.30pm. Camping on site is also available at a cost of £10 per pitch.
