Thrills, spills, close racing, plenty of incidents and some contentious exclusions, the 2026 British Masters grasstrack hosted by the Cheshire GTC had it all! Eventually proving victorious and retaining their titles were Chris Harris (500cc solo), Mickie Simpson (British Under 23 solo) and Gareth Winterburn (1,000cc RH sidecars). For Chris, this was a record-breaking fourth consecutive crown, whilst for Gareth, it was also a fourth win in total at the Masters event. Last year, Gareth took victory with his brother Billy in the chair; this time around, his partner was young Frankie Courtney. Although Frankie now resides in Kent, he has become the first Cornishman to win a Masters sidecar crown, so many congratulations to him!
Race Report and Images by Mike Wood
Following a crazily hot and dry Summer, the Cheshire GTC were forced to move away from their intended venue for the Masters and go to Much Hoole, Preston, in Lancashire. Used several years ago, the venue had an extensive carpet of green grass, which, once cut off following practice, exposed a soft, almost sponge-like surface. With a very high water table prevailing in the area, it meant that there was an abundance of moisture in the ground, thus causing the intended racing strip to create ruts and holes, which required regular tyre packing and rolling. For riders, the technical going demanded their maximum respect, careful line selection and precise throttle control, along with plenty of both physical and mental strength!
Displaying all of those required qualities and using his vast racing experience to the maximum, Chris Harris made the going look easy as he started the defence of the 500cc solo Masters title with a comfortable opening race victory, followed home by Max Perry, Paul Cooper and Darryl Ritchings. From here onwards, ‘Bomber’ was in majestic form, going through the card and never being headed. As the Champion rode off to bag another richly deserved title, there was, though, plenty going on in what was a very competitive class. Opening proceedings, Tony Atkin, Arran Butcher and finally Mickie Simpson led race one as the spectacular Charlie Wood came right through to pack to earn a strong 2nd spot. In the final race of leg one, James Shanes was first past the post ahead of Alfie Bowtell, Jordan Derrick and youngster Dylan Huthwaite.
After his super earlier ride, Wood then suffered the first of two frustrating mechanical DNF’s in leg two. As Harris, Ritchings and Ashton Vale, forced to jump aboard his spare bike after a chain broke in practice, smashing the gearbox on his number one machine in the process, took the wins. The pick of the action in this leg was without doubt the second heat in which Butcher, Derrick, Ritchings and Simpson had fought out a fabulous battle at the front, only for Derrick to fall on the final turn. Jordan did, though, remount and earn 3 points for a 6th place finish.
Leg three of the 500cc solos proved to be incident-packed and ultimately instrumental in determining who might go directly into the end-of-day title-deciding final. At the first attempt to run race 13, Shanes fell on turn one when leading just ahead of Perry who quickly laid his bike down. Going around the outside and attempting to avoid their fallen rivals, Derrick and Jack Roberts got locked together, crashing heavily into the trackside marking. Thankfully, both riders were able to eventually get up and walk away, but Roberts was ruled out of competing in the rest of the meeting by medics, whilst Derrick, battered and bruised and with a damaged bike, was also not able to complete the event.
With Shanes excluded for being the cause of the stoppage, Perry won the rerun from Huthwaite, Butcher, Jake Breeze and Ryan Ashcroft. Equally dramatic was race 14, as in a tight tussle at the front, Bowtell was excluded for allegedly getting out of shape and causing Wood to fall! On the second attempt, Cameron Taylor crashed out before Cooper finally got the job done with a win as Wood stopped again. That exclusion for Bowtell was to effectively end his chances of final qualification, and he did not appear in his final outing.
In the last 500cc solo leg, Ritchings, Harris and Simpson took the wins as Shanes fell on the final turn of race 20 before remounting to get home in 6th. As Harris and Ritchings qualified direct to the final, what a performance it was to be from youngsters Simpson, Perry, Vale and Huthwaite to join them. For Huthwaite in particular this was easily his best grasstrack result of the 2026 season! So that meant it would be Butcher, Atkin, Shanes, Cooper, Simon Hammersley, 16-year-old Ollie Binns, Taylor and Tim Curnock contesting the last chance qualifier. In that one Shanes and Taylor quickly passed Cooper and looked all set for final qualification only for Taylor to crash spectacularly out! In the rerun, Cooper made another great start to lead home Shanes and thus earn the crucial two final spots available.
So, to the final and on turn one, Vale crashed out after clipping Harris’s back wheel. The second time of asking ‘Bomber’ again immediately hit the front, and there he comfortably remained with Shanes and Perry chasing hard. Right on the tails of that front three were Simpson and Ritchings, locked into a red-hot battle. They were really going for it, but then, on the final lap and entering the paddock bend, Simpson went down under heavy pressure from Ritchings. The verdict was exclusion for the Oxford speedway rider, so the final result was a win and title number four for the immaculate Harris ahead of Shanes, Perry, Simpson and Cooper, with Huthwaite registering a DNF. The Masters solo racing also included the right to be crowned the British Under-23 Champion based on points scored in the qualifying heats. Retaining his title, Simpson was the winner of that one from Perry, Vale, Huthwaite, Binns, Taylor, Thomas Vining, Breeze, Derrick and Wood. All of these young stars shone brightly at the Masters, proving that the future of GB grasstrack is certainly in very capable hands!
In a compelling Masters sidecar competition, there was to be drama right from the off with seven-time champion Mark Cossar suffering a terminal gearbox failure on their outfit in practice. Showing typical grasstrack camaraderie, though, and coming to Mark’s rescue with the loan of his spare outfit was Clint Blondell. Aboard that borrowed outfit, Cossar briefly led his opening ride before being passed by Rob Bradley/Billy Winterburn. In that first leg, there were also wins for the very fast Terry Saunters/Liam Brown and Neal Owen/Jason Farwell, who were having their final Masters appearance before retirement.
Despite having a few electrical issues with their outfit during practice, Saunters was definitely on full power now, and he opened leg two with another impressive win as defending Masters champion Gareth Winterburn with Frankie Courtney in the chair, Blondell/Lewis Davies, Colin Blackbourn/Carl Pugh and Steve Smith/Gareth Little were next up. Earlier in this clash, Mark Cossar had been chasing Saunters and in a strong second spot until his outfit stopped on the final lap. He then, along with passenger Wayne Rickards, pushed the stricken outfit home for a hard-earned single point. The other two heats in this second leg produced great action as Tom Cossar/Ryan Wharton just got the better of Owen, with the very competitive John Hand/Adrian North being excluded for pegging. Then, in race 12, Bradley produced a super last lap inside pass on Will Penfold/Ricky Pay to snatch a late win as Paul Whitelam/Richard Webb took 3rd.
Continuing his flying form, Saunters scored win number three in the next set of heats as Mark Cossar also opened his own victory account for the day. In that heat, in which the former Champion won, both Bradley and Tom Cossar were excluded for pegging, a verdict which incensed Tom and a decision which signalled the end of his participation for the day! Showing fantastic form, Owen also reeled off another victory in leg three and was now deservedly well on course to make it directly to the all-important big final. With Tom Cossar deciding not to compete in the last leg of qualifying heats, he had now lent his outfit to brother Mark, and typically it immediately produced another victory. As Bradley won race 23, the sidecar qualifiers finished with a typically classic scrap. At the front, Saunters completed a classy maximum score as Hand, Blackbourn and Whitelam went right at it for 2nd place. It was Hand who was to earn it from Whitelam as Blackbourn became the latest pegging victim!
So, it was Saunters, Owen, Winterburn and Bradley direct to the final as Mark Cossar, Penfold, Whitelam, Blondell, Simon Beaney/Brook Fowler, and Blackbourn contested the last chance heat. In that one with the top two crews progressing, Cossar stormed to victory as the battle to join him was red hot with Whitelam just ahead of Penfold and Blondell. On the last lap, Penfold was generating terrific speed and all over Whitelam before making a brave move on the final corner, diving up the inside of his rival, then winning the drag race to the chequered flag. Penfold’s joy, though, was to be short-lived, as he was then excluded for another pegging offence, so it was instead Cossar and Whitelam to the final.
At the first attempt, Saunters came out of a very tight turn one ahead, which saw Owen/Farwell hit the deck. With Farwell suffering a leg injury they were unfortunately unable to make the restart. Then, in a major dramatic moment as the crews prepared for the rerun the unbeaten Saunters was unable to fire his motor back to life suffering heartbreak and failing to come under starters orders! Also, in trouble before the rerun and suffering mechanical issues was Winterburn and he was to make a very last-minute switch of outfits jumping aboard Will Penfold’s machine, what a fantastic gesture that was by Will considering his exclusion in the last chance heat! Despite being on that borrowed bike, Winterburn then displayed great class, quickly hitting the front and racing onto another Masters title. Although Cossar briefly threatened to push for the win he was to be pushed back to 4th as Whitelam and Bradley both overhauled him.
So that’s the British Masters done for another year. Massive well done to the organising Cheshire GTC and all of the competing riders, and of course, many congratulations to the 2026 Champions.
Results
500cc solo qualifying points Chris Harris 32 points, Mickie Simpson 29, Darryl Ritchings 28, Max Perry 28, Ashton Vale 27, Dylan Huthwaite 23, Arran Butcher 21, Tony Atkin 21, James Shanes 18, Paul Cooper 17, Simon Hammersley 17, Ollie Binns 16, Cameron Taylor 15, Tim Curnock 14, Alfie Bowtell 13, Jake Breeze 13, Liam Ashcroft 13, Thomas Vining 13, Will Thurlby 11, Jack Roberts 10, Jordan Derrick 9, Ryan Ashcroft 8, Charlie Wood 7, Jamie Fenn-Smith 1.
Last Chance qualifier 1 Paul Cooper 2 James Shanes 3 Tony Atkin 4 Tim Curnock . Arran Butcher DNS, Ollie Binns DNF, Cameron Taylor EXC..
FINAL 1 Chris Harris 2 James Shanes 3 Max Perry 4 Paul Cooper 5 Mickie Simpson. Dylan Huthwaite DNF, Darryl Ritchings EXC, Ashton Vale EXC.
British Under-23 Championship 1 Mickie Simpson 2 Max Perry 3 Ashton Vale 4 Dylan Huthwaite 5 Ollie Binns 6 Cameron Taylor 7 Thomas Vining 8 Jake Breeze 9 Jordan Derrick 10 Charlie Wood.
Championship positions 1 Harris 2 Shanes 3 Perry 4 Cooper 5 Simpson 6 Ritchings 7 Huthwaite 8 Vale 9 Atkin 10 Hammersley 11 Curnock 12 Binns 13 Taylor 14 Butcher 15 Bowtell 16 Breeze 17 L Ashcroft 18 Vining 19 Thurlby 20 Roberts 21 Derrick 22 R Ashcroft 23 Wood 24 Fenn-Smith.
1,000cc RH Sidecar qualifying points Terry Saunters/Liam Brown 24 points , Neal Owen/Jason Farwell 21, Gareth Winterburn/Frankie Courtney 20, Paul Whitelam/Richard Webb 18, Rob Bradley/Billy Winterburn 18, Mark Cossar/Wayne Rickards 18, Will Penfold/Ricky Pay 18, Clint Blondell/Lewis Davies 15, Simon Beaney/Brook Fowler 14, Colin Blackbourn/Carl Pugh 12, John Hand/Adrian North 12, Peter Lloyd/Andrew Wilson 8, Stef Blyth/Morgan Blyth 8, Andrew Minard/Michelle Minard 8, Dale Fish/Jordan Fish 7, Mick Stace/Terry Madley 7, Tom Cossar/Ryan Wharton 6, Steve Smith/Gareth Little 3.
Last Chance qualifier 1 Mark Cossar 2 Whitelam 3 Beaney 4 Blondell . Blackbourn DNF, Penfold EXC.
FINAL 1 Winterburn 2 Whitelam 3 Bradley 4 Cossar . Saunters DNS, Owen EXC.
Championship positions 1 Winterburn 2 Whitelam 3 Bradley 4 M Cossar 5 Saunters 6 Owen 7 Beaney 8 Blondell 9 Penfold 10 Blackbourn 11 Hand 12 Lloyd 13 Blyth 14 Minnard 15 Fish 16 Stace 17 T Cossar 18 Smith.
