Wednesday 24th June marked the return of the annual Diss MCC Evening motocross meeting at Wattisfield Hall, sponsored by Southside MX. This ever-popular event is a real gem in the calendar and one that riders and spectators alike always look forward to.
Race Report by Stefan Hicks – Images courtesy of Chris Carter
The 2026 edition would take place during an unprecedented heatwave, with the Diss-based club working hard to prepare the track, giving the riders a near-perfect race track ready for some short, sharp race action.
The 132 rider line up was split into 4 qualifying heats, the first 22 across the line from all heats would progress into the 2 semi finals, with the remaining riders heading into the non-qualifiers race. The format remained the same as the first 22 riders from each semi-final would take their place in the much-anticipated Grand Final, with the remaining riders heading into the consolation final. So with everything in place, the crowd got set ready for the 6 pm start to the evening action.
READ MORE: BRITISH MOTOCROSS NEWS
In Qualifying heat 1, it was Travis Steels who took victory ahead of Ben Cole in second, Rob Wood in third and Teddy Hyde in fourth. Usual fast starter Luke Nolan came home in fifth.
Qualifying heat 2 saw a great battle between two young stars, but it was Bayliss Utting who came out on top ahead of fellow Honda rider Jake Rackham in second. Adam Reeve finished in third, in front of Joe Hall in fourth and Christopher Lake in fifth.
In the 3rd Qualifying heat, it was Tom Grimshaw who dominated to take the race win by over 12 seconds over Shaun Southgate in second. Connor Bunkle finished in third ahead of Jake Brown in fourth and Syd Bales in fifth.
The final Qualifying heat was won by Josh Peters, in second was Luke Parker, Chester Hyde finished in third, ahead of Will Farrow and Callum Murfitt to round out the top five.
Semi Final number 1 got underway with the two Yamaha riders, Travis Steels and Ben Cole, battling at the front. The crowd were stunned when Steels made one of the best crash saves you’ll ever be likely to see, as it looked a certainty he would be ejected off the side of the bike, only to land on his feet while still in full control of the handlebars and ended up running alongside his machine! He lost only one place, but that proved vital as Ben Cole took victory ahead of Steels in second. Bayliss Utting finished in third with Adam Reeve and Cullen Hawkins rounding out the top five.
The 2nd semi-final was another great spectacle, but it was Tom Grimshaw who proved too strong for the rest of the pack as he bolted for the race win and also took the fastest lap time of the evening in impressive style. Shaun Southgate came across the line in second ahead of Josh Peters in third and Luke Parker in fourth. Chester Hyde remained strong to take fifth place ahead of the hard-charging Rackham behind him.
The two Non-qualifier race wins went to Leyton Turner, who couldn’t be matched for pace. Jason Aylett took two 2nd-place finishes ahead of Lee Keyton in third overall, with a 5th and a 3rd across two motos.
The Penultimate race of the evening was the Consolation final, and it was won by Tim Warnes, who battled through the pack after a poor start to take the win ahead of Joe Henthorn in second and Henry Cox in third.
The 8 lap Grand Final got underway with Josh Peters grabbing the holeshot alongside Southgate, Rackham and Bayliss Utting all up close early on. All eyes were on Grimshaw as he was just inside the top ten on the opening lap but was cutting his way through the pack and soon found himself hunting down Southgate for second place. Race leader Peters could hear the battle behind him as Southgate was barged off the racing line by Grimshaw, who had to force his way through if he was going to have a shot at the race win. With only a few laps left, it was a shootout between the top two, and they both provided some great racing, but Grimshaw proved to be stronger as he made his way past and held on for a stunning Grand Final victory, showing passes can be made around the tight Wattisfield circuit. Peters rode smartly for second place ahead of Southgate in third. Jake Rackham came home in fourth and Bayliss Utting in fifth.
After another successful evening meeting, the Diss MCC would like to thank all officials, marshals and medics who worked tirelessly in the heat to provide a safe racing environment and to help clear the track after racing had finished. The crowd also played their part in bringing a fantastic atmosphere for the riders to compete in, and the club look forward to welcoming you back at Wattisfield on the 20th September for the final race meeting of the season.
SEE THE FULL RESULTS >>HERE<<
