Stansfield strikes again! 2026 Lincolnshire Enduro Championship Round 7 – Race Report & Results

It may officially be autumn, but Sunday felt much more like summer as the Dust Devils-sponsored Lincolnshire Enduro Club (LEC) staged Round Seven of its 2026 Hare & Hounds series.

Race Report by Martin Southwick – Images courtesy of Graeme Taylor

The sun shone in more ways than one, particularly for RAW-backed rider Hayden Stansfield, who claimed his second consecutive victory and fourth win of the season. It wasn’t entirely straightforward for the West Yorkshire youngster, however. A mechanical problem in the form of a dislodged chain temporarily halted his progress and threatened to undo his hard work.

Once the problem was overcome, Hayden set about chasing down his main rivals and successfully overhauled them before the chequered flag fell at the three-hour mark. Stansfield’s winning margin was just under two minutes over Jack Leonard, who had been looking to add another victory to his success back in April. Scott Austin finished third, a further three minutes behind. The result also moves Hayden into fourth position in the 2026 Experts class championship.

Class leader and reigning champion Dan Johnson couldn’t quite match the pace at the front, but his fifth-place finish was enough to keep him at the head of the class. Johnson’s overall advantage is now just three points, although he has the benefit of having already used his dropped round. His nearest rival, George Pearce, sits second overall but has yet to sit out a round. Nicholas King is in third spot. With just one race remaining, it’s all to play for!

The penultimate round saw the club return to Ashby Puerorum for the second time this year, with conditions considerably drier than those experienced back in March. It was, indeed, the best of weather. Any rain during the preceding days of track building had minimal effect on the terrain, especially given the recent spell of parched weather. The course featured the familiar excursions into local woodland and cropped areas, man-made Hard/Easy sections and faster runs across the fields, perhaps offering riders a little respite between the more demanding parts of the lap. With 101 riders taking to the start line, competitors faced a challenging 7.8-mile circuit.

READ MORE: BRITISH ENDURO NEWS

The Sportsman 4-Stroke class once again produced the biggest field of the day, with 19 riders lining up at the start. Taking top spot was James Knights, who had finished runner-up at Round Six. Bradley Hill chased hard into second, finishing just over a minute behind, while Shaun Crellin claimed the final podium position after another similarly close gap. Championship leader Ross Pearson came home fourth. The result allowed him to extend his advantage by a further
two points heading into the final round in a fortnight. Spencer Smith, sixth on the day, holds second place in the 2026 standings, with Bradley Hill currently occupying third. In the Sportsman 2-Stroke class, James Cole took the spoils for his third win of the season, further strengthening his position in the class. His advantage has increased by another point. Although the margin remains slender, James also has the benefit of having already used his dropped round back in Round Two. Ted Johnson finished runner-up, a result that keeps him in a similar position in the championship standings. However, he faces a slightly more complicated final round, having yet to use his dropped round. Matthew Valentine is in a similar position regarding his remaining dropped score. His seventh-place finish at Ashby currently leaves him holding the provisional bronze position for 2026. With the final round still to come and dropped scores yet to affect some riders, it could be seen as a mathematical lottery!

A new name appeared at the top of the Clubman podium, with newcomer Adam Jones taking maximum points. Evan Sharpe finished runner-up, a result that keeps him firmly in control of the championship, although his advantage following Round Six has been trimmed by a point. Jake Wilson finished third and remains poised to capitalise should anything go wrong for Evan as the club heads to Grantham Barracks in a fortnight. The Clubman class provided the closest finish of the day, with just seven seconds separating first and second. Jake had to wait only a little longer for his own podium position, crossing the line just over a minute behind the runner-up.

With the championship reaching its climax, Sharpe will be looking to keep his cool, while Jake will be hoping for an opportunity to upset the current order.

Mark Peckitt now has the 2026 Over 60s title unofficially within his grasp. Throughout the season, Mark and Kevin Bartle Sr. have consistently exchanged first and second places, but that pattern finally came to an end at the weekend when John McKinney took victory. Champion-elect Peckitt finished runner-up, just over a minute behind, with Kevin crossing the line a further 14 seconds later. The result leaves Peckitt in a commanding position heading into the final round, while Bartle has secured second overall for the year.

Alex Owen strengthened his position in the Over 50s class with his fifth win of the season, adding another valuable point to his overall tally. Alan Vissian, who has consistently occupied one of the top two steps of the podium throughout the year, added yet another runner-up finish to his collection. He currently sits second in the championship. Danny Clarke took third on Sunday, matching his current position in the overall standings. As with several other classes, the final round will decide who comes out on top. Lee Hattersley added another victory to his previous successes in Rounds One, Two and Five, extending his slender championship lead from six points to eight. Richard Cookland finished second, three minutes behind Lee, although the result does little to affect the overall battle for the top three. Dan Brown’s third-place finish, however, keeps the pressure firmly on the championship leader, with Dan maintaining second overall. James Palmer has also been quietly building momentum. Taking a dozen points from each of the last three rounds, he has worked his way into third place in the championship. With just one round remaining, Lee has the advantage, but Dan and James will be looking to make the most of their final opportunity.

Well done to Toby Walker, the sole Beginner competitor in the race. Turning up and taking on the challenge deserves recognition in its own right! There was a surprise at the head of the Adventure Bike class, where a rider more usually associated with the Experts group made a successful first appearance on the bigger machines. Jack Rowland took victory, bringing Harry Hinkley’s remarkable run of wins to an end. Harry had won every race this season bar this one,
making Jack’s success all the more noteworthy. Although Harry couldn’t match Jack on the day, the result sets up an intriguing final round. Harry and Chris Belford, who finished fourth at Ashby, have accumulated identical championship points so far. Mike Livsey finished third and looks well placed to secure the bronze position in the class.

In the Trail/Classic class, Shaun Avison has continued to deliver the sort of consistency that championship contenders dream of. Having dropped just one point throughout the season, Shaun’s lead is now unassailable. He cannot be caught, making him the unofficial 2026 Trail/Classic champion. Ian Jackson has chased him hard throughout the year, and his fourth-place finish at the weekend sees the local rider secure second place overall. With one round still to
go, Avison can head into the finale knowing the championship is his, while the remaining podium positions will provide plenty of interest at Grantham Barracks.

“Properly Protected” sponsored two Secret Lap prizes. Rider Julian Bennett got one of those, with Donatas Lienartas taking the other. Adam Jones was the recipient of one of the BP Air Con Solutions Holeshot prizes, with Harry Hinkley grabbing the second one. Pepperells Solicitors sponsored the ‘Finishers Lottery’ prize, and the recipient was Joshua Johnson. YST Carpets & Flooring sponsored the Mid Pack Maverick, with David Rushton winning that prize.

As the next and final round is very soon (25/10/26), Regs and Entries etc are available via the club’s Facebook page >>HERE<<

Thanks go out to all Committee members and Staff, Marshals, All Sponsors, First Aiders, Helpers and Food Suppliers, Timekeepers etc. etc. for your sterling work once more.

Results