They have only been and done it again as those Eagles from the East snatched the golden prey by winning the 2025 Grasstrack Banter Track Racing Team Tournament! And just like last year, the Northern Knights finished as runners-up, taking the contest right down to the wire and eventually missing out by just a single point! On a day full of great racing, incident and drama, its massive congratulations to the organising Grasstrack Banter team on promoting another superb event.
Race Report and Images by Mike Wood
This meeting is all about accumulating enough team points to get promoted directly to the big ‘A’ finals, where points certainly mean prizes! And starting with the GT140’s, eventual winners Eastern Eagles were just like in 2024, a totally dominant force, as the combination of Connor Sargent, Ian Clark, Mark Scopes and Steve Newsham topped the score charts with a big 92 points total. In the qualifying races, Clark surprisingly did not win a heat but was involved in a couple of thrillers as he just missed out when narrowly defeated by first Wayne Broadhurst of the Midland Missiles, then Mark Chessell of the Western Warriors.
Showing their overall team strength, the Eastern Eagles also guaranteed direct progress to the 250cc ‘A’ final as the fast Ricky Scarboro went through the card ably supported by Ashton Vale, Jesse James and Austin Riches. The Eagles, though, in this class were pushed all the way by a determined Midlands Missiles team led by current ACU British Champion Luke Harris. Indeed, Harris was generating terrific outside line speed at the Bantasia Arena, making several spectacular passes, ably supported in this class by Graham Thomas and Steve Brook.
The biggest winning qualifying heats overall score in the event came in the 350cc class as the Northern Knights team manager, Paul Cooper, and Jack Roberts were simply the dynamic duo. With Roberts going through the card in style, Cooper was also right on the gas and never finished lower than 2nd place. Also piling the points onto the 350cc total for the Knights was the ever-reliable John Cox, whilst guest Neil Taylor also contributed with some fine rides.
One of the biggest stories though of the day came in the 500cc class! With Jake Mulford unavailable for the Eastern Eagles, they were then dealt a further blow when Alfie Bowtell was forced to withdraw 48 hours before the event when injured during a British speedway championship semi-final at Leicester. With very little time to find a replacement, Eagles team manager Trevor Steward’s anxiety was slightly eased when he received a very surprising call from none other than James Shanes! Despite being missing from the sport for a very lengthy period due to an arm injury. James was prepared to give it a go, and that’s just what he did! Still displaying incredible speed and style, James won a heat and fell in two of his other outings whilst leading. That was maybe disappointing for him, but it was certainly great to see this particular star rider back out there and mixing it!
Although Shanes introduction appeared to solve a problem, Steward was then dealt potentially another blow to his Eagles 500cc chances when Mickie Simpson was not present for practice. Having endured an absolute nightmare journey from his Lincolnshire base down to Hampshire, Simpson arrived after the scheduled race start time, but then still completed three successful rides; that’s great character! Simpson’s efforts, though, were not enough to prevent the very powerful Southern Stags, represented by Chad Wirtzfeld, Edward Kennett, Charley Powell and James Laker, from taking top qualifying slot in the 500cc class. In the 500cc competition, the Eagles were not the only team to encounter issues, as the Northern Knights lost Max Dent following a heavy crash in practice. So, it was Paul Cooper stepping up for his Knights and covering Dent’s rides.
There was also drama in the big 1,000cc Right-Hand Sidecars class during the early stages. Midland Missiles Tom Cossar/Ryan Wharton blew an engine in practice, signalling the end of their participation for the day, then his replacement Clint Blondel/Max Chadwick crashed out of their second outing. For the Southern Stags, Andrew Minard/Lewis Davies crashed in their opening race, with Davies unfortunately requiring a trip to the hospital. Replacing Minard for the Stags was the pairing of Will Penfold/Freddie Woods. Indeed, Penfold/Woods certainly got stuck in, but it was the Western Warriors who went directly to the final. Robbie Simmons/Frankie Courtney were in fabulous form all day long, as were his teammates Neal Owen/Jason Farwell and Shaun Hoskin/Alan Hoskin.
So, with the qualifying heats complete, the destination of the 2025 team title would be decided by the final shootouts. The teams finishing 4th and 5th in the respective qualifying classes would contest the ‘C’ finals. The 2nd and 3rd highest points scoring teams would go in the ‘B’ finals, with this one carrying a massive golden ticket for the winners to then go on to progress into the main ‘A’ finals. In that one, they would take on the team that had topped the qualifying heats. In the GT140s, the big ‘A’ clash saw Eastern Eagles face the Midland Missiles, and in that one, Ian Clark, the current British Champion, crucially bagged his first win of the day. Although Wayne Broadhurst of the Missiles got home in 2nd, Clark’s teammates Scopes, Newsham and Sargent bagged big points to thus give the Eastern Eagles top slot.
In the 250cc class, the Midland Missiles and Northern Knights incredibly finished the ‘B’ final locked on 25 points apiece. With Luke Harris of the Missiles winning that race, it was to be his team that went through to meet the Eastern Eagles in the ‘A’ clash. When the tapes rose in the 250cc final clash, Eagles Ashton Vale and Ricky Scarboro, who had been flying high all day long, then got home in first and second places respectively, relegating Missiles Harris and Thomas to 3rd and 4th places. With the Eagles solid as James took 5th and Riches 6th, that was enough to give the boys from the East another massive 5 points in the race for the team tournament trophy.
After outscoring the Western Warriors in the 350cc ‘B’ final, it was to be the Southern Stags who earned the right to take on those all-conquering Northern Knights in the battle to be crowned top dogs in this particular class. There was to be no defeating those Knights, though, as the immaculate Roberts stormed to another win, closely followed by Cooper and Cox, as Taylor also got home in 5th with only Bob Dolman of the Stags preventing a total domination by the boys from the North!
With Northern Knights Cooper also contesting the 500cc ‘A’ Final and facing two rides on the trot, it was decided to send the 1,000cc Sidecars out next. After Midland Missiles Matt Fumarola/Andi Wilson and Peter Lloyd/Adrian North had defeated sole Northern Knights crew Rad Pickaard/Donna Armitage in the ‘C’ final, the Southern Stags then outscored the Eastern Eagles in ‘B’ final action. Victory in ‘A’ clash belonged to the Western Warriors as the flying Simmons led all the way as he scorched to another race win with teammate Owen in close company. Taking 3rd was Michael Austin/Wayne Rickards, who represented the Stags and had also enjoyed a very impressive meeting, except for a third heat breakdown. Fourth place in the final went to Shaun Hoskin, another Warriors team member.
So, after the Missiles had defeated the Warriors in the 500cc ‘C’ final and the Knights had got the better of the Eagles in the ‘B’ final action, it was time for the last race of the day. In that 500cc ‘A’ final, Kennett and Powell stormed away at the front for the Stags, but crucially representing the Knights, Cooper, Jade Mudgway, and David Speight were the next riders home. Overall victory in this one went to the Knights, but unfortunately, it was to be slightly marred by a last turn collision which involved their teammate Daniel Winterton and James Laker of the Stags. Although Winterton required a trip to hospital, it was later reported that thankfully his injuries were not serious.
With the finals completed in another fantastic team tournament, the Eastern Eagles won overall with 18 points, the Northern Knights with 17, the Southern Stags with 14, the Western Warriors with 13, and the Midland Missiles with 13. Massive well done to everyone involved, and a speedy recovery to all of the injured riders!
Completing the event was a supporting Old and New Sidecar class. In that one, Mark Courtney/Frankie Courtney won the opening two heats in style and led the last one. Unfortunately for them drama then struck when their sidecar chair frame broke on the exit from a corner thus resulting in a DNF. So, with Courtney out, Herman Paul/Ash Pearce took the win and with it the overall verdict.
Qualifying Results
GT140 1st Eastern Eagles 92 points (Connor Sargent, Ian Clark, Mark Scopes, Steve Newsham) 2nd Midland Missiles 79 points (Kevin Gwillam, Wayne Broadhurst, Ron Steward, Phil Thomas, Graham Thomas) 3rd Northern Knights 69 points (Paul Smith, Duncan Burton, Tony Atkin, Charlie Hall) 4th Western Warriors 67 points (Mark Chessell, Mark Collins, Ian Coad, Matthew Klassen) 5th Southern Stags 28 points (Nickolaj Kennett, Kevin Bundock, Lee Harding, Oliver Smith).
250cc 1st Eastern Eagles 91 points (Ashton Vale, Rick Scarboro, Jesse James, Austin Riches) 2nd Midland Missiles 83 points (Luke Harris, Aidan Arthur, Graham Thomas, Steve Brook) 3rd Northern Knights 59 points (David Knowles, Lee Gray, Johnny Holmes, Liam Cox) 4th Southern Stags 49 points (Thomas Vining, Richie Knight, Karl Beddingfield, Shane Knight) 5th Western Warriors 48 points (Ben Phillips, Adam Hawker, Daniel Miller, Luke Tuck).
350cc 1st Northern Knights 114 points (Paul Cooper, Jack Roberts, John Cox, Neil Taylor) 2nd Western Warriors 68 points (Barry Powell, Darren Phillips, Steve Garside, Max Derrick) 3rd Southern Stags 53 points (Bob Dolman, Dave Mears, David Hollingsbee, Alan Brook) 4th Eastern Eagles 50 points (Jamie Fenn-Smith, Luke Clifton, Tim Neal. 5th Midland Missiles 46 points (Wayne Broadhurst, Liam Ashcroft,Tim Curnock,Giles Dismore).
500cc 1st Southern Stags 86 points (Chad Wirtzfeld, Edward Kennett, Charley Powell, James Laker) 2nd Northern Knights 69 points (John Cox, Daniel Winterton, Jade Mudgway, David Speight, Paul Cooper) 3rd Eastern Eagles 63 points (Mickie Simpson, James Shanes, Kenzie Cossey, Hayden Watts) 4th Midland Missiles 50 points (Ryan Ashcroft, Mike Dowling, Phil Ashcroft, Martin Adams) 5th Western Warriors 50 points (Martin Williams, Jordan Derrick, Cameron Taylor, Jason Prynne).
1,000cc RH Sidecar 1st Western Warriors 45 points (Robbie Simmons/Frankie Courtney, Neal Owen/Jason Farwell, Shaun Hoskin/Alan Hoskin) 2nd Eastern Eagles 42 points (Paul Whitelam/Richard Webb, Simon Beaney/Brook Fowler, Dale Fish/Jordan Fish) 3rd Southern Stags 38 points (Andrew Minard/Lewis Davies, Michael Austin/Wayne Rickards, Will Offen/Ricky Pay, Will Penfold/Freddie Wood) 4th Midland Missiles 32 points (Clint Blondel/Max Chadwick, Matt Fumarola/Andi Wilson, Peter Lloyd/Adrian North, Corey Taylor/Jay Sullivan) 5th Northern Knights 19 points (Rad Pickard/Donna Armitage, Bradley Reynolds/Conor Measor, Jack Pickard/Max Midgeley).
FINALS RESULTS
Team Tournament overall 1st Eastern Eagles 18 points 2nd Northern Knights 17 3rd Southern Stags 14 4th Western Warriors 13 5th Midland Missiles 13.
GT140
A Final Eastern Eagles beat Midland Missiles 32-21
B Final Midland Missiles beat Northern Knights 27-26
C Final Western Warriors beat Southern Stags 30-20.
250cc
A Final Eastern Eagles beat Midland Missiles 31-25
B Final Midland Missiles and Northern Knights drew 25-25
C Final Western Warriors beat Southern Stags 29-21.
350cc
A Final Northern Knights beat Southern Stags 34-29
B Final Southern Stags beat Western Warriors 29-21
C Final Eastern Eagles beat Midland Missiles 19-16.
500cc
A Final Northern Knights beat Southern Stags 21-20
B Final Northern Knights beat Eastern Eagles 27-23
C Final Midland Missiles beat Western Warriors 26-20
1,000cc RH Sidecars
A Final Western Warriors beat Southern Stags 15-4
B Final Southern Stags beat Eastern Eagles 11-8
C Final Midland Missiles beat Northern Knights 12-4
Old and New Sidecars
1st Herman Paul/Ash Pearce 16 points 2nd Mark Courtney/Frankie Courtney 14 3rd Luca Whitelam/Terry Saunters 14.
