Lilly Bence once again dominated the E-Bike class in the final round of the 2024 H&N Supplies Ltd. Formula Grasstrack Championship. The 2023 champion also clinched the title for the 2nd time at the Hampton Heath venue near Malpas, Cheshire. Bence will now move up to the cadet class for 2025. Kobi Gutteridge once again finished a comfortable 2nd to finish 2nd overall, with Noah Bakewell and JJ Falconer finishing 3rd and 4th, respectively, on the day and in the final standings.
Race Report by Ross Wharton – Action Pictures by Elvis Jones – Podium Pictures by Ross Wharton
Eccles Charlie Dowd was the lone Cadet on the day but was able to mix it with the Cub class. Dowd’s lightning starts helped him battle at the front with Archie Whitelam and Roman Ratcliffe. All three providing some great entertainment. Drama struck in leg 5 when Whitelam fell on the final corner, causing Dowd to collide with his machine and take a nasty fall. Both youngsters got to their feet, and Dowd was awarded the race win. Dowd was also crowned 2024 Cadet champion.
In the Cub class, Roman Ratcliffe took his first-ever victory with three 2nds and three wins. Oxford’s Chloe Davis took 2nd place, consistently scoring 3rds and 2nds during the heats. New Cub champion Archie Whitelam had to settle for 3rd despite taking three wins in the opening heats; the Sheffield Mascot suffered mechanical gremlins in his 4th outing and was excluded for causing Dowd to fall in the 5th leg. Lucas Astley clinched 4th place showing signs of rapid improvement between rounds, the 10-year-old looks to have his confidence back! Jessica Cox rode her way to 5th, whilst Kaylem Bourne and AJ Bence took 6th and 7th. As for the championship, Whitelam was a clear winner, with AJ Bence’s consistency throughout the season just enough to take 2nd by one point. Roman Ratcliffe and Chloe Davis were tied, and Ratcliffe got the final podium spot on countback.
Jack Crewe returned to Grasstrack action and took the top step in the Juniors and taking the Junior John Broadhurst trophy. Crewe had to battle with lightning starter Joe Bain but was able to get by in the first four heats to take victory. Bain looked set for 2nd place until a mechanical in his 5th outing forced a no score, and then he had to borrow a bike for his final outing, meaning he lost out to new Junior champion Isaac Collins-Bullock for 2nd spot on the day. Collins-Bullock comfortably won the championship from newcomer Bain, who beat Charlotte Arthur on countback for 2nd place.
The Senior class once again produced some fantastic racing. Wayne Broadhurst looked to be back to winning ways. The 2023 champion was in superb form to take six race wins in the heats, as well as taking victory in the Kevin Challinor Memorial Final at the halfway stage of the meeting. He also then became the first name on his dad’s memorial shield for top scoring in the heats. Graham Thomas went into the day only needing a top-10 finish to win the championship. His day didn’t get off to the best of starts, seizing his number 1 machine in practice. He was to swap between his number 2 machine and brother Phil’s bike. He managed to qualify for the A final, dropping 2 points to Broadhurst. Max Broadhurst also dropped 2 points to his dad Wayne to also qualify. Adam Hawker secured 4th pick of gates in the A final ahead of championship rival, Colin How. Veteran David Meredith rolled back the years to qualify in 6th, with Whitchurch champion Sam Hall in 7th and Phil Thomas taking the last qualifying spot in the Geoff Adams Final. The final proved to be a classic battle between the two Broadhurst men and the new champion Thomas. Max Broadhurst had the edge on the elder statesmen on the first two laps before Thomas came off on turn 2 of lap 3, leaving the Broadhurst duo to do battle. Max edged out his dad, Wayne, for victory to write his name on the Geoff Adams trophy for 2024. Adam Hawker edged out Colin How for 3rd, which would also hand the Malvern man 3rd in the championship on countback! Meredith secured 5th ahead of Hall, with Graham Thomas re-mounting for 7th and Phil Thomas a non-starter.
In the Championship, Graham Thomas won by 4 points, with Wayne Broadhurst a comfortable 2nd ahead of Hawker, who beat Colin How on countback. Max Broadhurst would take 5th despite missing a round due to breaking his scaphoid. Marcus Crutchington rounds out the top 6, beating Anthony Rowson into 7th by two points. Den Edwards finished a solid 8th ahead of the improving Nathan Alder, with former champion Phil Thomas finishing 10th – a brilliant achievement despite missing two rounds due to health matters.
Results Round 8
E-bikes – 1st L. Bence 48, 2nd K. Gutteridge 42, 3rd N. Bakewell 36, 4th J. Falconer 30
Cadets – 1st C. Dowd 48
Cubs – 1st R. Ratcliffe 45, 2nd C. Davis 38, 3rd A. Whitelam 31, 4th L. Astley 27, 5th J. Cox 26, 6th K. Bourne 25, 7th AJ. Bence 14
Juniors – 1st J. Crewe 48, 2nd I. Collins-Bullock 38, 3rd J. Bain 34
Seniors (top 10) 1st M. Broadhurst 46, 2nd W. Broadhurst 48, 3rd A. Hawker 44, 4th C. How 40, 5th D. Meredith 37, 6th S. Hall 35, 7th G. Thomas 46, 8th S. Hall 35. 9th A. Edwards 30, 10th B Budd 29
Championship standings
E- Bikes
1st L. Bence 175, 2nd K. Gutteridge 166, 3rd N. Bakewell 136, 4th JJ Falconer 132
Autos
1st Dalton Wright 69, 2nd A. Shipp 50, 3rd A. South 47
Cadets
1st C. Dowd 150, 2nd D. Lewis-Powell 48, 3rd Dakota Wright 24
Cubs
1st A. Whitelam 173, 2nd AJ Bence 143, 3rd R. Ratcliffe 142, 4th C. Davis 142, 5th J. Cox 110, 6th L. Astley 107, 7th K. Bourne 106
Juniors
1st I. Collins-Bullock 145, 2nd J. Bain 71, 3rd C. Arthur 71
Seniors (Top 10)
1st G. Thomas 274, 2nd W. Broadhurst 270, 3rd A. Hawker 254, 4th C. How 254, 5th M. Broadhurst 230, 6th M, Crutchington 205, 7th Anthony Rowson 203, 8th D. Edwards 189, 9th N. Alder 176, 10th P. Thomas 174
