Masters Programme 2021

THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

#93 James Shanes

#49 Gareth Winterburn and Liam Brown

ASTRA GRASSTRACK CLUB PRESENTS

THE 2021 ACU BRITISH MASTERS GRASSTRACK

SUNDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 2021

AtSmersole Farm, Swingfield, Folkestone, CT15 7HF

By kind permission of THE ROBERTS FAMILY - THE LANDOWNERS

The meeting will be held under the National Sporting code of the ACU The Standing Regulations for Grass Track, the following supplementary Regulations and any final instructions issued to the drivers

Permit: ACU 61504

ACU OFFICIALS OF THE MEETING

ACU Steward ................................................................................................................................... Rick Colvin

Clerk of the Course ............................................................................................................... Graham Hurry

Assistant Clerk of the Course ................................................................................................ Keith Potts

Club Steward.................................................................................................................................Alan Murray

Centre Steward .............................................................................................................................. Rick Colvin

ACU 3rd Official ............................................................................................................................ Chris Durno

Rider Liason Officer.................................................................................................................... Dickie Staff

Senior Technical Officer ............................................................................................... Richard Cutress

Rider Signing On Clerk ......................................................................................Kirby and Mick Nokes

Safety Officer ........................................................................................................................... Graham Hurry

Child Protection Officer ........................................................................................................... Mick Nokes

Photographer ............................................................................................................................ Darren Nokes

Commentry team ............................................................ Jim Head, Tony Noel, Dave Stallworthy

Secretary of the Meeting (ASTRA Grasstrack Club) Mick Nokes 20 Shurland Avenue,Sittingbourne,Kent,

JURISDICTION

Held under the National Sporting Code of the ACU, the standing regulations for track racing the supplementary regulations and any final instructions which may be issued.

WARNING

MOTORSPORT CAN BE DANGEROUS

Despite the organisers taking all reasonable precautions, unavoidable accidents can happen. Please comply with all instructions of marshals and notices and remain in permitted areas only.

THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH YOUR SAFETY

ABANDONMENT OR CANCELLATION

The organisers reserve the right to postpone, cancel or abandon the meeting or any part thereof should circumstances warrant such action.

FLAG SIGNALS

National Flag (if required)............................................................ Start Black with Drivers Number ...............................That driver to stop

Yellow ...................... Slow down, prepare to stop, no overtaking

Red ...........................................................Immediate STOP All Drivers

Green ................................................................................... Course clear

Yellow with black diagonal cross ....................... Start of last lap

Chequered black and white .................................................... Finish

ANY RIDER NOT OBEYING FLAG SIGNALS WILL BE EXCLUDED

On behalf of the Astra Grasstrack Club and the ACU, I’d like to welcome you to the 2021 British Masters Grasstrack Final. I should have welcomed you twelve months ago, but thanks to the global pandemic we had to put our plans on hold.

It’s great to see our sport back after the lockdown. I know both riders and grasstrack fans are delighted and it’s great to see some fantastic meetings already have been held a up and down the country in 2021. I hope you’ll agree we have a fantastic line-up for you and we look forward to an afternoon of fantastic racing. The top 24 500cc solos and 18 1000cc Sidecar crews in the UK are assembled right here in the Heart of the Garden of England. Their mission is to be crowned ACU British Masters Champions 2021 at the end of today’s 30 race schedule.

The club would like to thank main sponsors Kite Haulage for their support in running this event. All the trophies today will be in memory of Alan Kite, ex Speedway/Grasstrack rider. Alan sadly passed away during lockdown. He was a great friend and had been involved with Astra Grasstrack Club since it’s beginning.

On the subject of trophies, another legend of the sport, Dave Ward also passed away during lockdown. Dave was a 1000cc sidecar passenger and won the Masters along with driver Steve Dewison three-times. The winning sidecar passenger will be awarded with this trophy by Steve on behalf of Dave’s family at the podium presentation.

Before the meeting riders will be presented with a special bottle of wine by Joe Dart. Father of another great Tony Dart who tragically passed last year. Tony was a top rider on both two-wheels and three-wheels, a real character of the sport and missed by many.

Good luck to all the riders this afternoon, ride hard but ride safe

And last but by no means least, Thank You to all the volunteers, officials, the landowners, sponsors and you the fans.

Graham Hurry

Paul Hurry

RACE AND TRACK MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

EVENT SCHEDULE

SIGNING ON 9.00 - 10.00

MACHINE EXAMINATION 9.30 - 10.30

OFFICIALS MEETING 1 10.45

PRACTICE 11.00 - 12.30

OFFICIALS MEETING 2 12.15

RIDERS BRIEFING 12.30

PRESENTATIONS OF RIDERS 12.45

FIRST RACE 13.00

WINNER’S PRESENTATION 10 MINUTES AFTER FINAL RACE OFFICIALS MEETING 3 WITHIN 20 MINUTES AFTER FINAL

TIES

INTERMEDIATE/ SEMI FINAL STANDINGS:

a) Count back:

Defined by the highest number of 1st places, 2nd places etc. NOTE: a finish is considered better than a non-finish.

b) Position in the last race where the riders met.

c) Last race result (where there has been a differential).

d) A ballot (in the presence of the Steward).

FINAL:

a) The finishing position in the Final race will solve all ties.

b) In the event of the Final race being unable to run, the winner will be decided by the Intermediate/ Semi Finals standings.

RIDERS PRESENTATION - TONY DART

As is tradition at a British Masters, before the racing gets underway, each rider will be presented with a gift to mark the occasion. This year we are delighted to say that the gift will be a special bottle of wine, commemorating and celebrating Tony Dart who was a successful solo and sidecar rider before his tragic death last year. We are delighted to say that Tony’s father, Joe and his partner will be in attendance, presenting the riders with their gift.

Dear Competitors, Officials and Guests

On behalf of the Track Racing Committee of the Auto Cycle Union (ACU), I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone attending today’s Masters Championship Finals.

As all know 2020 was a very frustrating and worrying time for everyone and unfortunately what is the cream event of the domestic GrassTrack Calendar ultimately fell victim to the Covid 19 pandemic. Despite the natural disappointment of the situation to Graham (Hurry) and his dedicated team, they are back this year and all connected with the club have been working extremely hard for a number of months to ensure that today’s event runs smoothly, as well as meeting the high standard of professionalism that they set themselves for everyone attending the event. Despite injury preventing a couple of contenders from taking part a high quality line up, still comes to the tapes and as always promises to offer a day of intense competition before the Champions are crowned.

I would like to wish all of today’s riders – together with their support teams – the very best of luck, and also take the opportunity to thank Graham Hurry and all at the Astra Club for their continued dedication to the task over what has been a very difficult time with uncertainty hanging over the ability to run for such a long period of time. I hope you all have a thoroughly enjoyable day here at Swingfield.

To end with a slightly cautionary note, the threat of Covid unfortunately remains with us, whilst every effort has been made to make the event as safe as possible, behaving in an appropriate manner to reduce the associated risks will be appreciated by all concerned.

Kindest Regards

Tony Steele – ACU Track Racing Committee Chairman

BRITISH MASTERS 500cc SOLO COMPETITORS

ZACH WAJTKNECHT

CHARLEY POWELL

JAMES SHANES AND CHRIS HARRIS

BRITISH MASTERS 1000cc SIDECAR COMPETITORS

HIS

BRITISH MASTERS 1000cc SIDECAR COMPETITORS

KIERAN HICKS AND KIERON IVY LEAD MARK COSSAR AND GARETH WILLIAMS AT TALLINGTONCOULD THEY BE DARK HORSES TODAY?

ALAN KITE

Our sponsors today are Kite Haulage from Sittingbourne owned and managed by former rider Bradley Kite and his wife Joanne and the trophies serve as a tribute to Bradley’s father Alan who sadly passed way during the lockdown period aged 72.

Alan, from Harrietsham, started riding on the grass in 1965 on a 350 BSA and graduating to 350 and 500 Hagon JAPs became a more than useful centre rider at a time when the sport was at its strongest, particularly in the south east, making most finals each weekend. He managed to win the Sittingbourne Clubs coveted Silver Helmet and Redshaw Trophy, which was no mean feat.

Alan also had a spell riding Speedway for Canterbury Crusaders in the old Division Two where he was a solid performer. His claim to fame there was breaking the Eastbourne track record when riding at reserve!! Alan retired in 1974 and he and wife Alison had three children Bradley, Russell and Caroline.

It wasn’t long before Bradley wanted to start riding and Alan and Alison took over the running of the Kent Youth Grass Track Association which they did for many years and they were rewarded when, in 1995, Bradley won the British Junior Championship. As well as supporting Bradley Alan became a valued member of the Astra Club where Graham Hurry describes him as ‘the best roper I’ve ever worked with’.

Bradley graduated to adult grass track where, with his spectacular style, he looked a great prospect and indeed he made rapid progress until, unfortunately, his career was ended after a dreadful first bend crash at Collier Street resulted in a broken back and a spell in St. Thomas hospital. Despite his successful business Bradley still manages to find the time to spanner for Paul Hurry.

GRAHAM HURRY LEADS ALAN... FRIENDS BOTH ON AND OFF TRACK

DAVE WARD

Sadly our sport lost one of the best and most successful sidecar passengers when Dave Ward from Peterborough passed away also during lockdown.

How Dave became a passenger is a fascinating tale that’s worth repeating here. In the mid sixties East Midlands Centre driver Eddy Black arrived for an event at the Whittlesey Show without a passenger and a request was put out over the loudspeakers for a volunteer. Dave was immediately asking to get the ride and a friend of Eddy’s had seen him practice in fields with fellow East Midlander Bill Bishop said take him this lad is going to be good.

Although he was only fifteen years old Eddy took his friends advice and the pair never looked back winning all their heats and semi final against such notables as Paddy Lynch and John Whittaker before by Eddy’s own admission he got it wrong and ran off the track.

In later years Dave formed a Championship winning partnership with Ted Tucker and when he retired teamed up with Essex driver Steve Dewison to form one of the most formidable crews the sport has ever seen winning the Masters three times on the bounce 1987-9 as well as many top meetings countrywide too many to mention.

Dave’s children Dean and Vanessa have commissioned a trophy and we are delighted to say that Steve Dewison will be in attendance today and will present the trophy to the winning passenger.

PASSENGER DAVE WARD AND DRIVER STEVE DEWISON

BRITISH MASTERS CHAMPIONS 1988

2021 ACU BRITISH MASTERS 1st LEG

2021 ACU BRITISH MASTERS 2nd LEG

2021 ACU BRITISH MASTERS 3rd LEG

2021 ACU BRITISH MASTERS 4th LEG

2021 ACU BRITISH MASTERS SEMI FINALS

Sponsored by Tony Foreman

2021 ACU BRITISH MASTERS FINALS

sidecar winners of Masters will also be awarded with the Kevin Parmenter Memorial Trophy

The