2024 Season off with a bang!

It was a triumphant and exhilarating start for the 2024 TRIPZ.UK British Supermoto season at the spiritual home of BSM, Three Sisters circuit near Wigan. New riders, new bikes, new team rosters and plenty of new contenders for the title were all on display and revved up in the paddock ready to hit the track. Mother nature was on everyone’s side too, a fine, mostly sunny day saw good conditions on the tarmac and in the dirt.

In a shock start to the season, reigning champion #1 Chris Hodgson was absent from the grid. Out with injuries sustained the day before when he crashed spectacularly jumping the dirt in the National Champs. Thankfully, he’s on the mend and will hopefully be ready for action at round 2.

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ALL CHANGE

The offseason saw changes amongst many of the big team rosters. Team TRIPZ.UK has extended its roster significantly; #33 Jay Smith has joined from Hull Garage Racing, with father and son combo #217 Richard and #817 Harley Sharp joining from Team Bathmate. Making his BSM debut with the team was #5 Simon Wadsworth, last year’s British Minibikes Champion. TRIPZ are a team gunning for victory across the classes and could well be a dominant force this season. Look out for the TRIPZ.UK team in the paddock, on the track and online with their new vlog.

ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE

As if there weren’t enough battery powered gadgets in the Team Bathmate paddock already, there are now two more. Big ones. Team boss #91 John Oakes and #61 Andy Mitchell are both riding all electric Staark Varg bikes this season in a watershed moment for British Supermoto. You can check out how they performed against the patrol forefathers here.

START YOUR ENGINES

It was #A40 Archie Ormorod who continued last year’s form in the Academy class, winning all three races during the day. #A79 Jackson Bennett put in a strong performance for the day, coming 2nd in all three races as he continues to grow in confidence on the bike, surely inspired by his dad Peter’s fantastic podium in Round 8 (https://youtu.be/3teAqQH6JFM?t=18606) last year at the same circuit.

In Group C #111 Duncan Wright took the first victory of the day. #5 Simon Wadsworth made his mark, taking victory in the second race of the day. His Minibike experience helping him to take a more aggressive racing line on the tarmac. Wadsworth was clearly over the moon with his stellar debut performance. Race 3 was won by Max Batty in convincing style.

Group B saw #61 Andy Mitchel on his Staark Varg dominate Race 2. He put in a textbook last lap on the all-electric bike, driving a perfect defensive line through the last corner, keeping #110 Chris Eastwood on the outside of the track with no chance of passing him before the flag. Eastwood had his way in Race 3 through, taking a clear victory ahead of #666 Daryl Pennington and Kyle Ecclestone in 2nd and 3rd.

AN ELITE START TO THE SEASON

With Hodgson sidelined, the door was wide open for a strong field in the elite class. #4 David Pearce put in a masterly performance, having only ridden in three BSM races since 2019. His scorching speed on the tarmac and valuable dirt experience took seasoned BSM riders by surprise as he won the first and second elite class races.

#33 Jay Smith’s new bike served him well, and he looked set for a win in Race 1 but missed a berm in the early dirt section, allowing a pursuing Pearce to slip through and break away from the pack. The chasers were unable to close the gap during the remaining laps, with Smith finishing 2nd. He repeated his position in Race 2 behind Pearce again, although was “well happy” with his performance and his new bike, congratulating Pearce on his excellent ride.

Race 3 was to prove an instant classic and if you haven’t seen it yet, then watch it here now!. A reverse grid saw #217 Sharp lead into the first corner, backing it in to turn two as only he knows how, and laying down the gauntlet to the rest of the field. Pearce would answer, holding onto him all the way to provide some thrilling wheel to wheel action into the turns. Every lap was a nail biter with Pearce pushing and pushing for the pass, but a cool-headed Sharp dispatched every effort to unseat him from the lead. With the laps counting down, the final straight provided the best opportunity for Peare to pass the rampant Sharp, but he just couldn’t find a way past in the end, leaving Sharp to take a well-deserved victory. #100 Alex Mullaney took a confident third ahead of Smith and #7 Jamie Duncan.

ROLL ON ROUND 2

With such a blistering start to the season all eyes are on Round 2 as this wide open championship rolls into Teesside Autodrome. A fast circuit, Teesside is a great location to come and enjoys a day's racing action if you live in the area. If not, you can watch all the racing LIVE and free on TNL Sports.

All images courtesy Geoff and Claire Brooks.