Great sTuff

His ultimate aim is to deliver for the ACU a premier motocross series, which is primarily for youth development, but at the same time giving some direct support to the very best as they fight the British corner across Europe.

 

It is a grand and ambitious plan, which will take a few years to fully implement, but if the popularity and feedback from year one is anything to go by, don't be too surprised if he eventually pulls it off.

 

The 2013 GT Cup, running for the first time under ACU control, had a shade over 300 riders present at the Mildenhall opener, and at the Culham series finale the numbers had barely dropped.

 

In a year when one major series folded because of falling numbers, the GT Cup loyalty to the cause right to the very end was truly impressive. 

 

The faithful stayed faithful, and the customers were well satisfied.

 

Auto 50cc

 

The championship opened up on a cold grey weekend last March at the Motoland circuit, near Mildenhall in Suffolk.

 

Autos were first up for combat, and the winner of that opening heat was just at the very beginning of what became a truly amazing unbeaten run.

 

A total of 33 wins from 33 for Charlie Heyman was some achievement, and at the end of the season he was an absolute shoe-in for the main GT Cup ‘Rider of the Year' award.

 

Heyman was sheer brilliance, 50cc poetry in motion, and no doubt you will be hearing a lot more of him in the years to come.

 

In the scrap for second overall Harvey Cashmore, riding for the Vampires Rock outfit, held the whip-hand all the way into the penultimate Sherwood round.

 

Over the course of the final two rounds, however a mixture of hard luck for Cashmore and speedy determination from Freddie Wyard tipped the balance in fast Freddie's favour. 

 

Another tight battle for championship fourth went the way of Callum Murfitt as he fended off a feisty challenge from Jago Beasty.

 

Junior 65cc

 

The Junior 65cc opener became a one-off championship master-class by Gary Ashley, who racked up all four race wins to sweep the board at Mildenhall. 

 

Ike Carter made second overall down in Suffolk, then with no Ashley to worry about went five from five at FatCat, Carter also taking the series lead after round two.

 

Eddie Jay Wade claimed the runners-up berth in the round two sunshine and with the following round win at Brookthorpe – with Carter second – Jay Wade closed the championship gap.

 

In all honesty, Carter was unlucky at Brookthorpe but he then left nothing to chance re-asserting his dominance with explosive winning shows at Wroxton and again at round five at Pontrilas.

 

At that point Jay Wade was holding a strong series second with Louie Kessell, Jack Grayshon, Lewis Wood and Bobby Bruce all toughing it out just behind.

 

With just two rounds to go Carter had the championship at his mercy. 

 

However a fall out of the sky while on Elite Youth Cup duty at Whitby ended his hopes of glory.

 

Over the final two rounds Jay Wade was a clear class apart, and with a round-six rout at Sherwood followed by three more heat wins at Culham, Wade won the series in style.

 

Lewis Wood showed consistency all season long and with three third-place podium appearances claimed championship silver, as Jack Grayshon showed more than a little promise en route to the class bronze.

 

Bobby Bruce finished the series in impressive form, and with three podiums plus two series heat wins he ended up in a worthy series fourth.

 

With six rounds down and with his best show at the penultimate Sherwood gig, Louie Kessell was all set to claim second in the series, but alas injury kept him sidelined for the series finale.

 

It just wouldn't be right to ignore a glorious ‘wildcard' show from Jack Carpenter as he trounced all at the series finale.

 

FOR FULL REVIEW AND PICTURES SEE TMX JANUARY 3