This Sunday sees one of the biggest events on the Grasstrack calendar taking place in Kent- The British Masters Qualifier. It is the gateway to the British Masters Championships for 2021. The competitors for this year’s competition, taking from the 2019 National Gradings Lists, pitches a fine crop of track racing talent against one another, all vying to take one of the illustrious spots in the British Masters final held later this year.
The solo contest features 24 of the countries fastest 500cc racers, with a fascinating mix of young talent and veteran experience. Many eyes will be on the talented teenager Jake Mulford, who looks set to try and qualify for his first ever Masters. The youngster has already been in impressive form this season, making finals at every meeting he has attended.
Joining Mulford, and also coming in good form, is Charley Powell. He narrowly missed out on automatic qualification in 2019 when he suffered mechanical failure in one of his races. He actually won the 2019 Qualifier and has already been in amongst the results in 2021.
Returning to the mainstream 500cc class are three names that will no doubt cause a stir. Former European Finalist Mitch Godden, starved from continental three-wheeled action, comes to the tapes to try and make another British Masters. Similarly, former British Number 4 Rodney McDonald returns to the class to find his way into another Masters. He has been competing in the Upright class for the last few seasons. Lastly, Cornishman Jason Prynne joins the lineup using his Upright machine that saw him emphatically win the Bantasia 1 Grasstrack at the beginning of the season.
An interesting late entry to keep tabs on is former Kings Lynn speedway star Ryan Kinsley. Although adult Grasstrack experience in limited, Kinsley is a highly skilled talent on the shale. Now he is looking to cut a groove on the green stuff, and he could be a real spoiler on the day.
A whole host of other candidates in the solo class make this year’s qualifier one of the most open that it has been for years. There will be quite a scramble for the 12 available spots for the British Masters itself.
The 1000cc sidecar class is equally difficult to predict. Once again, an interesting crop of young talent will do battle with the ‘big meeting’ regulars to try and force their way onto the sidecar national scene. One young crew who is catching the attention of many at present are Cornish brothers Thomas and Dillon Newton. Having taken the scalp of multi-British Masters champion Mark Cossar recently at Tallington, they head into the qualifier brimming with confidence.
Two-time Qualifier winners Tom Cossar and Wayne Rickards arguably start as favourites for the meeting. Given their calibre, they will be disappointed to once again find themselves in the Qualifier, having had a disappointing final in 2019. They have already finished 2nd at Bantasia, having won all of their qualifying heats.
Former two-time British Masters Champion Rob Wilson and passenger Terry Saunters were squeezed out of the seeded spots in 2019 and are also a crew that will be disappointed to find themselves in the cut-throat, qualification event. With such a catalogue of victories, it is hard to imagine a situation where the 33-time finalist doesn’t make it a 34th British Masters Final.
Once again, there are several other crews that will almost certainly be in amongst the top 10 that progress to the British Masters Final, which will once again produce a melee towards the end of the meeting as crews try desperately to get into the Masters.
The British Masters Qualification spots will be decided at the end of the four qualifying races. This will be followed by Semi Finals and Finals which will establish the ‘British Masters Qualifier Champions’ for 2021- a coveted title won by some of the sport’s biggest names in the past.
For the solos, this really is the gateway to stardom. A good result here, followed up by a good result in the Masters itself will almost certainly see European Grasstrack Championship seeding. Whilst in the sidecars, the British Masters title is everything to these competitors. It will be unmissable!
The event takes place at Dig Dog Lane in Frittenden, Kent. All of the details, postcode, start time and details can be found on Grasstrack Banter on Facebook or on GTSA’s own Facebook group.