As an organisation committed to transparency, the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) wishes to clarify the rationale behind rider selections for the 2026 international track racing championships.
All nominations were made by the Track Racing Working Group which is headed by the ACU Board-appointed members Peter Gregory, Glen Phillips and Dickie Staff.
Selections are in accordance with published Championship Conditions and with careful consideration given to performance, eligibility, current form and rider welfare.
While the Track Racing Working Group recognises selection decisions can sometimes be disappointing, each decision has been reached collectively and discussed within the Working Group, and in what the Working Group believes to be in the best interests of both the riders and British track racing.
FIM Under 23 World Cup
The ACU riders nominated in this competition are Jake Mulford, Ashton Vale and Max Perry.
Jake is a previous winner of this competition, while Ashton is the current British 250cc Champion and has demonstrated strong form as a 350cc rider. Max Perry, winner of the FIM Youth Gold Trophy, returns to Grass Track following a period in Speedway and will be a big boost to the sport of Track Racing.
Mickie Simpson, the current British Under 23 Champion, was fully considered by the Working Group. As outlined in the 2025 Championship Conditions, the achievement of winning the ACU Under 23 British Championship ‘will also be taken into consideration’ when selecting competitors for the FIM U23 Long Track World Cup.
However, Mickie sustained a severely broken leg later in the season. And with the FIM Under 23 World Cup scheduled for May, at the very start of the 2026 season, the Working Group felt it had a clear duty of care to prioritise Mickie’s long-term recovery.
The collective view was that allowing him a full season to return to complete fitness before resuming international competition is the most responsible course of action.
FIME Grass Track Championship
The qualification system for this competition has been significantly reduced due to the absence of organisers, so the options for the ACU to nominate riders has been seriously restricted for 2026.
Chris ‘Bomber’ Harris is seeded directly into the final as the current British champion and finishing in the top three of the FIME Grass Track Championship in 2025, while a Wild Card request has been made for Zach Wajtknecht as the current World Champion. Cameron Taylor steps up from the FIM Under 23 category into the FIME Grass Track Challenge.
Darryl Ritchings (third in Masters), James Shanes (fifth in Masters and former FIME Champion), Jack Roberts (fourth in Masters – first reserve) and Alfie Bowtell (sixth in Masters – second reserve) have been nominated based on Masters finishing positions and established credentials.
FIME 500cc Sidecar Championship
Mitch Godden is seeded directly into the final, while Josh Goodwin (winner in Masters), Barrie Bennett (second in Masters) and Phil Rowlands (fifth in Masters) have been selected based on their strong Masters results.
With no FIM Long Track World Championship qualifying rounds proposed by the FIM for 2026, the ACU has no nominations to make in this competition.