Three Honda 250s, One Unforgettable Name. Team Waldi may be a newcomer to this year’s VMXdN Wright Engineering Race, but it fields three riders who are all well-known faces across both the British and Evo paddocks. They arrive with experience, heart, and a story behind the name.
The team is managed by Jason Fountain, a true two-wheel enthusiast, with two-strokes and twin shocks very much part of his DNA. A rider himself, Jason knows all about winning races; he was a regular front-runner in the MX Thumpercross Series and a class winner on more than one occasion. He brings that same competitive instinct and passion to the management role.
Team Waldi is a heartfelt tribute to Jason’s son George Fountain, who passed away in 2023. George shared his dad’s passion for everything two-wheeled and could hold his own on both vintage and modern machinery, earning him a place on the Chambers KTM team. The name carries a deeply personal meaning: he had a habit of calling everyone “Waldi” once he got to know them, a term of warmth and familiarity that, over time, became his own nickname as well. And so Waldi 57 was born.
The team comprises three of George’s good friends.
First up is Charlie Putnam on the number 25 plate, aboard a Honda CR250. Charlie is currently competing in the MX1 class of the British Championship and brings sharp, current-competition form to the team.
Gareth Artus carries the number 26 plate and is no stranger to the VMXdN and Farleigh Castle podiums, having stood on both in 2025. Currently competing in the Evo Series, he heads into the Wright Engineering Race with race fitness and podium-level ambition firmly intact.
Rounding out the trio on the number 27 plate is Ben Putnam. Ben likes to throw his hat in the ring at British Championship rounds and mix things up, and he certainly gave Sam Sunderland and Brad Anderson a run for their money at Farleigh Castle last year, demonstrating exactly the kind of pace that makes him a name to watch.
Every lap turned by Team Waldi at Hawkstone will be ridden in George’s memory.
If Team Waldi has whetted your appetite for vintage two-stroke action, then mark your calendar for the must-attend event of the summer. VMXdN Hawkstone takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, 27–30 August 2026, at the iconic Hawkstone Park Circuit in Shropshire, a venue that has hosted some of motocross’s greatest moments and needs no introduction to any serious fan of the sport. Gates open at noon on Thursday 27th, with Show’N’Shine taking centre stage on the Friday, before the racing action gets underway on Saturday, featuring legends of the sport, past and present, from around the globe. Described by Racer X Magazine as “the Woodstock of two-strokes”, it truly is the ultimate weekend out for MX fans of any age.
Tickets are on sale now. Head to https://www.vmxdnhawkstone.com/buy-tickets to secure yours now.