Mitchel Stuart Godden
2021/2022/2023 Triple British Grasstarck 500cc Sidecar Champion. Team Godden / Smith
Mitchel is an English Motorcycle rider who competes in
Longtrack and
Grasstrack
Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of track racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. It is one of the oldest types of motorcycle sports in the ...
Racing for Solos (1992>) and more recently 500cc Sidecars (2015>)
He is the son of
Don Godden
Don Vincent Godden (born 13 November 1936 - 28 May 2011) was a Motorcycle rider who competed in Longtrack and Grasstrack Racing. He competed in twelve World Longtrack Championship Finals and won the title in 1969. Don's son Mitchel is also ...
who won the
Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship
This is the complete list of Individual Long Track World Championship medalists from 1971. Also included are the medalists from 1957 to 1970 when the championship was known as the European Individual Long Track Championship.
Medalists European L ...
in 1969.
Mitchel Godden followed in his fathers footsteps and started racing in 1992. He started on a 250cc (ex
Jeremy Doncaster
Jeremy Doncaster (born 16 June 1961 in Grimsby, England) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who won the World Team Cup in 1989, top scoring for Great Britain with 13 points. He also finished in third place in the 1989 World F ...
)
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
red Rocket and rode this for one season before using
Godden works 350cc machine and then after a couple of seasons progressed to 500cc class. Mitch later progressed to international racing becoming a specialists on German Grasstracks and Dutch Sandtracks. He often travelled to many of his European meetings with other riders, notably Trevor Banks the late Vincent Kinchin and “Super” Dave Mears among others.
In 2015 Mitchell went in to
500cc Sidecar racing and has again had massive success in the UK but especially on the continent. Along with his long term passenger Paul Smith they have quickly become one of the best crews in Europe. They have won international events in
Werlte
Werlte is a town in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. History
Werlte was a host city of the 2008 Team Long Track World Championship; the championship was won by Germany. Economy
Werlte is home to a factory of the Krone company.
...
, Ludinghausen, Osnabrook, Hertingen Berghaupten, Bielefeld, Rastede & Angenrod, (Germany) and
Roden
Roden is a name of Germanic origin, originally meaning "red valley" or an anglicization of the Gaelic name "O'Rodain". It may refer to:
Places
* Roden, Bavaria, a town in the Main-Spessart district of Bavaria, Germany
* Roden, Netherlands, a tow ...
& Eenrum in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
amongst others and with his flamboyant and never say die racing attitude they have delighted the European crowds with fantastic racing action. A close connection with long time friend and ex racer Gary Southgate helped and encourage the change in direction from 2 wheels to 3 after trail success in 2014.
Using his track racing knowledge and engineering background Mitchel is now making and producing his own complete 500cc Sidecar machined known as Zircon Racing. Although this is not on a commercial basis if his own results are anything to go by they have already proven themselves to be world beaters. The team Godden/Smith raced to an impressive 19 podiums from 22 starts in 2017, 18 podiums from 23 starts in 2018 and 21 podiums from 23 starts in 2019, and 15 podiums from 16 starts in 2022 including 8 first places, and probably the most impressive season in 2023 with 21 podiums from 23 starts including 16 Gold medal positions with most events being fought out of foreign soil.
FIM SIDECAR European Championship
Mitchel & Paul finished an incredible 4th in their first attempt at the European title in Tayac France July 2017, 2nd in the 2018 FIM-Europe Championship in Werlte Germany July 2018, 3rd in 2019 FIM-E Championship in Eenrum Netherlands August 2019, 2nd in 2022 FIM-E Championship in Eenrum Netherlands August 2022, and 2nd again in the 2023 FIME Championship held in Bad-Hersfeld Germany despite being the top scoring team in the event.
The team have the prestigious accolade of being the only British team in history to hold 4 European championships medals and the only team in British history to win a championship medal(s) on foreign soil.
The team won their first British 500cc sidecar championship in 2021, after several near misses in the years before, taking the title with an unbeaten performance. This was followed by taking their second and successive British title in 2022 and the third and consecutive title in 2023.
Team Godden/Smith have completely dominated the European sidecar scene in 2023 and are generally regarded by all as the top team in Europe.
Promotion
In recent year Mitchell has also turned his hand to promotion. He started the charity Kart meeting at
Buckmore Park
Buckmore Park Kart Circuit is an MSA approved outdoor kart racing circuit located just off junction 3 of the M2 in Chatham, Kent, England. Until his death on 10 March 2017, it was owned by John Surtees, the only person to have won world Grand P ...
as well as promotion and running of the Invicta International Grasstrack meetings at the
Hop Farm
The Hop Farm Family Park is a Country Park in Beltring, near East Peckham in Kent, England, is over 450 years old, and has the largest collection of oast houses in the world.
History
Until 1997 the hop farm was known as ''The Whitbread Hop Farm ...
and
Collier Street
Collier Street is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone in Kent, England.
The village of Collier Street includes St Margaret's Church, a primary school, a small business estate and several farms. St. Margaret's church and ...
'
The Kings of Speed
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...
' in 2008, 2011 and 2012. In 2016 he started the Pit Bike Winter Series at
Iwade Stadium
Iwade is a village and civil parish north of the town of Sittingbourne in the English county of Kent.
History
Iwade was established in the late Medieval period, when it was a settlement linking Watling Street to the coast via Key Street (a st ...
.
Management
In 2013 Mitchell on behalf of the
ACU took over the manager role of the Great Britain
World Longtrack team. In 2013 he led the team to the bronze medal and 2015 he led the team to their only championship. His last year in the role will be 2018.
World Longtrack Championship
Individual Championship
* 1999 4 app (16th) 18pts
Team Championship
Rider
*
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
Morizes – Second (with
Paul Hurry
Paul William George Hurry (born 9 April 1975 in Canterbury, Kent) is a British international motorcycle speedway rider. Hurry began his racing career aged 16 with the Arena Essex Hammers in 1991. In 1994 he became British under 21 champion and ...
,
Andrew Appleton
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer who competes in grasstrack, longtrack and speedway. His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning G ...
,
Glen Phillips)
*
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
Werlte
Werlte is a town in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. History
Werlte was a host city of the 2008 Team Long Track World Championship; the championship was won by Germany. Economy
Werlte is home to a factory of the Krone company.
...
– Third (with
Richard Hall,
Glen Phillips,
Vince Kinchin)
*
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
Scheeßel
Scheeßel (; Northern Low Saxon: ''Scheeßl'') is a municipality in the district of Rotenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Wümme, approx. 10 km northeast of Rotenburg, 45 km east of Bremen, and 70 km south ...
– Third (with
Paul Cooper,
Andrew Appleton
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer who competes in grasstrack, longtrack and speedway. His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning G ...
,
Glen Phillips)
Manager
*
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Folkestone
Folkestone ( ) is a port town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20t ...
– Third (with
Richard Hall,
Andrew Appleton
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer who competes in grasstrack, longtrack and speedway. His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning G ...
,
Paul Cooper,
Glen Phillips)
*
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
Forssa
Forssa is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located almost in the centre of a triangle defined by the three largest major cities in Finland (Helsinki, Turku and Tampere), in the Tavastia Proper region, and which is crossed by Highway 2 ...
– Fifth (with
Andrew Appleton
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer who competes in grasstrack, longtrack and speedway. His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning G ...
,
Richard Hall,
David Howe,
Glen Phillips)
*
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
Mühldorf
Mühldorf am Inn (Central Bavarian: ''Muihdorf am Inn'') is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and the capital of the district Mühldorf on the river Inn. It is located at , and had a population of about 17,808 in 2005.
History
During the Middle Ages, ...
– First (with
Andrew Appleton
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer who competes in grasstrack, longtrack and speedway. His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning G ...
,
Richard Hall,
James Shanes
James Shanes (born 17 March 1997) is a British speedway rider and also competes in Grasstrack and Longtrack speedway. He is a four times British Masters Grasstrack Champion, 2 times European Grasstrack Champion and world long track competitor. ...
,
Glen Phillips)
*
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
Marianske Lazne – Fourth (with
Andrew Appleton
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer who competes in grasstrack, longtrack and speedway. His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning G ...
,
Richard Hall,
James Shanes
James Shanes (born 17 March 1997) is a British speedway rider and also competes in Grasstrack and Longtrack speedway. He is a four times British Masters Grasstrack Champion, 2 times European Grasstrack Champion and world long track competitor. ...
,
Glen Phillips)
*
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
Roden
Roden is a name of Germanic origin, originally meaning "red valley" or an anglicization of the Gaelic name "O'Rodain". It may refer to:
Places
* Roden, Bavaria, a town in the Main-Spessart district of Bavaria, Germany
* Roden, Netherlands, a tow ...
– Fourth (with
Andrew Appleton
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer who competes in grasstrack, longtrack and speedway. His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning G ...
,
Richard Hall,
James Shanes
James Shanes (born 17 March 1997) is a British speedway rider and also competes in Grasstrack and Longtrack speedway. He is a four times British Masters Grasstrack Champion, 2 times European Grasstrack Champion and world long track competitor. ...
,
Edward Kennett
Edward David Kennett (born 28 August 1986 in Hastings, England) is a motorcycle speedway rider. He was the British Under-21 Champion in 2005 and has appeared in two Speedway Grand Prix as a wild card.
Kennett's father Dave, was a motorcycle s ...
)
*
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
Morizes – Second (with
James Shanes
James Shanes (born 17 March 1997) is a British speedway rider and also competes in Grasstrack and Longtrack speedway. He is a four times British Masters Grasstrack Champion, 2 times European Grasstrack Champion and world long track competitor. ...
,
Chris Harris,
Zach Wajtknecht
Zach Wajtknecht (born 8 February 1998) is a British speedway rider.
Career
At an early age Wajtknecht became a double World Champion, twice triumphing in the FIM 125cc Grasstrack Youth Gold Trophy. He followed up these successes by being crown ...
,
Adam Ellis
Adam Ellis (born 21 March 1996) is a British grasstrack and speedway rider and former British champion.
Biography
Born in Marmande, France, Ellis began grasstrack racing in 2009, going on to finish second in the 250cc French Grasstrack Champ ...
)
European Grasstrack Championship
Solos Finals
* 2004
Eenrum
Eenrum is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Het Hogeland, 17 km northwest of the city of Groningen.
Eenrum was a separate municipality until 1990, then it was merged with Ulrum, Kloosterbur ...
(14th) 4pts
* 2008
Siddeburen
Siddeburen (; Gronings: ''Sibboeren'' or ''Siddeboeren'') is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Midden-Groningen, about 10 km southwest of Delfzijl.
Siddeburen was a separate municipality unti ...
(10th) 11pts
* 2010
La Reole
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
(12th) 9pts
* 2011
Skegness
Skegness ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey District of Lincolnshire, England. On the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea, the town is east of Lincoln and north-east of Boston. With a population of 19,579 as of 2011, i ...
(8th) 14pts
* 2012
Eenrum
Eenrum is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Het Hogeland, 17 km northwest of the city of Groningen.
Eenrum was a separate municipality until 1990, then it was merged with Ulrum, Kloosterbur ...
(14th) 6pts
* 2015
Staphorst
Staphorst () is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.
History
The villages of Staphorst and its southern neighbour Rouveen came into existence as in the 13th century monks started to bring the bogs and swamps into culture.
All ...
(11th) 6pts
* 2016
Folkestone
Folkestone ( ) is a port town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20t ...
(14th) 3pts
Solos Semi-finals
* 2000 Semi-finalist
* 2003 Semi-finalist
* 2005 Semi-finalist
* 2006 Semi-finalist
* 2009 Semi-finalist
* 2014 Semi-finalist
Sidecar Finals
* 2017
Tayac (4th) 7pts
* 2018
Wertle (2nd) 17pts
* 2019
Eenrum
Eenrum is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Het Hogeland, 17 km northwest of the city of Groningen.
Eenrum was a separate municipality until 1990, then it was merged with Ulrum, Kloosterbur ...
(3rd) 18pts
* 2022
Eenrum
Eenrum is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Het Hogeland, 17 km northwest of the city of Groningen.
Eenrum was a separate municipality until 1990, then it was merged with Ulrum, Kloosterbur ...
(2nd) 17pts
* 2023
Bad Hersfeld
The festival and spa town of Bad Hersfeld (''Bad'' is "spa" in German; the Old High German name of the city was ''Herolfisfeld'') is the district seat of the Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany, roughly 50 km southeast ...
(2nd) 11pts
British Masters Grasstrack Championship
Top Ten Finishes
* 2005
Northiam
Northiam is a village and civil parish in the Rother district, in East Sussex, England, 13 miles (21 km) north of Hastings in the valley of the River Rother. The A28 road to Canterbury and Hastings passes through it.
Governance
Northiam ...
(9th)
* 2006
Wadebridge
Wadebridge (; kw, Ponswad) is a town and civil parish in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the River Camel upstream from Padstow.Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 200 ''Newquay & Bodmin'' The permanent populat ...
(7th)
* 2007
Long Marston (9th)
* 2008
Rhodes Minnis (4th)
* 2010
Rhodes Minnis (5th)
* 2013
Uddens (7th)
* 2014
Swingfield
Swingfield is a village and civil parish in the district of Folkestone and Hythe in Kent, England. The parish includes the settlements of Densole and Selsted.
The place-name 'Swingfield' is first attested in 1202 in the Curia Regis Rolls, and ...
(6th)
* 2015
Corfe Mullen
Corfe Mullen is a village in Dorset, England, on the north-western urban fringe of the South East Dorset conurbation. The village had a population of 10,133 at the 2011 Census. It is served by six churches, four pubs, five schools, a library, v ...
(9th)
* 2021
Swingfield
Swingfield is a village and civil parish in the district of Folkestone and Hythe in Kent, England. The parish includes the settlements of Densole and Selsted.
The place-name 'Swingfield' is first attested in 1202 in the Curia Regis Rolls, and ...
(3rd)
Other Appearances: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2012.
British Sidecar Championship
* 2016
Frittenden
Frittenden is a village and civil parish in the Tunbridge Wells District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the flood plain of one of the tributaries of the River Medway, 15 miles (24 km) to the east of Tunbridge Wells: the vill ...
(Second)
* 2017
Ledbury
Ledbury is a market town and civil parish in the county of Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and west of the Malvern Hills.
It has a significant number of timber-framed structures, in particular along Church Lane and High Street ...
(Second)
* 2018
Chelmsford
Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...
(Third)
* 2019
Chelmsford
Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...
(Disqualified)
* 2021
Ledbury
Ledbury is a market town and civil parish in the county of Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and west of the Malvern Hills.
It has a significant number of timber-framed structures, in particular along Church Lane and High Street ...
(First)
* 2022
Frittenden
Frittenden is a village and civil parish in the Tunbridge Wells District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the flood plain of one of the tributaries of the River Medway, 15 miles (24 km) to the east of Tunbridge Wells: the vill ...
(First)
* 2023
GTSA (First)
British Sand Ace Championship
* 2006
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(Champion)
* 2007
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(Champion)
* 2008
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(5th)
* 2009
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(Champion)
* 2010
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(Champion)
* 2011
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(Champion)
* 2012
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(Third)
* 2013
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(18th)
* 2014
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(5th)
* 2015
Guernsey
Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency.
It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...
(6th)
Sources
GrasstrackgbPolish HistoriaLongtrack History
{{DEFAULTSORT:Godden, Mitchel
Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship riders
English motorcycle racers
1975 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Pembury