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| Born | (1975-02-13) 13 February 1975 Pembury, England |
|---|---|
| Nationality | English |
| Individual honours | |
| 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 | British Sand Ace Championship Winner |
| 1999, 2003, 2005, 2009 | British Best Pairs Championship Winner |
| 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012,2021 | South-Eastern Centre Championship Winner |
| 1999 | Southern Centre Championship Winner |
| 2018 | Pokal Bergring Cup Winner |
| 2007,2009,2011 | MSC BadWalsee Wolfegg Winner |
| 2016 | Sidecars Super Series Winner 2021 & 2022 British Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 2015 | Team Long Track World Championship Winning Manager |
Mitchel Stuart Godden (born 13 February 1975) is an English motorcycle rider. He competes in longtrack and grasstrack racing for Solos (1992) and more recently 500cc Sidecars (2015). He is the son of Don Godden who won the Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship in 1969.
Mitchel Godden followed in his fathers footsteps and started racing in 1992. He started on a 250cc (ex Jeremy Doncaster) Honda 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. Godden later progressed to international racing becoming a specialists on German grasstracks and Dutch sandtracks.
In 2015 after 23 years of racing at the very top level Godden went in to 500cc Sidecar racing and achieved immediate success in the UK and the continent soon after. With his passenger, Paul Smith, he has won international events in Werlte, Ludinghausen, Schwarme, Herxheim, Osnabrook, Hertingen, Berghaupten, Bielefeld, Rastede, Angenrod, Neuhasslau,(Germany) and Roden, Uithuizen, Joure, Stadskannal, Lopersum, Balkbrug, Staphorst & Eenrum in the Netherlands, and Tayac, La-Reole, StMacaire, in France, Zolder in Belgium amongst others.
In 2025 Team Godden / Smith became the first ever non Dutch team to win the KNMV Dutch open Sidecar Grasstrack Championships. An event dominated in recent years by the sidecar legend William Matthiessen from the Netherlands.
Promotion
In recent year Godden has also turned his hand to promotion. He started the charity Kart meeting at Buckmore Park as well as promotion and running of the Invicta International Grasstrack meetings at the Hop Farm and Collier Street 'The Kings of Speed' in 2008, 2011 and 2012. In 2016 he started the Pit Bike Winter Series at Iwade Stadium.
Management
In 2013 Godden 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 LTON championship Victory. The team consisted of Glen Phillips (c), Andrew Appleton, Richard Hall, and James Shanes. His last year in the role was 2018 with his team collecting world championship silver in Morizès France.
Mitchel has been drafted back into Team GB management on behalf of the ACU in 2025 and amazingly his team of track racing riders won FIM GOLD in Vechta Germany. Team GB’s second victory in this competition since its inception in 2007.
The 2025 team of Chris Harris, Zach Wajtknecht, Andrew Appleton, & Cameron Taylor were the top scoring team and went on to max score in the final race for gold.
World Longtrack Championship
Individual Championship
- 1999 4 app (16th) 18pts
Team Championship
- Rider
- 2007
Morizès – Second (with Paul Hurry, Andrew Appleton, Glen Phillips) - 2008
Werlte – Third (with Richard Hall, Glen Phillips, Vince Kinchin) - 2011
Scheeßel – Third (with Paul Cooper, Andrew Appleton, Glen Phillips)
- Manager
- 2013
Folkestone – Third (with Richard Hall, Andrew Appleton, Paul Cooper, Glen Phillips) - 2014
Forssa – Fifth (with Andrew Appleton, Richard Hall, David Howe, Glen Phillips) - 2015
Mühldorf – First (with Andrew Appleton, Richard Hall, James Shanes, Glen Phillips) - 2016
Mariánské Lázně – Fourth (with Andrew Appleton, Richard Hall, James Shanes, Glen Phillips) - 2017
Roden – Fourth (with Andrew Appleton, Richard Hall, James Shanes, Edward Kennett) - 2018
Morizès – Second (with James Shanes, Chris Harris, Zach Wajtknecht, Adam Ellis)
European Grasstrack Championship
Solos Finals
- 2004
Eenrum (14th) 4pts - 2008
Siddeburen (10th) 11pts - 2010
La Réole (12th) 9pts - 2011
Skegness (8th) 14pts - 2012
Eenrum (14th) 6pts - 2015
Staphorst (11th) 6pts - 2016
Folkestone (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 (3rd) 18pts - 2022
Eenrum (2nd) 17pts - 2023
Bad Hersfeld (2nd) 11pts - 2024
Uithuizen (2nd) 10pts - 2025
Haunstetton (2nd) 11pts
British Masters Grasstrack Championship
Top Ten Finishes
- 2005
Northiam (9th) - 2006
Wadebridge (7th) - 2007
Long Marston (9th) - 2008
Rhodes Minnis (4th) - 2010
Rhodes Minnis (5th) - 2013
Uddens (7th) - 2014
Swingfield (6th) - 2015
Corfe Mullen (9th) - 2021
Swingfield (3rd)
Other Appearances: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2012.
British Sidecar Championship
- 2016
Frittenden (Second) - 2017
Ledbury (Second) - 2018
Chelmsford (Third) - 2019
Chelmsford (Disqualified) - 2021
Ledbury (First) - 2022
Frittenden (First) - 2023
GTSA (First) - 2024
Frittenden (First)
British Sand Ace Championship
- 2006
Guernsey (Champion) - 2007
Guernsey (Champion) - 2008
Guernsey (5th) - 2009
Guernsey (Champion) - 2010
Guernsey (Champion) - 2011
Guernsey (Champion) - 2012
Guernsey (Third) - 2013
Guernsey (18th) - 2014
Guernsey (5th) - 2015
Guernsey (6th)
Sources
- Grasstrackgb
- Polish Historia
- Family History
- Longtrack History