Mitchel Stuart Godden
| Born | 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 |
2021/2022/2023 Triple British Grasstarck 500cc Sidecar Champion. Team Godden / Smith
Mitchel is an English Motorcycle rider who 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. 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, Ludinghausen, Osnabrook, Hertingen Berghaupten, Bielefeld, Rastede & Angenrod, (Germany) and Roden & Eenrum in the Netherlands 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 edit
In recent year Mitchell 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 edit
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 edit
Individual Championship edit
- 1999 4 app (16th) 18pts
Team Championship edit
Rider
- 2007
Morizes – 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
Marianske Lazne – Fourth (with Andrew Appleton, Richard Hall, James Shanes, Glen Phillips) - 2017
Roden – Fourth (with Andrew Appleton, Richard Hall, James Shanes, Edward Kennett) - 2018 Morizes – Second (with James Shanes, Chris Harris, Zach Wajtknecht, Adam Ellis)
European Grasstrack Championship edit
Solos Finals edit
- 2004 Eenrum (14th) 4pts
- 2008 Siddeburen (10th) 11pts
- 2010 La Reole (12th) 9pts
- 2011 Skegness (8th) 14pts
- 2012 Eenrum (14th) 6pts
- 2015 Staphorst (11th) 6pts
- 2016 Folkestone (14th) 3pts
Solos Semi-finals edit
- 2000 Semi-finalist
- 2003 Semi-finalist
- 2005 Semi-finalist
- 2006 Semi-finalist
- 2009 Semi-finalist
- 2014 Semi-finalist
Sidecar Finals edit
- 2017 Tayac (4th) 7pts
- 2018 Wertle (2nd) 17pts
- 2019 Eenrum (3rd) 18pts
- 2022 Eenrum (2nd) 17pts
- 2023 Bad Hersfeld (2nd) 11pts
British Masters Grasstrack Championship edit
Top Ten Finishes edit
- 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 edit
- 2016 Frittenden (Second)
- 2017 Ledbury (Second)
- 2018 Chelmsford (Third)
- 2019 Chelmsford (Disqualified)
- 2021 Ledbury (First)
- 2022 Frittenden (First)
- 2023 GTSA (First)
