About Chick Garrod Racing
Who We Are
Chick Garrod Racing is a welcoming motorcycle grasstrack racing club based in Suffolk. Our mission is to promote motorcycle racing for enthusiasts of all ages. We provide a platform for riders to showcase their skills and passion, while fostering a sense of community and sportsmanship among members.
Our team
Our fantastic team consists of many many years experience in running off-road motorcycle events and have an unparalelled passion for our sport. The depth of experience has been passed down from parents, through to competing and running events right across East Anglia and internationally. This team have a goal to revolutionise Grass Track over the coming years.
Nigel Burch
Club Chairman
Nigel retired from racing in 1993 having competed in 350 & 500 classes for 13 years. He then became mechanic for pro speedway rider Shane Parker in the UK and Europe. He then joined a local grass track club as race day announcer and assisted with track preparation, then became Clerk of the course for local meetings.
Adam Garrod
Vice Chairman
Adam is the son of the late Chick Garrod. He raced in Grass Track in the 90's the on to Sidecar Motocross. He went on to Organise Enduros, Moto Cross, Grasstrack and became FIM technical for all off road disciplines as well as being an ACU Clerk of the Course. He's now looking forward to this new era in off roads sports.
Juliet Collins
Treasurer
.Juliet has 30 plus years experience in running grass track events. Juliets son raced from the age of 6 and she assisted with Youth Grass Track in Norfolk & Suffolk. In her time she helped run Youth & British Championship events twice and then became raceday secretary and lap scorer.
Emma Mitchell
Club Secretary
Emma is the late Chick Garrods' daughter and and our Vice Chairmans sister; she's has been invloved with many types of motorsport. She helps with preparing Grass Tracks, running stalls at the events and has been involved in organising end of year Awards Events. She recently took her Clerk of the Course exam ... and passed!
Our team
Elliemay Garrod
Child Protection Officer
Being part of the Garrod, Elliemay has been involved in motorsports for many years. She is our Child Protection Officer, gets stuck in helping build the tracks and on raceday can be found in the lapscorers hut.
Marcus 'Sparky' Smith
Committee
Sparky is new to being on a committee and this year will be given the job of track maintenance. He has previously been on the start gate for the last three season and loves every minute of it.
Trevor Burch
Committee
Trevor like a lot of our committee has experience racing Grass Track, however has since been involved in assisting building the tracks at the Woodbridge Club and more recently at GWR. On raceday he can be found marshalling the pit box/track entrance areas.
Steve Newsham
Press and Marketing
Steve started Grasstrack racing in 1970 at the age of 8 years old, an ex pro speedway rider, ex Britch Champion and still races to this day. His Dad formed one of the most successful grasstrack clubs in the UK in Lancashire and Steve is keen to assist CG to make racing in Suffolk a great success.
Our Team
Phyllis Garrod
Committee
Phyllis is the wife of the late Chick Garrod and has been involved in Grasstrack for many years on the catering side, then later on the public gate. She is a general all round helper and looks after our members with refreshments.
Kyle Garrod
Committee
Kyle is Adams son and is always at the track on racedays helping out with track preparation as well as working the start gate. He has held the role of assistant Clerk of the Course and this year will be involved in ensuring the tracks are in tip top race condition.
Adam Shipp
Committee
Ex British Championship Grass Track racer. Enough said
Tommy Nichols
Club President
Tommy has been invloved in grass track since 1977. His son Shaun started in the cadet class and then seven years later his younger son Scott started in the Cadet class. Both sons went on riding speedway and Scott still races today as a 47 year old and is 7 time British Champion. Tommy also raced from the age of 9 and is delighted to be involved with Chick Garrod Racing. He can be seen trackside with his spares van.
Our team
Stephen Thirtle
Committee
Stephen has been in the Grasstrack community a long time, helping out his son racing for some 15 years. He was a mechanic and helped out in the pits with the lovely Grasstrack community. He is happy to be fullfilling his ambition to be on the committee of CGRC and so looking forward to helping out where needs be and being part of the team
Shannon Thirtle
Committee
Shannon first got introduced to Grasstrack when she was little girl watching her brother race. As Shannon got a bit older, she used to have a go on a quad bike in the interval at some events. She has been a great Grasstrack fan and is delighted to be a part of CGRC, helping out on race day and behind the scenes aswell
The 'late great' Chick Garrod
The Chick Garrod Racing grass track club has been formed as a tribute to this great man. You will have no doubt noticed in our Team section that that many of his family have followed in his footsteps to keep this sport going in Suffolk.
He was one of the nicest Guys you would ever want to meet, always had a smile and a cheery word for everyone, there was also a sharp side but you would have to had done something pretty stupid to see it.
He loved motorcycle sport in all forms, was a master at track preparation from his time at Foxhall Stadium where he prepared the track for the Ipswich Witches, down to local Grass Tracks where he gladly passed his knowledge on to Nigel and Trevor.
In his words 'you'll be able to give the boys and girls the best track when I'm not around'.
Chick in Action
Some words from his friends and family
Trever said. Well what can I say about my partner in crime and good friend. There are so many stories that I could tell but the one that always springs to mind is when we were down at Iken, I had been to collect the water sprayer and when I got back to the track at Iken and started watrering, chocks brother Charlie asked me if I could take him to Wickham to pick Chick up. On our return to the track, we unloaded hos upgraded scooter, and that was it. We didn't see his arse for dust, he went off like a rocket round the track and when he returned, the first thing he said was 'are you going to put some water on it?'
There are many more stories and I felt so privileged to have him as my friend and mentor. It was a sad day when he was taken, he will be missed but never forgotten.
