The Story of 2024
It is one of the legendary circuits from motocross Grand Prix history, Farleigh Castle, a circuit that raced around a castle. Begun in the late 14th century, Farleigh Hungerford Castle was for 300 years the home of the Hungerfords, a family that after distinguished beginnings suffered a series of disasters and scandals – some of which took place within the castle walls.
A ‘romantic ruin’ since the 1730s, it retains two of its corner towers, parts of its outer courtyard defences and a well-preserved chapel with outstanding 13th-century wall-paintings, family monuments and collection of unusual human-shaped lead coffins. And fortunately for our sport they decided to race motocross around this mystical venue.
They first ran motocross there in 1938 and the track was an undulating field, one third of a mile long and not a lot has changed over the years. Of course, on July 20 and 21, this historical circuit will be opened for what will be one of the highlights of the 2024 British motocross season, the World Vets Motocross. A celebration of the sport, with some of the biggest names from the past and from the present. Make sure to get your tickets right here.
Promoter Richard Wood is excited to be putting on this event and enjoy a weekend with his friends and his hero’s, and heroes of all of us. Names like our last World motocross champion James Dobb, AMA legends Mike Brown, Jeff Emig and Doug Henry, current British hero, Tommy Searle, two-time World champion, Sebastien Tortelli, 500cc legend and MXdN winner, Kurt Nicoll, and so many more.
“What we try to do is make it more interesting and not just a race weekend,” Wood said. “With good entertainment and a lot of things to do for the family. It is more a fun weekend and at night we have bands and numerous bars open and good food outlets, and it is a big change from your typical motocross event. When you are older you want more comfort, and our events also cater for the older riders and their families.”
Jeff Emig who won himself multiple AMA motocross and supercross championships, is known for ending the title reign of Jeremy McGrath in supercross and led Team USA to Motocross des Nations success returns to England for this event and can’t wait to experience the whole Farleigh Castle vibe, something he holds close to his heart.
“I love the travel,” Emig said. “Going to Farleigh is a circuit that is something like I had never ridden before. I grew up on the mid-west, where you would think there are tracks like that, but Farleigh is tough and the roost hurts like a Moth++++cker. When you put 60 bikes on the track, that place has such an amazing feel about it, really legendary place.”
For 1996 and 1998 World motocross champion Sebastien Tortelli, the whole Farleigh Castle vibe will be something very new to him, but racing the Stark Future electric bike around this legendary circuit is something he looks forward to.
“I have never ridden Farleigh,” Tortelli said. “I know it is an iconic circuit and what I like about it, it an old fashion track, with natural layout and todays track are too many jumps and short, but this old track, more natural, a bit narrow and you get less speed, but its good for an old guy like me. The Stark is easy to ride and will suit a track like this. I am looking forward to racing some of my old friends.”
2001 World 125cc champion James Dobb was fortunate enough to race at Farleigh, and although he never raced a Grand Prix there, he knows what lays ahead of him, and having been practicing with Tommy Searle to prepare for this event, he expects to at least enjoy a little success, but also revisit old times, with old friends.
“I raced the support class in 1989 and I won that,” Dobb said. “I never raced a GP there, but they had British champion rounds there. I won a couple, got second in a couple. It hasn’t changed too much. People have come in before us and in my eyes ruined it a bit, taking the steps out the back and tried to make it a more traditions set-up, but I liked the old steps. The fundamentals are pretty much the same, the historical first turn around the tree.”
Current British championship racer, multiple World number two and without doubt, the most popular British rider of the last two decades, Tommy Searle will be one of the fastest over the weekend, and the whole Farleigh Castle experience will be a new one for him.
“I have never ridden Farleigh before,” Searle said. “This will be my first time. I am looking forward to it and I have spoken to Jamie Dobb about it. He is excited about it too and I have done other veterans’ races, but I want to do a few of them. This one has a different audience and that will be more family oriented. I will be racing a modern bike and the class I am is the modern bikes, which is nice. I am really looking forward to it and it adds some much for the British schedule. Being able to race Farleigh Caste, a track that has so much history in our sport, which is the biggest thing I look forward to.”
And finally, a man who finished second in his class in the 2023 World Vets motocross event, Mark Eastwood, well, he has raced the place, and his father (Vic Eastwood) was one of the first British GP winners, back in the 1960s. He knows the place well, and returning to his child-hood playground is something he will enjoy.
“A lot of good memories,” Eastwood said. “Like jumping in the river while my dad was racing and messing around with my mates and then later watching the races when my dad had retired and watching Dave Thorpe, Eric Geboers, Georges Jobe and all those great GP races and dad being with me and giving me tips and also seeing them race Namur and for me, a lot of nostalgia at these tracks. At Farleigh I raced there, but we did British championship races. We didn’t go to Farleigh when I did GPs, we went to Hawkstone Park, but I never did a GP there, just the British championships.”
So, make sure, on July 20 and 21, you make your way to his legendary circuit, because the entertainment, the racing and the vibe of Farleigh Castle is something not to be missed. Legends racing a legendary circuit, and in the peak of summer. You can’t ask for more, can you?
Ticket for the event are available here: Spectators - World Vets Motocross
Searle and Dobbs - Video
Tommy Searle and his good mate, James Dobb will both battle the Farleigh Castle circuit in July 20 and 21 and Searle put this little video together to show us that the former World 125cc champion still has it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lbM_JMw_3Y
Mark Eastwood Interview
Mark Eastwood is a name very well known in the industry, not just in the UK, but Worldwide. Son of a British motocross legend (Vic Eastwood), former factory Grand Prix rider for Honda, team manager for the British Motocross of Nations efforts and supporter of the sport. A wealth of experience and somebody well respected for his outspoken and at times controversial comments and his positive vision for the sport.
Now long retired from GP battle, Eastwood still works at his father’s motorcycle shop and races veteran races when time permits. Always a good chat about the sport, so we called him up and asked him about his future plans, which include racing the World Vets Motocross at Farleigh Castle on July 20 and 21.
Now, before we start, it should be noted, that his father (Vic) was one of the early GP winners at Farleigh (Vic Eastwood won there in 1968), and while Mark was too young to remember those victories, he himself did get to race the circuit in his career and also visit with his dad to watch some of the all-time GPs in the 1980s at the historical venue.
MXlarge: Tell me, for those too young to remember your racing career, I was pretty close to it, and I remember some really good rides by you in the 1990s, at Brou in France and some other ones. Can you remind the younger riders about your career, the standout moments?
Eastwood: Yes, Brou was a good one, I led both races at some point and led the second one for a couple of laps and was then second for a lot of the moto and finished with 5-4, which was a really good day for me. In that era, the 250 class was so deep with talent. Also, Indonesia, Brazil, a lot of places, Foxhill in the first moto and the second moto, up the sixth and DNFed after my electrics broke and I crashed. San Marino, I did well and plenty of GPs where it all went wrong. I did well in 1994, finished with a 6-8 for seventh overall in deep sand. Days I will never forget, and it was the toughest class with a lot of British riders. Back then a top ten or top five was really something special.
MXlarge: You have obviously done a lot of veteran’s races and you still take it seriously, maybe not Mike Brown serious, but you want to do well?
Eastwood: I don’t know about that, I mean, I want to do the best that I can. I want to put on a good show for the fans, but I wouldn’t say I take it as seriously as Mike (Brown), he is definitely on it you know. He is flat out and I am trying and enjoy it really, but of course I want to do well and when it is breed into you, it is hard to not take it seriously. It is a bit of fun, go down and enjoy it, but as soon as you go to the start line, you are in race mode, and I can’t help it.
MXlarge: I have mentioned it many times, I am not a risk taker, not into speed or danger and watching motocross, for sure even more so the last few years as the bikes get quicker and quicker and the riders are technically better and I watch you guys race and keep reminding myself, this is a ridiculous sport. A guy gets on these machines that can go amazing speeds, around a track that is full of danger, so many variables, maybe more than any other sport. It just seems crazy to me. What attracts somebody to that?
Eastwood: It is something you start riding bikes, and if you love it and enjoy it, it gets you, it is like a bug and you got to get out and ride bikes and it doesn’t even matter what level you get to, but if you get to a level, travelling around the World, and making a living and the speeds get faster, the tracks get bigger and you grow with it. Looking back, it would be hard to race a GP in Lommel, or Hawkstone Park, or Farleigh Castle, if you haven’t done all that what I mentioned. You more or less grow into that speed and danger, just naturally. You just end up at that level and it is where you wanted to be and if you get there, you don’t want to moan about it, but you are correct, it starts off as fun.
MXLarge: I sometimes think that motocross riders have some type of short-circuit in their brain and common-sense leaves when the gate drops. Then its just balls out and as fast as you can go? Obviously, it isn’t that way, but it sure looks that way watching.
Eastwood: I would think, you are 100% right. When you are around motocross riders, they are not the same as normal people, you have to be wired differently to take these risks.
MXLarge: How old are you now?
Eastwood: I am 53.
MXLarge: So, you are in the 50-age group with Mike Brown, and it is a stacked class.
Eastwood: Yes, I did it last year and it was stacked out and it was a great day. I did pretty well, finished second to Mike (Brown) and I really enjoyed it. I like this race, because it is on modern bikes. A lot of the other vet races are on old bikes, and I know a lot of people love that, but for me, we raced those things to death in the 1990s and my Grand Prix career was on those bikes and definitely for me, it isn’t that exciting anymore.
MXlarge: Obviously it’s a lot safer for an old rider to be on the new ones or not?
Eastwood: Yes, and that is exactly it. At the time, when we raced those bikes, they were the best we knew and the latest technology and I remember when we raced them, all we tried to do was get more bottom end power and the rear suspension was always a challenge and some people can ride those old bikes, but now I am over 50, I don’t want to race those old bikes. Give me a modern bike any day.
MXLarge: Were you old enjoy to remember your dad racing at Farleigh, or were you too young?
Eastwood: I do remember later on, but I don’t remember him winning there, because I wasn’t even born yet, but he raced there until 1978 and I do remember being around the GPs of Namur, Luxembourg at the camping and stuff. I remember all those guys being around there, playing badminton with the likes of Roger De Coster, Heikki Mikkola and those type of guys and at the time, you didn’t think anything of it. Looking back, pretty special times with Noyce (Graham Noyce) and everyone else and of course my dad.
MXlarge: These veteran races have really taken off, so many now in the UK, but what gets me the most is the camaraderie between the old riders and the stories they tell. Old rivals suddenly become best mates, and everyone is there to have fun and reminisce about the past.
Eastwood: That is correct. I don’t get to see Kurt, or Mike or Dobber, and then we get to see them and its nice to see your old rivals and as you said, even if you hated each other, it doesn’t matter anymore. You try and go and have some fun, but then as I said, you get on start line, it all changes again.
MXlarge: Do you like a beer, are you likely to end up in the beer tent at some point?
Eastwood: I do like a beer, but I can’t really be drinking on a race weekend. If I am racing the next day, I need to be feeling well. Last year at Farleigh, as I said, I had a really good day and then a week after I was doing the old shake-down on the old bike for another veteran’s race and I busted my leg, and it turned out to be pretty serious. I have only been riding a couple of months now and only now getting it back together. I will go down and have some fun and rider around.
MXLarge: As you said, you visited Farleigh as a kid and you raced there, but can you tell me some stories about your time there, both as a kid and a racer?
Eastwood: A lot of good memories, like jumping in the river while my dad was racing and messing around with my mates and then later watching the races when my dad had retired and watching Dave Thorpe, Eric Geboers, Georges Jobe and all those great GP races and dad being with me and giving me tips and also seeing them race Namur and for me, a lot of nostalgia at these tracks. At Farleigh I raced there, but we did British championship races. We didn’t go to Farleigh when I did GPs, we went to Hawkstone Park, but I never did a GP there, just the British championships.
Tommy Searle Interview
Multiple British motocross champion, World runner-up and GP winner, Tommy Searle is at the back end of his illustrious career and its more about having fun in these final days as a motocross racer than the day-to-day grind of Grand Prix racing or racing the big 450 machine. Moving down to the 250 class in the British motocross championship he is enjoying his racing a little more and trying to make the most of these final seasons, after having a career with so much success.
Searle will also line-up at the World Vets Motocross, at Farleigh Castle on July 20 and 21 and cannot wait to spend some time with old friends and former rivals and meet as many fans as possible. We caught up with Searle and asked about his 250 racing and also that exciting Vets event.
Find out more here about the World Vets Motocross: World Vets Motocross.
MXlarge: Tommy, I see your results on the 250 are not bad, but how have you felt on the 250 this year?
Searle: 250’s has been good. I didn’t expect to come in and smoke everyone, the competition is high, but its fun and that is why I decided to do it. I am always carrying an injury these days and the 450 was hard to race. I still race the 450, a lot actually, but doing the whole season is more fun on the 250 than the 450.
MXlarge: Tell me, for more than a decade, you have been the most popular British rider, and with your Youtube channel and other things you do, many people really love following you. How important is that for you?
Searle: It is just a difference aspect now with the Youtube. I edit a lot of the videos, shoot them, and it is a lot different now, and not like being 20 years old and charging around the World wanting to win races. People pay me for different reasons now, for my video reach and a wider audience, and it is a little bit of both. I still work hard, and train hard, and I don’t want to not do that and be tired in races or in danger of hurting myself. I have structured my program, I have my own sponsors now and I do a lot of different things, be it social media, the Youtube, but I am still at the races, but I know my future isn’t racing, not the long-term future. It is coming to an end soon. I am still enjoying it and it isn’t just focused on racing results.
MXLarge: I understand you and Jeffrey (Herlings) have a pretty good relationship now?
Searle: I speak to him a lot, which is nice, and we went to dinner when he was last over. He is still World level, and he is at the back of his career, but he can still win. It is hard and he is racing riders of a similar age, but he has faced a lot of adversity, and he still loves it and works as hard as ever. You can see that with some races he has won this year.
MXlarge: The World Vets Motocross, I know you have mentioned in the past you like these one-off events. What excited you about this one?
Searle: I have never ridden Farleigh before; this will be my first time. I am looking forward to it and I have spoken to Jamie Dobb about it. He is excited about it too and I have done other veterans’ races, but I want to do a few of them. This one has a different audience and that will be more family oriented. I will be racing a modern bike and the class I am is the modern bikes, which is nice. I am really looking forward to it and it adds some much for the British schedule. Being able to race Farleigh Caste, a track that has so much history in our sport, that is the biggest thing I look forward to.
MXlarge: A lot of big names racing it. Do you know many younger guys who will race it?
Searle: Yes, I do, and you don’t have to be older to race it, but I am 35 and a friend of mine is racing it. It will be nice having Tortelli racing and Dobber and so many others. It will be going with the family and over two races and a lot of racing, so it will be fun. Billy Mackenzie is racing it and of course he did so well in the British championship, and he was winning a race until Herlings passed him. He does a lot of the veteran races now and he takes it pretty seriously and it’s nice to see all these old faces enjoying themselves.
MXLarge: You are getting close to the end of your career, so these fun races are probably your future?
Searle: Yes, I enjoy riding, I enjoy the training, and, in the UK, we have some young guys coming through and I want to keep racing, but more fun events and not race full-time. Even the British championship races, the competition is still top ten riders and being older its hard, but these veteran races are just good fun, and you don’t have to push too hard, but can still race. I am really excited for this one, as it is a new one for me and as I said, I have never raced at Farleigh.
MXLarge: You have always attracted spectators and your British GP results have often been good, winning in 2007 and then again in 2012 in that classic against Herlings. What are your best memories of those two GPs?
Searle: Yes, I won in 2007, it feels like a lifetime ago. I remember that first one in 2007, it is hard to remember, and it feels longer than 20 years ago. I was still living at Jamie Dobbs house, and we went for a barbecue at his house after winning. I nearly won the one before in Ireland, but Tony (Cairoli) won, and I finished second. He then moved up to the 450 class for the British GP and that opened up my chances of winning it. There were a lot of us could have won it and none of us had won a GP yet and I went 1-2, I think. Matterley in 2012, I would say that was my best GP win ever. With Jeffrey there and the rivalry we had, and I came out on top in both races and that was the best race day of my life.