Dirt Store duo eye up Arenacross success
By Team TMX on 12th Dec 25
The Dirt Store name has become a fixture in off-road sport in remarkable time. Formed only at the end of 2023, the brand’s rapid rise has been matched by its equally fast-moving partnership with Triumph. Now the programme is expanding again, with the new TF 450-X and two ambitious young British riders lining up for the 2026 Arenacross Tour.
Dylan Woodcock, long recognised as one of the UK’s sharpest indoor specialists, is still only 25 and very much in his prime. He’ll debut Triumph’s 450 in Arenacross trim alongside 22-year-old talent Eddie Wade, who switches back from electric machinery for his third AX campaign. Both riders are targeting podiums from the outset and have their sights set firmly on the title.
The Dirt Store Triumph Racing team has propelled itself to the sharp end of British Motocross in record time. Jon and brother Dan grew up immersed in the sport - racing, spannering for some of the country’s best, and eventually building what has become one of the UK’s most prominent distribution and race operations. With Tommy Searle delivering the 2024 MX2 British Championship, their rise has been nothing short of meteoric.
JGR Performance was Jon’s starting point, putting years of elite technical experience into a commercially focused outfit. By 2020 the brothers had launched Giffard Racing Team (GRT), fielding some of Britain’s brightest youth prospects and quickly making an impression. Their industry network, forged from years of working with the likes of Roy Emberson’s squad and Mel Pocock, helped them develop plans for an adult programme at the same time Dan’s distribution venture was growing.
Discussions with Nick Turner-Goldsmith of GTCi - then a major backer of Searle - led to the creation of Dirt Store in late 2023. Title sponsorship of the British Motocross Championship, strong Arenacross visibility, and Searle’s switch to MX2 all helped put the brand squarely in the sport’s spotlight. With Tommy winning the final British round on a 250 and only missing the 2024 MX2 crown by seven points, momentum was already on their side.
Triumph’s global MX push exploded in 2024 with factory operations in the World and AMA Championships, but the picture was incomplete without a UK presence. With a proven MX2 platform and a need for a strong domestic partner, Dirt Store offered an ideal fit. “You know that with Tommy, you’re gonna get a lot of exposure no matter the results,” Jon notes. Alongside rising star Billy Askew, both riders won races and led the British Championship, with Searle taking his first MX2 crown at 36. He even muscled the 250 onto the Arenacross podium against a field stacked with 450s and electrics. It set the stage for an impressive 2025 campaign and an even bigger 2026 push.
Arenacross glory is the clear target for 2026, and the team’s new line-up looks built for it. Woodcock already knows the Giffards well – Dan worked as his mechanic during his European Championship days – and after successful outings with the team in the Middle East, the deal for the new AX campaign came together with ease.
Dylan makes no secret of his intentions: he wants wins, he wants the title, and he knows reigning British champion Dean Wilson will be a formidable benchmark. “Tight arenas are my kind of thing. I’ll be gutted if I’m not on the podium at the end of every round.” As usual, he’ll base himself in California for pre-season, staying in a mobile home rented from British entrepreneur John Mason of MX Dreams, with support from a local Triumph dealer. He’ll also line up for the opening AMA Supercross rounds – his first on a 450 – as ideal prep for the AX Tour.
Eddie Jay Wade arrives with a long list of youth accolades and a steadily maturing professional resume. Born in Spain to a Sheffield family, fluent in Spanish but sounding entirely British, he captured the 85cc World title at 13 and now makes the step to a 450 four-stroke after time aboard Stark’s electric platform. He is already enjoying the transition. “Nick messaged me with an offer of a bike out of the blue. The team is everything you’d expect it to be, but the other boys are all training for Motocross while I get things dialled on an Arenacross track.”
Wade turned heads with a gritty MX2 podium at Duns in 2024 after receiving permission from Stark to race a petrol machine outdoors. Jon Giffard sees huge potential. “If he can erase the mistakes that we’ve seen in the last two years, then he’s got some serious pace.” One of those mistakes led to a collision with Searle that ended his title hopes, but his immediate apology helped clear the air. Dirt Store were never deterred, and the # 7 could well prove one of 2026’s surprise packages.
With Dirt Store backing, Triumph hardware, and two motivated young British riders, Woodcock and Wade look every inch the dark horses for the 2026 Arenacross Tour. And with the black-liveried British machines hitting their stride, the team title could very easily be heading their way too.
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