RTS Swaffham 14 June 2025

ROLLING THUNDER SHOW ROUND 5

Swaffham Raceway 14 June 2025

It was another fairly quiet afternoon in the pits at Swaffham when the RTS season resumed, after the previous week’s scheduled meeting had been cancelled through lack of entries. This time there were just 31 entries listed for the seven formula meeting, but a few late entries brought the total up to 43 drivers, to enjoy the warm sunshine. As usual with the RTS through, small grids weren’t reflected in a lack of action, and some close and competitive racing followed.

Adding a visiting formula to the RTS regulars normally makes a big difference to the meeting and we were joined by the CLASSIC STOX for the first half of a weekend double-header (also featuring in the Swaffham Raceway promotion on Sunday). We’d normally expect to see up to a dozen cars in the non-contact group, but this had been a late change of date and venue, and other commitments meant just five cars arrived, including one newcomer to the class, John Cook in a spare car provided by Mark Hewlett. Mark himself, in his regular car, was on good form, leading the first heat away, but soon being passed by Clive Freeman, having his second meeting in the Jimmy Wallace replica. Clive held on for a good win, with Mark just beating Dan Horsepool for second. Second time out Mark held off Clive all the way to win, with Vince O’Connor back on the pace after tyre problems in the first heat, holding off Dan for third. In the final Clive had a quick spin in the early stages but was soon back in the lead battle, with Mark leading all the way and Vince, Clive and Dan right on his tail. John Cook, as promised, made steady progress to finish all three races.

The FWD HOT RODS had four entries, with Emile Smith now joining in with her Rookie Rod spec Corsa. Emilie went well to lead until halfway in the first heat, but Tom Sagon rapidly caught up and took over in his Redtop-powered Corsa, Tom then being pressured by Chris Cole’s Puma. After several laps of excellent side-by-side racing, Tom just beat Chris to the line, with Ron Merrit’s Micra also passing Emilie for third. There was disappointment in the second heat when Tom pulled off before the start, with a broken driveshaft, and although Emilie again set a good pace in the lead, Chris Cole eventually pulled away to a clear win, with Ron getting the better of Emilie for second. For the final, Tom Sagon appeared in son Harley’s Micra and put up a good fight, but Chris took another win over Emilie, while Tom took third after Ron Merritt struggled on what had ended up as quite an oily track.

There were a couple of welcome additions/returnees to the LIGHTNING ROD field. Jason Gidding joined Kev Goddard at the front of the field, while David Hurst battled with Nathan Tupper and Tyler Younger from the back. Kev Goddard led until half distance in the first heat before David Hurst came through, going on to win with Tyler in close pursuit. Second time out Jason, drifting spectacularly on a wider line, got the better of Kev early on, but Tyler then came through and held off David all the way to the win, with Nathan close behind and Kev grabbing fourth as Jason got a bit too sideways. Jason was missing from the final and Kev had a long run in the lead, but eventually lost out to David Hurst, who took the win with Tyler closing right up at the end. Nathan Tupper just took third from Kev Goddard.

In the 1-LITRE HOT RODS Freddie Chandler made a last minute appearance to bring the grid up to five cars. Josh Wright led the first heat all the way, with his team-mate Lawson Yates right behind him, while Freddie battled to pass first Dom Thornton and then Harley Sagon on the outside. On the last lap Freddie switched to the inside to finally pass Harley, and then shot past Lawson as well on the last corner to take second. Next time out Josh again led, but this time Lawson managed to get past him, hanging on until the last couple of laps, when Freddie hit the front, closely followed by Harley, with Lawson third and Dom fourth after Josh slowed in the closing stages. Lawson led the final away, but suffered a front suspension failure which saw him stranded mid-track, bringing the reds out. The field was closed up for the restart, headed by Josh, but lots of wheelspin off the line saw the leaders three-abreast into the first corner, with Freddie grabbing the inside on the back straight and emerging in front, holding on to win from Harley, Dom and Josh.

There were seven starters in the NINJA KARTS with Daisy Mace leading the field away in each race. In the first heat Freddie Taber came through quickly to take the lead, chased by Logan Dixon, with Riley Lynn holding off Alfie Cole for third. In the second heat Alfie Cole took the advantage over the other red graders from the start and he was the only one to catch Daisy Mace, with Alfie winning and Daisy taking an excellent second as Freddie Taber, Riley Lynn, Logan Dixon, Oakley Mace and Olly Rainer closed in. Despite the extra laps in the final, Daisy was never caught this time, taking the chequered flag as a three-abreast battle for second was resolved in favour of Alfie Cole from Riley Lynn and Freddie Taber. Logan Dixon held off Olly Rainer for fifth with Oakley Mace completing the places.

The JUNIOR SCREAMERS had the day’s biggest grid at nine cars, but only six made it to the gate in time for the first heat, which Logan Wick’s Corsa led all the way, chased by Connor Broomfield’s Corsa and Jaxon Skoyles’ Micra. All nine made it out for the second heat, which saw a battle between Finley Barton’s Fiesta and Connor Broomfield, while Jaxon Skoyles survived getting squeezed out on his first attempt to take the lead before getting through cleanly to take the win from Logan Wick, with Reuben Cunningham’s Micra ending up third from his sister Lacie’s Micra, Connor Broomfield and Emily Gould’s Micra, after Finley Barton picked up a black flag on the last lap. The final proved chaotic, with the red flags coming out just after Jaxon Skoyles found a way past the battling Freddie Cannon’s Micra, Logan Wick and Connor Broomfield. Lacie Cunningham rejoined after getting spun out but was soon spun again and this time ended up on her roof with Finley Barton parked on top of her. Jaxon led all the way from the restart, chased by Connor Broomfield, Logan Wick, Freddie Cannon, Reuben Cunningham and Charlie Hazelwood, with his Suzuki Ignis replaced by an equally unlikely Chevrolet Matiz.

The programme was completed by an eight car field in the SCRAPYARD SCREAMERS. The regular fleet of green cars headed the first heat, with Colin Cator, now in a Suzuki Swift, heading Elise Broomfield’s Ka and Martin Broomfield’s Swift. Second time out Ronnie Russell, usually seen at Swaffham on Sundays in the B2B Bangers, took his Skoda Fabia to the front and held on to win in a close finish with Martin Broomfield, closely followed by Jamie Cunningham’s Micra, Chris Wick’s Corsa and Elise Broomfield. Ronnie led away in the final, getting the better of a side by side battle with Jamie Cunningham, and Ronnie then held on the rest of the way to take a good win in what we think was his first non-contact event, from Chris Wick and Kerry Thurgill’s Ka, with Colin Cator, Elise Broomfield and Jamie Cunningham battling behind and Steven Willgress’ Fiesta completing the field.