TONGHAM MOTOR CLUB ROUND 6
15 June 2025
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Tongham had another busy day for the sixth meeting of the season, once
again in warm, sunny and often dusty conditions, with 110 cars in the
pits for the class racing, plus 50 or so Bangers.
PRODUCTION A
had a 19-car grid, with the latest regrading, now done after every
meeting, putting over half the field in the blue grade, while two of the
top three point scorers were missing. Lee Boulden was one of two
starting from yellow and that helped him take a runaway win in the first
heat, despite an early red flag when Taylor Lamb, Sadie Plant and Oliver
Hester tangled. Cameron Wellgreen held off the blue/red grade pack for a
while until his team mate Jamie Dade took over, but in a three-abreast
finish as they all caught a couple of backmarkers, David Francis
snatched second on the line from Jamie and Willow King, who once again
made excellent progress from the back. Alan Goddard, Cherie Wells,
Cameron Wellgreen, Justin Johnson, Jake Kurn and Joe Morgan were all in
the thick of this battle, while Adam Dade just beat the immaculate car
of Tom Logan. Back of grid starters Robert Light and Zak Palmer, first
time out in a smart Corsa, were lapped at the end and Chris and Casey
Bealing were a bit further adrift.
The second heat saw Lee Boulden dominate again staying well clear of the
traffic, while Willow King, from the back of the grid, has no option but
to tackle the traffic and he continued his amazingly consistent run of
results by coming through to second at the end, with David Francis, Alan
Goddard and Cherie Wells right behind, while Joe Morgan, Justin Johnson,
Jake Kurn and Cameron Wellgreen battled for the next places. Overall,
Lee Boulden was obviously the winner, with Willow second and David
Francis third.
The final proved a race of attrition, but Lee Boulden was unaffected as
he had another flag to flag win. Alan Goddard was an early victim,
spinning into the inside armco, while Cameron Wellgreen lost a wheel and
Taylor Lamb’s bad day continued as he came to rest by the pit gate.
Willow King came through to make sure he would be back to the top of the
points, taking second on the line from Jake Kurn, Cherie Wells and David
Francis, with Justin Johnson, Tom Logan and Sadie Plant chasing them
home, and Adam Dade the only other survivor.
A 13-car field in PRODUCTION B once again featured Louis Feltham
starting behind the regulars – Louis using his irregular Tongham
appearances to try tweaks in between his championship chase at
Smallfield. Ryan Stafford, Kev Beck and Addison Sibley all headed the
pack in the early laps, with Laura Connors initially making the best
progress from the red grade before getting diverted across the infield.
Shane Phillips made the quickest progress from the red grade and he hit
the front at half distance, holding on to win, while Louis Feltham’s charge through the field saw
him just fail to beat Martyn Culley to the line in second. Thomas
Connors took fourth ahead of the battling Fin Chance, Addison Sibley and
Mo Penfold, with Bob Salter, Aaron Culley, Laura Connors and Kev Beck
next up, after Lewis Jewer and Ryan Stafford retired.
Heat two was led for four laps by Kev Beck until Martyn
Culley came past, and then Thomas Connors took over to lead the rest of
the way. Once more Louis Feltham, starting well behind the back of the
grid, came through very quickly and was catching Martyn for second at
the end, with Mo Penfold having a good run to fifth, ahead of Fin
Chance, Laura Connors, Aaron Culley, after losing his exhaust, Addison
Sibley, Kev Beck, Shane Phillips, limping home with a broken driveshaft,
and Bob Salter. Lewis Jewer and Ryan Stafford both pulled out on the
first lap, with engine problems putting Lewis out for the day.
On a freshly watered track, Addison Sibley led the
final away, with Martyn Culley briefly hitting the front, before Shane
Phillips took over. Shane built a big lead and looked to be heading for
his second win of the day but got held up in traffic and then slowed,
smoking, on the last lap, losing out to the hard charging Louis Feltham.
Shane took second as his engine expired on the line, ahead of Thomas
Connors, Martyn Culley and Fin Chance, chased by Aaron Culley. Mo
Penfold, Bob Salter, Laura Connors, Addison Sibley and Kev Beck
completed the finishers. Louis Feltham was the overall winner from
Martyn Culley and Thomas Connors.
The 1450 HOT RODS gridded seven cars for a very
dusty first heat in which James Rich and Sam Harriss were swapping the
lead, with Kodi Page in a close third until the red flags came out –
Kodi was on fire yet again! The result was called with Sam taking the
win from James and Ben Stockley third from Rob Salter and Neil Hudson’s
Horizon. In the second heat James held off Sam all the way, with Ben and
Rob again third and fourth after Kodi pulled off with lots of smoke, but
no flames this time! Neil Hudson and Micky Hopcroft’s Nova completed the
finishers. James again held off Sam all the way to win the final, with
Ben chasing closely in third and Rob in fourth yet again, while Neil
just beat Micky for fifth. Overall it was a win for James, with Sam
second and Ben third.
There were a few additions to the regular SUPER
SALOON field, making a ten car grid. Jordan Dell switched his Fiesta
from Thunder Rods for the day and Austin Jordan appeared in a shared
Civic that was also in the Thunder Rods, while Dave Bullen made a very
welcome return in his familiar
Duratec-powered Starlet, having been
concentrating so far this year on son Hayden’s promising start in the
Juniors. Rian Sawkins is going better all the time with his spaceframe
206 and led the early laps of the first heat before being passed by
Graeme Taylor, only for Graeme to immediately pull off. Chris Carter
then hit the front in his single Hayabusa Pickup, taking a clear win
ahead of Laurence Connors, in the 205 Growler, holding off Dave Bullen.
Rian Sawkins, Tom Chance’s twin GSXR Mini and Mick Peacock’s Starlet
were all lapped by the flying Chris, and Shaun Maynard’s Civic,
with a broken radiator putting him out for the day,
Jordan
Dell and Austin Jordan didn’t finish.
In the second heat Rian Sawkins pulled off after a lap
in the lead. Laurence Connors took over before being passed by Graeme
Taylor and Graeme once more demonstrated how successfully he’s set up
his ex-National Hot Rod Corsa for the sometimes bumpy Tongham track,
holding off Chris Carter for the win, with Laurance and Dave Bullen next
up ahead of Jordan Dell and Austin Jordan.
Only five cars made it to the final and Chris Carter
caught and passed Tom Chance before pulling away to win. Despite needing
a rolling start after losing his clutch on the line, Graeme Taylor
recovered to second, from Tom and Dave Bullen, with Laurence Connors
pulling off. Overall Chris Carter won from Dave Bullen and Graeme
Taylor.
Twelve SPECIALS lined up, with Duane Peacock
joining in for the first time this year in his Hayabusa Class 8. Duane
had problems before the first heat though, as Danny Croucher’s ST170
powered car led the early laps, passed by Charlie Plant, before Ashley
Lock hit the front. With a tight battle for second between Jason
Woodgate, Josh Cole and Chris Carter, Ash was able to control his lead,
with Jason not quite catching him at the end. Chris took third from
Josh, again going well at his second meeting since his comeback. David
Baigent, racing his dad’s car, held fifth until he retired in the
closing stages, with Scott Morgan’s Class 9 car claiming the place from
Charlie Plant and Poppy Carter, with Danny Croucher, Graham Baker and
Lacey Chance completing the finishers.
Second time out Ash Lock was again on top form, passing
early leaders Danny Crouch and Charlie Plant and then holding off Jason
Woodgate all the way to the finish. Scott Morgan came in third, chased
by Duane Peacock, with Poppy Carter, Charlie Plant and Danny Croucher
the only other finishers after Chris Carter, David Baigent and Josh Cole
pulled off, with Lacey Chance getting stranded against the inside armco.
Eight cars made it out for the final, but Chris Carter
pulled out on the first lap and Lacey Chance, Danny Croucher and Charlie
Plant dropped out. When Josh Cole spun in the closing stages there were
just three left, but the pace was still as quick at the front as Ash
Lock held off Jason Woodgate to win again, with Poppy Carter the only
other finisher. Ash was the overall winner from Jason and Poppy.
The THUNDER RODS were down on usual numbers,
with fourteen starting the first race, on a watered track.
Jacob Lock’s Astra led led to
half distance before he stopped and then Jordan Emery-Barker’s pink
Mondeo led the rest of the way, holding off David Lock’s Astra and Trev
Stamp’s Fiesta at the end to take the win. Paul Gadman’s Fiesta came
next, in front of Elouise Powell’s Focus, Gary Godsmark’s BMW, Connor
Wright’s Audi TT and Ant Sawkins’ Civic, with Lee Jones’ BMW the only
other finisher after John Burt’s MG went off in the closing stages to
join other retirements Luke Tompsett’s Fiesta, Aaron Buckett’s Civic and
Elliott Rogers-Joyce in Chris Snook’s BMW Mini. The second race was
dominated by the number of punctures, with at least David Lock, Gary
Godsmark, Paul Gadman and Jordan Emery-Barker suffering. John Burt came
through to take the lead from Luke Tompsett at half distance and John
took the win from Luke, Lee Jones, Trev Stamp, Ant Sawkins and Elouise
Powell, who were the only finishers.
The final gained one as Jordan Dell, after starting the
day in Super Saloons, returned to the Thunder Rods. Jordan Emery-Barker
led most of the race but pulled off with three laps to go and Lee Jones
took over to win, with Jordan Dell coming through to beat Trev Stamp for
second. Elouise Powell had another good race to beat Gary Godsmark for
fourth, with Ant Sawkins, Paul Gadman, Aaron Buckett, David Lock and
Elliott Joyce completing the finishers. John Burt pulled off when his
bonnet flipped up and Luke Tompsett collected the inside armco on the
first lap.
A good field of seventeen JUNIORS needed three
restarts in their first heat, mainly due to startline problems. Tyler
Hales, entering his first full meeting since stepping up quickly from
the Novices, started on his own in the white grade and eventually led
all the way, with Riley Boulden holding off red graders Jack Stacey,
Tyler Cushing and Cortney Hales for second. Current points leader James
Rich headed a battle for sixth, from hard-trying newcomer Jake Liyanage,
who burst a tyre at the finish, Tiger Kemp, Alexia Bowen and Elliott
Simmonds, with Jay Hopcroft next and Leo Wild, newly promoted from the
Novices but starting from the back, the last to finish after problems
for Kaci Rogers, Freya Dixon, Charlie Plant and Jobi Boswell.
The second race was also stopped twice, the second time
for a heavy shunt involving Jake Liyanage and Tiger Kemp, as a battle
between James Rich and Jack Stacey caught Jake for second place. The
result was called with Tyler Hales taking another win, Jake awarded
second and James third. Charlie Plant was placed fourth ahead of Tiger
Kemp, Riley Boulden and Freya Dixon, with Leo Wild the only other
finisher.
After all this drama it got worse in the final. Tyler
Hales led away but in the hectic first lap traffic Tiger Kemp was tagged
along the back straight, turned into the armco and rolled, leading to a
lengthy stoppage. From the restart Tyler managed four laps out front
before there was more trouble in exactly the same spot; a four-car
tangle led to Freya Dixon being turned into the armco and rolling
spectacularly. With Freya being attended to, that was the end of the
day’s racing. The win was awarded to Tyler Hales, from Riley Boulden,
Elliott Simmonds, Jack Stacey and Jake Liyanage. Freya was awarded sixth
ahead of Cortney Hales, Alexia Bowen, Tyler Cushing, James Rich, Jay
Hopcroft and George Muirhead, who’d just joined the field, moving up
from the Novices for the final. Overall, Tyler Hales won the day’s
trophy from Riley Boulden and Jake Liyanage.
Despite some moving up now to the main Junior class,
there was still a very full field of JUNIOR NOVICES, with
eighteen signed on, including newcomers Jesse Plowman, Lexie Roberts,
Maddie Knight, Frankie Holland and Harvey Avery, although Jesse, Lexie
and Maddie had already been out at Smallfield. As ever, although results
don’t matter and there are no points for this group, it was difficult to
keep track of the races, depending on who you thought was starting at
the front or the back as the grid spread out round the track. Alfie
Symonds was at the back on the grid sheet, but was scored as starting
from the front, so he led the first race all the way, with Brooke
Mitchell, who we thought was in front in her Saxo, taking second from
Harvey Mawdsley’s Corsa, Ellie Lines, Riley Cushing, Harry Williams’
Mini, Esme Powell, Louisa Field in the second Mini, Frankie Holland,
George Muirhead, Maddie Knight, Lexie Roberts, Harvey Avery, Freddie
Salter and Tia Stephens, with
Fin Lucas, Jesse Plowman, Leah Gregory not finishing
We picked up George Muirhead as leader in the second race (which would
be his last with the Novices) but the official version had Alfie Symonds
again leading all the way, from Brooke Mitchell, Harvey Mawdsley, Riley
Cushing, Ellie Lines, Harry Williams, Esme Powell, Louisa Field, Frankie
Holland and George Muirhead. Louisa unfortunately ended up in the
barrier after the finish, with a suspected ankle injury which we hope
wasn’t too serious.
For the final we again had alternative results, as we thought Ellie
Lines was in front, in what would also be her last race with the
novices. Alfie Symonds was scored in front again though, and was
definitely one of the fastest on track, followed by Brooke Mitchell,
Harvey Mawdsley, Frankie Holland, Ellie Lines, Harry Williams, Riley
Cushing, Lexie Roberts, Maddie Knight and Esme Powell, with Fin Lucas,
Harvey Avery and Leah Gregory, last time out in her AX before being
treated to a Micra, also making the finish.
There were of course loads of BANGERS in the “Nudge and Spin”
groups, with 24 in the “Large” and 25 in the “Small” group. Jamie Duff
was joined in the Focus-dominated large group by daughter Kara, just
moving out of Juniors. They both got moved to the back of the first race
but Jamie made it through to second, behind Cameron Stamp,, with Tom
Dickson, Darren Jones, Josh West and Aaron Palmer the only other
survivors. One eye catching entry was an Austin Maxi for former Prod B
racer Callum Penfold, but it didn't last long. Jamie started up front in the second heat, and won after a
battle with Owen Moore, with Tom Dickson and Brad Reid also going the
full distance and Zane Rose Snr, Rob Hopkins, David Monger and Craig
Hawkins surviving to score some points. Owen Moore pulled off while
leading in the final which Craig Hawkins went on to win from Tom
Dickson, Jamie Duff, Charlie Turner and Zane Rose Jnr. Overall, Jamie
Duff was the winner from Tom Dickson and Craig Hawkins
The smaller group created their usual degree of havoc in their races,
starting on a watered track in the first heat, which former Prod A
driver Lee Winter enjoyed as he came through to win from Lee Holland,
Albert-Lee Garrett, another Prod A refugee Dan Kenton, Bailey Ramsey,
Mark Ramsey, Zac Cooper, Richard Davis, Dan Meeks and Owen Cutler. The
second race developed to a close finish with Lee Holland beating Alec
Constanduros, Albert-Lee Garrett and Owen Cutler across the line. Others
to make it to the end in more or less one piece were Dan Kenton, Richard
Davis, Jayden Cushing, Zac Cooper, Dave Purt, Riley Hunt and Braydon
Dixon. In the final Zac Cooper set the early pace before losing out to
Lee Holland, but Albert-Lee Garrett was in front when the reds came out
early, with Lee Holland placed second from Zac Cooper, Len Bowen, Dan
Kenton, Lee Winter, Alec Constanduros, Jayden Cushing and Richard Davis.
After the Juniors’ incidents the Allcomers, Mechanics’ and Banger Allcomers races all had to be cancelled.