Kent Outlaw Oval Racing round 8

KENT OUTLAW OVAL RACING ROUND 8

Lydden Hill Saturday 13 September 2025

After the two-day “Thunder 650” event, which we unfortunately missed because there’s just too much racing to choose from on a Bank Holiday weekend, it was back to the regular Saturday afternoon racing for Kent Outlaw Oval Racing in September, although this too was a special event, the Andy Tait Memorial. Many of the regular Lydden racers had contributed towards the trophies for the finals, in memory of a popular long-time supporter of the sport.

Entries were slightly down on the ideal level, with 52 cars booked in and one late entry turning up; a few non-arrivals meant a total of 45 cars but a full afternoon of 18 races, filling the three-hour available time slot, was achieved by adding extra heats for the split Mini Rod groups and the Lydden Rods. Despite threatening weather forecasts, which probably contributed to a small turnout for the bike track day that preceded the race meeting, most of the rain arrived earlier in the morning and, just as racing started, the sun came out and stayed out for the afternoon.

The first group on track were the MINI RODS GROUP A, with 11 entries. After missing a few meetings, Tom Merry had sunk to the bottom of the “Group A” points, putting him on pole position for what might be his last oval meeting before he turns to circuit racing in one of the various Honda Civic series. Tom led the first heat all the way, with Bill Barlow holding on for second as his dad Rob moved up past Graham Ives on the last lap for third, with Adam Rossister and Dave Mayer close behind, while Nick Ring held off points leader Darren Edwards and Matt Haines. After his car slowed on the first lap, Mick Ramsey recovered to pass Kev Ellis at the end.

Second time out Tom Merry again led all the way, but this time he was under pressure all the way from Dave Mayer, with Graham Ives and Rob Barlow closing up to join the lead battle. Bill Barlow just kept in front of the points championship battle between Darren Edwards and Adam Rossiter, with Matt Haines, Nick Ring and Kev Ellis dicing behind although Mick Ramsay’s car terminally expired this time.

Tom Merry made a slower start in the third heat and Kev Ellis and Graham Ives battled for the lead until Graham got away, chased by Dave Mayer, with Bill Barlow eventually holding off Adam Rossiter and Matt Haines for third, although a tangle in the oval link took out Rob Barlow and Darren Edwards with a lap to go. Nick Ring and Kev Ellis completed the finishers.

Once more Tom Merry led away in the final, but Graham Ives was challenging hard and, just as Graham made his move round the outside, Adam Rossiter saw the gap and nipped past both of them. Adam then held on to win from Graham, while Tom held third until the last corner where he was outbraked by Dave Mayer, unfortunately sending Tom spinning, while Bill Barlow snatched third from Dave, Matt Haines and Darren Edwards. Rob Barlow and Kev Ellis were next with Tom Merry rejoining at the back.

A few absentees reduced the LYDDEN RODS to six starters, but they were highly competitive with four of them battling for the lead all day. The first heat saw Paul Austin’s Fiesta moving up to take the lead with a lap to go from Jack Heaps’ Puma, with Chris Gibb’s Puma and Phil Morgan’s C2 right behind. Robin Miles was shaking down a Suzuki Swift that he intended to use for the following week’s Rallysprint and took fifth ahead of Dover regular Lee Garrett, who turned up with his second Fiesta of the year, having killed the first at Coombe Valley!

Paul Austin got very sideways in the first corner of heat two, dropping him back as Zack Heaps led under pressure from Chris Gibb. Chris’ challenge took him onto the grass though and Zack held on to win from Chris and Phil Morgan, with Paul in fourth. Heat three brought the third winner as Chris this time managed to pass Zack and hold on with Zack second and Phil just snatching third from Paul on the last lap.

The final was when it all got too close as Paul and Chris came together exiting Chessons at half distance, sending Paul spinning into the tyre wall and bringing out the red flag. Nobody was considered at fault, so the race was sent off with a full rerun being held as the last race of the day, with five minutes to spare before the 6pm curfew. Zack Heaps had led the first five laps, and he led the first five of the rerun before being most unlucky as his exhaust manifold cracked, which means an immediate exit from the track at the noise-sensitive Lydden. Phil Morgan then took over but was passed with a lap to go by Chris Gibb, who won from Phil and the recovered Paul Austin. Robin Miles’ Suzuki maybe wasn’t quite as quick as expected but took fourth, with Lee Garrett not coming out for the rerun.

After the two Mini Rod groups had been split according to the points table earlier in the year, the groups are fixed for the second half of the season. MINI ROD GROUP B lined up with 12 starters, including two newcomers starting at the back, while two others having their first or second meeting were starting up front. They were immediately on the pace with Zak Halse and Keith Wickens battling for the lead, while Brandon Bushell came through from mid-pack to join them. Keith took the lead with two laps to go and came home ahead of Brandon and Zak, while Matt Coburn headed the fourth place battle from Dan Wonfor, and new boy Callum Scott, in a car borrowed from Graham Ives, made his way from the back to finish ahead of Terry Pithers, Dave Wimble, Adrian Fryer and Andrew Buckett. Hayley Coburn dropped back, running the club hire car for her dad’s memorial meeting as her own car was poorly, while the other newcomer, Tony Rowland, pulled off at the end.

In race two Zak Halse again led the way, with Keith Wickens just snatching the lead with three laps to go, but losing momentum and dropping into the hectic battle behind. Zak was back in front, but Matt Coburn emerged from the main battle and went for the inside in the last corner, with Zak impressively leaving just enough room for Matt to take a very close win. The next lot ended up three-abreast over the line with Dan Wonfor taking third from Andrew Buckett and Keith Wickens, just ahead of Adrian Fryer, Callum Scott, Terry Pithers and Dan Wimble, with Tony Rowland and Hayley Coburn completing the order after Brandon Bushell pulled off. Callum Scott, a regular Lydden marshal whose dad Darren and grandad Dave have both been well known Rallycross names, was making an impressive debut, but has also been showing great promise in an MG ZR when travelling to south-western Autocross meetings.

The third heat was led by Zak Halse until Matt Coburn came through to take it up, with Terry Pithers just taking second from Zak when it unfortunately came to an early finish after Andrew Buckett had a heavy impact with the tyre wall into Pilgrims, also collecting Callum Scott. Adrian Fryer, Keith Wickens, Dan Wonfor and Dave Wimble were next up, Tony Rowland having already pulled off.

With Andrew Buckett, Brandon Bushell and Tony Rowland missing, nine cars made the final. Zak Halse yet again led from the start but this time Matt Coburn made very quick progress through the traffic and took the lead on the third lap, going on to win as Zak took second after an excellent showing all day, with Adrian Fryer delighted to take the third place trophy from Terry Pithers. Keith Wickens took fifth with Callum Scott a spectacular sixth from Dan Worfor and Dave Wimble, and Hayley Coburn safely bringing the hire car home in ninth.

The 1400 HOT RODS had their normal three races, with seven cars on the grid. Scott Tait had a good run in his Corsa to lead the first heat all the way, just fending off Chris Goldsmith at the end, with Doug Constable chasing them in third. Bradley Needham brought his Corsa home fourth, while Scott Ruggins’ classic RWD Starlet held off Grayci Burbridge, the only one of her family in attendance this time, in her 106 and Alfie Gibb’s Micra.

Bradley Needham and Scott Ruggins both showed briefly in front in heat two before Chris Goldsmith took over, but Doug Constable was also flying and, after a couple of laps side by side with Chris, Doug emerged in front to win from Chris and Scott, with Scott Tait in fourth from Alfie and Grayci, with Bradley pulling off.

Scott Tait led the final away, but Chris Goldsmith was making rapid progress and took the lead after four laps. Doug Constable had a bit more trouble making it through the traffic, and couldn’t quite catch Chris, but took a good second while Scott Tait deservedly took one of his dad’s memorial trophies with third from Scott Ruggins. Alfie Gibb held off Grayci Burbridge and Bradley Needham for fifth.

Finally, the OPEN RODS and OUTLAW HOT RODS shared the track for their three races. Ricky Beazzer again brought out the grey Sierra he’d used at the Thunder 650, with supercharged ST170 power. Admitting that the car was maybe a bit over the top for oval racing, Ricky was considering taking it into the Modified Fords series next year, but this time he took a clear first heat win over Marcus Reeve’s Lightning Rod Sierra, Tommy Parker’s Vauxhall-powered Mk1 Escort and the other Sierras of Connor and Chris Reeve. Second time out Ricky had a scare as he locked up into the oval link before getting the tyres warmed up, but he kept it away from anything solid and rejoined at the back, coming through to snatch the win on the last corner from Marcus, Chris and Connor, with Tommy having pulled off. In the final Ricky again took a dominant win but kept things interesting by giving the Outlaws a run for their money. Tommy took second with Marcus beating Chris and Connor in the battle of the “normal” Sierras.

Four cars lined up in the Outlaws, Colin Smith returning to the oval in the BMW Z4 with, for once, no clashing date for the Intermarque Silhouette series where he runs his newer Ginetta. Colin took the first heat win after passing Dan Rolfe’s 206CC, with Jason Anderson’s Corrado third ahead of Joe Cato’s 205. The result was the same in the second heat, but in the final Dan Rolfe drove a superb race to keep Colin behind him (just) all the way as they battled through the Open Rods. Dan took the win, with Colin unusually settling for second, Jason third and Joe fourth. Colin did have two first place trophies to pick up though from the heats, with this meeting doubling as the Bob West Memorial for the Hot Rods.

A very good afternoon’s racing for the Outlaws then, completed just in time despite a delayed start and the couple of incidents. There are just two more dates on the oval at Lydden this year, on 11 October and 15 November, when it’s hoped to add practice runs in preparation for the new Junior Mini Rod class which is now very close to being confirmed for next year.