Modified Ford Series @ Ford Power Live Brands Hatch 13th September 2026
The Modified Ford Series returned to action after supporting the prestigious British GT Championship at Snetterton in August with the Ford Power Live meeting at Brands Hatch on the 13th of September. The famous venue celebrated its centenary during 2026 and the former mushroom field grew from an anti-clockwise grasstrack racing venue to hosting the British Grand Prix in alternate years with Silverstone for 24 years up to 1986. The Kent circuit held massive World Superbike Championship meetings at the height of Carl Fogarty’s success post-Formula One, whilst on four wheels there have been visits by Indycar and the DTM. It is currently the venue for the British round of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup as well as well as closing the season for both the hugely popular BTCC and British Superbike championships. The Ford Power Live exhibition was the scene of the very first Modified Ford Series race in 2019 and the characterful machines have been a fixture ever since.
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Group A
OVENDEN’S POWER PLAY NETS AN EMOTIONAL DOUBLE VICTORY
Preview: Lloyd Jamieson qualified on pole position last time out at Snetterton but the Class SA Escort Maxi Cosworth had grip issues and a spin during the races, the powerful machine qualified on the front row at the Ford Power Live event last year with car builder Andrew Gallacher behind the wheel and the Scot will be hoping to at least match that effort. Simon Light’s last entry at Donington Park three months ago ended in the Redgate gravel trap with broken suspension but the self-developed Capri V8 took a second overall and lapped the Indy circuit in under 50 seconds at the corresponding event last year so will be aiming high this time around. Chris Harrison embarked on a whirlwind tour of Jersey hillclimbs around the August Bank Holiday weekend and the trip finished with a class record at the Bouley Bay course, the former motorbike racer is a regular top-six contender now and the RSR should feature strongly in Kent. An interesting machine making its race debut was the radical rear-wheel-drive machine of Terry Davies, When an Orion and a BMW had a baby, this ultimate sleeper was the outcome! The car is underpinned by an E36 BMW and is powered by a 3.2-litre S54 straight six out of an E46 M3! Davies has raced in the series before with a turbocharged ’more door’ Mk2 Escort and the progress of the Orion will be watched with interest. Malcolm Wise took home a third-in-class award at Snetterton and the vastly experienced driver knows Brands Hatch extremely well so could pick up another pot here too. Jim Newins’ Cosworth engine blew its head gasket in Norfolk and he would be hoping for a better day this time at the venue where the Mk2 Escort made its debut 12 months ago. The 2025 Mini JCW Challenge champion Tom Ovenden hasn’t been able to enter the series as often this year as he makes his defence of the title but expect the Duratec-engined RSR from Class SB to be at the sharp end. A pair of Vauxhall-engined Mk2 Escorts were entered and Chris White’s rally car has gone very well on its transition from the stages, whilst Mat Brennan has usually faced various RSRs in the class so was relishing having another Mk2 Escort to play with. James Allen was in super form when the series supported the British GT Championship last time out at Snetterton and he grabbed both race wins, with newborn baby Gracie there to witness them. Can his new lucky charm help the Class A Focus to more success this time? Todd Garner scored a pair of overall podiums in Norfolk and the Focus is consistently among the front runners so will have lofty ambitions in Kent. Stefan Marsh debuted a more powerful motor in his Focus one month ago and is a regular trophy winner in the class so should feature highly on the timesheet. Mick Head is one of the most enthusiastic members of the Modified Ford Series community and his Ken Block-tribute Focus is capable of a class award on its day and completed a quartet of five-cylinder hatchbacks entered in the class. Dan Brown led the first race at Donington Park in June with his Sierra RS500 and the former British GT racer will definitely be one to keep an eye on. Mike Manning, like Brown above, made his second start in this year’s series after Donington Park and the fabulous Texaco-liveried Sierra RS500 will be towards the top of the class after taking a class win in June. The car has recently been refreshed with a new engine, gearbox and diff, whilst Manning is a handy pedaller in the rain. Dan Cowan made his first entry in the series for a few years and it was an even longer break for his Sierra Cosworth whilst it underwent a full rebuild. Alan Breck’s Jãgermeister-liveried Capri V8 has been racing in Europe in the main recently but returned to the series one year on after damaging the rumbling coupe in a collision with Wayne Crabtree’s RS200 clone. Breck also has a Lola-based GT40 waiting in the wings. Trig Bishop’s stunning Mk1 Escort houses a very pretty 3000cc V6 in the engine bay and the Bristolian will only get quicker as his experience grows and the car develops. Paul Nevill put in a great charge to win the opening Class B+ battle at Snetterton from well down the grid but the RS2000 had to play second fiddle to Martin Reynolds’ Mk2 Escort in the rematch as his handling went away, expect the series coordinator to be at the sharp end at Brands Hatch but he faces some rapid front-wheel-drive opposition this time. AJ Howe hoped fitting upgraded stub axles and camber arms would give his remarkable Focus Estate some better reliability to match its impressive pace, demonstrated by running in the top three at the Snetterton ’200’ meeting before succumbing to issues. Kester Cook returned with his pocket rocket Fiesta at Brands Hatch, having recently raced in the Castle Combe GTs on the Bank Holiday Monday a couple of weeks prior. Cook won his class and potentially set the fastest ever lap by a Fiesta of the Wiltshire circuit. The former German Fiesta ST Cup machine scored a pair of second-in-class results behind Nevill earlier in the year at Donington Park, its only other appearance in the series this season. Robert Lewis’ Focus Ecoboost makes its second start of 2026 after Snetterton last month, where it took a couple of third-in-class results and Lewis would be after more silverware this weekend. Oliver Clarke’s Fiesta Turbo made its third start with the Modified Fords, after racing at the two Snetterton events earlier this season alongside his stepfather Wayne Crabtree and the hatchback should be well suited to the busy ’Indy’ layout. Wes Mott entered in the Ecoboost Fiesta previously driven by Class A competitor Dan Cowan’s son Alfie in recent times. In another Ecoboost Fiesta, Ian Parker made his maiden start for both the car and driver.
OVENDEN’S POWER PLAY NETS AN EMOTIONAL DOUBLE VICTORY
Preview: Lloyd Jamieson qualified on pole position last time out at Snetterton but the Class SA Escort Maxi Cosworth had grip issues and a spin during the races, the powerful machine qualified on the front row at the Ford Power Live event last year with car builder Andrew Gallacher behind the wheel and the Scot will be hoping to at least match that effort. Simon Light’s last entry at Donington Park three months ago ended in the Redgate gravel trap with broken suspension but the self-developed Capri V8 took a second overall and lapped the Indy circuit in under 50 seconds at the corresponding event last year so will be aiming high this time around. Chris Harrison embarked on a whirlwind tour of Jersey hillclimbs around the August Bank Holiday weekend and the trip finished with a class record at the Bouley Bay course, the former motorbike racer is a regular top-six contender now and the RSR should feature strongly in Kent. An interesting machine making its race debut was the radical rear-wheel-drive machine of Terry Davies, When an Orion and a BMW had a baby, this ultimate sleeper was the outcome! The car is underpinned by an E36 BMW and is powered by a 3.2-litre S54 straight six out of an E46 M3! Davies has raced in the series before with a turbocharged ’more door’ Mk2 Escort and the progress of the Orion will be watched with interest. Malcolm Wise took home a third-in-class award at Snetterton and the vastly experienced driver knows Brands Hatch extremely well so could pick up another pot here too. Jim Newins’ Cosworth engine blew its head gasket in Norfolk and he would be hoping for a better day this time at the venue where the Mk2 Escort made its debut 12 months ago. The 2025 Mini JCW Challenge champion Tom Ovenden hasn’t been able to enter the series as often this year as he makes his defence of the title but expect the Duratec-engined RSR from Class SB to be at the sharp end. A pair of Vauxhall-engined Mk2 Escorts were entered and Chris White’s rally car has gone very well on its transition from the stages, whilst Mat Brennan has usually faced various RSRs in the class so was relishing having another Mk2 Escort to play with. James Allen was in super form when the series supported the British GT Championship last time out at Snetterton and he grabbed both race wins, with newborn baby Gracie there to witness them. Can his new lucky charm help the Class A Focus to more success this time? Todd Garner scored a pair of overall podiums in Norfolk and the Focus is consistently among the front runners so will have lofty ambitions in Kent. Stefan Marsh debuted a more powerful motor in his Focus one month ago and is a regular trophy winner in the class so should feature highly on the timesheet. Mick Head is one of the most enthusiastic members of the Modified Ford Series community and his Ken Block-tribute Focus is capable of a class award on its day and completed a quartet of five-cylinder hatchbacks entered in the class. Dan Brown led the first race at Donington Park in June with his Sierra RS500 and the former British GT racer will definitely be one to keep an eye on. Mike Manning, like Brown above, made his second start in this year’s series after Donington Park and the fabulous Texaco-liveried Sierra RS500 will be towards the top of the class after taking a class win in June. The car has recently been refreshed with a new engine, gearbox and diff, whilst Manning is a handy pedaller in the rain. Dan Cowan made his first entry in the series for a few years and it was an even longer break for his Sierra Cosworth whilst it underwent a full rebuild. Alan Breck’s Jãgermeister-liveried Capri V8 has been racing in Europe in the main recently but returned to the series one year on after damaging the rumbling coupe in a collision with Wayne Crabtree’s RS200 clone. Breck also has a Lola-based GT40 waiting in the wings. Trig Bishop’s stunning Mk1 Escort houses a very pretty 3000cc V6 in the engine bay and the Bristolian will only get quicker as his experience grows and the car develops. Paul Nevill put in a great charge to win the opening Class B+ battle at Snetterton from well down the grid but the RS2000 had to play second fiddle to Martin Reynolds’ Mk2 Escort in the rematch as his handling went away, expect the series coordinator to be at the sharp end at Brands Hatch but he faces some rapid front-wheel-drive opposition this time. AJ Howe hoped fitting upgraded stub axles and camber arms would give his remarkable Focus Estate some better reliability to match its impressive pace, demonstrated by running in the top three at the Snetterton ’200’ meeting before succumbing to issues. Kester Cook returned with his pocket rocket Fiesta at Brands Hatch, having recently raced in the Castle Combe GTs on the Bank Holiday Monday a couple of weeks prior. Cook won his class and potentially set the fastest ever lap by a Fiesta of the Wiltshire circuit. The former German Fiesta ST Cup machine scored a pair of second-in-class results behind Nevill earlier in the year at Donington Park, its only other appearance in the series this season. Robert Lewis’ Focus Ecoboost makes its second start of 2026 after Snetterton last month, where it took a couple of third-in-class results and Lewis would be after more silverware this weekend. Oliver Clarke’s Fiesta Turbo made its third start with the Modified Fords, after racing at the two Snetterton events earlier this season alongside his stepfather Wayne Crabtree and the hatchback should be well suited to the busy ’Indy’ layout. Wes Mott entered in the Ecoboost Fiesta previously driven by Class A competitor Dan Cowan’s son Alfie in recent times. In another Ecoboost Fiesta, Ian Parker made his maiden start for both the car and driver.
Qualifying: Qualifying and racing was condensed into a single day for 2026. The weather forecast for the morning was decidedly mixed but the qualifying session was held in dry conditions, if overcast. Tom Ovenden had already gone fastest in the free practice session earlier in the morning by 1.148 seconds from Lloyd Jamieson’s Escort Maxi Cosworth in a sign of intent before qualifying. Ovenden’s Class SB RSR continued its free practice form with a pole position-winning time some 0.397 seconds faster than Jamieson’s Class SA machine. The pair were the only cars to lap the 1.208-mile long circuit in the ‘49s’, with the latter making his improvement into the bracket after a red flag break. James Allen was quickest in Class A with the third-fastest time but his splitter was drooping after a tie broke and he was the cause of the stoppage when a big spin at Paddock Hill Bend saw the Focus stranded in the middle of the circuit. Allen headed Simon Light’s Class SA Capri in fourth by just 0.087 seconds, with both a shade over a second from the pole-winning benchmark and the 5-litre coupe was another to find more time after the restart. The third row was home to a pair of Class A Sierras as Mike Manning beat Dan Brown to fifth on the grid by 0.414 seconds. Todd Garner was at the wheel of the fourth Class A car on the starting grid in seventh, with Chris Harrison’s RSR joining the Focus on the fourth row and the Ecoboost-powered spaceframe was third-quickest in Class SA. Paul Nevill’s RS2000 was the best of the Class B+ entries in ninth and Stefan Marsh completed the top ten as both set their best times after the stoppage, despite Marsh suffering with a long brake pedal on his Class A Focus. Dan Cowan went well on his Sierra’s return to the series to start 11th and the second-fastest car from Class B+ would go from alongside the RS Cosworth as Kester Cook set the 12th-best time and was a shade over a second off Nevill’s class-topping qualifying time. Oliver Clarke’s Fiesta was the third Class B+ runner on the grid in 13th and Terry Davies’ wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing Orion would line up 14th, with the BMW-based saloon escaping from a trip through the Paddock Hill Bend gravel trap during the session. Awning mates Robert Lewis and AJ Howe’s Class B+ Focuses wound up 16th and 17th, separated by 0.102 seconds, but the latter’s Estate floundered when its engine mysteriously cut out. Chris White qualified the second Class SB car in the field 20th, two seconds ahead of class rival Mat Brennan’s similar Mk2 Escort in 23rd.
Qualifying results: Click here
Qualifying results: Click here
Race One: A shower of rain a short time before the opening race left the drivers scratching their heads over tyre choice but the track was almost dry by the start so made dry tyres the clear choice for what was to be a busy race. Lloyd Jamieson burst into the lead ahead of a three wide battle for second approaching Paddock Hill Bend as Simon Light and Dan Brown powered alongside Tom Ovenden but the polesitter held on, with James Allen dropping to fifth behind Brown’s Sierra. Ovenden had a look up the inside of Jamieson climbing up to Druids and Light ran around the outside of both but the order didn’t change, Allen tried to find his way by Brown too without success. Ovenden got alongside Jamieson’s Maxi again through Clark Curve for the first time but Jamieson’s extra grunt stymied the attempt and RSR fell to third as Light thundered past into second but the Capri wouldn’t hold the place for long as Ovenden reclaimed second at Druids. Allen was crawling all over Brown as well and the pair touched dropping down to Graham Hill Bend for the second time before the Sierra pitted at the end of the lap with turbo trouble so the Focus slotted into fourth. Ovenden’s nimble RSR was quicker out of Clearways once more ending lap three but Jamieson’s power told again, it was a repeat performance next time around but Light had closed back in on the pair as the RSR tried to unseat Jamieson and the V8 Capri rumbled into second starting lap six. However, Ovenden’s comeback move at Druids was successful again and now Allen had caught them too. Light blasted past Ovenden into second at the end of the lap and staved the RSR off at Druids this time, with Allen close to demoting Ovenden to fourth at Graham Hill Bend. The normally-aspirated RSR lost out in a straightline once more as Allen’s Focus flew past the RSR into third starting lap eight. Now into his stride, Allen moved up to second at Druids for the tenth time with Light heading for the pits soon after with something not feeling right in the front end of the Capri. Jamieson hadn’t fully escaped out front despite the place-swapping behind and still led onto the penultimate lap but some caution in traffic saw Allen dive up the inside at Druids from a long way back. Unfortunately, the Focus couldn’t stop and clouted Class B+ leader Kester Cook into a spin. Jamieson stayed with the Focus before a snap at Clearways saw Ovenden briefly nose ahead through Clark Curve but the Scot had breezed back into second before the timing line. Allen crossed the finish line first by one-and-three-quarter seconds but was stung with a five-second track limits penalty so Ovenden was awarded the win after Jamieson retired on the final lap with an electrical fault. Mike Manning was a surprised third after Jamieson’s late exit, whilst Chris Harrison and Todd Garner squabbled for much of the distance with the latter’s Focus ahead from lap two but the RSR eventually slipped through at Druids for the 16th time and took Class SA honours in fourth. The remarkable BMW-underpinned Orion of Terry Davies scored a debut top-six finish behind Garner and was the runner-up in Class SA. Paul Nevill held sway early on in Class B+ before Kester Cook reeled in the class leader, who got by the misfiring RS2000 up to Druids shortly before the series coordinator went out with a suspected fuel pump issue. Cook’s left-hand-drive Fiesta recovered from its contact-induced spin to narrowly hold off Oliver Clarke’s Fiesta for the Class B+ spoils by 1.090 seconds in seventh and eighth. Chris White and Mick Head battled all race long, with the Focus prevailing in 12th overall and the Mk2 Escort took the runner-up spot in Class SB. Another scrap raged lower down the order for an eventual 14th overall between Mat Brennan, Jim Newins and Trig Bishop, the latter’s 3-litre Mk1 Escort drifted into the gravel at Clearways when the leaders came up to lap them but Bishop’s Class A car caught its targets again to win the battle by 1.531 seconds from Newins’ turbocharged Class SA Mk2 Escort as Brennan took third in Class SB with his ‘red top’ Mk2 Escort.
Race One results: Click here
Race One results: Click here
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Race Two: A number of quick machines would be starting from the back of the field, with the Class SA monsters of Lloyd Jamieson and Simon Light joined by Stefan Marsh’s Class A Focus plus the front-running Class B+ cars of Paul Nevill and AJ Howe. Polesitter Tom Ovenden led the pack into Paddock Hill Bend for the first time from James Allen, with Mike Manning locking up as he arrived side-by-side with Chris Harrison before the RS500 made third place his own at Druids. With a clear track ahead of the RSR, Ovenden raced away from Allen during the opening laps. The second-placed Focus in turn was pulling away from Manning’s RS500 in third. whilst Harrison settled into an early Class SA lead in fourth but was caught and passed by the Focus of Todd Garner a few minutes in. The charge from the back of the grid was led by Simon Light, who had reached the top ten by the end of lap two but unfortunately contact with Harrison turned the RSR into the pitwall after the 5-litre Capri aimed for a closing gap through Clark Curve ending lap seven. Thankfully, Harrison was able to step out of his damaged RSR unharmed. The incident brought out the red flag just before half distance and the restart was to be held over seven minutes. Allen’s Focus RS took the lead at the rolling start but Ovenden hit the front at Clearways for the first time and the RSR went to work on opening a gap. Ovenden wouldn’t be threatened again and crossed the line 9.560 seconds clear of Allen’s Class A-winning Focus to complete an emotional double victory for himself and his family, with his top results dedicated to his late cousins Matt and Ollie. It took until Druids for Manning to gain the upper hand on Garner for third place before fifth starter Light took fourth from Garner’s Focus beginning lap two and the Capri V8 was gifted third when Manning skated off at Paddock Hill Bend for the second time. The issue Light had felt during the opening bout was still there but he persevered to bring the monstrous Capri home on the podium and prevailed in Class SA. Another driver to have taken the original start from the rear of the field, Lloyd Jamieson took the restart in eighth but the Escort Maxi Cosworth lost a spot to Stefan Marsh, who’d also started towards the back for the first part, at Graham Hill Bend on lap one before the Focus got by Terry Davies at Surtees. Jamieson whistled by the Orion past the pits in Marsh’s wake but ran through the marbles at Paddock Hill Bend like Manning’s Texaco Sierra, after being squeezed wide when he caught the Focus on the approach to the corner. Marsh continued to go well, taking fifth place from Kester Cook into Surtees on lap two but had to defend from the resurgent Jamieson into Paddock Hill Bend for the third time. However, the Focus was powerless to stop the Escort Maxi Cosworth steaming into fifth starting lap four. Jamieson’s pursuit of Garner paid off with a pass at Paddock Hill Bend for the last but one time to cross the line second in Class SA and fourth overall, with the third-placed Light in sight just up the road. The Garner and Marsh five-cylinder Focuses finished in fifth and sixth overall along with being second and third in Class A. The recovering Manning had rejoined just behind Jamieson and had not long passed Marsh for sixth when smoke from the front bumper rubbing on the nearside tyre forced the RS500 pitwards. Kester Cook just kept clear of a closing AJ Howe for Class B+ honours in seventh, the Fiesta and Focus taking the flag just 1.552 seconds apart. Cook had cleared Davies’ Orion on lap one at Druids to run in sixth before the charging Jamieson and Marsh relegated the Fiesta. Class B+ runner-up Howe needed a couple more laps to reel in the class-winning Cook after a determined effort, having lined up for the original start at the back of the field and the Focus Estate finished only a few car lengths shy in eighth. The third Class B+ finisher Oliver Clarke overcame Terry Davies for ninth and the rear-wheel-drive Orion completed the top ten for third in Class SA. Class SB runner-up Chris White won the battle of Bristol when Trig Bishop ran into the gravel at Clearways as the leaders came up on them on their final lap. White now has enough signatures after the race to remove his novice cross. The two Class SB Mk2 Escorts were neck-and-neck up to Druids on lap one before Mat Brennan had an ‘under rotation’ and skated wide, finishing third in the class for the second time. Paul Nevill had climbed eight places after starting 20th when the RS2000 was forced to retire with a suspected bent valve, whilst the Fiesta of debutant Ian Parker also failed to finish.
Race Two results: Click here
Scalextric 'Driver of the Day' (Group A): Terry Davies was nominated for the Group A prize after an eye-opening couple of races with his amazing Orion, taking home a Class SA placing trophy in each.
Race Two results: Click here
Scalextric 'Driver of the Day' (Group A): Terry Davies was nominated for the Group A prize after an eye-opening couple of races with his amazing Orion, taking home a Class SA placing trophy in each.
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Group B
EVERYTHING IS GOLDEN FOR BROWN AS MK1 ESCORTS RULE THE ROOST
Preview: Sean Brown added another two Class B wins to his record last time out at Snetterton and the fleet BDG-engined Mk1 Escort will be aiming for the Group B race wins to add to his class successes. Mike Thurley missed the opener in Norfolk with a painful back but stormed through the pack to second in the class on Sunday and the Mk1 Escort was the fastest Class B car in the dry at last year’s event so had his sights set on victory this time. Chris Baker’s troublesome year continued at Snetterton but if the Mk3 Escort behaves itself then it could well set the pace this time. Laki Chistoforou put in a late entry with his superb BDG-engined Escort. After finishing second-in-class in the opener at Snetterton, Christoforou harried Brown during the second race before Mike Thurley came through to deny him the spot. Tony Paxman’s very smart Mk1 Escort returned to the series in Norfolk, having impressed in some very wet conditions at the Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting to take a fourth overall against some much more outlandish machinery. Gary West-Johnson’s pretty Mk1 Escort made its debut at the Ford Power Live event four years ago and isn’t far away from the ultimate pace. Andy Pipe took the wheel of yet another Mk1 Escort entered in Class B and the Pinto-engined car is among the smartest on the grid. Colin Claxton moved from his turbocharged Class A Mk1 Escort to his 2-litre Class B version in the build up to the meeting and made it seven Mk1 Escorts in the split. Jason Stone’s Mk2 Escort has shown speed but has suffered with setbacks too this year but was hopeful of a good showing at his local circuit. Mike MacKenzie should find the Brands Hatch ’Indy’ circuit to his liking and will hope to take the fight to the rear-wheel-drive kit surrounding the Fiesta, especially if the going is slippery and his Autograss experience shines through. John Ward's Mk1 Focus wowed with a second in class at Oulton Park and has gone well at the Kent venue before, with the local man one of the competitors likely to be doing a rain dance. Reeve Robinson’s Fiesta finished off the road at Paddock Hill Bend in 2025 but will aim to mix it with the other Fiestas entered. The similar Fiesta of Ian Seale put in its annual Ford Power Live entry and the car has already been seen in the series this year with Wil Arif at the first Snetterton meeting in May. Gary Littlewood was thrilled to twice claim the Class C spoils in front of the British GT crowd at Snetterton last month and the Fiesta would be aiming to repeat the feat in Kent. Justin Fuller came back into the competition at Snetterton and promptly put his rebuilt Puma on the class pole, with the Norfolk man keen to turn the rapid pace into victories. Stephen Primett has only made sporadic appearances this season but the Mk1 Escort BDA will surely be on the pace after dominating the class in 2025. Dave Barrett made his return to the series with his rebuilt Fiesta after putting it on its roof at Snetterton in May and the 2024 series winner’s now white machine will surely be in the thick of the action as Barrett regains his confidence. David Priestly’s Fiesta started off with a Puma motor installed but now houses a 1600cc Zetec unit and the local man was out to enjoy himself.
Preview: Sean Brown added another two Class B wins to his record last time out at Snetterton and the fleet BDG-engined Mk1 Escort will be aiming for the Group B race wins to add to his class successes. Mike Thurley missed the opener in Norfolk with a painful back but stormed through the pack to second in the class on Sunday and the Mk1 Escort was the fastest Class B car in the dry at last year’s event so had his sights set on victory this time. Chris Baker’s troublesome year continued at Snetterton but if the Mk3 Escort behaves itself then it could well set the pace this time. Laki Chistoforou put in a late entry with his superb BDG-engined Escort. After finishing second-in-class in the opener at Snetterton, Christoforou harried Brown during the second race before Mike Thurley came through to deny him the spot. Tony Paxman’s very smart Mk1 Escort returned to the series in Norfolk, having impressed in some very wet conditions at the Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting to take a fourth overall against some much more outlandish machinery. Gary West-Johnson’s pretty Mk1 Escort made its debut at the Ford Power Live event four years ago and isn’t far away from the ultimate pace. Andy Pipe took the wheel of yet another Mk1 Escort entered in Class B and the Pinto-engined car is among the smartest on the grid. Colin Claxton moved from his turbocharged Class A Mk1 Escort to his 2-litre Class B version in the build up to the meeting and made it seven Mk1 Escorts in the split. Jason Stone’s Mk2 Escort has shown speed but has suffered with setbacks too this year but was hopeful of a good showing at his local circuit. Mike MacKenzie should find the Brands Hatch ’Indy’ circuit to his liking and will hope to take the fight to the rear-wheel-drive kit surrounding the Fiesta, especially if the going is slippery and his Autograss experience shines through. John Ward's Mk1 Focus wowed with a second in class at Oulton Park and has gone well at the Kent venue before, with the local man one of the competitors likely to be doing a rain dance. Reeve Robinson’s Fiesta finished off the road at Paddock Hill Bend in 2025 but will aim to mix it with the other Fiestas entered. The similar Fiesta of Ian Seale put in its annual Ford Power Live entry and the car has already been seen in the series this year with Wil Arif at the first Snetterton meeting in May. Gary Littlewood was thrilled to twice claim the Class C spoils in front of the British GT crowd at Snetterton last month and the Fiesta would be aiming to repeat the feat in Kent. Justin Fuller came back into the competition at Snetterton and promptly put his rebuilt Puma on the class pole, with the Norfolk man keen to turn the rapid pace into victories. Stephen Primett has only made sporadic appearances this season but the Mk1 Escort BDA will surely be on the pace after dominating the class in 2025. Dave Barrett made his return to the series with his rebuilt Fiesta after putting it on its roof at Snetterton in May and the 2024 series winner’s now white machine will surely be in the thick of the action as Barrett regains his confidence. David Priestly’s Fiesta started off with a Puma motor installed but now houses a 1600cc Zetec unit and the local man was out to enjoy himself.
Qualifying: The weather had brightened considerably for the smaller-engined cars’ 15 minutes of qualifying, with warm sunshine beating down on the Kent venue. The front row hosted a pair of BDG-powered Mk1 Escorts as Sean Brown bested late-entry Laki Christoforou by 0.866 seconds for pole position. Chris Baker was 1.191 seconds off polesitter Brown in third aboard his Mk3 Escort RS1600i and was joined on the second row by Andy Pipe’s immaculate Mk1 Escort, another 0.452 seconds back. Gary West-Johnson qualified the fourth Mk1 Escort in the top five at the head of the third row and he was impressively joined by the leading Class C car of Justin Fuller in sixth. Tony Paxman with another Mk1 Escort was seventh quickest and headed the second-fastest Class C machine of Gary Littlewood in eighth, with the Fiesta 0.468 seconds adrift of the class-topping Puma on the row ahead. The Class B Fiesta of Mike MacKenzie got inside the top ten with ninth, whilst Jason Stone suffered the frustration of watching his time slip down the order from a top-six position after being forced to pit when an alternator wire came off and the Mk2 Escort ended up tenth. Just outside the top ten was the third Class C car of Stephen Primett, with the Mk1 Escort BDA lining up 11th. The session was a disaster for expected front-runner Mike Thurley after the Mk1 Escort’s gearbox made expensive-sounding noises exiting Druids on his first flying lap. Thurley had recently sold his five-speed ‘box as he prepares to fit a sequential unit and was running his spare four speed transmission but unfortunately it didn’t take long to go bang. David Priestly from Class C avoided a potentially nightmarish situation after pitting when he smelled fuel whilst out on track and the fuel pipe came off his Zetec engine when he pitted, luckily without igniting.
Qualifying results: Click here
Qualifying results: Click here
Race One: Sean Brown converted his pole position into the lead at the rolling start, whilst Andy Pipe made a great getaway from the second row and charged up the outside into second from Laki Christoforou, Chris Baker held onto a slide at Paddock Hill Bend but fell behind Gary West-Johnson into fifth up the hill before Tony Paxman also got through at Druids. The two Mk1s Escorts were then abreast dropping down to Graham Hill Bend, where contact was made between the pair after they went for the same piece of tarmac. Paxman spun and West-Johnson careered across the grass, with the latter’s once pristine bodywork looking somewhat battle-scarred down the nearside after they collided for a second time on the grass. Baker had fallen behind a battle with Jason Stone and Mike MacKenzie on the opening lap but spun at Graham Hill Bend for the second time and was clipped by Reeve Robinson’s Fiesta, with the front of the Mk3 Escort left looking rather second hand. The Safety Car was called out after four laps had passed when David Priestly stopped his Fiesta on the inside leading up to Druids. The electric Hyundai peeled into the pitlane with a little under seven minutes remaining and Brown stretched away once more from the battle for second raging between Pipe and Christoforou. The latter’s Group 2 machine made a great move stick around the outside of Paddock Hill Bend to claim second place with three minutes left and Christoforou began eating into Brown’s advantage but fell just 0.411 seconds short at the finish. Pipe fell away in third with overheating and clutch dramas afflicting his Pinto-powered Mk1 Escort but he brought the car home to complete the Class B-monopolised podium and was 2.672 seconds clear of the fourth-placed car. Jason Stone was running in the spot and catching Pipe after the Mk1 Escort eased its pace but he too was being caught in the closing stages by the recovering West-Johnson. However, Stone’s Mk2 Escort disappeared during the course of the last lap with drivetrain trouble to hand the place to West-Johnson’s bronze Mk1 Escort. It was initially feared that Stone’s gearbox had blown but when the unit was stripped after the meeting it was found that the clutch had detached from the flywheel. After his Graham Hill Bend collision, West-Johnson had completed lap one in 13th position before reaching the top ten next time around and the Safety Car helped West-Johnson’s recovery by closing the pack up. The Mk1 Escort took the restart in seventh, which became sixth by Paddock Hill Bend after driving around the outside of Gary Littlewood and Mike MacKenzie’s Fiesta was dealt with for fifth past the pits four laps later before Stone’s late demise. The Class C leader Gary Littlewood was kept from his class rival Justin Fuller by John Ward’s Class B car after the restart but the Focus got ahead of Littlewood with four minutes to go and put Fuller’s Puma on the Fiesta’s tail. Fuller tried the outside line at Paddock Hill Bend with three minutes remaining before getting a move done inside the final minute for the Class C win, after Littlewood struggled to find fourth gear through Clark Curve and the Puma sped by into seventh overall behind MacKenzie and Ward. Dave Barrett took third in Class C with ninth on his rebuilt Fiesta’s return to the track. The pair of Fiestas driven by Reeve Robinson and Ian Seale completed the 11 finishers. Stephen Primett was expected to challenge for the Class C spoils but pulled out before the start with a badly seated front wheel, whilst Priestly’s exit was caused by more fuel system problems and Paxman had damaged the tracking on his Mk1 Escort in the West-Johnson collision.
Race One results: Click here
Race One results: Click here
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Race Two: The weather had closed in after the second Group A encounter and the late afternoon had become very dark but the track was pretty much dry for the start. Chris Baker’s patched up Mk3 Escort was present at the back of the grid, along with Stephen Primett and a very late entry from Tom Harvey. The ShellSport Mk1 Escort pilot was starting his second race of the day at his second circuit, having finished fourth in the CTCRC Pre ‘83s at Snetterton during the morning and had won his race overall the previous day. Four Mk1 Escorts made a fine sight at the front of the grid and poleman Sean Brown led all the way. The race winner wasn’t flustered when Laki Christoforou rallied after some early drizzle reduced the available grip and Brown edged away again to triumph from the similar BDG-powered Mk1 Escort by 6.424 seconds, it was the tenth time Brown has prevailed in Class B this year. Andy Pipe held third for a long time until the clutchless Mk1 Escort retired sounding very rough, the Pinto engine having dropped a cylinder. The Unique Classics machine headed a long line of cars until its demise with two-and-a-half minutes left, which promoted Gary West-Johnson into third but he was being harassed by the Class C lead battle. Gary Littlewood led Justin Fuller initially as they chased Mike MacKenzie and John Ward in the wake of the four leading Mk1 Escorts but the Puma quickly got ahead of the Fiesta before Ward retired with a busted coil pack and the pair of them dispensed with MacKenzie’s Class B car by the end of lap five. Fuller had a sniff at West-Johnson’s third place into Clearways for the last time, which allowed Littlewood to squeeze alongside towards the flag but the Puma just prevailed by 0.123 seconds. MacKenzie was well in there with them to take the flag sixth on-the-road and just held off the third Class C finisher Primett. The high-revving Mk1 Escort had caught the train quickly but Primett couldn’t make any progress through them. His good mate Harvey had come through the field with him in the Mk1 Escort that’s powered by the Pinto unit that carried Primett to so many championship titles and Harvey crossed the line in eighth, which quickly became seventh in the results after MacKenzie was pinged five seconds for track limit breaches. Having joined the train behind Pipe, Chris Baker’s frustrating season delivered another blow as the Mk3 Escort went out after 10 minutes when a wheel hub nut worked loose, In a bad lap for MTS Motorsport, Dave Barrett also retired with a power steering issue on his Class C Fiesta. Barrett, Ian Seale and David Priestly were involved in a good battle before the former’s exit and Seale’s Class B Fiesta held off Priestly’s Class C example for 10th and 11th behind MacKenzie and Reeve Robinson. Tony Paxman pulled off when the rain started to save his Mk1 Escort.
Race Two results: Click here
Scalextric 'Driver of the Day' (Group B): Andy Pipe scooped the Group B award after performing admirably with his Pinto-powered Mk1 Escort to grab an overall podium before a dropped cylinder robbed the black machine of a second later on.
Race Two results: Click here
Scalextric 'Driver of the Day' (Group B): Andy Pipe scooped the Group B award after performing admirably with his Pinto-powered Mk1 Escort to grab an overall podium before a dropped cylinder robbed the black machine of a second later on.
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The last meeting of 2026 sees the season rounded off on the International layout at Silverstone, with the races taking place on the 11th of October.