Modified Ford Series Cadwell Park 9th & 10th August 2025

COCKELL SPINS AND WINS EN ROUTE TO CADWELL PARK DOUBLE
The Modified Ford Series headed to Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of August for the sixth round of races on the 2025 calendar. 25 entrants congregated on the parkland circuit for a race on both Saturday and Sunday.

As at Croft, half a dozen entries were received for Class SA to make it the joint most supported division of the weekend. Dave Cockell took a great win with his Escort Cosworth in Race One at the North Yorkshire venue from tenth on the grid but a chipped tooth inside the gearbox ended his weekend early, expect the four-wheel-drive monster to be at the sharp end if all is well this time. Andy Robinson’s fire-breathing Falcon AU V8 Supercar set the pole position time and claimed the overall victory in Race Two at Croft, with the North East local a big fan of the undulating Lincolnshire circuit. Simon Light made his seasonal debut in the ever-evolving 5-litre V8 Capri, the self-developed machine now features a flat floor underneath and the thundering coupe could well lead the way this weekend. Lloyd Jamieson aired his reworked four-wheel-drive Escort Maxi Cosworth for the first time competitively, the 2.3-litre beast now packs an 800bhp punch from its turbocharged Smith & Jones motor and features a Quaife gearbox with a paddle-shift system fitted as the Scot bids for overall glory. Chris Harrison returned with his Ecoboost-powered RSR after a promising maiden outing at Croft that yielded a pair of overall top-ten finishes, despite the weekend marking Harrison’s first competitive track action for some fourteen years. Malcolm Wise put in a late entry and made his first start since his Escort Cosworth burst into flames at last September’s Ford Power Live meeting. Cadwell Park event sponsor James Allen had a fraught weekend one month ago that had promised much in the beginning, having qualified his Class A car on the front row but the races were another matter and the Focus RS failed to reach the finish of either outing but the car is fast when it’s on form. Laki Christoforou put in one of his irregular entries with his 2.8-litre Millington-equipped Mk2 Escort and should put in a good showing at the twisting circuit. Ben Purnell’s KGP-engined RSR from Class SB suffered many trials and tribulations in North Yorkshire but the Cornishman made his nine-hour journey home on Sunday night easier with a drive through the field from the penultimate row of the grid to third overall in the second encounter, if the 2.8-litre spaceframe stays reliable then it should be well-suited to the technical track. Local driver Pip Finney entered his quick ex-Olly Allen Mk3 Fiesta and he was a top-five contender during his last outing in the series at Cadwell Park in 2022. Mat Brennan’s red-top Vauxhall-propelled Mk2 Escort ‘Superbird’ raced for the first time since Mallory Park in May, it’s tall rear spoiler reminiscent of the NASCAR streamliners of the early 1970s. Modified Ford Series MD Paul Nevill’s Duratec-engined RS2000 has been a fixture at the front of Class B+ all season and the Hertfordshire resident scored a second overall last time out so starts the weekend as the favourite for class honours. Iain Blackley’s Puma Turbo went well at Croft after some extra track time on the day before qualifying and the Scot was finally at a circuit he knew, with every venue up to this one marking a maiden visit for the Falkirk man. After some entertaining battles with Colin Claxton’s more powerful Mk1 Escort at Mondello Park, Robert Lewis was present at the last meeting in North Yorkshire but his Focus Ecoboost had stayed at home before returning to action in Lincolnshire. The turbocharged hatchback was joined in the class by AJ Howe’s whacky Focus Estate, which also features Ecoboost motivation. Tyler England has impressed many onlookers with his speed this season and the Class B Fiesta even took an outright win in the Mallory Park finale in May, this weekend marks his first entry since scoring the breakthrough victory. Chris Baker hoped to start his first race this year after a disastrous qualifying at the same meeting as the rapid Fiesta’s overall victory, if the Mk3 Escort holds together then expect the high-revving machine to at least push England for the class spoils. The eye-catching Mk1 Escort of Gary Johnson was another to make its first appearance since Mallory Park and the man of Kent should be in hot pursuit of England and Baker. Mike MacKenzie wheeled out his Fiesta for the first time since suffering a tyre blow-out at Mallory Park as he continues to adjust from Autograss ovals to asphalt circuits. Stephen Primett continues to sweep aside allcomers in Class C, with the BDA-engined Mk1 Escort speeding to another pair of victories in North Yorkshire and some giant-killing results could be in the offing on the sinuous ribbon of Lincolnshire tarmac. Headlining the rest of the six-strong class entry, Dave Barrett was the runner-up to Primett in the opener at Croft before his Fiesta let him down in Race Two but the 2024 series winner was keeping the class-leading Escort well in sight at the time. The Hadfield Motorsport squad was back out with Kevan Hadfield and Shaun Hadfield in action, joined by Marcus Williams aboard a trio of Puma coupes. Father Kevan has regularly been a thorn in the side of Barrett’s Fiesta when they’ve raced together, with son Shaun gamely giving chase and Williams continues to learn after joining the grid at the start of the season. Also Puma mounted, Justin Fuller was a last-minute entry with his wide-arched version and he could prove to be a threat to Primett’s dominance of the class.

Qualifying: The fifteen minutes of qualifying took place in glorious conditions at lunchtime on Saturday. The session was interrupted inside the final five minutes, with Simon Light's 5-litre Capri the culprit after taking a wild ride across the grass at Coppice and becoming stuck. Little damage was done and qualifying restarted with four minutes remaining. Dave Cockell didn't contest the mini-session that followed but still fizzed to pole position by 3.257 seconds in his Class SA Escort Cosworth from classmate Andy Robinson’s disintegrating Falcon, whose front bumper was falling apart after a high-speed moment at Coppice. The Dick Johnson Racing tribute V8 Supercar had trimmed the gap to the polesitter from 4.173 seconds prior to the stoppage. Paul Nevill’s RS2000 topped Class B+ as the series head jumped up to third from sitting sixth before the red flag and pipped the V8 Capri of Light by just 0.087 seconds, with the Class SA pilot racing for the first time at Cadwell Park in fifteen years. Less than two tenths down on Light in fifth was ex-bike racer Chris Harrison’s Ecoboost-powered RSR and the SHP-built Mk1 Escort clone was the fourth Class SA car in the top five. Cadwell Park expert AJ Howe was out for the first time this season and was a slim 0.268 seconds off Harrison in sixth, the Focus Estate had topped Class B+ until Nevill’s late surge. The Ecoboost-engined load lugger was 1.064 seconds ahead of seventh-fastest Laki Christoforou’s Mk2 Escort, which was the only Class A car to contest the session after James Allen had a coolant sensor failure on his Focus and didn’t take part in qualifying. Another 0.914 seconds back in eighth came Lloyd Jamieson and the Scot was pleased with the feel of the revamped Escort Maxi Cosworth. Chris Baker’s Mk3 Escort was the leading Class B car in ninth, despite a misfire from a loose wire, and was 1.191 seconds up on Stephen Primett’s Mk1 Escort from Class C in an impressive tenth. Pip Finney’s Fiesta was the quickest of the Class SB cars in twelfth and joined Robert Lewis’ third-quickest Class B+ car on the sixth row. Gary Johnson’s Mk1 Escort was second of the Class B machinery in thirteenth and narrowly headed the Class C Puma of returnee Justin Fuller by 0.024 seconds. Circuit first-timer Shaun Hadfield beat father Kevan by 0.447 seconds but both trailed Marcus Williams and Dave Barrett for third and fourth-fastest times in Class C, with Williams’ Puma just 0.063 seconds clear of Barrett’s Fiesta. Mike MacKenzie’s Fiesta was the third fastest of the Class B cars and found itself in middle of the Class C gaggle in seventeenth behind 2024 series winner Barrett. Mat Brennan was the second of the Class SB pair to take part in qualifying and the Mk2 Escort rounded out the top twenty. Iain Blackley only completed enough laps to book his place on the grid after suffering a boost pipe issue on his turbocharged Puma to start 21st, with the Escort Cosworth of Malcolm Wise the last car to set a laptime and the Class SA machine also stopped early after a bolt came out of the gear lever mechanism. Alas, Ben Purnell‘s Class SB RSR was forced out with an engine problem that became apparent during Friday testing and Tyler England wouldn’t feature either after a gearbox problem raised its head after scrutineering and precluded the Class B Fiesta from racing.

​Qualifying results: Click here

Race One: The opening race on Saturday afternoon was held in bright and breezy conditions. 23 cars came to the grid after the Focus of James Allen from Class A was allowed to start from the back of the pack, having competed at the circuit when the Modified Fords last visited in 2023. Dave Cockell and Andy Robinson got away together and the Falcon stuck with the polesitter around Charlie’s In and Out but the Escort Cosworth powered away in a straight line up to Park Corner. Robinson’s Falcon was sporting a dog-eared front bumper after his morning incident and stayed respectfully close to the leader for the first couple of laps before Cockell eased away to a 10.025-second victory. Simon Light sped into third around the outside of Coppice at the start and had Paul Nevill hounding the Capri for much of the distance, with the 5-litre coupe taking the flag some 16.360 seconds down on Robinson and 4.800 seconds up the road from the Class B+ winner Nevill as Class SA machinery filled the overall podium placings. Chris Harrison survived an off-track moment for fifth when catching fourth-placed Nevill, with the RSR regrouping to cross the line less than three seconds off the RS2000. James Allen had made steady early progress as the narrow nature of the circuit slowed his charge but after passing Lloyd Jamieson for seventh place on the penultimate lap, the Focus had closed to within 4.539 seconds of the Class A-leading Laki Christoforou going onto the final tour. Allen ultimately took the category win in sixth overall after the Millington-motivated Mk2 disappeared on the last lap with a problem that was initially thought to be electrical but turned out to be one of its pair of throttle cables had snapped, reducing the Escort to around quarter power. Jamieson was happy with seventh as he became more accustomed to his revised Escort Maxi Cosworth, ahead of Class B+ runner-up AJ Howe in eighth. Howe had started well to sit in an early fifth place but the Focus Estate slipped behind Harrison on lap two, Christoforou on lap four, Jamieson on lap six and the charging Allen a lap later. Class B and C winners Chris Baker and Stephen Primett had lonely races to ninth and tenth overall. Robert Lewis and Gary Johnson lapped closely during the early stages before Iain Blackley caught them at half-distance and Johnson's Mk1 Escort slipped back with a chronic misfire, with Lewis’ Focus holding off the Puma for third in Class B+ and eleventh overall despite losing boost due to high charge temperatures. Dave Barrett took second in Class C with fourteenth overall and was split from Kevan Hadfield's third-placed Puma by Class B bronze medallist Mike MacKenzie's Fiesta. With Ben Purnell withdrawing before qualifying and a plug lead leaving the chat for Pip Finney’s Mk3 Fiesta on lap one, it was left to Mat Brennan to bring home the bacon in Class SB aboard his Escort Mk2. Marcus Williams had an adventurous race in his Puma after the handbrake stuck on, sliding off on lap one at Chris Curve before spinning on lap two at the Gooseneck attempting to drive around the outside of the Malcolm Wise Escort Cosworth but he had reportedly fixed a cutting-out issue that had bugged the Class C car for a couple of meetings.

​Race One results: Click here

Race Two: The second outing for the Modified Ford Series took place late on Sunday morning in glorious summer sunshine, with the results from the first bout on Saturday setting the grid. Top two finishers Dave Cockell and Andy Robinson shared the front row, with Simon Light and Class B+ polesitter Paul Nevill on the second row. Chris Harrison's RSR and opening race Class A victor James Allen went from row three, ahead of Lloyd Jamieson's four-wheel-drive Escort and AJ Howe's Focus Estate on row four. Class B and C pacesetters Chris Baker and Stephen Primett completed the top ten starters on the fifth row. Of Saturday's non-finishers, Laki Christoforou's Mk2 Escort would go from the eleventh row and Pip Finney's Class SB Fiesta was the last to line up in 23rd, with their progress worth watching. From pole position, Dave Cockell held the lead into Coppice and continued to pull away to the tune of 6.306 seconds but lost his advantage and the race lead just after half-distance avoiding the spinning Justin Fuller at the Gooseneck. The Escort Cosworth half-spun on the grass and Andy Robinson charged around the outside of Cockell at Mansfield when he rejoined. The pair then ran side by side along the start/finish straight and Cockell had reclaimed the lead by Coppice for the seventh time. Robinson stayed close in the remaining few minutes but Cockell had the 7-litre Falcon covered as the Escort Cosworth completed the double by 5.279 seconds. James Allen had an inspired opening lap to complete it in third, having outdragged Chris Harrison to Coppice and outgrunting Paul Nevill along Park Straight. The Focus then dived inside Simon Light on the descent to Mansfield to reach the top three and Allen began to close on Robinson before the big Falcon stretched its legs. Having changed tyres overnight in an attempt to ease the strain on his arms, the power steering-free Light came back at Allen once the narrower rubber fitted to the Capri was up to pressure. However, the V8 machine emitted an expensive-sounding bang from the rear at halfway to put Light out, with the diff feared to be the cause, and left Allen home free to claim his place on the podium. The Class SA RSR of Harrison closed in on Class B+ leader Nevill for fourth place but spun at Charlie’s Out on lap five after after touching the grass coming over the crest. Nevill's fourth spot still wasn't safe as Lloyd Jamieson caught the RS2000 with a rapid 1:34.566 best lap that the Scot was over the moon with and the Escort Maxi Cosworth blasted past along Park Straight for the eighth time to claim a top-four finish and third in Class SA. Nevill took his second Class B+ triumph of the weekend in fifth and Harrison recovered from his wild spin to be sixth. Having held a top-six position for much of the race, AJ Howe slowed in the later stages thinking he had a puncture but a left-rear hub issue saw the Estate car return to the paddock with the wheel jammed in the arch. Harrison took away his sixth place on lap eight before Class A runner-up Laki Christoforou went ahead on the last lap at Charlie’s Out, the Mk2 Escort running with full throttle restored. Iain Blackley's Puma grabbed second in Class B+ at the top end of the circuit and Class B winner Gary Johnson passed the Focus towards Hall Bends for ninth, Blackley had welded his exhaust manifold overnight after a leak was found and Johnson's Duratec motor had been treated to a new set of spark plugs and coil packs to cure his Mk1 Escort's misfire. Finally, Stephen Primett sped past on the run to the line as the Mk1 Escort swept to another Class C victory to round out the top ten but Howe staggered past the flag in eleventh to claim third in Class B+. Mike MacKenzie took second in Class B with thirteenth overall and finished a short distance ahead of a titanic four-way scrap over second in Class C. After working his way past Kevan Hadfield, Justin Fuller briefly led early place-holder Dave Barrett before spinning at the Gooseneck on lap six, with Marcus Williams also getting past the red Puma down to Mansfield after regrouping from a trip down the greenery exiting Charlie’s Out. Barrett held on under plenty of pressure to take second in Class C by just 0.463 seconds from Hadfield, who celebrated his birthday with third after repassing Williams. Fuller wasn't classified as a finisher after a second rotation at the Gooseneck. Mat Brennan secured his second Class SB win after Pip Finney lost his brakes towards the end, the local man had led the class since the opening lap and had risen to ninth overall but the Fiesta driver was ultimately scrubbed from the weekend's results after incidents in another championship. Initial Class B leader Chris Baker pulled off exiting Mansfield third time around after the Mk3 Escort popped a driveshaft, which meant that there was no third place finisher in the split. Robert Lewis didn't make the finish either after his turbocharged Focus lost boost but he was delighted to have set a 1:40 laptime beforehand.
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Race Two results: Click here

Scalextric ‘Driver of the Day’ - James Allen was the recipient of the Scalextric ‘Driver of the Day’ award after marching up the order to sixth from the back of the grid first time out before a great opening lap was rewarded with a podium finish in Race Two.

The Modified Ford Series returns south for its biggest event of the year next, the split-grid Ford Power Live showpiece on the 13th and 14th of September at Brands Hatch.