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Trackday Championship debuted at Croft on Saturday 18 October for the penultimate round of the 2025 season.
In Class B, Swaffer Racing’s Matt Swaffer etched his name into the history books as the first driver to win at the North Yorkshire circuit, while Shead/Edeson and Stephen Docker triumphed in Class C and D respectively.
Qualifying
The battle to start the race on pole position was an incredibly tight affair. Throughout the 25-minute session Swaffer and Jack Wright (Team Air Supply) traded fastest times in an ever-changing duel for the front of the grid.
However, with just minutes left on the clock, a tremendous lap of 1m33.713s posted by reigning Champion Nicole Drought secured pole position for the Motion Motorsport driver. Wright and Swaffer would have to settle for second and third on the grid, with only 0.098s splitting the three cars!
Clubracer’s Wright/Glover qualified in fourth, ahead of fastest Class C qualifier Dan Abbitt. Abbitt displayed fine form to end the session ahead of class rivals such as Scott Thompson and Shead/Edeson. In Class D, Docker’s magnificent season continued by qualifying fastest, ahead of higher-classed cars and fellow Mazda MX-5 driver Steven Orant.
Race
Wright managed to steal the lead through the race’s opening exchanges, with Swaffer also managing to get the early jump on Drought. Clearly undeterred, Drought remained hot on the heels of the two cars in front, applying plenty of pressure.
A gripping battle saw the trio cross the line with less than a couple of seconds between them in the laps that followed, until eventually Drought made her earlier pace count to retake not just second from Swaffer, but also the lead from Wright.
Elsewhere, Abbitt and Docker had fended off any advancements from class rivals to pave the way in C and D. Thompson was pushing hard to reel in Abbitt in front, while the father and son duo of Phil and James Hart were giving fight to Class C rivals Shead/Edeson.
With the race then heading into the all-important pit stop window, it was all still to play for. Teams looked to utilise their strategies to make inroads on rivals, with the likes of Wright/Glover enjoying a stint at the front before they made their stop.
By the time that each team had completed their mandatory stops and the order had settled, a well-timed stop and excellent pace had helped Swaffer seize the race lead. It was a lead that the BMW 130i driver would not relinquish, eventually taking the checkered flag first to win his second race of the season and earn a strong helping of championship points in the process!
Wright/Glover pushed hard to catch Swaffer, but ultimately finished 14.114s short. The pairing will both be delighted to have continued their impressive run of podium finishes though, ensuring that they remain at the top of the Class B championship standings heading into the season finale.
The final spot on the Class B podium go the way of Apple Car Centre’s Ray Honeybone, rounding out a solid return to TDC for the Renault Clio driver. Shead/Edeson finished narrowly behind Honeybone on the road, but crucially finished ahead of all Class C rivals to record their first-ever class victory with TDC! Hart/Hart were another to mark their best result of the season by finishing as runners-up to Shead/Edeson, with Wayne Cockerill claiming the final spot of the C podium.
An excellent performance claimed another Class D victory for Docker, with the #153 driver finishing just a few seconds behind Cockerill after the 45-minute race. Orant’s run of trophies also continued, finishing second in class and bagging the driver’s biggest points haul this season.
Trackday Championship returns on Saturday 15 November for the concluding round of the 2025 season. Entries can be made here.
Photo: Gary Hawkins Photography