Round 1 - Snetterton - Event Report

The 2026 Trackday Championship (TDC) season got underway at Snetterton on Saturday 14 March.

After a captivating battle with Matt Swaffer (Swaffer Racing), Paddock Performance Racing’s Michael Rawlings secured a hard-earned Class B victory – on TDC debut!

Elsewhere, it was a season opener to remember for both Nathan Mcphail (MCS Racing) and Jack Hargraves (Boreham Motorsport), with the pair claiming the win in Class C and D respectively.

Qualifying

The battle for pole position in the morning’s qualifying session was intense. Swaffer had set the early pace, before trading fastest lap times with the VW Golf of George and Jack Wright (Team Air Supply). Just minutes before the session finished, Rawlings posted a new fastest lap, only for Swaffer to respond with a blistering time of 2m9.588s on his final lap to claim the first pole position of the year. Rawlings would have to settle for second, with Wright/Wright ahead of Ray Honeybone on the second row.

Independent Stephen Docker has made the move to Class C for the 2026 season and was immediately on the pace in qualifying. However, it was Mcphail who would qualify fastest-in-class, after putting in a number of strong laps. Docker was second fastest, with father and son duo Phil and James Hart third fastest in C.

Class D qualifying would end up finishing with a 1/2/3 for Mazda MX-5 drivers, with Hargraves qualifying fastest, ahead of BC Cars Motorsport teammates Alister Esam and Colin Wells.

Race

Swaffer maintained his lead through the opening exchanges, but was under immense pressure from Rawlings behind. Wright/Wright continued in third, while Class C leader Mcphail and managed to get the jump on Honeybone. Hart/Hart were another to make inroads at the start, while a sensational opening lap by Greenstar Racing’s pairing of Burnham/Voce launched the Fiesta ST into the Class D lead.

The battle for the Class B lead continued to excite over the next few laps as Rawlings tried to get past Swaffer’s strong defence. The difference between the two cars was less than 0.408s after each lap until Rawlings made a pivotal move stick on lap six. While the two had been battling hard, Wright/Wright had remained within striking distance, while Mcphail and Honeybone continued to lock horns behind.

Drivers were clearly keen to start their seasons in as strong fashion as possible, with plenty of overtaking on display throughout the grid to excite spectators in Norfolk. Burnham/Voce had managed to stay at the front of a competitive Class D, but with Hargraves applying constant pressure. It was at this point that the race headed into its mandatory pit-stop window, where each team had to make a two-minute stop.

When the pit window closed, the BMW E36 of Rawlings continued to head the field. Swaffer and Wright/Wright were still second and third, but it remained close. Elsewhere, there had been a number of changes throughout the order, including Honeybone getting the leap on Mcphail – though the Honda Civic driver had maintained his Class C lead.

The race would ultimately end under safety car, meaning nobody could stop Rawlings from taking a hard-earned victory on TDC debut. Congratulations to the driver and the wider Paddock Performance Racing team.

Swaffer and Wright/Wright will all be pleased to have started their campaigns with a Class B podium, with Honeybone the driver to narrowly miss out in fourth. Tylah Motorsport’s John Lyne rounded out the top five finishers in Class B.

Mcphail’s excellent performance in Class C was rewarded with the top step, being joined by the fellow Civic Type R team of Harts Racing. Docker completed the podium in his inaugural race in his new class, finishing ahead of Cockerill and Amy Allen (Tylah Motorsport).

Hargraves showed his pace throughout the day, securing the fastest lap in Class D, alongside class victory. A consistently solid drive from ASBO Motorsport’s drivers Darren Brace and Charlie Ratford secured the second spot on the class podium, with STAL Powered by Racing’s Steven Orant beating Rose/Rose and Hearnden/Cresswell to the final step.

Congratulations to all.

To cap off an excellent debut, Rawlings recorded the fastest lap of the race with a lap time of 2m9.735s.

Trackday Championship returns for Round 2 on Saturday 9 May at Cadwell Park.

Secure your spot on the grid today.

Photo: Gary Hawkins Photography