23/10/2026
750mc Roadsports Championship: Final Round at Donington Park GP
We arrived at Donington Park for the final round of the 750mc Roadsports Championship. The GP circuit provided the perfect backdrop for the season finale, attracting a massive grid complete with guest drivers and a reserve list. It was particularly special to share the track with BTCC driver Colin Turkington and his son, who were entered in our class on the reserve list.
Qualifying
As is often the case in Roadsports, qualifying was heavily disrupted by red flags, severely limiting our track time. Despite this, we secured P4 in class.
During my quickest flying lap, I came across a BMW leaking oil on track. Despite turning in with virtually no grip, I managed to keep the car on track and avoid a crash, though the lap was ruined. Shortly after, another vehicle covered more of the circuit in oil, meaning few drivers set truly representative times. Given the circumstances, qualifying P4 was a solid start.
Race & Strategy
Our objective heading into the race was a podium finish (P3), and starting on the inside for Turn 1 gave us a great platform. I got a strong run off the line, passed the Ginetta ahead, and slotted into P3 in class by the end of Lap 1.
The early phase of the race was spent defending against a Class B Mini. However, we were repeatedly out-dragged on the straights, forcing me onto compromised entry lines. Recognizing that this defensive battle was costing overall lap time without offering any long-term advantage, I opted to stop fighting the mini and focus on my own rhythm.
From there, I spent several laps defending P3. Every time I shifted into 4th gear, the car felt noticeably sluggish, as if an anchor were attached. Ben eventually made a move past into Craner Curves, leaving me to hold off the Ginetta behind.
The Ginetta opted for an early pit stop, but our team made the right call to stay out until the end of the pit window to maximize our chances of capitalizing on a potential Safety Car. However, as Class A traffic began lapping us, our clean-air pace was somewhat compromised.
We made our mandatory pit stop 28 minutes into the race. The pit crew informed me that two rivals Sam and Imran bwm had been involved in incidents and Matt had served a heavy time penalty, opening up the order ahead.
The Final Stint
Rejoining the track with 15 minutes remaining, I could see the battle for P1 between the Ginetta and Lotus taking place into Turn Pushing hard, I managed to reduce a 5-second gap down to just over a second, setting up what looked to be a thrilling three-way battle for the class win in the closing laps.
Exiting the Fogarty Esses, a Class A BMW crashed ahead. The incident gave me a run on the Ginetta, and with a late-braking move into the Melbourne Hairpin, I successfully made the pass to claim P2 on the road.
Unfortunate timing followed: the red flag was brought out due to the stranded BMW. Per the regulations, the final classification was taken from the previous full lap count-back, officially placing us P3 in class.
While it was a shame to lose out on the on-track pass and the final battle for the win, achieving our pre-race goal of a podium finish was a fantastic result for the team.
Post-Race & Winter Plans
Upon post-race inspection, we discovered that both rear brake pads were worn completely down to the metal. This explained the drag felt in 4th gear—likely caused by binding brakes or a potential ABS module issue holding rear hydraulic pressure. Without the budget for testing, we often diagnose these mechanical quirks as they happen on race weekends, but we now have the winter break to investigate and rectify the issue.
Looking Ahead
While I will definitely be racing next season, my exact plans remain open. I thoroughly enjoyed my guest outing in Clubsport, where we could run closer to the power-to-weight limit. In Roadsports, our Mazda RX-8 runs around 160–165 bhp/ton against an 180 limit, which makes our competitiveness a true testament to the team’s chassis setup and engineering work.
Acknowledgments
It has been a season of real highs and lows, and I want to extend my thanks to all my fellow Class C competitors for a season of fair, respectful, and hard-fought racing.
A huge thank you to the team:
• Craig: For your endless hard work and ongoing efforts to keep racing affordable for me.
• Ben: For attending almost every round and working tirelessly on the car.
• The Pit Crew & Mechanics: To everyone who helped throughout the year, including the new mechanics who joined us late in the season.
• Our Sponsors: Your generous backing makes our entire racing program possible.
I will be posting individual sponsor spotlights over the coming weeks. Thank you all for a great season
Wishing everyone a great weekend at the Birkett this weekend. And once again Congratulations to Ben on his race victory.
Middlesex Hose and Fittings ltd B K WASTE Management Rocketdog Racing
