Kent Outlaw Oval Racing round 4

KENT OUTLAW OVAL RACING ROUND 4

Lydden Hill Saturday 7 June 2025

The fourth round of Kent Outlaw Oval Racing’s Lydden season had a relatively low turnout, with an unusual number of non-arrivals reducing the 51 entries to 43 starters on the day, and was threatened with a dreadful weather forecast. As it happened though, the racing was as close and competitive as ever and, after a couple of quick showers during the bike track day that preceded the racing, the rain held off until just after the finish, so the only problem was the run back up the M2!

As always, the MINI RODS were most plentiful, with 18 cars racing, split into two grids based on championship points. Group A kicked off the race programme. Points leader Graham Ives started a most unlucky day by being left on the grid for the first heat, which was then interrupted by red flags after a three-abreast approach to the oval link left Darren Edwards sideways and Nick Ring in the bank. They all rejoined and Harry Davies got the better of an early lead battle with Rob Barlow, but Harry soon had Adam Rossiter coming through to challenge him, and Adam took it up at half distance to win from Matt Haines, Mick Ramsey’s now very colourful car, Harry, Rob, Dave Mayer, Darren Edwards and Nick Ring, with David Madge just behind the lead group.

The second heat was led away by Rob Barlow and, as a fierce battle developed for second, Rob pulled away to a very well controlled win. Mick Ramsey’s late braking into the oval link kept him in contention with Harry Davies and Adam Rossiter for second, with Adam finally claiming the place from Mick, and Matt Haines taking third on the line from Harry, Dave Mayer, Darren Edwards, Nick Ring and Dave Madge, while Graham Ives was again out of luck, getting on the grass at Chessons and spinning into the bank. He then baffled the recovery crew by disappearing; he’d backed up the ambulance exit and returned to the pits via the spectator bank!

The Minis were treated to a third heat this time and Harry Davies led this until he lost out to Rob Barlow. Rob then got a bit sideways and Adam Rossiter pounced to take his second win of the day, chased by Rob, Mick Ramsey, Matt Haines, Harry and Darren Edwards, with Nick Ring holding off Dave Madge and Graham Ives, who finally got to the finish.

The final ran from the same grid order as the heats and Rob Barlow got away first and again led all the way, but this time he had to work much harder as he had Adam Rossiter glued to his bumper from halfway. Adam had to settle for second though, with Mick Ramsey third from Darren Edwards, Matt Haines, Graham Ives, Harry Davies, Dave Madge and Dave Mayer, who’d dropped back from the third place battle, with Nick Ring retiring.

Group B’s first race was led away by Dave Wimble and newcomer Dan Wonfor, with Dan then holding the lead under pressure from first Kev Ellis and then Tom Merry. Tom came through in the last couple of laps to take the win, with Bill Barlow right alongside him at the end and Dan still in a close third. Terry Pithers took fourth from Kev Ellis and Andrew Buckett, with ex-Autograsser Brandon Bushell and Dave Wimble completing the finishers.

Next time out Dave Wimble led the early laps before Terry Pithers came through on the inside, with Dave spinning and collecting Tom Merry. Terry then held on in the lead until Bill Barlow came the long way round the outside to get his nose in front and claim the win from Terry, with Kev Ellis, Andrew Buckett, Dan Wonfor, Dave Wimble and Brandon Bushell next, Tom Merry retiring after another coming together.

The ”bonus” third heat was led all the way by Dan Wonfor, in only his second ever car race meeting, driving very well under pressure as first Kev Ellis and then Bill Barlow challenged on the outside, until Bill spun off. Then Tom Merry took up the challenge and they completed the last five laps side-by-side, with Dan just holding off Tom on the line and Kev Ellis making it three abreast. Dave Wimble held off Andrew Buckett for fourth ahead of Brandon Bushell with Bill Barlow rejoining at the back.

The final was another ultra close race, with Dan Wonfor finding a way past Dave Wimble after three laps, and immediately having to fend off Tom Merry. Bill Barlow joined in the battle, but Dan and Tom again raced side by side for several laps, until on the last run down the Dover Slope Bill found a tiny gap on the inside and over the line was inches ahead to win from Dan and Tom in another three-abreast finish. Matt Ellis, Andrew Buckett and Brandon Bushell were right behind after Dave Wimble retired.

The LYDDEN RODS also had three heats and a final, with the eleven car grid including three “guest entries” that didn’t quite comply with the class. One was Robin Miles’ familiar Mini/Pickup bodied Ford Ka, now with a 2-litre Mondeo engine squeezed in, but suffering from driveshaft problems. Former Lightning Rod driver Dan Astbury was trying out an ex-Fiesta Junior championship winning circuit car and Wayne Powell was in his wife’s Fiesta, previously seen in the Open Rods. At the front, Liam Tanner’s Fiesta led away before being passed by Phil Morgan’s ever-improving Citroen C2, but points leader Chris Gibb eventually came through in his Puma to hold off Phil for the win, chased by Pete Harris’ Fiesta and Gemma Bernhauser’s CRX. Liam Tanner, Robin Miles and Jon Fowler’s Puma were next up, with the Fiestas of Perry Thorpe and Paul Austin retiring.

Liam Tanner again led at the start of heat two, but was soon passed by Gemma Bernhauser, who led until the closing stages when she came under pressure from Pete Harris, looking for a way past on the outside. Eventually Pete managed to box in Gemma passing a backmarker, and Pete took the win from Gemma, with Chris Gibb taking third on the line from Phil Morgan, and Liam Tanner, Robin Miles and Jon Fowler in close company behind.

It went a bit wrong in the third heat, with Gemma spinning after the start, and Pete Harris getting excluded. Paul Austin led all the way from the restart, chased by Phil Morgan, with Chris Gibb, Robin Miles and Liam Tanner next up.

Paul Austin was first to show in the final, but spun at Chessons and Gemma took up the lead, with Jon Fowler holding second for four laps before spinning at Chessons. Phil Morgan then chased Gemma all the way to the finish, with Robin Miles closing up in third, although with Robin being a guest entry, Chris Gibb took third from Liam Tanner. Jon Fowler, Paul Austin and Wayne Powell completed the finishers, with Pete Harris, Perry Thorpe and Dan Astbury being non-starters. Unfortunately Gemma’s CRX was subsequently excluded from all the day’s results, giving Phil Morgan his first final win from Chris Gibb and Liam Tanner.

Only two OUTLAW HOT RODS made it this time, out of the four entries, and they shared the grid with the Open Rods. There was still close racing between Jason Anderson and the ever-improving Joe Cato. In the first heat Jason took the win, just managing to put the leading Open Rods between himself and Joe. In heat two they both worked through the Open Rod field, with Jason ahead, but Jason slowed up on the last corner and Joe finished alongside him. The final came to a similar finish, but this time Joe managed to get past Jason to score a popular win.

The OPEN RODS, with a six car grid, were contesting the Concept Cup, the main trophy race of the season for all the KOOR classes. This meant they raced from reversed grids in the heats with the top scorers to the front in the final. Chris and Marcus Reeve had an early battle in the first race before Marcus got the better of his dad, and Marcus then held off the superb Vauxhall Redtop-powered Mk1 Escort of Tommy Parker at the finish, with Chris and Connor Reeve next and Ricky Beazzer’s Sierra heading home Andy Burbridge’s Lexus. The reverse grid put Ricky on pole for heat two and he led all the way, chased by Marcus, with Tommy taking third from Chris, Connor and Andy.

This put Marcus Reeve and Tommy Parker on the front row for the final, but Ricky Beazzer found a gap first time through Chessons and took a lead he was never to lose. Tommy was last into the first corner, but then picked everyone off, closing right up on Ricky but settling for second, with Marcus and Chris Reeve next ahead of Andy Burbridge, Connor Reeve having pulled off.

The 1400 HOT RODS also had their Concept Cup. After Chris Kemp led the first couple of laps, Chris Goldsmith took the first heat, chased by Doug Constable, Aaron Keynes and Scott Tait. The four leading Corsas were followed by Alfie Gibb’s Micra, Grayci Burbridge’s 106 and Chris Kemp. The reverse grid put Chris Goldsmith on pole, but he was soon under pressure from Doug Constable, and once Doug found a way past Chris dropped back to settle for second, while Scott Tait, despite locking-up most laps into the oval link, held off Aaron Keynes and Alfie Gibb for third.

Doug Constable and Chris Goldsmith lined up on the front row for the final and Chris took the advantage, leading for three laps before Doug was really challenging, moving onto the outside line for four laps until he saw the opportunity he needed to switch to the inside at Chessons and grab the lead. Doug then held on for the last three laps to take the cup from Chris, with Aaron, Alfie, Chris Kemp and Grayci chasing them home, Scott Tait being a non-starter.

That completed another good day’s racing for the Kent Outlaws, with the last race completed with nearly half an hour to spare out of the strict three-hour time slot. The next meeting, at the beginning of July, would be one to look forward to, with the National Super Rods scheduled to pay a visit, while the Mini Rods and Lydden Rods have their Concept Cups up for grabs.