Round 2 2026 – Pembrey

Well what a weekend, Pembrey delivering a proper mixed bag of conditions from dry and cool on Saturday morning, to a soaking wet late afternoon race, and then a drying track on Sunday — you just never know what you’re going to get at this wonderful little circuit on the Welsh coast, and quite frankly that’s what makes it so special! It also helps when our sponsors enable us to give each rider a £100 cash back… nice!

Race 1

Saturday morning’s opening race on a dry track set the tone. Taylor led from pole to flag, with Graham Higlett giving chase all the way in an impressive second, Mike Smith continuing his excellent form to take third and Jake Dettloff fourth. Your author, starting fifth on the grid, found himself firmly cemented in that same position at the flag — the front four had rather decided to have their own private party up the road. Alex Williams earned second in the Clubman 500 class on the road but picked up a jump-start penalty, which handed the class win to the impressive Dorian Eardley on his Summerfield Manx. Simon Hocking had a solid run in fourth Clubman spot while Richard Dawson, Stuart Tonge and Ken Perch filled out the points. Mark Harrington was the sole 11c finisher, riding well, while David Hebb took Pre-55 honours from Brian Riley. Poor old Stevan Radakovic had a very short afternoon, retiring after a single lap, and both Andrew Glasgow and Paul Stephen had unhappy encounters with the regulations — Andrew retiring and Paul being excluded for travelling the wrong way on the starting grid. These things happen!

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Mark Taylor		1st – Dorian Eardley
2nd – Graham Higlett		2nd – Richard Ellis
3rd – Mike Smith		3rd – Simon Hocking

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Mark Harrington		1st – David Hebb
		2nd – Brian Riley

Race 2

Then the rain came. Race 2 on Saturday afternoon was something else entirely. A wet Pembrey is a proper leveller and the timing sheet tells a wonderful story — Mark Taylor led lap one, then your author nipped past and led laps two, three and four! I’ll be honest, I was enjoying myself enormously out there, the old Norton feeling surprisingly planted on her Continentals in the conditions. But Taylor being Taylor, he reeled me back in on lap five and pulled clear to win by just over three seconds. I’ll take second on a wet afternoon at Pembrey — a great race! Graham Higlett made it a Taylor-Higlett-Perkin podium for the third time, with Mike Smith and Jake Dettloff completing a tidy top five. Dorian Eardley was immaculate again in the wet to win the Clubman class from Alex Williams, with the much-improved Stevan Radakovic — what a turnaround from Race 1 — coming through for a fine third. Andrew Glasgow showed his mettle in difficult conditions to top the Pre-55 class on that wonderful old Rudge, Paul Stephen second and David Hebb third. Richard Dawson unfortunately had to call it a day mid-race, and a mention too for Simon Hocking and Stuart Tonge who kept the faith all the way to the flag in some testing conditions. Mark Harrington soldiered on gamely in the 350 class. The planned Saturday evening BBQ, sadly, fell victim to the same Welsh weather that had made the racing so interesting — the rain saw to that, and it was a case of retreating to dry shelter rather than charred sausages under the stars. Jake Dettloff’s birthday celebrations will have to wait for the next round. You can’t win them all!

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Mark Taylor		1st – Dorian Eardley
2nd – Tony Perkin		2nd – Alex Williams
3rd – Graham Higlett		3rd – Stevan Radakovic

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Mark Harrington		1st – Andrew Glasgow
		2nd – Paul Stephen
		3rd – David Hebb

Race 3

Sunday morning brightened things up with a drying track, and the racing sharpened accordingly. Taylor led throughout, but this time Graham Higlett really went for it and set the fastest lap of the race — a superb 1:06.024, breaking the previous event record. Higlett crossed the line only three and a half seconds down; on a circuit like Pembrey that represents a genuine battle. Mike Smith was a very strong third, and Jake Dettloff fourth — these two have been excellent all weekend. Alex Williams took Clubman class honours in a fine performance, ahead of Dorian Eardley in second and Simon Hocking third, with Stevan Radakovic fourth. Mark Harrington continued his weekend’s work in the 350 class, and in the Pre-55s David Hebb led Paul Stephen and Brian Riley home. Your author found himself sixth overall — not a headline performance but the machinery was behaving itself, which felt like tempting fate for what was to come.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Mark Taylor		1st – Alex Williams
2nd – Graham Higlett		2nd – Dorian Eardley
3rd – Mike Smith		3rd – Simon Hocking

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Mark Harrington		1st – David Hebb
		2nd – Paul Stephen
		3rd – Brian Riley

Race 4

The final race of the weekend, and the cruel sport decided it wasn’t quite done with me yet. Running in a solid position, a seized rear hub at the end of the back straight brought proceedings to an abrupt and rather undignified halt. As for me, the rear hub had other ideas — it seized solid and that was my afternoon done. Frustrating doesn’t quite cover it, but these are old bikes and that’s why we love them! Angela Cragg and Alex Williams also had to park up before the flag, which at least meant I wasn’t suffering alone. Up front, Taylor completed his clean sweep — four from four — with Higlett again an excellent second, the pair finishing barely a second apart. Mike Smith and Jake Dettloff completed another tidy top four. In the Clubman class, Dorian Eardley and Stevan Radakovic went at it hard for class honours, Eardley taking the win with Radakovic a close second, Simon Hocking third and Stuart Tonge fourth. Mark Harrington was faultless again in the 350 class. David Hebb headed the Pre-55 runners with Paul Stephen and Brian Riley. Richard Dawson picked up a jump-start penalty — these things happen!

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Mark Taylor		1st – Dorian Eardley
2nd – Graham Higlett		2nd – Stevan Radakovic
3rd – Mike Smith		3rd – Simon Hocking

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Mark Harrington		1st – David Hebb
		2nd – Paul Stephen
		3rd – Brian Riley

Across the whole weekend, a few names deserve particular recognition. Dorian Eardley was outstanding — consistent, composed and quick. He took Clubman class honours in three of the four races and never put a foot wrong. Stevan Radakovic’s improvement from Race 1 to the rest of the weekend was remarkable. Graham Higlett set a new event record and pushed Taylor harder than anyone on Sunday — a seriously quick rider who is only getting better. And Mike Smith was a revelation in the Championship class, third in every dry race and giving the front two something to think about.

A huge thank you to the CRMC for another superbly run meeting, and to the marshals, medics and circuit staff who kept us safe throughout both days. Thanks also to Andy Astley and the Oakdene team for their usual magnificent hospitality and support, and to Jamie at Windy Shed for tyre fitting and race support — invaluable as always. Also Andy Molnar who was on hand to help if needed. Andy Reynolds and the scrutineers commented on how the machines looked immaculate, which as ever was a credit to every rider in the paddock. In fact Alex Williams’ Triumph took bike of the meeting.

Next up is the super-fast Snetterton for Round Three — get your entries in, get the bikes prepped, and let’s see if anyone can find a way past Kermit!

Cheers Perky