Round 5 2026 – Brands Hatch

Sweltering heat, a packed programme celebrating 100 years of racing at Brands Hatch, and parade laps stretching back through every era of the sport — this was a landmark weekend for the Lansdowne Classic Series in more ways than one. Add in the news that Norton Motorcycles have signed on to sponsor us for the rest of the season, and this was a Brands Hatch to remember.

Race 1

If the heat wasn’t enough to get the pulse going, race one certainly was. Michael Russell grabbed the holeshot and led the opening lap before Mark Taylor swept through to take over at the front, only for Graham Higlett to come storming through from lap seven to snatch it at the flag by 0.909 of a second. The twist was that Taylor set the fastest lap of the race on his way to second — 53.620 seconds at 81.10mph — smashing the previous outright Lansdowne lap record at Brands of 54.133. Fastest man on track but pipped for the win, that’s racing for you. Russell completed the podium from Jake Dettloff and Dan Jackson.

Calum Lockie was imperious in the Clubman 500 class to lead home Stevan Radakovic and Simon Hocking, while Graham Buller took the 350 class from Mark Harrington and Torsten Busch. Sam Bennett headed the Pre-55s from Jack Hebb and Mike Farrall. Not everyone had it their own way — Richard Dawson’s race ended early with a lost clutch, and Alex Williams was another to call it a day before the finish. Eager beaver Brian Riley picked up a jump-start penalty in the Pre-55 class for his troubles.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Graham Higlett		1st – Calum Lockie
2nd – Mark Taylor		2nd – Stevan Radakovic
3rd – Michael Russell		3rd – Simon Hocking

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Graham Buller		1st – Sam Bennett
2nd – Mark Harrington		2nd – David Hebb
3rd – Torsten Busch		3rd – Mike Farrall

Saturday evening more than made up for it with a glorious BBQ, Jack Hebb absolutely cremating his sausages — just how he likes them! Whilst several Lansdowners revelling well beyond midnight — mainly female led by birthday girl Louise Perkin, not helped by Jake introducing them to ‘moonshine’ — there was extra reason to raise a glass. A great start to a great weekend.

Race 2

Held over from Saturday and run first thing Sunday morning, race two saw Taylor respond in the only way he knows how — leading every lap to the flag. Behind him, Russell and Dettloff served up the first instalment of what would become the battle of the weekend, Dettloff eventually taking third from Russell by just 0.929 of a second with Dan Jackson right on their heels. Graham Higlett had to settle for fifth this time out.

Lockie made it two from two in the Clubman 500s ahead of Radakovic and Dorian Eardley, while Buller and Harrington repeated their one-two in the 350s from Busch in third. With Sam Bennett sitting this one out, it was Alex Williams who took the Pre-55 spoils from Jack Hebb and Farrall. Simon Hocking picked up a jump-start penalty of his own this time, and Angela Cragg’s tough weekend began here with a retirement after two laps.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Mark Taylor		1st – Calum Lockie
2nd – Michael Russell		2nd – Stevan Radakovic
3rd – Jake Dettloff		3rd – Dorian Eardley

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Graham Buller		1st – Alex Williams
2nd – Mark Harrington		2nd – David Hebb
3rd – Torsten Busch		3rd – Mike Farrall

Race 3

Taylor made it two wins on the bounce, leading start to finish again with Higlett shadowing him home for second and Russell completing the podium. Russell and Dettloff’s ding-dong tightened further still, the gap between them down to just 0.135 of a second at the flag — sensational stuff. Stevan Radakovic’s afternoon was over almost before it began, retiring after just a single lap, and it was another one to forget for Angela Cragg, who was out after six laps.

Lockie completed a perfect hat-trick in the Clubman 500s from Eardley and Hocking, Buller and Harrington kept up their unbeaten record in the 350s from Busch, and Bennett was back to winning ways in the Pre-55s from Williams and Hebb.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Mark Taylor		1st – Calum Lockie
2nd – Graham Higlett		2nd – Dorian Eardley
3rd – Michael Russell		3rd – Simon Hocking

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Graham Buller		1st – Sam Bennett
2nd – Mark Harrington		2nd – Alex Williams
3rd – Torsten Busch		3rd – David Hebb

Race 4

The final race of the weekend and Taylor made it three wins from the last three races, bouncing back in style after Saturday’s defeat, with Higlett and Russell rounding out the podium once again. But the story of the race, and arguably the weekend, belonged to Russell and Dettloff — their battle for the minor placings came down to a scarcely believable 0.035 of a second at the flag. Sensational racing, right to the very end. It wasn’t to be your author’s afternoon, a small incident bringing an early finish after five laps, and it was a quiet one too for Dan Jackson, out after just a single lap.

The Clubman 500 class provided the shock of the weekend as Calum Lockie’s dominant run came to an end with a retirement after four laps, handing the class win to the ever-consistent Dorian Eardley from Hocking — with Mark Harrington also lining up in the 500 ranks for the finale after swapping out of his usual 350. Graham Buller made it four wins from four in the 350 class in his absence, Busch second once more, and Sam Bennett rounded off a fine weekend with another Pre-55 win from Hebb and Williams.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Mark Taylor		1st – Dorian Eardley
2nd – Graham Higlett		2nd – Simon Hocking
3rd – Michael Russell		3rd – Nick Bedford

Clubman 350		Pre 55
1st – Graham Buller		1st – Sam Bennett
2nd – Torsten Busch		2nd – David Hebb
		3rd – Alex Williams

A proper Brands Hatch centenary weekend then — brutal heat, a new lap record, racing close enough to need a stopwatch and a magnifying glass, and a great deal of birthday cake. No single names to single out for thanks this time, but the usual gratitude goes to the marshals, medics and CRMC staff for keeping us all safe and on track in the heat, and to all our sponsors who enabled us to give every rider a £50 cash-back.

The big news of the weekend, of course, is that Norton Motorcycles have come on board as our title sponsor for the remainder of the season — contact them to arrange a test ride on one of their amazing new bikes. This is a fantastic vote of confidence in the series and something we’re all thrilled about, a super job by Paul Stephen for his tactical persistence which will put extra money in riders’ pockets to support their racing.

Next up is Donington Park, and entries are already oversubscribed with a packed grid expected — get in touch quickly if you’re still hoping to make the trip. We will have new merch for sale at the hospitality trailer with a surprise new item — see you there.

Cheers Perky