Darlington and District Motor Club Racing Cadwell Park

Report by David Gowshall of DEEGEE Motorsport Photography 

19 - 20 August 2023

Formed in 1905, Darlington and District Motor Club celebrated its centenary in 2005. The Club boasts a membership of around 350 incorporating Motor Cycle Trials riders and competitors in Race, Rally, Sprints and Rallycross, and around 100 fully trained circuit marshals.

The DDMC organises a number of Rallycross events, the Jack Frost Stages - a single venue rally held at Croft, and 14 rounds at seven circuits in the “north” of the UK (Donington Park being the most southerly circuit used), of the highly popular Northern Saloon & Sports Car Championship.

The penultimate round of the championship which caters for competitors holding a minimum of a Race Interclub licence and driving almost any kind of saloon or sports car but not sports racing cars, featured the annual “Battle of Britain” Trophy races, which last weekend were held at Cadwell Park.

The programme of NSSCC races was extended by the inclusion of a round of the Scottish Citroen C1 Cup, and to compliment the four-wheel action, two sidecar championship rounds. This included the high profile FRSA Formula 2 British Championship and the FRSA First Call Pre-Injection three-wheelers.

The weather has not been kind to motorsport followers this summer, but the weekend’s action was played out in glorious warm sunshine, reminding us of what we’ve been missing this season thus far.

The full grid for the NSSCC races could in no way be described as boring, with a huge range of cars competing, including, for example, Caterhams, Mazda MX-5’s, VW Beetles and Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4’s. to name a few, competing in 8 classes.

This is “grass roots” club car racing at its best, with everyone giving 100% on the track, but all those partaking contributing to a friendly atmosphere in the paddock. 



There was a huge variety of cars on show but the one constant was Michael Cutt in his BMW M3, which dominated the weekend, winning all the races in which he competed by a wide margin.

Other NSSCC winners were Thom Evans in his Caterham (#4) and Matty Cobb (#2) in his low-slung VW Beetle.

Alongside the NSSCC members on the race programme were the Citreon C1 runners.

Established in its current form in 1963, the Scottish Motor Racing Club organises the Scottish Motor Racing Championships each year, which predominately take place at Scotland’s National Motorsport Centre; Knockhill Racing Circuit. 



In addition, the club organises a small number of “away” rounds each year. Consequently, Cadwell Park was chosen as the venue in 2023 to host the penultimate round of the Citreon C1 Cup, which was launched as part of the Scottish Championships in 2019.

This championship aims to provide an opportunity for anyone to own a racing car, become a racing driver and compete for a full season primarily at Scotland’s premier racing circuit, Knockhill, for less than £6,500!



The race cars are a C1 road car with a roll cage bolted in meaning that you can build a car, so I’m reliably informed, over the course of a weekend!

The C1’s 1 litre power unit may not make them the fastest race cars on a Scottish Championship race weekend but watching them race around the mini-Nurburgring, as Cadwell Park is known, racing door handle to door handle, was highly entertaining.

Most of the crews taking part on three wheels in the two FRSA sidecar championships were returning to Cadwell Park just two weeks after participating in the International Sidecar Revival.



The wet weather experienced over those two days had prevented these remarkable machines and those “on board” from fully stretching their legs, but the dry track last weekend gave them the opportunity to really show what they were capable of.

Pete Founds and passenger Jevan Walmsley, who lives only a few miles from Cadwell Park in Louth, had proved unbeatable in the Super F2 class at the Sidecar Revival meeting.



The pairing who became only the second crew to lap the Isle of Man TT course at an average speed in excess of 120mph in June this year, have dominated this class, recording only one defeat and one DNF throughout their 2023 championship campaign.

They hold the current F2 lap record at Cadwell Park, and were even giving the F1 British Sidecar Championship front runners the hard time a fortnight ago.

Two wins over the weekend helped the pairing clinch their sixth F2 British Championship with the final round, due to take place at Knockhill in September, still remaining.

The consistent pairing of Steve and Matty Ramsden, also confirmed the runner-up spot in the F2 championship, leaving Sean Hegarty / James Neave and Daryl Gibson / Rhys Gibbons, to battle for third spot north of the border next month.



Fifth overall in the championship are Brian Ilaria and Arlo Brown, who were crowned F2 Cup champions as a result of their win in the first race of the weekend.

Also decided at the weekend was the FSRA Pre-Injection F1 sidecar championship, Gary Fairhurst and Billy Andrews (#9) sealing the title with three wins and a third place.

The Darlington and District Motor Club had provided a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, bathed in sunshine throughout, with close racing, providing everyone attending some quality entertainment at the picturesque setting that is Cadwell Park.

The meeting was well organised and all the marshals and vehicle rescue crews ensured any delays were kept to a minimum. 

Hopefully it will return to Cadwell Park next year.