Category: Equipe

For their second race meeting of 2025 Equipe Classic Racing travelled to Cadwell Park for a one-day event on Easter Saturday. The challenging Lincolnshire circuit invariably serves up entertaining racing and didn’t disappoint. In a change from their usual 40 minute pitstop races the 70s, Libra and GTS series joined the MG Cup in having two 20 minute sprint races. The grids for their second races were determined by the results from their first and the results were combined to give overall winners. 

As usual, the entry lists contained an eclectic selection of cars ranging from Brian Caudwell’s mighty 4.7 litre Shelby Cobra to a pair of MG A Twin Cams dating from 1959. The day kicked off with two 20 minute free practice sessions which, sadly, saw the demise of of Peter Burchill’s and Ashley Woodward’s MG ZS180s and Cal Moore’s ZR170, all with engine maladies. John Tordoff headed the FP1 timesheet in his Lotus Elan 26R while Rhys Higginbottam was quickest in FP2 in his MG ZR190.

Brian Caudwell continued where he left off when the Equipe Libre series headed out on track for qualifying and planted the Shelby Cobra on pole 3 seconds ahead of John Tordoff with Steve Ward (Ginetta G4R) in P3. Rhys Higginbotham took the MG Cup pole followed by Matthew Payne’s extremely rapid Rover Metro and Terry Loxton’s beautifully prepared MG Montego estate. Rob Cull and Chris Ryan headed the GTS qualifying times in their TVR Grantura Mk3s followed by Hugh Lafferty’s MG B Roadster. The final qualifying session for the Equipe 70s was dominated by the MG BGT V8s of Russell McCarthy, Neil Fowler and Liam Pugsley.

Equipe Libre, Pre’63 and 50s – races 1 and 5.

When the lights went out to start the day’s Equipe Classic Racing, Brian Caudwell rocketed off the line into the lead. Graham Moss charged through from the second row of the grid in his Shelby Daytona and set off in pursuit of Caudwell but was unable to hunt him down and was some 10 seconds in arrears when the flag flew after 12 laps of classic racing. Behind them Tordoff and Ward were locked in battle for P3; Tordoff held the position until Ward made his move on lap 4 to claim the place which he held until the flag. 

John Caudwell headed the Pre’63s home in his Austin Healey 3000 Mk3 just ahead of Jonathan Abecassis whose Austin Healey 100/4 was the lead 50s car.

Moss led the field at the end of the opening lap of the second Libra race with Tordoff in second and the Caudwell Cobra in P3. However, by the end of lap four Caudwell had recovered to P2 and swept into the lead on the following tour. He then steadily opened a gap ahead of Moss who held onto P2 until he dropped off the timesheets on lap 10.  In a repeat of his 2024 Cadwell Park success, Cadwell went on to take his second win of the day ahead of Tordoff and Bruce Montgomery’s Healey 3000.

Lower down the order John Caudwell and Abecassis resumed their race 1 battle, the latter coming out on top this time by less than half a second, the pair claiming Pre ’63 and 50s and honours once more. 

Equipe MG Cup – races 2 and 6.

The MG Cup races produced another double winner! Rhys Higginbotham converted his race 1 pole into a win ahead of Matt Payne. The pair were right together at the end of lap one but Higginbotham eased clear lap by lap. Although Payne closed in during the latter laps as the pair lapped back markers, he lost time on the final lap and had to settle for P2 at the flag.

Peter Bramble’s distinctive yellow MGB grabbed P3 on lap 1 and had an untroubled run to the flag. Mark Wright made and electrifying start from the fourth row of the grid and initially ran in P4 before slipping down the order and eventually finishing seventh while Terry Loxton, who had slipped to fifth early on, took fourth in his Class B MG Montego estate.

Class A honours went to John Caudwell marking his MG Cup debut in the Equipe Classic Racing rental MG ZR160 and Simon Lowery was the sole Class C finisher.

The win put Higginbotham on pole for the second 20-minute race and he was ideally placed for another lights to flag victory.  Another great start from the fourth row saw Wright’s MGF Cup rocket into P2 for a couple of laps before conceding places to Lowery and Loxton who would finish P2 and P3 respectively. Payne had tumbled down the order on the opening lap while challenging for the lead. He fought back to P4 setting the fastest lap along the way.

Mark Wright took Class A honours ahead of Brian Caudwell who was at the wheel of the rental ZR160 this time and Nick Ashman took the Class B win.

Equipe GTS – races 3 and 7.

The TVR Granturas of Rob Cull and Chris Ryan had been separated by less than 1sec during qualifying and their battle for supremacy would continue throughout both GTS races.

When the lights went out to start their first race Cull immediately converted pole to P1 but Ryan grabbed the place from him on the second tour. Although Cull harried him mercilessly until the flag flew after 12 laps of excellent racing, Ryan was not to be denied and claimed his first victory of the day. Behind them, Simon Cripps brought his MG B Roadster home in P3 and Jonathan Abecassis (Healey 100/4) won a race-long tussle with Mark Campbell (Triumph TR4) to claim P4.

It was Ryan’s turn to grab the lead of Race 2 from his pole position. Cull slotting into second ahead of Abacassis and Campbell. This time Ryan had more pace and gradually pulled away from Cull until the Safety Car intervened after seven laps and undid all his good work. When the track went green again there was time for only one more flying lap and, despite Cull’s best efforts, Ryan held on to take his fourth GTS win of 2025, just 0.598sec ahead of his rival.

The Campbell/Abecassis duel was resolved in favour of the former on lap 5 when the TR4 to move into P3. Abecassis held on to P4 to finish just ahead of Cripps.

Equipe 70s

Fowler made a scorching start to the first Equipe 70s race and had a handy advantage of some 5secs from McCarthy at the end of lap 1. Pugsley lost time on the opening lap and dropped to the rear of the field leaving Mark Lucock (Mk1 Escort RS2000) in P3. 

Determined not to be denied, McCarthy set about hunting Fowler down and achieved his goal when he swept into the lead on lap 6 but his grasp on the winner’s trophy was short-lived as he was forced into retirement on lap 10. Fowler went on to take the win some 47secs ahead of Lucock. Bob Rowe claimed P3 in his Lotus Elan while Ryck Turner took fourth in his beautifully prepared Mini 1275GT.

At around 4.30pm the 70s were out again with their second race which was the final race of the day. Fowler led away from pole with Lucock and Rowe in second and third. A potential charge though the field from McCarthy, who starting at the back of the grid, sadly did not materialise as he retired again on the opening lap. 

Out front Fowler galloped away to round off a day of double winners. Behind him Lucock’s Escort had an untroubled run to P2 while Rowe looked to have third in the bag before he stopped on lap 6. Pugsley was the beneficiary of the Elan’s demise and was delighted to take his first Equipe 70s podium finish.

All credit must go to Equipe Classic Racing, MSVR, the Orange Army and track staff for running another excellent day of motorsport. The next Equipe meeting will be at Silverstone on 7th & 8th June.