Irishman Derek Tohill secured a career-third Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy title with back-to-back victories in the final weekend of the 2026 season at Lydden Hill [November 7-8].

Part of the Kent circuit’s annual fireworks rallycross weekend, in which the finals on Saturday run after dark under floodlights before a spectacular fireworks display, the weekend provided action aplenty across every category.

In the headline Supercar division, Tohill’s Lydden wins meant he remained unbeaten throughout the 2026 campaign, but the Peugeot 208 WRX driver faced stiff opposition through the double-header event.

It was the returning Sam Clennell (Proton Iriz) who set the fastest time in Q1, before series newcomer Eoin Murray (Honda Civic), like Clennell in only his second Supercar outing, went fastest in Q2. Consistency however meant Tohill qualified first overall at the Intermediate Classification, before he won both his semi-final and led the final from the front to secure the title with a round to go. Behind, Murray finished second while Clennell bettered six-time British Rallycross Champion Julian Godfrey (Citroen DS3) through Joker Lap strategy to complete the podium. Godfrey, Tristan Ovenden (Volkswagen Polo) and John McCluskey (Honda Civic) completed the top six.

On the last day of the campaign, Tohill took a clean sweep with fastest time in each of the three qualifiers, before leading the final from the front to end his campaign with another win. Behind Tohill in the final, Clennell climbed from the back row of the grid on lap one, as Murray and Godfrey had contact at the Devil’s Elbow on the opening tour that damaged Godfrey’s Citroen, dropping him out of podium contention.

Murray Motorsport team mates Murray and McCluskey jokered on the third lap, then on lap four Murray and Clennell had contact down the hill. As the remaining joker strategies played out, Murray closed on leader Tohill in the final stages but would finish second on the road ahead of McCluskey. However, Murray was handed a penalty post-race for the lap three incident, promoting McCluskey to second and Clennell to third. Ovenden, Murray and Michael Sellar (Citroen DS3) completed the top six.

Motorsport UK Cross Car Championship

With the title already decided at the previous round at Knockhill, drivers in the Motorsport UK Cross Car Championship were battling for the remaining overall podium positions and final weekend honours at Lydden Hill. And, having previously always lucked-out at his home venue, it was Will Ovenden (Ligier XC09) who took am emotional victory under floodlights in the penultimate round of the season. Returnee David Kane (Speedcar Wonder) finished second, while Benjamin Bartlett (Ligier X09) edged James Black (Ligier XC09) by just 0.001s at the line to complete the podium. On Sunday, it was Kane who claimed the win, ahead of Bartlett and Ovenden. Stephen Jones twice took top honours in the RX150 Rallycross category.

In the Motorsport UK Cross Car Junior Championship, George Edenborough (LifeLive TN11) dominated proceedings, winning on both days. On Saturday, he took a clean sweep of qualifying before winning the final by a commanding margin, while 2026 Champion Ethan Hooker (LifeLive TN5) finished second and newly-crowned Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Champion William Hands (LifeLive TN5) was third. On Sunday, as Edenborough won again, it was Jaxon Blewett (LifeLive TN5) who finished second with Hooker completing the podium.

Retro Rallycross Championship

Lee Wood and Pat Doran took a victory each in the final rounds of the Super Retro Rallycross Championship for 2026, but it was Doran who secured the title with his Ford Escort MKII.

Wood (Ford Escort MKII) was victorious in a re-started final on Saturday evening under floodlights, after the race had to be red flagged, to take his second win of the campaign, while pole sitter Stewart Emery (Volvo 242) finished second and Dan Swayland (Ford Escort MKI) managed a deflated rear tyre to keep his title-hopes alive and complete the podium. Title-rival Doran meanwhile was forced to crawl through the race with a holed intercooler. On Sunday, Doran took the top qualifier position and while Swayland did everything he could by winning the pair’s semi-final, qualification to the final was enough for Doran to take the crown. In the final, Doran claimed victory, ahead of Swayland and the returning Charlie French (Ford Escort MKII).

In the Retro Rallycross Championship for up to 1650cc, Tony Lynch (Toyota MR2) took a brace of wins, but faced stiff weekend-long opposition from Jon Wood (Ford Escort MKIII), Wood initially leading the final on Sunday afternoon. Newly-crowned champion Wood wound up second on both days, while newcomer Rick May (Toyota Starlet) twice completed the podium.

Swift Sport Rallycross Championship

The Swift Sport Rallycross Championship provided single-make, door-to-door racing throughout the weekend, where outgoing champion Matt Cake and newly crowned title-winner Philip Seath claimed the spoils.

Cake started from pole position for Saturday’s final and led Ben Williams into the opening corner. Starting from the second row, Seath was first to take his joker at the opening opportunity, before Williams also took his compulsory extra route. Setting fastest lap times, Williams did all he could to close on Cake, but the 2025 champion retained his advantage after his own joker en route to victory ahead of Williams as Seath completed the podium.

It was Seath’s turn to qualify on pole position for Sunday’s final and while Williams made the best start from the outside of the front row, Seath held onto the lead. When Williams then made an error in the joker section, having been also followed into the compulsory extra-route by Cake and Danny Bean, Seath was able to respond and hold onto his lead and wrap up his title-winning campaign with victory. Cake and Williams completed the podium.

Open 2WD

Ahead of joining the 5 Nations BRX roster for 2027, the new Open 2WD category was trialled at the Lydden Hill finale, where 24 drivers entered the weekend with an eclectic range of machinery.

And, it was Vauxhall VX200 driver Jason Bleasdale who claimed a pair of victories, on both occasions beating visiting Belgian driver Steve Volders (BMW E30 M3). However, while the same car completed the podium on both days, it was the owner of the Volkswagen Polo RWD Peter McGarry who finished in the top three under floodlights on Saturday evening, fending off the attentions of Liam Doran’s BMW E30 M3 to the finish line. McGarry then gave his seat to mechanic Brian Sexton for Sunday’s action, Sexton improving his pace throughout the day and ultimately finishing on the podium, in third.

Of the front-wheel-drive competitors, it was Paul Coney (Vauxhall Corsa) and Darren Scott (Citroen C2) who claimed the victory spoils.

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