Radical Club Challenge Delivers Dominant Drives and Drama at Silverstone

A bright, sunny Silverstone National Circuit greeted the competitors of the Radical Club Challenge, presented by the 750 Motor Club. It had been a month since the drivers last raced at Brands Hatch, and it was clear that they were all eager to get back out on track.

Qualifying

Shane Stoney showed no signs of slowing down on Saturday – nor did Gordie Mutch, who was driving the University of Derby ran car. The two drivers had dominated Class A and Class C respectively at Brands Hatch, and Silverstone proved no different. Stoney, in his Radical PR6, set a blistering lap time of 54.097 – a second faster than Leon Morrell’s 55.237 in P2.  Joe Stables was not far behind in P3. “They’re getting faster,” conceded Stoney. Yet a big gap still exists. Mutch also secured pole in Class C with a time of 58.856, putting his Radical SR1 ahead of a few Class B competitors and creating distance between himself and second in class, Aaron Rose.

Daniel Headlam (RJ Motorsport), in his SR3 RSX, claimed the closely fought Class B pole ahead of Philip Brown (RJ Motorsport) and Stephen Bell (Tim Gray Motorsport). Bell was particularly pleased with his result, starting third in class and seventh on the grid: “Yes, I’m very happy. I usually feel like I’m out of position in the race, so it’s great to be starting near the front!”. Only time would tell if he could convert his starting position into success in the race.

Race One

Racing began with a rolling start, and the drivers got away cleanly into Turn One – but that wouldn’t last for long. Class B leader Headlam dropped down the order on lap one as the SR3s of Class B squabbled over positions, allowing Bell to take the lead in class. Morrell briefly took the overall lead on the Wellington Straight but lost the rear of the car while defending into Brooklands, allowing Stoney to retake the lead at Luffield. This gave Stables the chance to go on the attack on lap two.

Once again, Morrell lost time into Brooklands, and Stables seized the opportunity to switch back and take second place on the exit of Luffield. Unfortunately, Morrell and Stables came together, with Stables spinning in dramatic fashion and Morrell forced onto the gravel. Morrell was able to continue, but Stables’ race was over.

The Safety Car was brought out – but unexpectedly, the SR1 of Vikram Sudera (North Motorsport) also required assistance. As the cars caught up to the Safety Car queue, Sudera had to take avoiding action when the cars ahead locked up while trying to avoid the slowing lead pack. As a result, Sudera’s car was damaged and forced to retire for the remainder of the day. The Safety Car period lasted five minutes before racing resumed.

After the restart, an epic battle ensued among the front-runners of Class B. Brown and Paul Seward (RJ Motorsport) jostled over fourth position, which briefly allowed Bell to build a gap in third. Pedro Oliveira and Doug Carter (RJ Motorsport) joined the fight. Once Brown cleared Seward, he immediately began applying pressure on Bell. Despite the challenge, Bell held on – and it was Brown who ultimately came under attack from Oliveira. After a strong defence, Oliveira completed the overtake on the final lap to secure second in class.

Stoney was the first to cross the line, finishing 25-seconds ahead of second-placed Morrell. 750 Motor Club veteran Carter completed the Class A podium in third. Bell crossed the line first in Class B and third overall to claim his first win in the Radical Club Challenge, followed by Oliveira and Brown. Gordie Mutch took his third dominant win of the season in Class C, followed by Aaron Rose and Stephanie Hobeika (DW Racing).

After the dust had settled, we heard from the winning drivers. First to speak was Stoney: “Leon gave me a good go on the first lap, but I knew I could race him quite happily. Got a good jump after the Safety Car and then just got my head down.”

Bell couldn’t have been happier with his win: “We did it, we did it! This is the team – Tim Gray Motorsport! It was a brilliant race. We always have the pace in practice but never translate that into qualifying or the race – but we did that today! It’s a big step for me and the team.”

Mutch was quick to praise the University of Derby team for setting up the car and securing the win but described his race as rather lonely in Class C: “I got past a few people on lap one and then didn’t really see anyone after that,” he recalled. “So, I don’t know where they were? I was expecting a few to come through but they never came, so the pace must have been alright!”

With the first race having delivered a dramatic start, anticipation was building for the second race.

Race Two

The final race of the day offered a chance for those who had lost out in Race One to set the record straight.

Class A’s Stables returned to the grid on the front row alongside pole-sitter Stoney. Morrell started in third and, although he had a slower start than the front runners, he remained clear of the lead Radical SR3s. Stoney set the pace straight away, averaging 54-second laps – just a bit too quick for Stables, who remained in a lonely second for most of the race. Morrell also had a solitary run in third, lapping around a second slower than Stoney.

Carter, in the Radical PR6, had a big spin on lap two at Brooklands and was unable to rejoin, having been running in fourth overall. On the final lap, Stables unfortunately retired and didn’t take the chequered flag. This promoted Morrell to second and James Keevil to the final step of the podium.

Headlam had a much better start and led a controlled race in Class B, while Brown and Oliveira attempted to challenge. Bell wasn’t able to make the same impact as in the morning but still finished a respectable fourth in class. Oliveira once again fought hard for second with Brown, eventually getting the better of him – a repeat of their earlier battle. Brown retained third and was pleased to have secured two podium finishes.

Further down the field, Mark Grason led a train of Class B cars in a closely fought scrap. There were some entertaining battles, particularly between Grason and Ian McDonald. Scott Lear, in the SR1, had a spin which unfortunately cost him a podium – he’ll be looking to bounce back next race weekend.

Mutch once again dominated the Class C field. By the time he crossed the line, he had secured a perfect four out of four wins this season – a feat matched by Stoney in Class A. As for the Class C podium, Rose and Hobeika came second and third respectively, with Rose challenging the back of the Class B pack and Hobeika having enjoyed a good fight with Lear prior to his retirement.

Though they’re not directly competing on track, both Stoney and Mutch have now thrown down the gauntlet in the battle for the overall championship. Headlam’s consistent performances keep him in contention, and he remains the Class B leader – but he’ll be hoping Stoney and Mutch encounter some difficulties later in the season to give him a shot at the title.

Formerly the Bikesports Championship, the 2025 Radical Club Challenge is for Radical sports racing cars powered by motorbike engines. All models are eligible – from the earliest Clubsports and Prosports, through PR6s, SR4s, SR1s, and all incarnations of the hugely popular SR3. It now also features a dedicated class for SR1 models, previously run under Radical Cup UK specifications. The Radical Club Challenge is the perfect option for those seeking a cost-effective, yet competitive and exciting, racing series.

For more information about the Radical Club Challenge, click here.

Photography Credits: Jon Elsey