Words by: Andy Lloyd - Head of Media
Images by: Bernice Bradley - Lead Photographer, India Knowlson - Competition Photographer
Emma Norton’s Team Northbrook Racing (TNR) squad left Cadwell Park after a blistering weekend under the Lincolnshire sun which saw Richard Jepp take two wins in class, along with a fastest lap, to extend TNR1’s lead at the top of the 2026 Student Motorsport Competition standings by two points over Boston College Racing’s (BCR) BCR1 entry piloted by Andrew Dyer.
With the weekend reverting to the two-rounds-over-three-races format, TNR1 beat BCR1 in the first contest of the weekend and went on to take victory in their second race while BCR1’s Andrew Dyer won the Competition class in the final BRSCC Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup Championship outing of the weekend, ahead of teammate Alex Foden in the sister #41 car.
With just six rounds remaining of the 2026 Competition season, the battle is now on to see if Boston College Racing can retain the title they first won in 2025 or whether three-time title holders Team Northbrook Racing can regain the Student Motorsport crown.
14 SMo Competition cars, entered by ten school, college or training organisation-led teams made the journey to Cadwell Park for rounds 10 and 11 of the 2026 season. Friday saw four SMo teams out testing around the 2.2 miles of the Lincolnshire circuit.
Friday Practice: Ironing Out Technical Gremlins and Passing the Baton
East Surrey College (ESC) tested the team’s #95 Peugeot 107 with driver Luke Bate feeling that he and the team had made good progress. Like many drivers, repeated session stoppages limited the amount of running they were able to undertake but it was good preparation for the demands of the weekend. Team Northbrook Racing’s Richard Jepp was present for half of the test day, putting the #65 TNR1 Gen II Peugeot through its paces. The South Coast-based driver identified an ABS problem during the day which the team was able to rectify, proving the value of the Friday test days to iron out any potential technical issues.
For Emma Norton’s Shoreham Airport-based squad the weekend was significant in that the team’s Level 6 students, who would be graduating this summer, handed over to their Level 5 colleagues, imparting their skills and combined experience gathered over many months of racing.
Brooklands Technical College Racing (BTCR), in their first season as a two-car team, tested one of their Peugeot 107s, dividing the track time between both of their drivers. A broken catalytic converter hampered their schedule but it did provide the students with an opportunity to practice their engineering skills during the repair.
Boston College Racing tested both of their cars which, after considerable work had been undertaken on both entries since Croft, allowed both drivers and students an excellent opportunity for a proper shakedown. BCR1 driver Andrew Dyer had slight contact with a Mazda resulting in damage to the headlight and bumper.
Qualifying: Dyer Denies Jepp Overall Pole in Final Moments
For qualifying on Saturday morning, a revised format was tested, with cars leaving the assembly area in a prescribed order. The Competition entries were led out by Pitlane Development’s (PLD) Reuben Lowe with BTCR1’s George Antoniou next away, followed by ESC1’s Luke Bate, BTCR2’s Luke Power and JAS/HW Motorsport’s (JAS/HW) Jenson Jackson.
BTCR1’s Antoniou put the first flying lap time on the board with a 1:56.855 while BCR1’s Andrew Dyer was second quickest in class with a 1:57.287. With three laps completed. BCR2’s Alex Foden was quickest in class and second quickest overall with a 1:55.514 while Jepp, the Competition current standings leader, was fourth quickest on class with a 1:57.114.
Jepp then set overall provisional pole on his fifth lap with a 1:54.679, .043 seconds quicker than title rival Andrew Dyer with the duo looking to lock out the overall front row. BCR2’s Foden was fourth quickest overall and third in class with a 1:55.514.
Above: BCR2's Alex Foden behind QEM2's Alex Turner - Qualifying - Cadwell Park - August 2026 (Photo: Bernice Bradley)
As the session drew to a close, Jepp and Dyer were unchallenged for the overall front row while Foden and Lettis held third and fourth in class. However, on his seventh lap, Dyer put in a flyer to go quicker again with a 1:54.470, securing overall and class pole, while Jepp couldn’t improve on his 1:54.679.
When the chequered flag came out, Dyer and Jepp were confirmed as having locked out the overall CityCar Cup front row for the SMo Competition for the first time since Silverstone in June. BCR completed the top three in class with Alex Foden qualifying third in class and fourth overall. NESCOT’s Elliot Lettis, Waltham Forest College (WFC) Racing’s Harry Sutton, BTCR1’s George Antoniou and ESC1’s Luke Bate qualified fourth to seventh in class while JAS/HW’s Jenson Jackson qualified eighth. BTCR2’s Luke Power, Pitlane Development’s (PLD) Reuben Lowe and QE Motorsport 1’s (QEM1) Emilia Vincent filled the ninth to eleventh-place qualifying slots in class while the Competition qualifying grid was completed by TNR2’s Jack Wheeler, QEM2’s Alex Turner and Paddock Speedshop’s Aby Bennett. Wheeler’s Peugeot was subsequently found to have a fuel pump problem which was quickly resolved.
Race 1: Jepp Holds Off Charging Dyer
24 CityCar Cup entries took to the grid for Race One (groups A & B) with BCR1’s Andrew Dyer sitting on overall and class pole, lining up alongside TNR1’s Richard Jepp.
Richard Jepp immediately challenged Dyer as the 15-minute contest got underway, the TNR driver passing the BCR1 Toyota Aygo halfway round the opening lap. After the first lap, Jepp had pulled out a half a second advantage over Andrew Dyer.
PLD’s Reuben Lowe made unfortunate contact with a barrier after being tapped in the back and damage to the #25 car meant that it would play no further part in the race. Waved yellow flags were used to warn drivers of the incident which meant that the safety car was not required.
Jepp set a 1:55.437, the fastest lap of the race as Dyer was pushing hard and not letting the TNR driver pull out any significant advantage. After three laps, Jepp and Dyer at the front were beginning to pull out a gap to the #392 entry of Alistair May while Elliot Lettis, at the wheel of the #3 NESCOT Peugeot was running third in class and sixth overall.
Above: TNR1's Richard Jepp battling with BCR1's Andrew Dyer - Cadwell Park - Race One - (Photo: India Knowlson)
Dyer then set a new fastest lap, the first driver to lap in under 1:55, with a 1:54.856 as the BCR1 driver closed the gap to Jepp to less than half a second. Dyer was snapping at Jepp’s heels until the TNR driver had a slight wobble in the closing seconds, demonstrating that he was working as hard as he could to retain the lead.
NESCOT’s Elliot Lettis was holding on to a solid third place with JAS/HW’s Jenson Jackson was four overall places behind and fourth in class.
WFC’s Harry Sutton had a slight off-track excursion but was able to rejoin the track as Jepp took the chequered flag to take the overall and class win with Dyer in second. NESCOT’s Elliot Lettis completed the class podium.
JAS/HW’s Jackson secured fourth in class with TNR2’s Jack Wheeler in fifth. WFC’s Harry Sutton and QEM’s Emilia Vincent completed the Competition finishers.
After being taken to the circuit medical centre for checks, the whole Competition paddock was relieved to hear that PLD’s Reuben Lowe had received no serious injuries. Although the car would take no further part in the weekend, the #25 driver returned to team’s awning vowing to get back on track as soon as possible.
Race 2: Jepp Capitalises on Burgess Retirement for Second Overall Victory
The second race of the weekend was for groups B & C with TNR1’s Richard Jepp starting from overall pole and BCR2’s Alex Foden immediately behind him on the second row. BTCR1’s George Antoniou was starting from the fifth row with JAS/HW’s Jenson Jackson and ESC’s Luke Bate on the row behind. Antoniou’s teammate Luke Power started from 14th overall with the Competition grid completed by QEM2’s Alex Turner and Paddock Speedshop’s Aby Bennett.
Above: Concentrating pit crew (Paddock Speedshop - right) - Cadwell Park - Race Two - August 2026 (Photo: India Knowlson)
Richard Jepp fought off a hard-charging Jack Burgess in the #194 Toyota at the start and the duo raced side-by-side as they approached Turn 1 but Jepp held the lead after the opening lap, half a second ahead of Burgess with BCR2’s Alex Foden holding third overall and second in class.
NESCOT's Elliot Lettis, running third in class, was locked in a battle for sixth overall and third in class with Jenson Jackson while a ESC1’s Luke Bate made up two places overall after the opening lap and was running fifth in class.
ESC1's Luke Bate climbing the Mountain Ascent - Race Two - Cadwell Park (Photo: Bernice Bradley)
Lettis was making up places and was 5th overall after three laps and third in class while Aby Bennett in the #8 Paddock Speedshop Citroen was 8th in class.
Jepp and Burgess continued to pull away from Foden in third and, as the 15-minute contest entered the final three minutes, Jepp was leading the class with Alex Foden in second. Elliot Lettis was holding on for his second Competition podium of the weekend with Jenson Jackson 1.2 seconds behind in fourth in class.
With Burgess chasing Jepp for the overall win, there was drama for the #65 car after Burgess slowed and pulled off the circuit and out of the race. The retirement promoted BCR2’s Alex Foden into second place overall.
When the chequered flag fell, TNR1’s Jepp took his second win of the weekend with BCR2’s Alex Foden in second. NESCOT’s Elliot Lettis finished third in class with JAS/HW’s Jenson Jackson just over half a second behind. ESC1’s Luke Bate finished fifth in class followed by BTCR1’s George Antoniou while Paddock Speedshop’s Aby Bennett and QEM2’s Alex Turner completing the Competition finishers.
Paddock Conversations
The weekend timetable meant that there were plenty of opportunities to have discussions about, and make plans for, the 2027 season. Meetings were held throughout the day with current and future teams in the Student Motorsport Competition Media Centre and, given the indications that Competition organiser John Paul ‘JP’ Latham received over the weekend, the grid will again be packed for the sixth season of the world’s leading motorsport competition offering real world track side experience for the next generation of industry professionals.
Race 3: Dyer Strikes Back for Boston College Racing as WFC’s Sutton Returns to Podium
The final SMo Competition race of the weekend saw the BCR1 car with Andrew Dyer at the wheel start from pole position with teammate Alex Foden directly behind him.
When the lights went out, Dyer got off a quick start. Foden put a wheel on the grass as the leading duo of Dyer in the #15 BCR1 entry and Jack Burgess in the #194 Toyota started to pull ahead of the rest of the field. After the opening lap, Dyer and Burgess had opened up a gap of over 2.3 seconds ahead of the chasing pack with Foden having dropped back to fifth overall but still holding second in class.
Dyer was being put under pressure at the front and, with just over half the race remaining, held the lead with Foden second in class. BRCR1’s George Antoniou was third in class with WFC’s Harry Sutton holding on to a very respectable fourth.
Above: BCR1's Andrew Dyer leading the field - Cadwell Park - Race 3 - (Photo: Bernice Bradley)
TNR2’s Jack Wheeler discovered that a dislodged throttle cable was hampering his efforts to move up the field so stopped for an emergency repair before rejoining.
Burgess then passed Dyer for the lead and started to pull ahead of the BCR1 car while Antoniou fell back, promoting WFC Racing’s Sutton to the final class podium position. Dyer was not giving up on the overall win, however, and set the fastest lap of the race on lap six with a 1:54.698 and maintained a gap of less than half a second behind Burgess with two minutes remaining. Burgess replied with another quick lap as Dyer made one final attempt to pass the Race Tapes driver in the closing seconds but it was not to be and Boston College Racing had to settle for second overall and their third Competition win of 2026.
Foden brought the #41 Citroen home in second in class with WFC’s Harry Sutton completing the Competition podium finishers, his third podium in class in his debut season. ESC’s Luke Bate, BTCR2’s Luke Power and BTCR1’s George Antoniou finished fourth to sixth in class while the Competition finishers were completed by QEM1’s Emilia Vincent, Paddock Speedshop’s Aby Bennett, QEM2’s Alex Turner and TNR2’s Jack Wheeler.
Competition Standings & Driver Debriefs
After 11 rounds, TNR1’s lead at the top of the Student Motorsport Competition standings has increased by two points with Jepp on 164 points after dropped scores and BCR1’s Dyer on 149. After Alex Foden’s two Cadwell Park podiums, BCR2 overtakes JAS/HW Motorsport in the standings with BCR2 on 123 points, three points ahead of Harry Smith and Jenson Jackson's squad.
TNR2, BTCR1, WFC Racing and ESC1 remain unchanged in fifth to eighth although WFC’s Sutton closes the gap to BTCR1’s Antoniou to just two points. George Keith’s NESCOT College Racing moves up one place to ninth, courtesy of two podiums finishes by Elliot Lettis while BTCR2’s Luke Power moves up to tenth.
Paddock Speedshop’s Aby Bennett moves up the standings to 14th after a solid weekend which saw the Autograss racer take to eighth place finishes in class.
TNR’s Richard Jepp was pleased at his strong weekend but knows that there is still a long way to go in the 2026 season.
“Testing was tough as we only did a half day on Friday and we had some ABS issues as well but Team Northbrook college worked very hard to fix that,” he said. “We really didn’t know what the fault was but we managed to find a fix late on Friday night so I was more confident going into qualy. We qualified P2 behind Dyer and we had a great race with him in Race One. I managed to hold him off but he really kept me honest the whole way through.
“Our pace has been great all weekend and the car’s been really good but Jack (Wheeler) has not had the best of luck unfortunately and he’s had a tough season but we’ll keep battling on. We’ve extended the lead a bit in the Competition but there’s a long way to go yet. With Snetterton having four rounds, if you have a problem in the first race, it’ll be tough so still all to play for!”
Title rival Andrew Dyer, driver of the #15 Boston College Racing 1 Toyota was equally pragmatic.
“The title fight is still on and I’ll do the best that I can,” he said after taking his class win in the final Competition race of the weekend. “I’ll keep bagging points, try to avoid making any mistakes and then we’ll see what turns out at the end of the day.”
Paddock Collaboration: The True Heart of Student Motorsport
Student Motorsport founder and Competition organiser John Paul JP Latham looked back on the Cadwell Park weekend with pride.
“It’s been a weekend of reflection on how the Student Motorsport Competition has developed and where things are going in the future,” he said. “We’ve been talking to prospective teams and having meetings with current teams, who are largely looking at expansion for 2027 so I’m incredibly proud of that.
Above: NESCOT College Racing Team Principal Goerge Keith overseeing driver Elliot Lettis ahead of Race 2 - Cadwell Park - August 2026 (Photo: India Knowlson)
“Cadwell Park has been a rollercoaster in terms of racing but for me the takeaways are always seeing collaborative work and particularly this weekend. NESCOT College Racing were running with just George Keith working on the car so it was nice to see East Surrey College and other students, particularly TNR, helping George and his wife to load their van. We’re breaking down barriers and we’re strengthening the industry in terms of education and those things really shine through in this series.
“Whilst I don’t talk a great deal about racing, I am passionate about what goes on on-track and to see such clean and competitive racing this weekend was fantastic. I’m incredibly proud to see the teams, when a car comes into the pitlane, not panicking and identifying and solving problems. In the final race, TNR2 had had a problem with their throttle cable. They were very calm and they resolved the issue so that Jack Wheeler could continue. I’m tremendously proud of how the Competition is developing and maturing into its sixth year.”
Next Stop: Four-Race Mega-Meet at Snetterton
The Student Motorsport Competition grid now moves to Snetterton on September the 19th and 20th for the penultimate weekend of the 2026 season. Snetterton will offer a unique event in Competition history with four BRSCC Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup Championship races across the weekend, the most that have ever taken place at a single race meeting.
