KOC25 Round 3 – Eastbourne Car Club | Hailsham

In true Larry David fashion, Round 3 of the King of Clubs had everything: unexpected comebacks, blown leads, gritted teeth, Ian Diboll and just the right amount of kerb-induced chaos. Eastbourne used every inch of home advantage—and maybe a bit too much kerb—to take the round win and the overall championship lead from Aldershot by a single point.

From body tucks at the chicane to half-spins, flips, and factory drive drama in Talent Cup… if you weren’t arguing with the kerbs, you were probably arguing with yourself. And yes, there were some very Larry David-esque glances on the drivers' rostrum.

Teams Championship: Eastbourne Lean In

Eastbourne turned the home round into a 12-point masterclass. Jack Collins and Ben Moorey locked out 1st and 2nd in Stock Touring Leg 1, while James Snashall and Stuart Rand played the consistency game in FWD. Add a tidy result from Chloe Snashall in Talent Cup and it was, frustratingly for everyone else, a classic EECC performance.

West London weren’t far behind. Damian Giddins’ double in Masters, plus Ricky Copsey’s A-final performances in 17.5, pulled them to second on the day.

Aldershot looked solid on paper but got tangled in the weeds—or more accurately, the kerbs. Fast drivers, fast cars, not enough results. Still, they’re only one point back.

Colchester didn’t enter a team due to a clash with the Iconic Cup - but the next race is Colchester’s home round so we’re expecting a come back.

Rookies Cup: Theobald Arrives

There’s always a new kid. With a double win, Elliot Theobald announced his arrival in style—taking the top step in both finals and ending Finley Harrison’s perfect streak. While Harrison still bagged a pair of seconds, it was Theobald’s clean lines and calm under pressure that made the difference.

Barry Batchelor (real name: Harry) and Archie Weston kept things tight in the battle for third, while Ivan Murphy-Brown suffered a rough second leg, but handled the disappointment with dignity and still came out smiling. One thing’s for sure—the future of this class is in very good hands.

Talent Cup: The Rivalry Heats Up

RD3 of the championship always brings drama—and Harry Johnson and Chloe Snashall delivered. With Team Associated and CML confirming they’ll offer factory CML drives to the top three Talent Cup finishers, the stakes are sky high.

Chloe started TQ and home advantage, but a couple of mistakes in race one opened the door for Harry to snatch a vital win. She struck back in race two with a composed drive to take the win at her local club. That sets up an unmissable showdown: Chloe needs a strong Colchester to head into Harry’s home round (West London) with the championship lead.

Special mention to Oscar Sturt - consistent and impressive, mixing it with the front runners both times out and to Poppy Hyde, who showed signs of a breakthrough with a P3 finish in the second leg.

FWD: A Race of Millimetres

The FWD class saw James Snashall win Leg 1 with an ultra-clean run, while Andy Murray returned to form with a Leg 2 victory. But the story may have been Stuart Rand—twice runner-up and with some extra speed late in the day, pushed hard for the win in Race 2.

In the B finals, Nathan Parker swept both legs with Mike Collins and Graham Cahalane snapping at his heels.

17.5 Stock Touring Car: Collins vs MOOREY vs Kerbs

Jack Collins delivered a dominant double A final win—just.

In Leg 1, Ben Moorey attacked from the opening lap before a body tuck at the Eastbourne chicane ended his challenge. He held on for second, fending off Ricky Copsey.

In Leg 2, Collins had a half-spin after clipping a kerb—Moorey slipped through, only to be bitten by the back straight kerb himself, flipping the car and handing the lead back. Copsey also got through for second, but Collins held on to complete an impressive double.

Lower finals saw Lucian Melinte dominate C finals, and Jordan Mckulsky and Dale Lusted swap wins in competitive B finals.

Masters: Margin of NO ErrorS

There is no margin. Not when Damian Giddins and Dave Ringsell are separated by tenths of seconds for 2 races. Damo took both wins, both by the slimmest of gaps. Dave was in his mirrors the whole time.

Ian Diboll Dibboll’d and John Williams put in work. Andy Hyde had his moments. And Mark Burrell, quietly dominated both B finals.

Drivers Championship Standings

FWD

Richard Harrison – 572
Mark Trinder – 572
Mark Young – 568
James Snashall – 560
Darren Tickner – 537

Talent Cup

Harry Johnson – 597
Chloe Snashall – 593
Poppy Hyde – 584
Oscar Sturt – 581
Daniel Saunders – 569

17.5 Stock

Ricky Copsey – 588
Ben Cane – 582
Matt Quinlisk – 549
Ethan Southall – 535
Ross Luffingham – 528

Masters

Dave Ringsell – 593
Damian Giddins – 587
Ian Diboll – 569
Andy Hyde – 566
Kevin Sturt – 566

Rookies Cup

Finley Harrison – 598
Ivan Murphy-Brown – 582
Archie Weston – 392
Elliot Theobald – 200
Evie Thorogood – 198

🏁 Team Results – Round 3: Eastbourne

Team	Points
Eastbourne	12
West London	22
Aldershot	26
Adur	29
Colchester	60

📊 Teams Championship Standings (After Round 3)

Team	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Total
Eastbourne	3	1	1	5
Aldershot	1	2	3	6
West London	5	3	2	10
Adur	2	5	4	11
Colchester	4	4	5	13

What’s Next?

The King of Clubs heads to Colchester Model Car Club on Sunday 27th July for Round 4. It’s home turf for a team that missed Round 3 due to a scheduling clash—but they’ll be favourites at their home track. With the championship standings tighter than ever and every point mattering more by the round, expect big performances as we hit the business end of the season.

📅 Next Up: Round 4 – Colchester

Date: Sunday 27th July 2025
Location: Colchester Model Car Club

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Curb Your Enthusiasm: Eastbourne Steal the Lead, One Kerb at a Time