Accolades for Torbay Motor Club in the SW Annual Award ceremony

The Association of South Western Motor Clubs held their annual Awards ceremony at the Exeter Court Hotel recently, to honour the achievements of the 2025 motorsport season.

As well as recognising the success of individuals, awards were also presented to some of the 109 motor clubs who are members of the Association.

And Torbay Motor Club was one of those clubs proudly collecting silverware. They won the prestigious ASWMC Club Championship. This award is based on the points scored by Torbay MC members in a wide and varied range of motorsport disciplines.

Club Chairman, Roy Sims, was presented with the RAC MSA Silver Salver by Claire Kirkpatrick - Director of Club and Volunteer Development at Motorsport UK (MSUK), the sport’s governing body.

Torbay MC has an exceptional record in the Club Championship – between 1996 and 2003, they won the Award seven times in eight years. More recently, since 2018, they have won it five times.

In his acceptance speech, a very proud Roy Sims told the audience: “This is the award that I like Torbay winning – it’s for all the competitors.”

In 2025, the Club marked its 75th Anniversary, winning the ASWMC Club Championship was the perfect way to celebrate that milestone.

It was also a day of celebration for many Torbay MC members. Brixham-based racer, 16-year-old Polly Ashley, finished third in the 1st Choice Finishes Autocross Championship – a title that she won in 2024. She also finished Runner-up in both the Under 21 and All Rounders Championships.

In the ASWMC hillclimb and sprint championships, both sponsored by Fusion Fostering, Mike Lee (Force LM) finished Runner-up on the hills, and Andy Stoddart (Vauxhall Nova) was Runner-up in the sprints.

Torbay MC has been very successful in recent years with the revival of autocross events under the leadership of Colin Anderson. The off-road sport has been very popular with young drivers who are able to compete from the age of 14.

In addition to Polly Ashley, other racers finding success in autocross included Leon Sandercock-Hunter – Winner of the ASWMC Under-21 Championship and Runner-up - 1st Choice Finishes ASWMC Autocross Championship. Fellow competitor Zane Hunter finished fourth in the Autocross Championship. Dave Haizelden finished third in the ASWMC Classic Reliability Trials Championship.

The achievements of all these competitors individually, contributed to Torbay MC winning the Club Championship. A very successful season of motorsport. Congratulations to Torbay MC!

If you would like to get involved, all the latest news from Torbay MC is available on their website www.torbaymotorclub.co.uk and FB page.

The new Torbay MC season starts with the Central Garages Torbay Spring Autocross on March 28 and 29; Torbay Trial April 19; TMC Fusion Fostering Wiscombe Park hillclimb on May 16; and the Fusion Fostering Clay Pigeon Sprint is on May 24.

The speed hillclimb season gets underway on the weekend of April 25 and 26 at Wiscombe Park – full details are available on the venue’s website www.wiscombepark.co.uk and FB page.