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| Ady enjoying the Sunday morning Sunrise under the WMCC gazebos. |
RAF Classic Racing Team – CRMC Darley Moor 6–7 September 2025
The RAF Classic Racing Team rolled into Darley Moor for the
penultimate round of the CRMC season, a narrow yet simple triangle circuit that,
with a bit of practice, can lead to some fast and close racing. With
championships on the line, returning bikes, loaned machines, and more than a
few dramatic stories, the weekend didn’t disappoint.
Gavin – Steady Progress on the VFR750
Back on the VFR750, Gavin rediscovered his rhythm around
Darley’s fast straights and tight bends. While still wrestling with a
self-confessed "slow corner mental block," he steadily closed in on
his personal best lap time. Ending the weekend within two seconds of that
benchmark was a clear sign of progress, and more importantly, the spark of
enjoyment was back: “oddly fun little circuit” was his verdict, and it showed
in the way he rode.
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| Gavin, not at the back - PJ Photography |
Murf – Chasing the Championship
Murf’s eyes were firmly on the points table, and every race
mattered. Running a new clutch, he grew stronger as the weekend progressed,
dropping his lap times to a new PB and trading places in some thrilling duels.
The highlight was a nail-biting finish in the rain, where just 0.14 seconds
separated him and his rival at the line. With momentum building, Murf now heads
to Brands Hatch with a real shot at third overall in the championship.
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| Murf eyeing up a TZ - PJ Photography |
Dorian – Triumph Battles at the Sharp End
When mechanical gremlins struck, Dorian found himself on a
borrowed Rob North Triumph. First ride or not, he wasted no time getting to
grips with it. In a display of adaptability and raw speed, he locked horns with
the championship leader, taking two race wins and two runner-up finishes. With
that, the title fight is wide open, and Brands will be the decider. “Now all to
play for” summed up the mood in the garage.
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| Dorian in fresh air - PJ Photography |
Toby "Tubs" Welford started the weekend perfectly
with a commanding win, but racing is never predictable. A fall in the second
outing meant an unplanned rebuild before he could return to the track. Though
he managed to line up again, the sparkle of that first victory proved elusive.
Still, the grit to get back out after a tumble showed the determination that
defines the team.
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| Tubs leads the way - PJ Photography |
Franky’s weekend hadn’t even started when disaster struck
twice: first his CBR400 cried off with yet another failure—this time a head
gasket—then his truck broke down en route to the circuit. Thankfully, salvation
came in the form of his girlfriend Los, who generously loaned him her Honda
VFR400 NC30. Though it lacked the outright speed of the front-runners, he
quickly discovered it to be a nimble little bike, finding pace and confidence
as the laps ticked by. Sadly, a front-end washout ended his racing prematurely,
leaving Franky with two broken bikes, a broken truck, and a sheepish apology to
Los.
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| Frankys clean lines - PJ Photography |
Joe – Milestones and Momentum
Joe’s Darley campaign was nothing short of outstanding,
marking a weekend of silverware across multiple classes. On the VFR750 he was
unstoppable, sweeping all four wins in the Supersport 750 races with ease and
taking the opportunity to chase down the period 3 superbikes despite being
40-60bhp down on them! Switching to the Supermono, he showed the same
consistency with a haul of results—1st, 2nd, and 3rd—keeping him firmly in the
title mix. The Molnar Manx also made an appearance, delivering a superb 2nd
place before mechanical problems forced him to retire from the ACU Classic 500 and
his last 500 classic race.
The weekend carried extra significance as Joe celebrated his
100th career CRMC victory, a landmark that reflects both speed and persistence
across different machinery. Few riders left Darley with a bigger smile or
heavier trophy haul.
Many Monos with a Joe front - PJ Photography
Shaw – Steps Forward on the CBR600
Shaw continued his development on the CBR600 F3, steadily
improving lap times and mixing it with the “superstock 600” peer group within
the bigger Supersport grid. Each race saw him closer to the pack, underlining a
clear upward curve in pace and confidence.
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| Ady battling |
Looking Ahead
Darley Moor delivered everything: wins, spills, borrowed
bikes, and title-defining battles. The RAF Classic Racing Team leave with heads
high and plenty still to play for as the season finale at Brands Hatch looms.
For some, it’s about championships. For others, it’s about redemption. But as
always, the camaraderie and determination shine brightest. We will leave you with some excellent bonus images from PJ Photography.
The Royal Air Force MotorSport Association supports tens of disciplines, both two and four-wheeled. More information on the RAFMSA can be found on Facebook, the Sports federation home page, Twitter and can be found with a quick search on MODNet.
The RAF Classic racing team race in the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC) offer live timing and has race results going back years, you can find more the team on Facebook Twitter Blogger and YouTube.
There is a strong contingent of the RAFMSA MCRR in No Limits Racing, they can be found on Instagram with some fantastic video shared by competitor James on his YouTube channel, and many others can be found on there too. There is also an interservice race held at all NLR rounds for which the RAFMSA NLR team are the defending champions.
All serving RAF team members race under the banner of the Royal Air Force Motorsports Association (RAFMSA) alongside our veteran former members and associate members. If you are serving and wish to get involved with motorsports you can find all the contact details you will need on the RAFMSA website or get in contact directly with us.
This blog post was written and edited by Gavin Heggs with contributing media from riders, supporters and fans.
Finally special thanks go to the companies who continue to support us:
Classic Racing Green, EBC brakes UK, Forcefield body armour, HPE, Hel performance brakes, J&S Accessories, PJMphotography, Royal Air Force Motorsports Association, Royal Air Force Central Fund, R-Tech Welding, Ragged edge racing, Stahlwille UK, Witham group and individual sponsors:
Symon Woodward: Mick Abbey tuning.
Andy Green: New Era Restorations
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