A full grid at a SEMSEC Lydden meeting

SEMSEC
South East Motor Sport Enthusiasts Club

What is the relationship between TWMC and SEMSEC (South East Motor Sport Enthusiasts Club)? If you have just joined TWMC this close relationship between two clubs may seem a bit strange when so many clubs appear to compete against each other for members, events and venues.

The relationship has its roots back in TWMCs long history with Lydden Circuit. In the 1960s a gentleman called Bill Chesson established the Lydden motor sport venue close to Lydden Village near Canterbury. The track was shorter than it is now, and in those early days ran in the opposite direction. Through the 1960s and 1970s TWMC promoted race meetings at the venue and supplied officials and marshals to assist the Lydden based Astra Motor Club. When the first Rallycross meetings were staged TWMC promoted the events and supplied many of the senior officials for Rallycross events run by other clubs including televised events. In the late 80s Bill sold the venue to Rallycross enthusiast Tom Blissett. TWMCs involvement at Lydden waned partly due to the fact that the club was running different events at other venues.

SEMSEC cater for as many types of car as possible

McLaren took a 50% share in Lydden before in the early 1990s Tom was forced to sell his share of the circuit and McLaren became the sole owner. Without a club based at the venue or an organisation set up to run it, racing ceased for a nine-month period. In 1993 McLaren signed a deal with the British Motor Cycle Racing Club (BEMSEE) who agreed to lease and manage the circuit for a five year period from 1994 onwards.

BEMSEE Chief Executive Terry Mount and Doug Jennings (TWMC Vice President) knew each other from their days working at Brands Hatch. When BEMSEE needed a club to promote the car meetings at Lydden Terry and Doug hatched a plan to form a new club. TWMC was approached to supply officials and use their experience and to promote the new car racing championships that would form the backbone of the new club's programme of events. Another club that had previously run numerous events at Lydden, BARC L&HCC, was also approached to help get the club off the ground and so SEMSEC was formed with TWMC and BARC L&HCC as the associated clubs. Unfor-tunately the relationship with BARC became strained during the first year and a couple of the events planned had to be cancelled when entries did not reach sufficient numbers. It was then left to TWMC to supply the support with the regular Lydden marshals and a number of experienced motor racing officials and friends of Doug.

Some retro classics at a SEMSEC meeting

At the end of the year BARC officially withdrew from the partnership whilst Doug decided he could no longer give the time it took to keep SEMSEC going. It looked like this was the end of SEMSEC until at a TWMC committee meeting it was decided to try and rescue SEMSEC. TWMC put up directors to take over from those departing and took over the management of the club. TWMC then approached other South East Motor Clubs to join in a motor sport co-operative to run SEMSEC as an umbrella club. It was to promote race meetings and other larger events that were too big or too complicated for a single club to run. A meeting was set up and 20 clubs attended. At the meeting about 15 clubs showed interest in being involved in this venture but when it came to firm commitment only two other clubs put pen to paper. With Borough 19 MC and Rochester MC on-board plans for the continuation of SEMSEC were discussed, agreed and a partnership between all three clubs was established. This arrangement gave each club a Sprint at Lydden as well as the opportunity to be involved in the promotion of race meetings at Lydden.

Single Seaters racing with SEMSEC

In the first year under the new management support grew with TWMCs involvement and management being instrumental in this success. Each year since then SEMSEC has continued to grow stronger and the co-operation and support between the clubs involved in the SEMSEC co-operative got better. The Lydden marshals club was merged into the organisation and many new SEMSEC members have been recruited.

Today TWMC members remain on the controlling board and on the sporting committee. TWMC also remains the club providing the most additional support to SEMSEC by way of event officials.

TWMCs involvement in SEMSEC brings with it some benefits, as many of the Lydden race competitors are TWMC members, joining the club to be part of its popular Lydden race championships. The club's profile has been enhanced with the Lydden Sprint events providing the backbone for its very popular All Circuit Sprint Championship. With financial benefits to TWMC being involved in these successful enterprises SEMSEC also provides members with the rare opportunity to be involved in race meetings and sprints at a recognised racing venue, as competitors, marshals and event officials.