Stockbridge Motorsport
We do not just talk about being a real company. We put our name on a race bike.
Since early 2026, Stockbridge Trading has been a proud sponsor of British motorbike racer Tom Vaughan. Our name rides on the bike’s livery, on his leathers and on his helmet, at circuits around the UK. Tom finished third in the Bemsee Clubman 600 championship in 2026 on the number 74 Yamaha R6, and steps up to the Clubman 1000 class for 2027.
Meet Tom Vaughan
Tom always loved bikes but spent years assuming he was not good enough to race. He started doing track days in 2010, and after enough people told him he was wasting his talent, he took the plunge in 2018, lining up in Rookie 600s at the age of 46.
Nine seasons on 600s followed, the last of them on a Yamaha R6 in the Bemsee Clubman 600 championship, a nine round series running the length of the year. He carries the number 74 in tribute to Daijiro Kato, the 500cc Grand Prix rider Tom admired in the early 2000s as much for his laid back style off the bike as his riding on it. He also ran the Aprilia RS660 pictured above in the Supertwin class earlier in the 2026 season, under the number 94 because 74 was already taken in that class, before a run of bike problems led him to drop it and concentrate on the 600.
Ask him for a favourite circuit and the answer comes straight back: Cadwell Park. It is where he did his very first track day, and it is still the one he looks forward to, narrow, tight and twisty through Lincolnshire parkland, and home to “the mountain”, the crest that launches bikes into the air if you are carrying enough speed.
One of his proudest results came away from the championship. Tom was invited to contest the Anglesey International 12 Hour endurance race on Saturday 11/07/2026, partnering Paul Beard in the Trophy Sport 600 class, nine in the morning until nine at night, one rider on track at a time. They finished 8th overall and first in class.
Brands Hatch, and third in the championship
Tom is a slow starter who builds through the year, and the 2026 results bore that out: 8th after round one, then 6th, then 5th, and 4th going into the final round at Brands Hatch in October, only 2 points behind Ben Jennison in third, with Dean Neal within striking distance in fifth.
Then the weekend turned. Ben was unable to compete and Dean crashed on the test day, breaking four ribs, which left Tom needing only to finish Saturday’s race to claim the bronze medal. He qualified 6th in class, slipped to 7th off a poor start, worked his way back past the rider in 6th, then settled rather than risk a collision with a championship place on the line, and crossed the line 7th. It was enough. Third in the Bemsee Clubman 600 championship.
With the championship position safe, Sunday’s second race was for enjoyment, and he set a personal best at Brands Hatch, taking two tenths of a second off a time he had set there back in 2019.
“I was definitely riding for the championship. I was able to pass the guy in 6th but didn’t want to push my luck and risk a collision, so maintained 7th place and crossed the line claiming 3rd in the championship.”
“I’d like to thank Spencer for his support this year, Jake and James in the garage for looking out for me, and Alex for believing in me even when I doubted myself.”
Tom Vaughan
Next season, stepping up to 1000s
For 2027 Tom moves into the Clubman 1000 class after nine years on 600s. The Yamaha R1 is in the garage being built into a race bike, ready for winter testing in Spain, and the season opens at Oulton Park in March 2027. It is a serious jump: the R6 makes 118bhp, the R1 will make over 200. “Different lines, different corner entry and exit, and definitely different braking markers,” as Tom puts it. Number 74 goes on the new bike, and our logo goes on a new helmet and new leathers.
The cause, and the people behind the bike
Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity appears on Tom’s leathers and his helmet, and the reason is personal: the hospital has cared for two children close to him. Carrying their name is his way of saying thank you, and of putting their work in front of a few more people.
Racing is never a solo effort either. Duncan Stanton has sponsored Tom for years and works the pits on race day, changing tyres and running the pit board. Jake and James look after him in the garage. Matt Wetherell, his team mate for two seasons, still passes on advice and knows more than most about suspension and tyre pressures. And Alex believed in him even when he doubted himself, which, along with the odd kick up the backside, is a good part of why he is moving up to 1000s.
Why a trading company sponsors a race team
The honest answer is that we wanted to raise the profile and credibility of Stockbridge Trading.
As an online trading business, most people only ever see our name on a website, an invoice or a delivery label. We wanted to put the brand behind something real, visible and exciting, and sponsoring a racing motorbike gave us the perfect opportunity to do that.
It allows us to support a grassroots racing team while building recognition for Stockbridge Trading outside of the online marketplaces where we operate. The team’s connection with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity also made the partnership even more worthwhile, helping to bring attention to an important cause alongside the racing.
Follow the journey
The 2026 Bemsee Clubman 600 season is done, with Tom third in the championship and a personal best at Brands Hatch to sign off on. Attention now turns to the R1 build, winter testing in Spain, and the move up to Clubman 1000, starting at Oulton Park in March 2027. Keep an eye on this page for photos and updates through the winter and into the new season.
In the meantime, you can shop our latest clearance deals, read more about us, or get in touch.