Author: Chris Ashby

BARC heads to Oulton Park for one-day meeting

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Oulton Park this weekend (September 12) for a one-day meeting that will is bound to get pulses racing, as four championships continue their 2020 campaigns.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the Cheshire venue is set to play host to a breathtaking day of high-octane autumnal action in front what will undoubtedly be a bumper crowd of enthusiastic spectators.

Headlining the day’s timetable will be two pulsating encounters from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. Showcasing an eclectic mix of jaw-dropping machinery across multiple classes, the series has starred at Croft and Brands Hatch already this year and that theme is only set to continue.

VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison and Jem Hepworth hold the early initiative in the Endurance Category whilst Barry McMahon holds a slender advantage in the Trophy Class. Keen to extend their leads respectively, the duo will need to be in top form as the list of contenders that are hot on their heels continues to grow.

Boasting bumper grids and producing blockbuster wheel-to-wheel entertainment, the Caterham Graduates Championship has been at its brilliant best this year and Saturday’s visit to Oulton Park is set to be no different.

The Kumho BMW Championship will be back in action after starring at Mallory Park, with two races scheduled to take place. Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

Notable names to look out for include James Card, Brad Sheehan, Darren Morgan-Owen and Rick Kerry, amongst many others.

Rounding out Saturday’s action will be two races from the North West Centre’s flagship category, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship.

Open to all manner of machinery, the multi-class championship has seen its fair share of excitement and drama already this year, with events taking place at Cadwell Park and Donington Park. With the likes of Paul Rose, Paul Dobson and Danny Bird battling for supremacy, it’s all to play for at the top.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event at Oulton Park, head to https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-oulton-park/.

Thruxton completes further safety developments of Church Corner

Thruxton Circuit has continued in its efforts to ensure the highest levels of safety with the completion of further improvements being made to the run-off of Church Corner, often referred to as the fastest corner in British motor racing.

The British Automobile Racing Club operated venue had intended to proceed with the planned developments during the upcoming winter months however the suspension of motorsport due to the coronavirus pandemic allowed the work to be brought forward.

Having carried out a number of upgrades to the infamous corner in recent years, including the levelling of the ground and moving the barriers further back, recent months has seen extensive labour take place.

Manoeuvring more than 150,000 cubic metres of earth, a total of 580 metres of armco has been newly put in place around the corner; made up of 173 posts and no less than 652 car tyres.

Whilst the work has been substantial, the characteristics of the corner and challenges that it presents have crucially remained the same, much to the delight of competitors and spectators alike.

Pat Blakeney, Thruxton Operations Manager, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve now completed this vital safety enhancement to the circuit. This work was originally planned to be done over this winter but when the country went into lockdown this spring it gave us an ideal opportunity to do this with the virtual guarantee of some decent weather.

“In conjunction with our Landlord and their landfill contractors the work was completed on time and this in turn enabled us to run our first race meeting of 2020 at the end of July.

“At present Church Corner looks very different from a drivers perspective but the corner remains the same and I’m sure that by the time the grass grows and we’re a year or two down the line, nobody will remember what it used to look like.

“Thruxton is now in it’s 52nd year of operation, with the track layout totally unchanged so it was important to us to both improve driver safety but to also preserve what has to be one of the most iconic corners in the country.”

The Hampshire venue is now making preparations for the annual visit of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship on September 19/20. To view the latest information on this race meeting, head to https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc.

BARC race meeting at Pembrey on September 12/13 cancelled

The British Automobile Racing Club is disappointed to have to announce the cancellation of the first scheduled race meeting since lockdown at Pembrey Race Circuit on 12/13 September.

The current regulations from the Welsh Government prevent the organisation of outdoor sporting activities for more than 30 people. In spite of the 200 acre site and geographical remoteness of the Pembrey Circuit, it has been confirmed that the regulations apply to all organised events, leaving the BARC with no option but to cancel.

“This is incredibly disappointing news,” said Ben Taylor, BARC Group Chief Executive. “We have been working closely with Welsh Government officials, the local council and Motorsport UK to try to find a solution, but there is simply no movement with the regulations. The Welsh Government have set up three ‘test’ events at the start of next month, but the First Minister won’t be making a further update until 11 September and that’s way too late for us.

“We know that all sports are suffering from the same 30 person restrictions in Wales; setting an arbitrary figure across the board is simply not a properly conceived policy, whether it is 30 or 100 or 500. We are not expecting special dispensation, but it is difficult to think of a more suitable activity for social distancing than motor sport, where everyone is in their own cars, in an outdoor environment across hundreds of acres.

“Social distancing protocols are all in place at the circuit, including signage, screens, sanitising stations, one-way routes, take-away food facilities and outdoor seating. The venue’s protocols have all been amended in keeping with the official guidelines and the circuit already provides its own medical cover.

“What is particularly galling is that we know of ‘unofficial’ events that are being held on private land for hundreds of participants in parts of Wales, but because we follow the rules of the governing body and the Welsh Government, it is our business that suffers and by extension that of our suppliers.

“Pembrey Circuit is a major business and employer in an area of social and financial deprivation, with a financial impact of around £10m on the local economy. It employs 20 people on full and part-time contracts, attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the area each year and has a long and local supply chain, including butcher, baker, brewery, marquee supplier, etc. All of these benefits will be lost to the region and the country if the venue is continually prevented from hosting its events.”

The first race meeting now scheduled for Pembrey Circuit is the Classic Motorcycle Race Meeting on 26/27 September, followed by the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship the following week, 3/4 October.

BTCC battle heads north of the border to Knockhill

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads north of the border to Fife’s Knockhill Circuit this weekend (August 29/30) for its annual Scottish jaunt and the latest three rounds of what is proving to be another enthralling season.

In what has been a rapid start to the 2020 campaign with this being the fourth event taking place in five weeks, Britain’s premier motorsport series is back on track mere days after serving up an abundance of entertainment at Oulton Park.

Typically, Knockhill’s undulating, short track layout has thrown up vintage touring car action down the years and that theme looks set to continue as the 27-car field makes its traditional pilgrimage to the picturesque venue.

Leading the pack is Team BMW’s four-time reigning champion Colin Turkington, who as it stands currently sits in prime position to clinch a record-breaking fifth BTCC crown.

Two wins have been complemented by a string of other podium and points-scoring finishes to leave him 19 clear at the summit and the West Surrey Racing ace appears to show no signs of letting up either.

Ashley Sutton has been in sensational form this year and the Laser Tools Racing driver leads the chase for Turkington after clinching his second win of the season at Oulton Park.

Motorbase Performance’s Rory Butcher scored a first win of the season last time out and with the speed of Ford Focus having been well-proven, the Scotsman could enjoy a dream weekend on home soil as he bids to close the gap to the top two.

Tom Oliphant and Dan Cammish round sit forth and fifth in the standings, both also having stood on the top step of the rostrum, and keen to reaffirm their challenges to capture the biggest prize in UK motorsport.

Beyond that; Tom Ingram, Oulton Park race-winner Adam Morgan, Tom Chilton, Chris Smiley and Ollie Jackson round out the top ten and they will all be wanting a strong performance to remain within touching distance.

Notable absentees from the top ten include Josh Cook, Jake Hill, Matt Neal and Stephen Jelley, but none of them, as well as several others, shouldn’t be discounted from making an impression on the front of the field.

With three thrilling races taking centre stage at Knockhill, expect fireworks as the BTCC campaign moves towards the halfway marker.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Knockhill, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here. ITV4 will broadcast live coverage of Sunday’s action from 10:40.

Knockhill provides latest stop on the calendar for TOCA support championships

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that will look to put on a show at Knockhill this coming weekend (August 29/30) as the championships that make up the TOCA support package will also be in action north of the border.

Capping off what has been a busy month with the annual trip to Scotland marking the fourth race meeting in the last five weeks, the battle for supremacy across five categories is only set to intensify around the undulating 1.27-mile layout.

Missing last weekend’s meeting at Oulton Park, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship returns to action with Bailey Voisin in control of proceedings at the standings summit. Winning twice at Brands Hatch, Voisin has the early initiative however he will need to be at his best if he is to hold onto it across the weekend’s three encounters.

Scholarship winner Tom Lebbon and rookie Georgi Dimitrov have both triumphed this year too and neither can be discounted out from standing on the top step once gain. Throw into the mix the likes of Josh Rattican, Zak Taylor and Freddie Tomlinson and you’ll begin to see why it is anyone’s game.

The Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge made its first appearance of the season on the TOCA package last week at Oulton Park and is back for more at Knockhill.

Josh Malin, Jonny Wilkinson and James Taylor emerged as the star drivers less than a week ago and the trio will undoubtedly be in the mix this time round once again.

Not featuring since the start of the month, the latest instalment of the  MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship will be played out around the twists and turns of the Fife venue.

At Donington Park, spoils were shared between Ant Whorton-Eales, Nathan Harrison and Max Coates but the depth of talent in the grid means another three drivers could come to the fore this weekend including the likes of Dan Zelos, Lewis Brown and Kyle Reid – to name but a few.

Edge-of-the-seat thrills and spills has been a staple of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this year and arriving at Knockhill, Harry King holds the best hand in the points after three events.

Five wins from six races has been a dream start for King, this year’s Porsche GB Scholarship victor, and it will be hard to bet against him from adding to his tally. Josh Webster, Scott McKenna and Matthew Graham will lead the fight to overhaul the former GT4 Supercup champion.

Rounding out the weekend at Knockhill will be three more races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Knockhill, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here. ITV4 will broadcast live coverage of Sunday’s action from 10:40.

Mallory Park set to stage BARC bank holiday blockbuster

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Mallory Park this coming Bank Holiday Monday (August 31) with an action-packed day of on-track entertainment lined up courtesy of three championships.

In what is the first of two visits to the Leicestershire venue by the Club this year, a busy month of racing will draw to a close with no less than nine races scheduled to take place over the course of the day.

Home to the next generation of rising stars, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has enjoyed a sensational start to the 2020 season with former champion Lewis Saunders setting his stall out as the driver to beat.

Scoring countless victories already, Saunders’ quest to become the first driver to be crowned a two-time champion is moving in the right direction. However, with the likes of Charlie Hand, Molly Dodd, Ruben Hage and Jake Weston – amongst others – all in front-running contention, Monday’s two races are far from guaranteed to fall the way of Saunders.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship roared into life at Brands Hatch at the start of the month and it didn’t disappoint. Running under a multi-class format, the single-marque category has proven to be a smash-hit down the years.

Notable names to keep an eye across the day’s trio of encounters include Fergus Campbell, a double race-winner at the Brands Hatch season-opener, as well as David Mellor, Steve McDermid and Steve Darbey.

Fresh off the back of two enthralling races at Donington Park last weekend, the Max5 Racing Championship continues to flourish with bumper grids primed to take centre stage.

Like the MGOC, the Max5 contingent runs under a multi-class system and it has already seen several star names come to the fore including the returning Jon Halliewell, Paul Roddison, Andrew Pretorius and Ian Loversidge.

Capping off the day’s action at Mallory Park will see new ground broken with the launch of an innovative set of Open Sports/Saloon Car races. Open competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in, providing they meet current Motorsport UK safety regulations, the new initiative is proving to be popular.

The format guarantees that everyone will be racing against those doing similar lap times, irrespective of the car they are driving, leading to much closer competition. Classes will be changed post-qualifying and post-race if competitors run two or more laps faster in a qualifying session or race than their nominated class allowance stipulates.

To find out more information on this Monday’s bank holiday race meeting, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here.

Snetterton primed for 2CV Racing 24-hour spectacle

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship will headline the British Automobile Racing Club’s late summer visit to Snetterton this coming weekend (August 28/29/30) for its yearly 24-hour race.

In what is one of the standout events on the Club motorsport calendar, the Norfolk venue will play host to a blockbuster three days of track action with several other categories all in action too.

Traditionally run as the series finale for the much-loved single-make championship, revisions to the 2020 calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic has meant that the annual 24-hour encounter will serve as the second event of a condensed schedule.

Roaring into life at Cadwell Park at the start of July, Alec Graham and Luca Proietti shared the spoils across two frenetic encounters but that was only half the story of what proved to be an enthralling spectacle.

Boasting a bumper entry list of not only competitors in the UK series but also in mainland Europe, this weekend’s 24-hour race is set to have pulses racing from start to finish and its anybody’s to win.

Prior to the 2CV Racing Championship taking centre stage at Snetterton, several other BARC categories will continue their campaigns including the Caterham Graduates Championship.

Serving up plenty of entertainment already this year, the one-make series is bigger and better than ever this year and is renowned for producing exhilarating wheel-to-wheel action. Notable names to keep an eye on over the course of the weekend include Andrew Whitton, Kevin Barrett and Barry White – amongst a host of others.

The Kumho BMW Championship will be back in action as well, with two races scheduled to take place. Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

James Card emerged as the man to beat at the Brands Hatch curtain-raiser and the E36 M3 driver will be hard to beat once again, however a host of contenders will undoubtedly not make it easy for Card to remain unbeaten.

Further tin top thrills and spills will be provided by the Hyundai Coupe Cup and BARC Saloon Series – both of which will amalgamate together to form one grid. Providing a low-cost means of going racing, each series has enjoyed great success in recent years and that trend will surely continue into this weekend.

Rounding out the action around the 200 layout of Snetterton will be a handful of races from the British Superkarts Championship.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Snetterton, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here.

Thruxton BTCC race meeting to be run behind closed doors

It comes with great disappointment to confirm that the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s annual visit to Thruxton Circuit on September 19/20 will be run behind closed doors, without spectators.

As Britain’s premier motorsport series, the BTCC has been classified as an elite sport by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and therefore must follow the government’s elite sport pathway which currently doesn’t allow spectators to attend events.

We are disappointed that fans won’t be able to enjoy the BTCC and support race action in person however we can reassure you that a double dose of touring car thrills will take place around the fastest circuit in the UK in 2021.

Ticket holders for this year’s event have two options:-

OPTION 1

Thruxton would like to offer fans the opportunity to exchange their tickets for one of the two BTCC events held at the venue in 2021. Fans will benefit tickets at 2020 prices however guarantees or allocations cannot given on grandstand seats.

To exchange your tickets for Rounds 7, 8 & 9 of the 2021 season at Thruxton on May 8/9, email TransferBTCCMay2021@barc.net with you name, address and postcode.

To exchange your tickets for Rounds 22, 23 & 24 of the 2021 season at Thruxton on August 28/29, email TransferBTCCAugust2021@barc.net with your name, address and postcode.

OPTION 2

If you would like a full refund, please send your name, address and postcode to RefundBTCC@barc.net and your refund will be processed within seven working days.

Camping pre-sale tickets will be automatically refunded, with details on camping for both 2021 BTCC race meetings to be announced closer to the events.

We appreciate the disappointment that this will cause to our supporters, but we are grateful for your understanding at this difficult time and look forward to welcoming you back to Thruxton again very soon.

Mixed weather conditions add to the Oulton Park spectacle on TOCA support package

Oulton Park provided the backdrop for the latest chapter of what is turning out to be another thrilling season on the TOCA support package, with five championships taking centre stage amidst challenging conditions.

Joining the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at the Cheshire venue for what was the third event in four weeks, changeable weather played its part throughout both days to add a further ingredient to the thrills and spills that were already being played out.

Harry King maintained his impressive start to the campaign in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB as he extended his lead at the summit of the standings. The Porsche GB Scholarship winner was perfection personified throughout the weekend to clinch two dominant victories ahead of Josh Webster.

In the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Gus Burton scored a double of his own as he reigned supreme in the weekend’s two contests. The Century Motorsport driver led home fellow title contenders Will Burns and Tom Hibbert in a frenetic opener before starring once more in race two.

Burton converted his pole position start into a lead he was never going to lose, powered his way to the chequered flag ahead of Jame Falvey and Adam Smalley

Making the first of three appearance alongside the BTCC this year was the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge, and it didn’t disappoint. Race one would see Josh Malin storm to victory in race one before the Richardson Racing ace put on a wet weather masterclass with Jonny Wilkinson in race two.

Whilst others battled to keep their cars pointing in the right direction, Malin and Wilkinson went wheel-to-wheel for a number of laps however in the end it was to be Malin that prevailed.

Luke Browning proved to be in a league of his own in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost as he stormed to the top of the standings after claiming a sensational hat-trick of race wins.

Rounding out the weekend’s on track action were two races from the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, which saw Dominic Wheatley and Ben Kasperczak take a win apiece.

To view the full classification of results from all TOCA support championship sessions at Oulton Park, click here.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support package now heads north of the border to Knockhill, for the fourth event in five weeks this coming weekend (August 29/30).

Rory Butcher, Ashley Sutton and Adam Morgan share BTCC Oulton Park spoils

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship saw changeable conditions play its role in producing three enthralling encounters at Oulton Park this past weekend (August 22/23) as the battle for supremacy in the 2020 title battle further intensified.

Rory Butcher, Ashley Sutton and Adam Morgan took a win apiece on a blockbuster race day around the picturesque Cheshire venue, with rain playing its part in the first two contests before things dried out for the reverse grid race.

Qualifying around the 2.23-mile circuit proved to be as competitive and exciting as ever and once the dust had settled it was Motorbase Performance’s Butcher that clinched a second successive pole position of the season.

With many of the BTCC’s big hitters all featuring towards the top of the times throughout the session, the Ford Focus driver emerged as the man to beat, pipping Josh Cook and reigning champion Colin Turkington.

BTC Racing’s Cook produced a virtuoso performance in race one to claim what he though was a first win of the season however his celebrations were to be short-lived as he was later excluded from the result after his Honda Civic Type R failed a post-race ride height check.

Dropping down the order off the start, Cook made a number of impressive moves to fight his way up the order and capped it off with a stunning move on Butcher into Old Hall Corner for the lead, diving down the inside at the last second.

Cook cantered to the chequered flag from there but his celebrations were cut short due to the penalty. Butcher inherited victory with Dan Cammish and Jake Hill rounding out the remaining podium places.

Laser Tools Racing’s Sutton showed his prowess in the wet conditions in race two as he powered his way to a second win of the season ahead of Butcher and Turkington.

Starting eighth, the 2017 champion wasted no time in scything his way up the order and was in the battle for the lead at half-distance. Making two opportunistic moves on Cammish and Turkington, the Infiniti Q50 driver then set his sights on Butcher.

Catching the Ford ace in a matter of corners, Sutton found the grip around the outside of Old Hall Corner and once in front, pulled away to notch a 16th career victory in the series.

In what was the only dry race of the day, Carlube Triple R Racing’s local man Morgan produced a defensive masterclass to become the sixth different winner from nine races. 

Getting the jump on pole sitter Bobby Thompson, the Mercedes A-Class ace soaked up an abundance of press from the Team BMW duo of Turkington and Tom Oliphant to take his first win since Rockingham in 2018.                          

Leaving Oulton Park, Turkington holds a 19-point lead over Sutton in the BTCC Drivers’ Championship whilst BMW hold a comfortable advantage in the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ categories as well.

Sutton and Laser Tools Racing remain at the summit of both Independents’ tables, with Michael Crees continuing to lead the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classifications of results from all sessions, click here.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship now heads north of the border this coming weekend (August 29/30) for Rounds 10, 11 & 12 at Knockhill.

BARC serves up titanic two days of track action at Donington Park

Donington Park played host to a memorable two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (August 22/23) which saw mixed conditions only add to the edge-of-the-seat drama and entertainment.

Descending on the Leicestershire venue for what would turn out to be a weekend to remember, a total of seven championships hit the track and turned on the style for the enthusiastic crowd that was in attendance.

One of the headline acts was the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship and the 1000bhp heavyweight behemoths didn’t disappoint as they served up a feast of thrills and spills across five bruising encounters.

Division 1 saw four-time defending champion Ryan Smith begin his quest for a fifth crown in emphatic fashion on the right foot as he powered his way to a brace of rain wins. Martin Gibson, David Jenkins and John Newell also triumphed, underlining that the class is set to be as wide open as ever in 2020.

Steven Powell enjoyed a solid start in Division 2 as he kicked off his quest for the title in emphatic fashion, winning four out of the five races. The MAN TGX driver was in a league of his own at times and would have completed a clean sweep had it not been for Luke Garrett scoring a win of his own.

Another category to lift the curtain on its condensed 2020 season was the Distrigo C1 Challenge, taking centre stage on Saturday for a three-hour spectacle which ended with the top two being separated by little over half a second.

The Progressive Motorsport Ltd duo of Howard Hayens and Dave Ward narrowly edged out Team Davies after a sensational 91 laps around the 1.98-mile track.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres saw three drivers take home a share of the silverware following six breathless races. Saturday’s triple-header saw Daniel Clark, Will Gibson and Connor Mills take a win each before Gibson and Mill triumphed again on Sunday, the latter a brace.

There was action aplenty in the Max5 Racing Championship over the course of the weekend too as the one-make series starred. Andrew Pretorius reigned supreme in the opening encounter before Paul Roddison scooped the spoils in race two.

The BARC North West Centre’s flagship category, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, made its second appearance of the year with Richard Wood and Luke Armiger taking a win apiece under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action at Donington Park were races from both the BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship and BRSCC Mazda MX5 Supercup.

To view the full classification of results from all championships and sessions, click here.

Sports Prototype Cup announces Formula 1 support bill slot on Portugal GP weekend

The Sports Prototype Cup has announced that it will feature as a support race during the Formula 1 Heineken Grande Prémio De Portugal at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on October 23/24.

Fresh off the back of making its international debut alongside the FIA World Endurance Championship at Spa-Francorchamps on August 15/16, two races for the Revolution Trophy – which features the exciting Revolution A-One prototype, will take centre stage around the challenging track.

The two 40-minute encounters are open to registered Sports Prototype Cup teams and drivers to enter. In addition, Revolution will also be offering new-build cars for sales or race-hire for this event and the full 2021 season.  

James Bailey, Sports Prototype Cup Promoter, said: “To race at one of Europe’s most challenging circuits in front of F1 fans is a privilege for our drivers and teams.

“We’ve already provided some sensational racing at Brands Hatch and Spa-Francorchamps this year and the Grand Prix support race is a fabulous opportunity to showcase the performance of the Revolution A-One and the depth of our grid of drivers and teams.”

Phil Abbott, Revolution Race Cars Managing Director, added: “We are proud that the Revolution A-One has been approved as a support race for the Grand Prix.

“We set out to design a car that is at the cutting edge of customer motorsport, with advanced technology, innovative design, high downforce and forgiving handling. It’s the perfect car for such a demanding circuit.”