Author: Chris Ashby

BTCC action hots up around Brands Hatch Grand Prix

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship continued to gather momentum at Brands Hatch this past weekend (August 8/9) with reigning champion Colin Turkington stamping his authority on the early title battle by extending his advantage at the summit of the standings.

On what was a sweltering second event of the season around the Grand Prix circuit of the famous Kent venue, Turkington powered his BMW to a second win of the year whilst Dan Cammish and Tom Oliphant also triumphed – the latter for the first time in the BTCC.

Qualifying on Saturday saw Rory Butcher produce a stunning lap to claim pole position for Motorbase Performance however the Scotsman would be unable to convert it into victory, with cruel luck striking his aspirations.

Launching from pole position, the Ford Focus driver controlled much of the running out front – albeit coming under pressure from Cammish and Turkington before a late safety car period bunched up the field.

On the restart, Butcher saw his hopes of victory slip away immediately as he suffered a puncture. Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Cammish benefited from Butcher’s woe to score his second win of the season with Turkington and a jubilant Ollie Jackson rounding out the podium.

Elation would then turn to despair in race two for Cammish as the Honda driver saw a possible podium finish disappear as his Type R cut out with a handful of laps remaining.

Four-time champion Turkington launched his West Surrey Racing 330i M Sport into a lead that he would never relinquish, and despite the feisty efforts of Tom Ingram in his Toyota Corolla, the Team BMW driver kept his cool to triumph.

Ingram backed off his charge after Cammish’s car cut out – with several others feeling the effects of the searing temperatures as well –  to score his first podium of the year. Ashley Sutton completed the rostrum in his Laser Tools Racing Infiniti Q50.

Arguably, the story of race two was the sensational charge through the field by Butcher, he scythed his way up the order to finish fourth after starting in 25th.

The BTCC capped off a scorching weekend with a reverse grid encounter that will live long in the memory, as Team BMW’s Oliphant claimed a spectacular maiden win.

Starting sixth, the rear-wheel-drive ace powered his way up to third off the start and then made one of the passes of the season as he blitzed around the outside of Aiden Moffat and Stephen Jelley heading into Paddock Hill Bend to take the lead.

From there, Oliphant didn’t put a wheel wrong as he soaked up extreme race-long pressure from Sutton to cross the line in front and win, handing West Surrey Racing their 300th podium in the BTCC at the same time. Jelley rounded out the rostrum in third.

Following the second event of the season, Turkington leads the BTCC Drivers’ Championship by 16 points ahead of Sutton whilst Team BMW head both the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ standings.

Sutton and Laser Tools Racing head both Independents’ categories, with Michael Crees maintaining his lead in the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Brands Hatch, click here.

Rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship takes place on August 22/23 at Oulton Park.

TOCA support championships serve up scorching Brands Hatch spectacle

Brands Hatch’s Grand Prix layout played host to a scorching two days of all-out action this past weekend (August 8/9) as five championships from the TOCA support package served up a feast of entertainment.

Competing alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at the Kent venue, sweltering conditions merely added to the high attrition throughout the second event of what is already proving to be a memorable 2020 season.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship threw up its usual mix of thrills and spills, with the duo of Bailey Voisin and Tom Lebbon taking centre stage across the weekend’s three breathless encounters.

R Racing’s Voisin proved to be the driver to beat on Saturday as he powered his way to a pair of race wins, and on Sunday he came oh so close to completing a sensational hat-trick of victories.

Pressurising race-long leader Lebbon, Voisin threw everything at the Elite Motorsport driver but ultimately narrowly missed. For Lebbon, his race three win was his first of the season and he became the first Scholarship winner to triumph in his rookie campaign since 2016.

Tom Hibbert bagged himself a double of his own in the Millers Oils GT4 Supercup, leading Gus Burton and Will Burns across the line in races one and two.

Race three belonged to former Ginetta Junior champion Adam Smalley as he claimed his maiden win in the one-make series, leading Burton and Hibbert to the chequered flag after coming under early pressure.

In the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Harry King continued his sensational start to the season by claiming an impressive pair of wins. Pulling off identical, eye-catching moves for the lead in both encounters, the Porsche GB Scholarship victor extended his lead at the summit of the standings.

Behind, former champion Josh Webster picked up a pair of second place finishes whilst Lorcan Hanafin and Ross Wylie each scored their first podiums of the year as well.

Back by popular demand after starring at Thruxton last year, the Mini 7 Racing Club delivered three blockbuster races. Boasting a grid of more than 45 cars; wheel-to-wheel, slipstreaming action was in full force across each contest.

Aaron Smith claimed outright victory in races one and two before former BTCC champion Andrew Jordan capped off a dream debut in the series by winning race three.

Rounding out the weekend were three scintillating encounters from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with Carlin taking a clean sweep. Zak O’Sullivan bagged a dominant double while Christian Mansell scored a breakthrough win.

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

Oulton Park provides the next stop on the calendar for the TOCA support championships on August 22/23.

BARC launches innovative ‘Open’ races for Sports and Saloon Cars

The British Automobile Racing Club is preparing to break new ground during this condensed 2020 season with the launch of an innovative set of Open Sports/Saloon Car races, the first of which are scheduled to take place at Mallory Park on August 31.

Races will be open to 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.

Formatted to feature a 20-minute qualifying session and two 20-minute races over the course of a weekend, entries will be accepted with a pre declared lap time for the specific circuit upon which competitors have entered into.

A total of nine classes have been structured, with dedicated lap times already set for Mallory Park and the subsequent two other race meetings at Pembrey (October 3/4) and Thruxton (October 24/25), which have been added to the schedule due to high levels of interest already.

This 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.

The origins of this format were first mooted to current BARC Group Chief Executive Ben Taylor by former Haymarket Director Derek Redfern a number of years ago. Now, with the demand to go racing greater than ever, the idea is set to be a reality with four races currently confirmed for the remainder of the year.

Commenting on the innovative format, Taylor said: “We are really excited to launch this brand new format of class racing, under a set of regulations we are calling ‘BARC Red’.

“We believe that it has the potential to deliver really exciting racing for the club competitor and allow pretty much any car to compete in our races, irrespective of engine size, power to weight ratio, experience of driver or their budget.

“It should bring more for variety to the grids as well, which have become a little bit one dimensional in recent years with the growth of the single marque series and events. There are loads of cars out there not currently competing, but the joy of this series is that there is no need for eligibility scrutineering – if your car is in line with the Blue Book, it is welcome to race.

“The word ‘Red’ is a nod to Derek, whose idea this was originally. He mentioned it to me at a meeting of the Motor Sports Council while I was working at the MSA and I thought it sounded interesting, but at the time it wasn’t something that was relevant to my role.

“Now I’m at the BARC, it seems to offer a great solution for the current climate and the challenging times we face – we are inevitably going to see the customer demanding more enjoyment for their money, so having fun, exciting racing will be essential.

“The clubs are also going to need to find ways to have full grids to keep costs down for drivers, so this is a way of making sure that all cars and all drivers are able to compete equally on a level playing field.”

For further information or an entry form for these races, please contact David Wheadon via dwheadon@barc.net

Convoy Truck Events to not form part of BTRA race meetings in 2020

The BTRA British Truck Racing Championship will blast back into life at Donington Park later this month however it has been confirmed that the event will not encompass the Convoy in the Park spectacle.

Organised by DVV and Trucksport UK as the ultimate festival of all things trucking, the two-day event celebrates the world’s largest vehicles both on and off the track, along with plenty of fun for all of the family.

Having taken centre stage at Donington Park in recent years, the Convoy Truck Event was set to break new ground in 2020 and stage additional events at Thruxton and Pembrey, as well as the Leicestershire venue.

A statement on the Convoy Truck Events website said: “We are just as disappointed as we know you will be. Things had been looking positive for a couple of weeks, but with the recent rise in Covid-19 cases, local lockdowns and restrictions, we just can’t promise to deliver the kind of show you guys deserve. And we don’t want to deliver anything less.

“The British Truck Racing Championship racing is set to continue at Donington Park on the weekend of 22nd and 23rd August, and under current guidelines spectators will be welcome. So if you were going along to watch the racing, please continue on that basis and visit www.msv.com for tickets.

“But if you were bringing your show truck, or visiting to see the trucks and enjoy the entertainment then we’re afraid for this year it’s the end of the road. To make things as easy as possible, we will be issuing full refunds to everyone who had booked in trucks within the next 14 days. 

“All visitor ticketholders – so those with day tickets, weekend or camping tickets – will be contacted directly by MSV for next steps.

“The light at the end of the tunnel is we are already planning a bigger and better truck bonanza for all three of our Convoys in 2021 – Convoy On The Plain, Convoy In The Park and Convoy Cymru, so please do continue to watch this space.”

Provisional BTRA British Truck Racing Championship 2020 Calendar

August 22/23 – Donington Park

September 19/20 – Snetterton

October 3/4 – Pembrey

November 7/8 – Brands Hatch

BTCC battle set to continue at Brands Hatch

With the dust having just about settled on a pulsating season-opener at Donington Park, the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is immediately back in action this weekend (August 8/9) at Brands Hatch for Rounds 4, 5 and 6.

After nearly ten months without racing, Britain’s premier motorsport series blasted back into life in blockbuster fashion and yielding three different winners as Dan Cammish, Colin Turkington and Ashley Sutton all triumphed.

Now, the Grand Prix layout of Brands Hatch provides the latest stop on the condensed calendar for the BTCC and championship battle is only set to intensify – with every point set to be crucial in deciding who will lift the coveted title.

The top of the standings has a familiar feel heading into the weekend as reigning, four-time champion Turkington holds the early advantage. The Team BMW driver began the defence of his crown in style with a pole position, win and second place and arrives in Kent with a six point lead.

Having narrowly missed out on the title last year, Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Cammish put the demons of last year behind to kick off the new campaign on the right foot, winning the opener and the Yorkshireman will be keen to continue his quest for a maiden title at the wheel of the rapid Honda Civic Type R this weekend.

Arguably the star of the 2020 curtain-raiser was the Laser Tools Racing Infiniti of Sutton. On his debut for the team, the 2017 champion produced an overtaking masterclass across all three races to not only take a historic maiden win for the car but also fastest lap in each encounter.

Seemingly at one with the rear-wheel-drive machine, the 26-year-old will be one to watch around the iconic 2.43-mile circuit as he aims to close the nine point deficit between himself and Turkington.

Beyond the race winners, Donington Park also saw a host of other drivers underline that they will be firmly in the mix for the title throughout the season.

Rory Butcher, Tom Oliphant, Josh Cook and Chris Smiley all notched podium finishes at the Leicestershire venue and each of them will be keen to add further silverware at Brands Hatch.

Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram made a solid start to the season, as did Matt Neal, Adam Morgan and any one of them could power their way into the early championship conversation.

Of those aiming to bounce back from a rollercoaster weekend; Jake Hill, Tom Chilton, Senna Proctor and Stephen Jelley are four drivers that will be worth keeping a keen eye on.

To view more information on this weekend such as links to live timing and the timetable, click here.

Like Donington Park, this weekend’s event at Brands Hatch will be run behind closed doors and with spectators not permitted to attend. ITV4’s live coverage on Sunday will begin at 10:20.

TOCA support championships look to take centre stage at Brands Hatch

After taking on a starring role alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park a few days ago, the TOCA support package will be back in action this weekend (August 8/9) as Brands Hatch stages the latest stop on the calendar.

Set to tackle the 2.43-mile Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue, five championships will be looking to steal the show on what is set to be scorching weekend both on and off the track.

Home to the next generation of racing stars, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship wasted no time in getting back into the swing of things with three enthralling races kicking off the new season.

Georgi Dimitrov enjoyed a dream debut as he took two wins and a second place to secure an early points lead and the Richardson Racing will need to maintain his form if he is to remain at the summit, with a host of contenders hot on his heels.

Joel Pearson, Tom Lebbon, Aston Millar and Bailey Voisin lead the chase for the British-Bulgarian teenager and with three races scheduled to take place over the course of the weekend, any of them as well as many others, could make their mark.

Will Burns was one who definitely made his mark at Donington Park, winning two races to take control of the Millers Oils GT4 Supercup standings. Aiming to finally clinch the title after coming close on many occasions, Burns enters the weekend’s trio of races as the man to beat – however there are many confident that they can do just that.

Gus Burton scored victory on his debut last time out whilst Tom Hibbert, Adam Smalley and Reece Somerfield all showed that they have the pace to mix it at the front as well.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB boasts a bumper entry list in 2020 and it looks like it will be as competitive as ever in the fastest one-make series in the UK.

Team Parker Racing’s Harry King and Josh Webster took a win apiece under the flightpath of East Midlands airport and the duo look set to renew their battle in the bid to gain the upper hand.

Esmee Hawkey, Scott McKenna and Ross Wyle are a handful of other drivers that will be worth keeping an eye as they aim to take the fight to the early pace setters.

Having garnered plenty of praise when it made a one-off appearance at Thruxton last year, the Dunlop Mini Challenges supported by Mini Spares returns with a mammoth of grid of ‘old school’ Mini machines.

Renowned for slipstreaming one another and multiple cars going wheel-to-wheel, thrills and spills are all-but guaranteed in the series. Featuring on the mammoth entry list too is 2013 BTCC champion Andrew Jordan, who had originally been set to compete in Britain’s premier motorsport category before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Rounding out the weekend’s on-track entertainment will be three races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Three drivers from three different teams reigned supreme at the opener and the big question now is whether that run can continue.

To view more information on this weekend such as links to live timing and the timetable, click here.

Like Donington Park, this weekend’s event at Brands Hatch will be run behind closed doors and with spectators not permitted to attend. ITV4’s live coverage on Sunday will begin at 10:20.

Entertainment aplenty as TOCA support championships roar into life at Donington Park

Donington Park played host to a memorable two days of track action on the TOCA support package this past weekend (August 1/2) with five championships kicking off their 2020 campaigns in blockbuster fashion.

Taking centre stage at the Leicestershire venue alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship behind closed doors, edge-of-the-seat entertainment ran throughout each race – setting the scene for what is set to be an enthralling season.

Making its first appearance on the BTCC support bill was the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship and it didn’t disappoint. Replacing the Renault UK Clio Cup, the popular one-make series proved to be a smash-hit as a 30-car grid duked it out across three races.

Ant Whorton-Eales underlined his credentials as a title contender as he triumphed in race one ahead of Nathan Harrison and Lewis Brown before Harrison himself struck back with a win of his own in race two.

Max Coates, a familiar name to fans of the BTCC package, then mad it three different winners from three races as he resisted the challenge of Kyle Reid to emerge victorious.

The latest crop of teenage superstars that make up the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship took on a starring role with rookie Georgi Dimitrov enjoying a stellar debut, taking two wins and a second place.

Spearheading Richardson Racing’s line-up, the British-Bulgarian racer lost out to Bailey Voisin in a frenetic opener before going on to be perfection personified for the remainder of the meeting, winning races two and three.

Will Burns also enjoyed a near-perfect weekend in the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup as he scooped a brace of race wins and a second place. Bidding to finally capture the crown that has so far eluded him, the former vice-champion was in unstoppable form as he led Gus Burton and Tom Hibbert in races one and two.

Burns’ hopes of completing a clean sweep however were ended by Burton in race three, who capped off a dream GT4 Supercup debut to claim a maiden win in the single-make category.

In the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Josh Webster and Harry King took a win apiece to open their 2020 accounts. King had led a majority of race one before being passed Webster whilst Esmee Hawkey made it a Team Parker Racing 1-2-3.

Race two saw no mistake from Porsche GB Scholarship winner King however as he produced a scintillating lights-to-flag drive to score victory ahead of Scott McKenna and Webster.

Rounding out the weekend were three ultra-competitive races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost where Alex Connor, Zak O’Sullivan and James Hedley shared the spoils.

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

Several TOCA support championships will now head to Brands Hatch on August 8/9 to continue their 2020 campaigns.

BARC championship serve up Brands Hatch thrills and spills

Brands Hatch played host to a memorable two days of British Automobile Racing Club track action this past weekend (August 1/2) as six championships took centre stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Whilst some categories continuing their 2020 campaigns and others starting them, the Indy configuration of the Kent venue proved to be smash-hit for competitors and spectators alike.

The Classic Touring Car Championship was one that was continuing its condensed season having starred at Cadwell Park last month. With bumper grids of tin top machines from a bygone era, there was something for everyone across the multiple races that took place around the 1.2-mile layout.

James Card and James Janicki took a win apiece in the amalgamated Thunder Saloons and Blue Oval Saloons whilst Alan Greenhalgh was unstoppable across both Pre 66’ Touring Car races in his Ford Falcon.

In the Pre 83’ category, Mike Luck enjoyed a trouble-free two races to cater to victory with Rod Birley doing the same in the two Pre 93’ & Pre 03’ spectacles.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship served up a feast of entertainment as it staged races in both its Endurance and Trophy classes. VR Motorsport duo of Danny Harrison and Jem Hepworth were the victors in the Endurance category whilst Trophy Class spoils were split between Charlie Campbell and Barry McMahon.

Lewis Saunders continued his relentless march towards a second Junior Saloon Car Championship title, sweeping to another brace of race wins to take his tally for the season to six.

Saunders didn’t have things his own way however as the Ciceley Motorsport-backed former champion fended off the race-long advances of Charlie Hand in both encounters, whilst Alex Solley clinched a pair of third place finishes.

James Card was another driver to leave the Kent venue with plenty of silverware, claiming both wins in the opening round of the Kumho BMW Championship. At the wheel of his E46 M3, Card dominated proceedings to kick-start the new season in fine style.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship was another category to see one driver take centre stage as Fergus Campbell lifted the curtain on the new season with a double-winning performance.

Piloting his MG ZR, Campbell led a bumper entry list throughout Sunday’s two races as David Mellor, Steve McDermid and Steve Darbey filled the remaining podium positions.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action at Brands Hatch were two races from the UK Sports Prototype Cup. Having debuted in 2019, the multi-marque series boasted a bumper entry list for the start of its sophomore season and it put on quite the show.

Alex Kapadia narrowly edged out Scott Mansell in the opener before Mansell struck back in race two, getting the better of Bradley Ellis to take home a share of the spoils.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Brands Hatch, click here.

BTCC makes long-awaited return to racing in dramatic fashion at Donington Park

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship blasted back into life in dramatic fashion this past weekend (August 1/2) at Donington Park with Dan Cammish, Colin Turkington and Ashley Sutton sharing the spoils.

Commencing 294 days since the 2019 season finale, Britain’s premier motorsport series took centre stage at the Leicestershire venue to kick-start the new season in style, albeit behind closed doors.

Qualifying around the 1.9-mile circuit proved to be a frenetic affair on Saturday as the 26-car grid chased pole position. Reigning four-time champion Turkington emerged as the driver to beat in the end, setting a new lap record on his way to pole position.

Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Cammish, who qualified second, would go on to score victory in the season-opener after getting the better of Turkington and Sutton in memorable, back and forth battle for the lead.

Launching into second place off the line, Laser Tools Racing’s Sutton was a man on a mission in the opening stages and soon began to hound the back of Turkington. On lap four,  the critical moment of the contest came as Sutton got the switchback on Turkington and made his move.

Running side-by-side through McLeans, contact was made and as the field streamed up to Coppice, Cammish took advantage to squeeze by both of the, while contact from Tom Ingram on Turkington tapped the BMW driver into Sutton – sending him spinning down the order.

Recovering to finish 14th at the flag, it was a race of what ifs for Sutton as Cammish led Turkington to the chequered flag, with Rory Butcher rounding out the podium in the brand-new Motorbase Performance Ford Focus.

Race two would see Turkington cruise to an impressive lights-to-flag victory ahead of Butcher and Team BMW team-mate Tom Oliphant. Out-dragging the ballast ladened Cammish off the line, the Northern Irishman powered his way into the lead and ultimately never looked back.

Further back, all eyes were on 2017 champion Sutton as he once again served up an overtaking masterclass, scything his way though the field to take cross the line in fifth, just behind Ingram.

Virtue of the reverse grid draw, Chris Smiley was drawn onto pole position but it was to be Sutton that stole the show once again, speeding to a historic first victory for the Infiniti Q50 after starting eighth.

In the thick of the action from the get-go, the 26-year-old picked his way through the top ten and soon found himself on the back of an enthralling four-way battle for the lead, which also included Smiley, Ollie Jackson and Josh Cook.

Jumping into second not long after catching the leaders, Sutton soon found a way past Smiley and made his escape to clinch a 15th career win.

At the end of the opening weekend, Turkington holds a slender advantage at the top of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship ahead of Cammish and Sutton, with Team BMW topping the Teams’ Championship.

Honda and BMW are tied at the summit of the BTCC Manufacturer/Constructors Championship whilst Rory Butcher and Motorbase Performance are in control of both Independents’ categories. Michael Crees leads the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full results from this past weekend, click here.

Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship takes place at Brands Hatch on August 8/9.

Brands Hatch beckons for BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club makes the first of two scheduled visits to Brands Hatch this weekend (August 1/2) for what should be a spectacular two days of on-track entertainment, with no less than six championships in action.

Following on from successful events at Cadwell Park and Croft last month, this weekend will be a notable one for the Club as it will be the first for spectators to watch in person since motorsport resumed in the UK following the COVID-19 lockdown.

With a total of 20 races set to take place around the iconic Indy layout of the Kent venue across both days, thrills and spills will be all-but guaranteed across each category. 

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Lewis Saunders has proven to be the benchmark driver thus far having scored an impressive three wins from four races. Bidding to become the first two-time champion in the series, Saunders has been in fine form but hasn’t had things all his own way.

Charlie Hand has been the other race winner and alongside the likes of Molly Dodd, Ruben Hage and Jake Weston, things are far from a forgone conclusion – especially with two more encounters taking centre stage this weekend.

Variety has always proven to be the spice of life in the Classic Touring Car Championship and that was on full show last month as a bumper entry list of tin top titans lifted the curtain on the new season.

Featuring cars built in 1966 through to the early noughties, the CTCRC has something for everyone. Expect the likes of Guy Smith, Stephen Primett, Alexander Owen and Andy Robinson to be some of the names dicing towards the front for outright honours.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship starred at Croft several weeks ago and it is set to do so once again in Kent as a feast of GT machinery will do battle across a pair of 50-minute races.

At Croft, the RAW Motorsport duo of Steve Burgess and Ben Dimmack, as well as VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison, shared the spoils and while both will be keen to replicate that feat once again this weekend, the competition is likely to make it a tough fight to do so.

Whilst several championships will be back in action this weekend, Brands Hatch will also represent the opening event of what is now a condensed 2020 season for some.

One category which will be making its first appearance of the campaign will be the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship. Home to some of the most famous cars to ever be built, the cost-effective category has been much-loved for a number of years.

Notable drivers to cast a watchful eye over at Brands Hatch include series stalwarts Jim Baynam, Stuart Plotnek, Steve McDermid and Will Sharpe – to name but a few.

Fans of all things BMW will be well-catered for over the course of the weekend as the Kumho BMW Championship roars into life for another year.

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.

Rounding out the weekend will be action from the UK Sports Prototype Cup, which is embarking on its sophomore season in 2020. Looking to build on the foundations that it laid down last year, the multi-marque series boasts an ultra-competitive grid so expect fireworks to fly.

To view all of the important information ahead of this weekend’s event at Brands Hatch, such as links to the entry list and timetable, click here.

TOCA support championships ready to blast into life at Donington Park

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that takes centre stage at Donington Park this weekend (August 1/2) as championships from the TOCA support package will blast into life and begin their 2020 campaigns.

Marking the start of what is set to be a frenetic three-and-a-half months of racing, five categories will descend on the Leicestershire venue and hit the track for the first time since lockdown restrictions were eased.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship has an exciting new look to it this year with a host of new faces joining a small group of second year contenders on the grid.

Joel Pearson, Josh Rattican, Bailey Voisin and Freddie Tomlinson are four of those returning and the quartet will undoubtedly be in the mix for outright honours across the weekend’s three Junior races.

Of the rookie drivers that will be keen to impress on their debut; Scholarship winner Tom Lebbon, Tom Edgar, William Vincent and Josh Miller will be ones to watch – as will last years Winter Series victor Aston Millar.

In the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, a mix of championship returnees and talented newcomers will come together for what should be blockbuster triple-header under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Will Burns and Tom Hibbert, title contenders in 2019, lead the entry list and will be hard to bet against however the likes of Adam Smalley, Tom Emson, Gus Burton and Fin Green shouldn’t be counted out either.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB, the fastest and most successful single marque GT championship in the UK, has become renowned for producing edge-of-the-seat entertainment down the years and 2020 should be no different.

Boasting an entry list that includes the likes of Harry King, Josh Webster, Scott McKenna, Ryan Ratcliffe and Esmee Hawkey, the Carrera Cup GB’s two encounters shouldn’t be missed.

One new addition to the TOCA support bill this year comes in the shape of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship, which replaces the outgoing Renault UK Clio Cup. Armed with a 30-car grid and equal machinery, the one-make tin top series has proven to smash-hit in recent years.

Notable names to keep an eye on across the weekend’s opening three races include Max Coates, Ethan Hammerton, Calum Newsham, Max Bird and Dan Zelos, amongst many more.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action will be a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with a bumper entry list primed to battle it our for the single seater crown.

ITV4 will present live coverage of all the race day action on Sunday with the broadcast scheduled to begin at 10:40.

For more information on this weekend’s race meeting, including links to the timetable and live timing, click here.

BTCC revved up for Donington Park curtain-raiser

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship makes it long-awaited return this weekend (August 1/2) with three races at Donington Park marking the start of what is set to be an action-packed three-and-a-half months of blockbuster entertainment.

With motorsport having come to an abrupt stop back in March due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Britain’s premier race series has been busy preparing for a safe return and has put together a rescheduled 27-race schedule, taking place across nine of the UK’s best circuit layouts.

Like any championship, the BTCC has been impacted by the pandemic and has subsequently seen the likes of Andrew Jordan, Jason Plato and Mat Jackson all sidelined for the 2020 campaign.

One man that will be on-track however is reigning champion Colin Turkington, who is looking to clinch a record-breaking fifth BTCC title at the wheel of his West Surrey Racing BMW 330i M Sport.

Triumphing in dramatic style last year, the Northern Irishman is back to defend his crown with Team BMW alongside Tom Oliphant and will undoubtedly be hard to beat.

Whilst Turkington heads into the opening event of what is a condensed campaign, the list of challengers that threaten to take his title away from him in 2020 is vast.

Halfords Yuasa Racing came close to overall victory last year and the Honda Civic Type R outfit have retained the services of Dan Cammish and Matt Neal in the hope that they can go one better this time around.

BTC Racing will also field Honda Civic Type R’s once again and they will put their faith in Josh Cook, Tom Chilton and Michael Crees to finally deliver championship silverware.

Tom Ingram meanwhile has a season under his belt with the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla and his sights are firmly set on clinching a maiden title after finishing runner-up to Turkington in 2018.

Elsewhere, Laser Tools Racing have expanded their driver line-up for this season with former champion Ashley Sutton joining Aiden Moffat whilst Rory Butcher has switched to Motorbase Performance to spearhead its charge with the brand new Ford Focus.

Other notable names to keep an eye on over the course of the weekend at Donington Park include Jake Hill, Adam Morgan, Jack Goff, Senna Proctor, Stephen Jelley, Chris Smiley and Bobby Thompson – amongst others.

With three races scheduled to take place around the 1.9-mile Leicestershire venue, every point is set to be crucial in determining who will lift the coveted title come the end of the season at Brands Hatch in November.

ITV4 will present live coverage of all the race day action on Sunday with the broadcast scheduled to begin at 10:40.

For more information on this weekend’s race meeting, including links to the timetable and live timing, click here.