BARC bank holiday blockbuster expected to take centre stage at Mallory Park

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for a spectacular Bank Holiday Monday (August 26) next week as Mallory Park plays host to what is set to be an action-packed race day which will be made up of four championships.

Having taken centre stage at the Leicestershire venue in treacherous conditions in late July, the Club will descend on the challenging circuit for what is set to be a pivotal stop on the 2019 calendar for all involved.

Featuring at that July event was the Pickup Truck Racing Championship; and they are back for more this time around with two races scheduled to be run on the infamous oval layout.

Michael Smith currently tops the standings and the championship leader will be one to watch having triumphed here earlier in the year. Chasing his first title since 2014, Smith will have to starve off the challenge of the chasing pack, where there are plenty of contenders.

Leading the fight is the ultra-consistent George Turiccki whilst Dale Gent, another to triumph at Mallory Park, is hot on his heels in third place. Reece Jones, Mark Willis, Paul Tompkins, Dean Tompkins and Daniel Petters are all also expected to be in the mix too.

The BARC Super Silhouette Championship was another category to feature at Mallory Park last month and the spaceframe coupe and saloon cars series returns for a second bite of the cherry.

This year has largely belonged to Malcolm Blackman who has proven to be a dominant force and two more wins to add to his already impressive 2019 tally could put him within touching distance of lifting the coveted crown.

Chris Brockenhurst has been the only driver to stand on the top step of the podium other than Blackman and along with the likes of title rivals Keith White and Steve Burrows, he’ll be aiming to repeat the feat.

Wheel-to-wheel action is all-but expected in the Junior Saloon Car Championship as the latest crop of teenage racers bid to make a name for themselves. Approaching the business end of the 2019 campaign,

Scott McIntyre and reigning champion Lewis Saunders have proven to be the cream of the crop so far with the two locked in a back-and-forth battle for overall honours. Jemma Moore and Alex Jay also remain on the fringe of the front-running fight too and shouldn’t be discounted.

Rounding off the day’s racing will be action from the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship; which has been rolling back the years to showcase some of the most jaw-dropping machines from the world-renowned manufacturer.

With multiple classes and all manner of different models sharing the same piece of tarmac, the on-track entertainment has been fast and frenetic so far.

Notable names to look out for include David Amphlett, Jim Baynam, Sarah Sullivan, Stuart Plotnek and Stephen McDermid – to name but a few.

To find out more information on this coming Monday’s event at Mallory Park, including links to live timing and timetables, click here.

British Rallycross Championship gearing up for return to Lydden Hill

The Toyo Tires Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship will roar back into life after its mid-season break at Lydden Hill this coming Bank Holiday Monday (August 26) with Derek Tohill and Julian Godfrey tied on points at the summit of the standings.

With three events already in the books, the adrenaline-fuelled series returns to the spiritual home of the sport in Kent for what is set to be a blockbuster race day of sideways thrills and spills.

Since the Silverstone season-opener, nothing has been able to separate Tohill and Godfrey towards the sharp end of the field – with neither of them able to break away from the other at the summit of the standings.

Tallying two wins apiece, the Ford Fiesta duo have been the cream of the crop so far and will undoubtedly be in the mix for outright honours at Lydden Hill.

Beyond the top two however are a host of front-running contenders that are all aiming to challenge for the top step of the podium as well. Former champion Ollie O’Donovan has endured a frustrating campaign to-date but the the Irishman can never be discounted.

Roger Thomas debuted his new Ford Fiesta last time out and will look to further improve whilst the likes of Steve Hill, Andy Grant and Simon Horton are all chasing silverware in their respective machines too.

Although the Toyo Tires Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship will take centre stage at the home of rallycross, a bumper supporting bill will also be in action over the course of the day to set the pulses of those in attendance racing.

The Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship, Motorsport UK Supernational Rallycross Championship, BMW Mini Rallycross Championship, Swift Sport Rallycross Championship, RX150 Championship and Retro Rallycross Championship will all feature in entertaining fashion.

To find out more information on the Bank Holiday Monday spectacular, click here.

Pete Sparrow crowned champion as 2CV Championship stars at Snetterton

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship brought the curtain down on its 2019 campaign in sensational style at Snetterton this past weekend (August 16/17/18) as Pete Sparrow was crowned champion for the second year in succession at the Liqui Moly 24-hour season finale.

Taking centre stage at the Norfolk venue following another vintage year of on-track action at some of the UK’s top circuits, the iconic one-make series marked its 30th anniversary with a pulsating race.

Following a staggering 758 laps being completed, the European entry of BNLL 2 recorded a memorable victory as they ran out winners following 24 gruelling hours of racing. Having started the race on the outside of the front row, the outfit powered their way past stablemates BNLL 1 and cantered to victory by four laps at the chequered flag.

Team Gadget Racing proved to be the best of the British contingent as Tom Perry, Lien Davies, Simon Clarke and Ainslie Bousfield teamed up to finish fourth overall.

Sparrow, who was part of 2CV Team Lion 1, held his nerve to finish seventh overall and crucially ahead of title protagonist Nick Crispin – gifting him a second title in as many years.

There was plenty of action during the weekend’s two Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup races too as Wayne Rockett once again exerted his dominance in the single-make series. Having been the form driver so far this year, Rockett continued his rich vein of form with another unstoppable performance as he romped to a brace of victories.

Spoils were shared in the weekend’s two Uncle Luke’s BARC Saloon Series races, which showcased a wide variety of tin top machinery. Mark De Ath triumphed in the opening encounter in his Subaru Impreza before Steve Rothery reigned supreme in his Peugeot 308 later in the day.

Rounding out the weekend’s British Automobile Racing Club entertainment were two races from the KW Automotive Classic VW Cup and TDi North Honda VTEC Challenge, which had amalgamated together once again.

Luke Schlewitz emerged as the driver to beat across the weekend’s two race as he piloted his Honda Civic to victory in both encounters, by more than 40 seconds in each too.

Those wanting to look back on some of the best bits from the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship 24-hour race can do so by heading to www.barctv.net/

To view the full classification of results from all categories that competed over the course of the weekend in East Anglia, click here.

Thruxton hosts spectacular second BTCC visit as Tordoff, Cook and Cammish triumph

Thruxton Circuit was the stage for another full-throttle weekend of motorsport action as the Hampshire speedbowl played host to the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the second time this season.

Sam Tordoff, Josh Cook and Dan Cammish all stood on the top step of the podium after a thrilling day of racing that saw reigning champion Colin Turkington have his lead in the Drivers’ standings cut to just 30 points.

A full programme of support series also put on a feast of wheel-to-wheel entertainment for the spectators, who packed onto the famous banking around the WWII airfield, while a host of off-track activities kept families occupied throughout the weekend.

In total, fans enjoyed 16 outstanding races with the BTCC backed up by British F4, Porsche Carrera Supercup GB, Renault UK Clio Cup, Michelin Ginetta Juniors and the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup as Thruxton made the most of a second visit from the TOCA package following a hugely successful event in May.

Tordoff enjoyed an excellent getaway from pole in the first BTCC race of the day, having produced a blistering lap to put his Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Honda Civic Type R (FK2) top of the timesheets on Saturday.

The same can’t be said for fan-favourite Jason Plato who overshot his front-row grid slot, triggering a drive-through penalty for the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing ace which dropped him to the back.

The veteran proceeded to carve his way through the field, much to the delight of his celebrity guest James Martin, but Plato’s charge was eventually halted just outside the points in 17th.

Back at the front, Tordoff kept his cool to lead home Cammish and Adam Morgan, notching his first win of the 2019 season after a campaign plagued by bad luck.

Meanwhile, the crowd on the banking were treated to a thrilling race-long duel between championship leader Colin Turkington and his closest title rival, BMW stablemate Andrew Jordan – with the Pirtek Racing ace eventually gaining the upper hand to finish 12th and nibble away at the Northern Irishman’s points advantage.

Tordoff picked up where he left off in race two, flying off the line and blasting through turn one below fans eagerly watching on from the balcony of the Thruxton Centre. Cammish, meanwhile, bogged down in his Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic, allowing Morgan and Josh Cook past on the run to the complex.

However, the Yorkshireman’s lead was short-lived as he was passed by both Cook and Morgan on the way into the chicane before tumbling further down the order when he lost out to Tom Oliphant.

Cook showed the field a clean pair of heels at the front to pick up his third win of the campaign while Morgan secured another comfortable second place ahead of Matt Neal, who sent the crowd wild with a superb last-lap move on Oliphant.

Hampshire hero Rob Collard was drawn on pole for the reverse grid race and shot away when the lights went out as Oliphant jumped Cammish while battles raged behind.

The Halfords Yuasa Racing ace soon muscled his way back past Oliphant on lap three but all eyes were fixed on an enthralling battle between Jordan, Tom Ingram, Ash Sutton and Cook.

Points-leader Turkington then lost out to Plato and Tordoff further down the field as the BTCC served up its usual dose of close-quarter squabbling while back at the front, Cammish capitalised on a mistake by Collard at Church to take the lead on lap 10.

The Honda star kept his cool despite a late downpour to take his ninth podium of the campaign and the team’s first victory of the season while Neal capped an excellent day for Team Dynamics with third behind Collard.

Ingram and Sutton clashed further back, allowing Cook and Plato to capitalise while the rear-wheel drive cars struggled for grip in the closing stages, creating even more excitement for the packed crowd.

The Carrera Cup field had been the first to take to the track in changeable conditions on Sunday morning, with Dan Harper initially struggling on slick tyres before carving his way back to the front and taking the spoils.

Harper doubled up in the second race later in the afternoon, holding off Josh Webster and Lewis Plato as the single-make series produced plenty of thrills and spills for the watching crowd.

Meanwhile, Will Burns built on his Saturday success in the Ginetta GT4 Supercup, taking his second win of the weekend ahead of Tom Hibbert and Reece Somerfield before Harry King bounced back from a tough few rounds with victory in race three.

Elsewhere, Will Martin and Zak O’Sullivan went toe-to-toe in a titanic duel to the flag in the Ginetta Junior race, with the former eventually prevailing after James Hedley’s early retirement, while Carter Williams completed a clean sweep in British F4 with back-to-back victories for JHR Developments.

Finally, the Renault UK Clio Cup also threw up a stormer of a race which culminated in controversial contact between Jack Young and Max Coates at the final chicane, with the former taking the chequered flag but being penalised post-race and the latter ending up stranded on the grass and furious in parc ferme. The race win eventually went to Ethan Hammerton.

As well as all the on-track action, this weekend was also notable for long-standing Thruxton Circuit Director Bill Coombs stepping away from the limelight as he takes more of a back seat role at the track.

“It’s 40 years since I did the racing school here, so it’s an appropriate time to back out,” he said.

“I’ve had some wonderful times here, particularly running the racing school, and more recently with the circuit. We’ve had this development plan which we have put into action and hopefully everybody has seen the changes that we’ve made over the past seven years, culminating in the Thruxton Centre.

“It is the only place that you can get so close to the action and it’s great that it’s situated on such a fast corner. The crowds love it here, and the hospitality has sold really well. Racing is always great here at Thruxton. It’s good racing on a super-fast, old-school circuit which we love.

“I’m still staying on the main BARC board so you will still see me around, but not doing the day-to-day operational stuff. I’m very pleased to hand that over to our team. We’ve got a fantastic team at Thruxton, and Pat Blakeney will head that up. I am sure he will do a fantastic job.”

Next up for Thruxton is the Classic Sports Car Club meeting on September 21/22 where motoring enthusiasts will be treated to a spectacular display of stunning vehicles and white-knuckle racing.

Tickets start from ÂŁ11 while Children 15 and under go free. Grandstand seats and paddock access are included with admission.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit www.thruxtonracing.co.uk

Sam Tordoff tops the times at Thruxton as BTCC bonanza begins

Sam Tordoff will start on pole for Round 19 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship after a blistering lap around Thruxton’s famous sweepers as Britain’s premier motorsport series rolled into town once again.

The Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance star topped the times at the Hampshire speedbowl for the second occasion this season, having blitzed the field with a new lap record on the BTCC’s first visit to the track earlier in the campaign.

This time around, Tordoff posted an impressive 1:15.876s to pip the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall of Jason Plato by just 0.014s while Dan Cammish will line up third on the grid after an impressive effort in his Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda.

There was also a feast of on-track action served up by the rest of the TOCA package as fans were treated to six thrilling support races around the 2.4-mile circuit, whetting the appetite for a packed 10-race programme on Sunday.

Tordoff struggled in the first practice session at the famous WWII airfield but gradually got to grips with his Civic Type R at a circuit that has often favoured Honda machinery in the past, with the Yorkshireman pulling out all the stops to seal pole.

“It’s quickly becoming my favourite track and we’ve given ourselves such a good chance for tomorrow,” said Tordoff.

“I should have won here in May and would have were it not for power steering failure. I’ll be looking to put that right tomorrow.”

Fan-favourite Plato ran Tordoff close, having caught the eye last time out at Snetterton when tussling with former team-mate Ash Sutton, and the 51-year-old is sure to give as good as he gets when the lights go out tomorrow.

With Cammish third and the Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes of Adam Morgan fourth, just ahead of Bath-born Josh Cook in his BTC Racing Honda, spectators are sure to see some fireworks on lap one.

Hampshire local Rob Collard will line up tenth in his Vauxhall, one place ahead of championship leader Colin Turkington while the Northern Irishman’s closest rival Andrew Jordan will start 13th in his BMW 330i M Sport.

Elsewhere, Carter Williams became the eighth different winner in British F4 this season during the series’ first race of the weekend, while Sebastian Alvarez strengthened his title challenge with a solid runners-up finish.

Josh Skelton received maximum points in the single-seaters’ second outing of the day ahead of Tommy Foster while Alvarez banked another podium with third.

James Hedley took the honours in the opening Ginetta Junior race – his fourth victory of the campaign – ahead of Zak O’Sullivan and Lorcan Hanafin while it was O’Sullivan’s turn to triumph in the second race ahead of Will Martin and Hedley.

Max Coates held off Jack Young to win in the Renault UK Clio Cup and Will Burns profited from Harry King’s last-lap puncture to pinch the first Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup Championship race of the weekend.

The weather stayed fair throughout Saturday and a positive forecast is set to see another bumper crowd descend on the famous Thruxton banking for BTCC race day.

Fans will be able to get a first-hand look at the field with the ever-popular paddock walkabout on Sunday morning while there will be something for everyone off-track with a variety of activities around the venue including skid pan rides for all ages, an extensive display of driving experience supercars and racing cars and a fantastic trade village to explore.

Tickets are available on the gate, starting at ÂŁ34. Teen tickets (13 to 15 years old) are ÂŁ10, while Under-12s go free.

For further information, visit thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc or call 01264 882222.

Local favourite Collard predicts BTCC blockbuster at ‘old-school’ Thruxton

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to Thruxton Circuit this weekend (17/18 August) for its second high-speed visit of 2019, and local star Rob Collard has his sights set on podium celebrations at what he predicts to be another BTCC blockbuster show.

Collard might be one of the BTCC’s elder statesmen at 50 now, but the Hampshireman shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. That much was clear from his fourth-place finish amongst the 30 high-calibre contenders – some of the fastest drivers in the country – at Snetterton two weeks ago.

Indeed, Collard has 15 race wins to his name in the UK’s premier motorsport series – one of which came at Thruxton two years ago – and he sped to a top ten double on home soil earlier this season. Buoyed by his strong form last time out behind the wheel of his Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra, the Eversley man is aiming to keep the ball rolling in front of family and friends this weekend.

“Thruxton is just a great circuit – one at which practically every driver looks forward to competing – and it’s fantastic that we have the opportunity to race there twice this year,” he enthused. “It’s probably actually the track I’ve driven the least in the UK due to limited testing opportunities, which makes it even more of a pleasure when we do get to drive there.

“It’s an undiluted challenge full of old-school charm – a really fast, flowing circuit that truly stretches drivers’ commitment and bravery to the limit, which ultimately is why we all do this. You also need to use your head as much as your right foot at Thruxton; its unique nature means that if you push too hard, too soon you will destroy your tyres in the first few laps – tyre preservation is equally as important as out-and-out speed. As we’ve seen in previous years at Thruxton, it really is never over until it’s over.

“It’s great having the local support behind me for the weekend, and Thruxton always generates exciting racing, with plenty of action at the Complex and Chicane in particular and fantastic viewing from the banking and on the big screens.

“We’ve struggled a bit for consistency this season and circumstances have conspired against us on occasion, but Snetterton offered more of a reflection of our true pace so hopefully we can keep that momentum going and score some good points. We were fast at Thruxton earlier in the year, and obviously it would be brilliant to reach the podium again on home soil.”

Alongside the headline-grabbing BTCC, a jam-packed schedule of high-octane support series – comprising the F4 British Championship, Ginetta Junior Championship, Renault UK Clio Cup, Ginetta GT4 SuperCup and Porsche Carrera Cup GB, the latter appearing at Thruxton for the first time in five years – will ensure the action remains red-hot from lights-out to chequered flag.

Off-track, there will also be a variety of activities around the venue including skid pan rides for all ages, an extensive display of Thruxton’s driving experience supercars and racing cars and a comprehensive trade village to explore. There will additionally be evening entertainment in the Thruxton Centre on both Friday and Saturday.

Tickets for the BTCC’s visit on 17/18 August can be purchased on the gate, starting at £17 for Saturday (qualifying) and £34 for Sunday (race day). Children aged 13-15 get in for £5 on Saturday and £10 on Sunday; accompanied children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge.

For further information or to buy tickets, visit thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc-aug or call 01264 882222.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit www.thruxtonracing.co.uk

2CV Championship to headline Snetterton weekend with 24-hour title showdown race

The destiny of the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship will be decided at Snetterton this weekend (August 16/17/18) with reigning champion Pete Sparrow and Nick Crispin set for a final showdown to see who will lift the coveted title for 2019.

In what is the 29th edition of the much-loved event, the Liqui Moly 2CV 24-Hour race will bring the curtain down on what has been another vintage year of on-track action for the iconic category.

This year in particular has been one of celebration for the championship with 2019 seeing the 100th anniversary of Citroen, the 70th anniversary of the 2CV and the 30th anniversary since the inaugural 2CV race taking place.

Touring the UK – stopping off at Silverstone, Cadwell Park, Mallory Park and Brands Hatch along the way – the destiny of the title has boiled down to just two drivers.

Entering the year donning the mantel of defending champion, Sparrow has proven himself to be a tour-de-force. Scoring five wins, including braces at the first two events, Sparrow heads to East Anglia with a 66-point advantage over Crispin and on the cusp of becoming a back-to-back champion.

Whilst Sparrow has visited the top step of the podium, Crispin is yet to do so as it stands. Putting together an ultra-competitive run of results, the lead protagonist has tallied the points as the year has progressed – placing him within touching distance heading into the finale.

Brian Heerey, Lien Davies, Alec Graham, David O’Keefe and Tom Perry have all scored victories at one stage during the season and they too will be one’s to watch as they bid to triumph one more time before the season is out.

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship may be the headline act over the course of the weekend in Norfolk but there will be plenty more British Automobile Racing Club action taking place as well.

Fans of all things tin tops will be well-catered for virtue of the Uncle Luke’s BARC Saloon Series, KW Automotive Classic VW Cup and the TDi North Honda VTEC Challenge, all of which will duke it out for the latest honours around the 2.97-mile circuit.

Further thrills and spills are expected to come in the shape of the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup. Having enjoyed bumper grids throughout the year already, the popular one-make series is set to write another illustrious chapter in its history with two more pulsating encounters.

Full coverage of the Liqui Moly 2CV 24-Hour race from Snetterton will be screened live on www.barctv.net.

To find out more information about the event, including the full timetable and links to live timing, click here.

Blockbuster BARC track action headlines Convoy in the Park at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Donington Park’s Convoy in the Park this past weekend (August 10/11) as six championships hit the track to write the latest exciting chapters of their 2019 campaigns.

In what proved to be a blockbuster two days of on-track action, a bumper crowd descended on the Leicestershire venue to not only soak up the BARC championship action, but also the off-track entertainment too.

Headlining the weekend’s race schedule was eight encounters from the high-octane MV Commercial BTRA Championship. Boasting the biggest grids of the season for both classes, the second half of the season for the heavyweight behemoths proved to be nothing short of dramatic.

Division 1 saw reigning three-time champion Ryan Smith tighten his grip on the title as he scored a brace of victories whilst there were also first wins of the year for both Simon Reid and the returning Jamie Anderson.

Spoils were shared between current title holder Luke Garrett and Paul Rivett in Division 2, the pair both scooping two wins apiece whilst Steven Powell enjoyed an ultra-consistent weekend, netting four second place finishes.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres saw plenty of wheel-to-wheel battles take place across the weekend’s six heats, producing no less than five different winners.

Will Gibson led the way as he visited the top step of the podium twice whilst there were also wins for reigning champion John Mickel, Paul Simmons, Sy Harraway and new championship leader Miles Rudman.

It proved to be another nail-biting event for the Pickup Truck Racing Championship as the battle for supremacy continued to intensify under the flightpath of East Midlands airport; with championship protagonists Michael Smith and George Turiccki both triumphing.

Malcolm Blackman meanwhile continued to exert his dominance in the Super Silhouette Championship as he bagged another two victories. Having seen his unbeaten run come to an end last time out, Blackman bounced back in style with a commanding performance to emerge as the victor.

Slipstreaming shenanigans came in the shape of the Mighty Minis Championship around the 1.97-mile circuit, to the delight of the crowd. Neven Kirkpatrick and Greg Jenkins were the winners both overall and in the Super Mighty Mini class whilst further back, Greg Daw and David Burns shared the spoils in the Mighty Mini category.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action at Donington Park were a pair of races from the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship – the Club’s North West Centre’s flagship series.

Boasting a healthy 38-car entry list for the weekend, the multi-class championship is home to all manner of machinery and Convoy in the Park saw Danny Winstanley and Luke Armiger run out the winners.

To view the full classification of results from each session of each championship, click here.

Snetterton plays host to memorable BARC summer spectacle

Snetterton played host to an action-packed two days of British Automobile Racing Club entertainment this past weekend (August 10/11) as several championships descended on the Norfolk venue for a spectacular summer showcase.

Boasting a bumper bill of track action, the Club’s second consecutive weekend at the East Anglia track proved to be full of the typical thrills and spills that fans have become accustomed to – with several drivers and team producing dominant displays.

The Team ABBA Racing duo of Richard Neary and Sam Neary were one of those to exert their dominance over the course of the weekend as they reigned supreme in the Dunlop Endurance Championship.

Sharing the driving duties of their Mercedes AMG GT GT3, the pair proved to be in a league of their own around the 2.97-mile layout as they scored victory in both one-hour encounters.

Those in attendance were treated to further endurance antics from the Distrigo Parts Distribution Citroen C1 Series on Sunday as the popular one-make category staged its latest three-hour race, with a staggering 52-car entry list.

Following a total of 60 laps being completed, McAttack Racing’s Simon Walker-Hansell, Joe Wiggin and Declan McDonnell tallied another stellar victory – albeit by less than a second from their nearest rivals.

Paul Roddison reestablished himself as the man to beat in the Max5 Racing Championship, scoring a brace of race wins. After seeing his winning streak ended at the previous event, Roddison bounced back in style to dominate proceedings in both encounters.

Rick Morris was another driver to enjoy a near-perfect weekend around the challenging 2.97-mile circuit as he triumphed in the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship; wrestling back control of the title fight from Tim Harvey.

Spoils were shared between Ronan Pearson and James Colburn in the Michelin Clio Cup Series whilst the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw victory fall the way of Steve McDermid.

Capping of the weekend’s action were a trio of races from the new-for-2019 UK Sports Prototype Cup, which saw Rob Wheldon and Jon Macrae power their way to the top step of the podium.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions over the course of the weekend, click here.

Seven championships set to take centre stage for Convoy in the Park at Donington Park

Donington Park will welcome the British Automobile Racing Club this weekend (August 10/11) for a titanic two days of on-track entertainment as a total of seven  championships headline at the hugely-popular Convoy in the Park.

In what is the ultimate festival of all things trucking, the two-day spectacular celebrates the world’s largest vehicles both on and off the track, along with plenty of fun for all of the family.

Taking centre stage around the 1.95-mile layout is the MV Commercial BTRA Championship. Weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing in excess of 1000bhp, the heavyweight behemoths of both Division 1 and Division 2 are set to dazzle those in attendance across a blockbuster eight races.

Boasting the biggest entry list of the season so far, both classes are revved up for action with Ryan Smith leading the way in Division 1. Having been the man to beat up to now, the reigning champion has been in relentless form recently and will bid to continue his winning streak against the likes of David Jenkins, John Newell and Stuart Oliver.

Meanwhile, a titanic scrap for supremacy in Division 2 is set to continue with the likes of Steve Powell, Paul Rivett, Brad Smith and John Bowler leading the chase for defending champion and series leader Luke Garrett.

Dwarfed in size by the titans of the BTRA, the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres is set to be a smash-hit over the course of the weekend with no less than six races scheduled to take place.

After a lengthy ten-week break Legends return to action with multiple champion John Mickel topping the standings after scoring his first win of the year last time out. Challengers come from all angles however with the likes of Miles Rudman, Marcus Pett, Connor Mills, Sean Smith, James Hall-Morton and Sy Harraway all having triumphed this year as well.

There will be plenty of edge-of-the-seat entertainment from the Pickup Truck Racing Championship as the battle for supremacy rages on. In what has been an ultra-competitive season to-date, no less than seven different drivers have stood on the top step of the podium and that number could well rise as the year progresses.

Michael Smith, Dale Gent, Reece Jones, George Turiccki, Mark Willis, David O’Regan and Paul Tompkins have tasted victory thus far and any one of them could add to their win tallies around the challenging curves of Donington Park.

Small in stature but packing a punch under the bonnet, expect plenty of scintillating slipstreaming action from the Mighty Minis Championship. Split into two classes, Mighty Mini and Super Mighty Mini, depending on engine capacity, the single-make series is as close as can be currently.

Nothing separates Dave Burns and Greg Daw in Class A at the standings summit whilst Owen Edgley, Dan Heywood and Paul Ogborn are all within touching distance too. Class B meanwhile sees an equally close scrap for top spot with Neven Kirkpatrick, Steve Rideout and Greg Jenkins leading the way. With two races here, and many more on the horizon.

The BARC Super Silhouette Championship has seen its fair share of action over the course of the season so far and that theme is set to continue under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Catering for spaceframe coupe and saloon cars that have been built to strict regulations, Malcolm Blackman and Chris Brockenhurst have shared the spoils up to now and could well be in the mix to triumph further this weekend. Don’t discount the likes of Steve Burrows, Keith White and Michael Thurley; all of whom will be keen to take their first wins of the season too.

The BARC North West Centre’s flagship category, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, will be in action with two pulsating encounters.

Notable names to cast a watchful eye over include overall championship leader Robert Burkinshaw, Dave Harvey, Paul Dobson, Jon Woolfit, Garry Wardle, David Green and Danny Winstanley, who scored victory at Oulton Park last time out on his series debut.

Breaking ground in its inaugural year, SmarTrack Series will continue to make waves with its awe-inspiring grid of Jaguar XE Project 8’s. Launched for the more mature racing driver and offering a turnkey racing opportunity, the one-make category has made several appearances in 2019 already – turning heads wherever it has been.

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

BARC heads back to Snetterton for action-packed club weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club descends on Snetterton this weekend (August 10/11) for the second of three consecutive events in East Anglia – with seven championships all revved up to take centre stage.

Following on from last weekend’s Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship meeting and ahead of next weekend’s 2CV Racing season finale, the Norfolk venue will play host to what is set to be an action-packed two days of racing.

Topping the bill on Saturday will be two one-hour encounters from the Dunlop Endurance Championship, which is reaching the business end of the 2019 campaign. Showcasing some of the most jaw-dropping cars to compete in the UK, a bumper grid will hit the track for the latest chapter of another

Ferrari 488 Challenge duo Paul Bailey and Andy Schulz lead the way heading into the sixth meeting of the year but nothing is guaranteed – with a long line of contenders all hot on their heels and ready to pounce.

Single seater thrills and spills will come in the shape of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship around the 2.97-mile layout as Tim Harvey and Rick Morris renew their duel at the standings summit.

Just a single point separates the pair heading into the weekend and both will be eager to open up and advantage over the other. Elsewhere; Mike Gardner, Stuart Kestenbaum and Mark Armstrong are just three of several drivers all aiming to put themselves into the win bracket.

The battle for supremacy in the Max5 Racing Championship is set to further intensify too, with Paul Roddison aiming to get back to winning ways. after seeing his unbeaten streak come to an end at Mallory Park courtesy of Ian Loversidge.

Setting his sights on a return to the top step of the podium, Roddison will be a hard challenge to beat however the likes of Jeremy Shipley, Andrew Pretorius, Chris Clarke and Ben Thompson are likely to be in the mix across the weekend’s two races too.

Fans of tin top racing will be well-catered for too over the course of the weekend with no less than three championships set to get those in attendance on the edge of their seats. Retro entertainment will come in the shape of the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship whilst the Michelin Clio Cup Series is one not to be missed as an ultra-competitive grid of hat hatches goes wheel-to-wheel.

Arguably one of the highlights on Sunday will be the latest instalment of the Distrigo Parts Distribution Citroen C1 Series. Enjoying what is a history-making year for the one-make category, another ultra-competitive line-up gets ready to battle for race honours with a three-hour encounter bringing the curtain down on the weekend.

Front-running teams that have entered to keep a watchful eye on include Amigo Motorsport, McAttack Racing, Diablo Racing and Spy Motorsport – to name but a few.

Rounding out the weekend’s action at Snetterton will be the latest rounds of the new-for-2019 UK Sports Prototype Cup. Growing in stature as each month passes, the category – which caters for both Revolution Race Cars and Radicals – has garnered rave reviews already.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event, including links to live timing and timetables, click here.

BTCC returns to Thruxton for second instalment of high-speed thrills in 2019

Thruxton is set to host the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the second time in 2019 as the series once again heads to Hampshire for Rounds 19, 20 and 21 next weekend (17/18 August).

This season has been as spectacular and unpredictable as ever, producing seven winners and 17 podium finishers with four events to come. Reigning champion Colin Turkington tops the table ahead of Andrew Jordan, with Rory Butcher and Josh Cook flying the flag for the independent teams in third and fourth respectively.

The BMW drivers at the head of the championship have collected five wins apiece so far with Turkington scoring two further podiums to Jordan’s three. Jordan has recovered manfully since a nightmare Donington weekend – three non-scores earlier in the year – with a dominant double victory at BTCC’s first visit to Hampshire in May, but the Pirtek sponsored driver remains some 36 points behind the Northern Irishman.

At a track where the Hondas are regularly quick, there are plenty of on-form Civic drivers who will be looking for a strong result with the marque’s UK base residing in nearby Swindon. Fresh off the back of a win at Snetterton, Rory Butcher can be hopeful of a good weekend at Thruxton, backed by a podium finish during the first visit of the year. Bath-based Josh Cook is another Type R driver to have enjoyed exceptional weekends at both Thruxton and Snetterton. Likewise, Dan Cammish scored two podiums at each of those meetings.

Ash Sutton is sure to be fired up in his Subaru Levorg after a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle with ex-teammate Jason Plato at Snetterton, ultimately ending in disaster for the BMR driver. Sutton finished on the podium at Thruxton earlier in the year which bodes well in his bid to take to the top step in 2019. Team Toyota GB with Ginsters and Tom Ingram are another pairing to watch in the coming races after correcting a damping issue during the in-season test, followed by a lights-to-flag victory at Round 16.

Off-track, there will be something for everyone with a variety of activities around the venue including skid pan rides for all ages, an extensive display of Thruxton’s driving experience supercars and racing cars and a fantastic trade village to explore. There’s also evening entertainment in the Thruxton Centre on Friday and Saturday.

The fast and flowing ‘Hampshire Speedbowl’ is sure to provide even more spectacular racing up and down the field, with commitment and precision required at every corner – most notably ‘Church’ – to string together the perfect lap. The championship battle is primed to intensify at Thruxton next weekend.

“Snetterton went to plan for us,” commented championship leader Turkington. “It was always going to be a tough weekend given the official test day back in July, where everybody was able to get a feel of the circuit and get up to speed – we knew it was going to be ultra-competitive.

“It was great to win again, and win with a heavy car heading into the weekend as championship leader with the maximum complement of success ballast on-board. We were consistent over every session and we’re hoping for more of the same at Thruxton. We’ve a good knowledge of the circuit, this being our second visit of the year so it’ll make for a strong starting point.

“The BMW 330i M Sport was quick there earlier this season and looking back, we’d come out of the blocks fast. Now, as the season’s played out, people have closed that gap. The front-wheel drive cars went well at Snetterton last weekend and it’ll be even more difficult, for sure, this time around at Thruxton.

“The focus is firmly on myself at this stage of the season and maximising opportunities wherever I can. There’s a lot of competition from any number of drivers – not just the guys directly behind me. We’ve completed six of ten race weekends and there’s still a huge amount of racing left.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome BTCC for a second time in 2019,” enthused Pat Blakeney, Thruxton Group Operations Manager. “After such a successful event in May, we can’t wait for the return of the championship to the UK’s fastest circuit.

“As always, Thruxton produced some great racing earlier in the year and we’re hoping for more of the same next weekend, the nature of our track requires a lot of nerve from the drivers and I think the fans enjoy that. There’s also plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy away from the track!”

Tickets for the BTCC’s visit on 17/18 August can be purchased on the gate, starting at £17 for Saturday (qualifying) and £34 for Sunday (race day). Children aged 13-15 get in for £5 on Saturday and £10 on Sunday; accompanied children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge.

For further information or to buy tickets, visit thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc-aug or call 01264 882222.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit www.thruxtonracing.co.uk