Author: Chris Ashby

British Truck Racing Association Championship partners with SmartWitness video camera systems

All competing British Truck Racing Association Championship machines will be fitted with SmartWitness video camera systems in 2019, following an agreement with SmartWitness.

Forward-facing, rear and blind side SmartWitness cameras will be installed on all competing trucks at BTRAC events for the forthcoming season with the live video support set to be available for race officials at the click of a button.

Competing trucks will have 1080HD footage on a monitored live stream via connected 3G/4G SmartWitness cameras which will be monitored on the SmartView software platform. The live video platform registers events such as hard breaking, acceleration as well as footage on demand from collisions shot in high resolution and at 30 frames per second.

The forward facing SmartWitness KP1S camera has a 170 angle lens which simultaneously records to an SD card in a tamper-proof unit, as well as sending footage and data via the 3G/4G cellular connection.

Driving infringements can be monitored live from the SmartView platform or can be reviewed from the SD card afterwards if race officials so wish. The SmartWitness software will allow officials to track back to the exact moment of an alleged infringement and can analyse footage frame by frame on forward-facing, rear or blind side cameras to see exactly what happened in any alleged incident. The SmartWitness system has already been trialled on BTRAC machinery with selective trucks running the equipment at the 2018 season finale at Brands Hatch.

Glen Horncastle, Championship Director, said: “The SmartWitness system and cameras are the perfect solution to assist race officials to investigate and monitor these race trucks in race conditions. The SmartWitness cameras and software really impressed us and ticked all the boxes from what we needed from live video analysis.

“We are always looking to align ourselves with professional sponsors / partners who can bring added value to the Championship, and having the ability to work with a technology leading camera and software provider such as SmartWitness is a very exciting prospect.

“Not only will the Championship benefit from this relationship but so will the fans, as they will be given the opportunity of viewing truck racing from new angles and with previously unavailable vehicle telemetry.”

Paul Singh, SmartWitness CEO, added: “We are really proud to be a part of the British Truck Racing Association Championship, we are big fans of the sport and it’s great that we can help make it safer and fairer.

“The cameras and systems are exactly the same as we install in HGV fleets across the UK and USA, the cameras are the same high definition footage, G-shock sensors and GPS tracking. Our system is so robust and flexible that it can work just as well on a truck hurtling round Brands Hatch at 100mph as it does with a vehicle in urban traffic.”

The 2019 British Truck Racing Association Championship season will begin over the Easter weekend at Brands Hatch on April 21/22, before the heavyweight behemoths then descend on Pembrey, Thruxton, Nurburgring, Donington Park and Snetterton, before capping off the year back at Pembrey and Brands Hatch.

Series Elite takes covers off race spec car and announces title sponsor

Series Elite, the new race series that will cater exclusively for drivers aged 40 and over, have taken the covers off its first Jaguar SVO Project 8 car at the Autosport Show International and announced SmarTrack as its title sponsor.

Taking pride of place at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, the jaw-dropping V8 machine will be capable of speeds of almost 200mph and is fitted with an FIA approved roll cage, as well as Corbeau seat and harnesses.

The car is the first of the grid being built by Jaguar and has been converted to race specification by Slidesports’s Mark Jenkins.

In addition to the car being unveiled, SmarTrack have also been announced as Series Elite title sponsor in a multi-year agreement which will see branding on each car, trackside, in the paddock and across all marketing communications.

SmarTrack is a multiple award winning stolen vehicle tracking systems brand and the category will be known as SmarTrack Series Elite for the forthcoming campaign.

Graeme Glew, Series Elite CEO, said: “It is another milestone on our journey to the first race today with the unveiling of our race car and the signing of a title sponsor, with SmarTrack stolen vehicle recovery systems joining us.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome SmarTrack on board and thanks to their commitment and that of our other partners, we can build a great new series with high profile brands that reflect the premium quality of our drivers and events.

“I’ve been developing SmarTrack Series Elite for over two years and working with Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) to produce the quality, build and performance of race car that we need for the series during this time, so to bring this to fruition with the unveiling of the race-spec car in Birmingham today is fantastic.”

SmarTrack’s Gavin Hennessey added: “This is a great opportunity for SmarTrack to be working with the new, exclusive race series for amateur racing drivers using the latest Project 8 Jaguar SVO P8 vehicles and race technology.”

The inaugural season of SmarTrack Series Elite kicks off at Brands Hatch in May before visits to Silverstone, Donington Park, Snetterton and Portimao.

BTCC grid continues to take shape following flurry of Autosport Show announcements

The countdown to the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has further intensified following a flurry of announcements at the Autosport Show International.

Serving as the annual launch for the new motorsport season at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, ASI 19 has seen a raft of unveilings and launches take place for Britain’s premier race series – all of which have further shaped the forthcoming campaigns entry list.

Motorbase Performance led the announcements by confirming Tom Chilton will remain with the Ford Focus RS squad for a second successive season after finishing third overall in 2018, and he will be joined by Ollie Jackson.

Jackson makes the switch to the Kent-based squad after several years at AMD Tuning. Coming off the back of a maiden BTCC podium at Brands Hatch last year, Jackson returns to the Motorbase fold focused on scoring a maiden win in 2019.

The covers have come off a variety of cars too with Jake Hill unveiling the striking colours of his Trade Price Cars Racing Audi S3 whilst Daniel Rowbottom has done the same on his Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes Benz A-Class as he prepares to make his BTCC bow this year.

Plenty of heads turned when the striking AMD Tuning Honda Civic Type R of Sam Tordoff and Rory Butcher was unveiled whilst Power Maxed Racing’s Vauxhall Astra also showcased its revised colour scheme for the forthcoming campaign as well.

Prior to the Autosport Show reigning champions West Surrey Racing confirmed that Colin Turkington will defend his title at the wheel of a BMW, partnering new team-mate Tom Oliphant. Former champion Andrew Jordan has also re-signed with WSR as he bids to capture another crown.

Toyota will make a triumphant return to the championship as a fully-fledged manufacturer in 2019 too with confirmation that they will join Speedworks Motorsport in bringing the new Corolla to the grid, with last years runner-up Tom Ingram at the wheel.

Team HARD will field four Volkswagen CC’s once more with Mike Bushell, Bobby Thompson, Michael Crees and Carl Boardley behind the wheel whilst new outfit Excelr8 Motorsport have taken on the running the MG6 GT’s, with former MINI Challenge competitor Rob Smith the first driver confirmed for them.

More announcements are set to be made in the coming weeks and months before the 2019 season officially roars into life with rounds one, two and three taking place around the Indy layout of Brands Hatch on April 6/7.

For more BTCC content, head to www.btcc.net.

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship to raise funds for Children with Cancer UK

Kwik Fit and the British Touring Car Championship will team together in 2019 to raise funds for Children with Cancer UK.

Announced on the opening day of the Autosport Show International, the first public for the BTCC under its new title sponsorship with Kwik Fit, the two will aim to harness the support of race teams and spectators to fundraise for the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people.

A wide range of fundraising initiatives will be run over the course of the season, including many ‘money-can’t buy’ opportunities for BTCC fans such as winning a lap ride in the BTCC safety car, wave the chequered flag for a BTCC race, walk the track prior to the start of racing, win VIP tickets to the final race weekend, and to meet a driver and be part of a BTCC team for a day.

Children with Cancer UK’s mission is to improve survival rates and the quality of survival in young cancer patients and to find ways to prevent cancer in the future.  It funds research, works to raise awareness and also provides practical support for young cancer patients and their families.

A key objective of the fundraising is to help fund new family accommodation at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital to keep families together while children from across the UK receive cancer treatment.

Andy Lane, Kwik Fit Marketing Director, said: “We are really excited to be sponsoring the BTCC and are very grateful to the championship for joining us in supporting Children with Cancer UK.

“We know that BTCC fans are not only passionate about the sport but have also been very supportive of good causes over many seasons.  We hope that children with cancer will benefit from their support this season.”

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow continued: “Our new sponsorship agreement with Kwik Fit is bringing a new look to the championship this year, and we have lots of new initiatives to add to fans’ enjoyment of the race weekends and the overall programme in general.

“While we live and breathe our racing, we hope that by supporting Children with Cancer UK the championship can provide a benefit to those families facing a much bigger challenge than getting a podium position.”

In addition to the fundraising taking place at BTCC events, Kwik Fit employees around the country will also carry out their own activities to support the charity too.

The 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will begin at Brands Hatch on April 6/7 before travelling the length and breadth of the country, with 30 pulsating races taking place.

British Rallycross Championship issues revised 2019 calendar

The Toyo Tires Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship has issued a revised calendar for the forthcoming 2019 season, comprising of six events.

Compared to the draft schedule that was published in November last year, the changes reduce the number of race weekends to six and also remove the cluster of events in late August / September, creating a more evenly spread of dates over the year.

All championships will be run across eight events in total with the season kicking off at Silverstone and then drawing to a close at Croft. Trips to Lydden Hill and Pembrey in-between will ensure sideways thrills and spills remain throughout.

The Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship and Swift Sport Rallycross Championship will each have nine events as opposed to eight, with the September visit to Pembrey serving as a double-header.

Toyo Tires Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 2019 Calendar

Silverstone – March 24

Lydden Hill – April 22

Pembrey – June 22

Pembrey – June 23

Lydden Hill – August 26

Pembrey – September 21/22

Croft – October 26

Croft – October 27

Wildcat Sprint Car breaks cover ahead of inaugural season

The Wildcat Sprint Car Series is set to a leave a memorable mark in 2019 as preparations continue for its inaugural season, where it will run under the British Automobile Racing Club umbrella.

Created by Sonny Howard, the lead figurehead behind the Pickup Truck Racing Championship and the BARC Super Silhouette Championship, the new one-make category will take its place on the British Truck Racing Association Championship support package in the forthcoming season, completing the SHP Promotions ‘Power of Three’ package.

Showcasing a head-turning appearance, the US-style racers will feature a two-litre Ford Duratec engine as well as a four-speed Quaife sequential gearbox. With the bodywork made from glass-reinforced plastic and the machine being rear-wheel-drive, those competing in the series are guaranteed an adrenaline rush like no other.

With the focus firmly set on producing entertaining wheel-to-wheel action, the series is hoping to attract younger drivers to compete in front of what is expected to be capacity trackside crowds at some of the UK’s top venues.

Those attending the Autosport Show International at the NEC Arena in Birmingham next week (January 10/11/12/13) will be able to see the jaw-dropping machine first-hand as it sits on display amongst the other SHP Promotions vehicles.

For those that want more information on the Wildcat Sprint Car Series, contact SHP Promotions via info@wildcatsprintcars.co.uk

Pembrey Circuit reveals blockbuster 2019 events calendar

Pembrey Circuit is set for another blockbuster motorsport season in 2019 following confirmation of what is a bumper events calendar for the forthcoming year.

Coming off the back of a hugely successful 2018 campaign for the South Wales-based venue which saw a glittering array of events take place and spectators line the bankings each weekend, the British Automobile Racing Club is track is gearing up for more of the same.

The new season will kick off in early April with the Drift Championship making the first of what will be two visits during the year. The British Racing & Sports Car Club will then make a long overdue return to the venue for an Easter extravaganza later in the month.

High-octane thrills will be provided by the Classic Motorcycle Racing Championship in early May before the heavyweight behemoths of the British Truck Racing Association Championship descend on Pembrey.

Always a highlight of the year, the five-tonne mega-machines will likely dazzle over the weekend of May 11/12 and will be joined by a stellar supporting cast.

Sideways action will come in the shape of the BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship before the BARC stages back to back weekends in early June.

Those will be shortly followed up by two frenetic days of enthralling entertainment from the Toyo Tires British Rallycross Championship. As the summer months pass, the action shows no sign of letting up with event after event taking place.

August 17/18 will be one to watch as the British Supermoto Championship tackles the challenges of Pembrey before both the British Truck Racing Association Championship and Toyo Tires British Rallycross Championship visit once more.

The CMC Tarmac Rally Stages will wind down the action before the CMC ‘Jaffa’ Christmas Rally Stages will bring the curtain down on what is expected to be another memorable year of competition.

2019 Calendar

Drift Championship – April 7

British Racing & Sports Car Club – April 20/21

Classic Motorcycle Racing Championship – May 4/5

British Truck Racing Association Championship – May 11/12

Autosport International BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship in partnership with Toyo Tires – May 18/19

BARC Wales Sprint – June 1/2

British Automobile Racing Club – June 8/9

Toyo Tires British Rallycross Championship – June 22/23

NGRR Motorcycle Championships – July 13/14

VMCC Motorcycle Championships – July 27/28

Autosport International BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship in partnership with Toyo Tires – August 10/11

British Supermoto Championship – August 17/18

Drift Championship – September 1

Toyo Tires British Rallycross Championship – September 21/22

British Truck Racing Association Championship – October 5/6

CMC Tarmac Rally Stages – October 20

CMC ‘Jaffa’ Christmas Rally Stages – December 29

Tickets for all events at Pembrey Circuit will be available to purchase online or by phone in the New Year.

BARC HQ Christmas Closing Dates

The British Automobile Racing Club headquarters at Thruxton Circuit will be closed during the following dates over the Christmas and New Year periods.

FROM: Friday 21st December at 17:00

TO: Wednesday 2nd January 2019 at 09:00

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible trackside next year, be it if you are officiating, marshalling, spectating or competing!

From everyone at the BARC and all of our venues around the country, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

SHP Promotions to oversee new BARC Super Silhouette Championship

SHP Promotions will spearhead what is set to be an exciting new chapter for the BARC Super Silhouette Championship as its bids to continue to grow in stature next year.

Formerly known as the Scrapco Metal Recycling/Avon Tyres Intermarque Championship, the 2019 season will mark the dawn of a new era as SHP Promotions work with the British Automobile Racing Club to bring cars into one single Motorsport UK championship.

Catering for spaceframe coupe and saloon cars that have been built to strict regulations, the series is designed to encourage close competition with hot rod-based machines that resemble the likes of the Peugeot 206 and Vauxhall Tigra, among other makes and models.

In what is an initial three-year plan, adjustments to the rules will be implemented to ensure an even playing field for all competitors, whilst also bidding to ensure it grows into a national championship instead of cars splitting off into a variety of categories.

SHP Promotions’ Sonny Howard said: “The 2019 season sees a new beginning and what looks set to be an exciting future for the BARC Super Silhouette Championship. This concept has been around for a number of years and has all the hallmarks of becoming something very special.

“Those involved in the championship have a wealth of experience, understand the product and have worked with many of the drivers in the past. A structured vision is in place and along with an events calendar that will showcase the championship all around the UK, the future looks bright.”

Falling under the SHP Promotions umbrella alongside the Pickup Truck Racing Championship and new Wildcat Sprint Car category for 2019, the BARC Super Silhouette Championship will travel the length and breadth of the UK, predominantly racing on the British Truck Racing Association Championship package.

Kicking the season off at Brands Hatch over Easter on April 21/22, the series will then head to Pembrey before returning back to Brands Hatch as part of the coveted American SpeedFest weekend.

Two visits to Mallory Park and trips to Donington Park, Croft, Snetterton and one final appearance at Brands Hatch – where a champion will ultimately be crowned – will round out the 2019 calendar for the championship.

For those wanting more information on the BARC Super Silhouette Championship, contact info@supersilhouette.co.uk.

Renault UK Clio Cup to end after 2019 season

Renault UK has confirmed that the 2019 season will be the last for the Clio Cup, with the season finale at Brands Hatch in October being the one-make categories last.

In what is a decision that has not been taken lightly, the timing of the announcement by Renault UK coincides with the end of the current three-year TOCA contract and the last year of the fourth generation Clio.

Since its launch in 1991 the championship has achieved great success and its roots can be traced back to the mid-1970s when Renault first brought its single-model saloon car racing to the UK with the R5.

Appearing alongside the British Touring Car Championship for the past 19 years, the forthcoming season will mark two decades of the two competing on the much-loved popular package.

Down the years the Renault UK Clio Cup has proven to be the ideal proving ground and stepping stone for drivers to jump into the BTCC, with countless names stepping up. Of those, 14 have gone on to win races whilst three have become BTCC champions.

All other Clio Cup championships across the globe are unaffected by this decision.

The 2019 and final Renault UK Clio Cup season will launch at Silverstone on March 22 for its customary Media Day before the first of 18 pulsating races begin around the Brands Hatch Indy layout in early April.

Michelin named as title sponsor of Ginetta Junior Championship

Ginetta have announced that leading global tyre manufacturer Michelin will become the title sponsor for the 2019 Ginetta Junior Championship as part of a new five-year extension to what is an already long-standing partnership.

In what has been an association that has lasted over a decade already, Michelin will remain the sole tyre supplier for all five of Ginetta’s domestic single marque championships.

The Ginetta Junior Championship, Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Ginneta G40 Cup, Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge and the Ginetta Racing Drivers Club will all run Michelin compounds through to 2023.

Tim Hoare, Motorsport Manager at Ginetta, said: “We are proud to extend our long-standing sponsorship partnership with Ginetta and strengthen our association with the complete ladder of racing that Ginetta and Michelin can provide for drivers.

“We feel that our two brands work together very well, allowing drivers of all ages and abilities to experience the thrill of motorsport, while providing an excellent springboard for them to progress through the various classes and beyond, if they so wish.

“This partnership also helps us bring to life the Total Performance characteristics of both our motorsport and road tyres, which are developed along similar lines to make driving a sustainable and more pleasurable experience for all.”

Offering the first step on the motorsport ladder for drivers aged 14 to 17. the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship has forged a path for itself as one of the leading lights within the TOCA support package.

Boasting big grids of Ginetta G40 machines, the series is renowned for producing close-fought racing and down the years has served as a launchpad for drivers to enjoy successful careers around the world.

Ashley Gallagher, Ginetta Motorsport Manager, added: “Michelin are undoubtedly one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the world, and their ethos of providing safe and reliable products to their customers is synonymous with that of Ginetta.

“We are delighted to further our partnership with a company as respected as Michelin into a second decade. This is a testament to the continued success of our domestic championships and together we’re looking forward to a fantastic year of competition in 2019.” In addition to Michelin, Ginetta have also confirmed a technical partnership with Millers Oils, have become title sponsors of the GT4 Supercup and Ginetta Junior Scholarship.

Michelin Clio Cup Series to expand class structure in 2019

The Michelin Clio Cup Series has announced the introduction of a brand-new Sport Series class for 2019 which will welcome each Clio model from the second-generation RS Clio 182 through to the fourth-generation RS Clio 220.

Following on from another pulsating campaign of racing, the Race Series will retain its status as the pinnacle of the championship with third generation RS Clio 200s out to steal the show. In 2020 these will be joined by the fourth generation RS Clio 220.

There will be no changes made to the Road Series class too which will remain in its current guise moving forward too.

However, the new-for-2019 Sports Series will allow the use of Renault Sport-built race cars or modified road-based Clio 182, 197, 200 or 220 models with a maximum of 220bhp in a bid to pit independent engineering against factory-built machines.

Each of the new models permitted in the Sports Series have enjoyed stints in the flagship Renault UK Clio Cup on the British Touring Car Championship support package and will run on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres – as in the Road Series – to form the series’ new third class.

Together, the three-class structure offers competitors from a diverse range of backgrounds the opportunity to benefit from one of the most instructive, cost-effective and race-proven packages on the UK club racing scene.

Richard Colburn, Championship Promoter and Westbourne Motorsport Team Principal, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be able to announce the introduction of a brand-new Sport Series to the Michelin Clio Cup Series in 2019.

“The Clio has such a fantastic racing heritage in the UK. The aim of the new Sport Series is to give the many fans of the car a more open series where modified road cars can race against Renault Sport factory-built race cars all with like minded people, in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere – we really want to become and celebrate the Clio ‘family’.

“All cars will be limited to an output of 220 bhp to avoid expensive race engines, but gearbox, suspension and brakes modifications will be largely free allowing both track day competitors and those currently competing in other championships to join the Clio Family without extensive modifications.

“The new class will run alongside our existing Race and Road Series, to add another dimension to what is already among the most cost-effective and race-proven categories on the club racing ladder.

“For over half a decade now, the Michelin Clio Cup Series has struck a fantastic balance between catering to those keen to enjoy the experience of driving a ‘proper’ race car – and those looking to forge a career for themselves and rise through the ranks, as many of our alumni have done with the skills learnt in our category.

“We were very encouraged by the response to the series at our Taster Day at Donington Park last month, and interest in joining the Libra class has been high. All things considered, the future is definitely looking bright heading into the New Year, with more news to follow.”

For more information on the Michelin Clio Cup Series, including the upcoming 2019 calendar, head to https://www.cliocupseries.com/.