Author: Chris Ashby

Series Elite garners rave reviews and plenty of interest on public debut

Series Elite and the striking Jaguar XE SV Project 8 made its public debut at Silverstone last week with a host of potential racers left impressed.

As preparations continue for the inaugural season in 2019, a total of 18 different drivers got behind the wheel to test the SVO built car at MotosportDays.LIVE.

With expert coaching and tuition being provided by Ray Grimes and Andy Schulz, those that took to the track got to grips with the monstrous machine around the International layout of the Northamptonshire venue – with the cars running faultlessly across both days.

Series Elite CEO, Graeme Glew, said: “We had a mixture of drivers, some with past race experience, some already racing in other series and quite a few complete novices so a good mix, so far we have nine confirmed orders so we are looking strong for a twenty-car grid in 2019.

“With several options in addition to outright purchase, drivers can get behind the wheel using an attractive finance package and even a rental option. Series Elite is becoming a very viable and exciting route for our potential customers.”

Series Elite’s Ian Fletcher added: “MotorsportDays.LIVE provided us with the perfect platform with which to launch the Series Elite Jaguar Project 8’s to the public for the first time.

“The feedback we received from guests was phenomenal and the car performed faultlessly. We have no doubt Series Elite is going to be a fantastic success.”

Further tests for potential drivers are available at Donington Park on Monday 19th November and at Silverstone on Saturday 1st December.

For more information on Series Elite and the Jaguar XE SV Project 8, head to serieselite.com, or contact Ian Fletcher on 07814 723204 or Graeme Glew on 07894 980911.

TOCA support championships make a splash in Scotland

The annual trip north of the border to Knockhill for four TOCA support championships proved to be a blockbuster one as treacherous conditions spiced up the on-track thrills even further this past weekend (August 25/26).

As the season heads towards an enthralling climax, every point that is on offer is becoming ever-more pivotal and that proved to be plain to see as the undulating Fife circuit marked the latest stop on the calendar.

Last in action at Snetterton, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB contingent were back with Dan Harper emerging as the driver many were talking about come the end of the weekend. Storming to pole position on Saturday, the Scholarship winner then splashed his way to a second win of the season in race one.

Harper wasn’t to have things his own way as he had to fight his way back into the lead after making a small mistake earlier in the race. The Northern Irishman capitalised on an error at the hairpin made by Lewis Plato to retake a lead he would ultimately not lose again.

Race two would see George Gamble score victory, producing a controlled lights-to-flag performance however Harper was once again making a name for himself after producing a mesmerising drive to finish second. In the standings, a quiet weekend for points leader Dino Zamparelli has seen his series lead cut to just four points with Tio Ellinas hot on his heels.

Louis Foster was in unstoppable form in the Ginetta Junior Championship as he stormed to a brace of race wins. Picking up where he left off at Rockingham, the rookie held off title rivals Luke Browning and Adam Smalley to bring himself further into play in the title battle, closing to within 44 points of the standings summit.

Shane Stoney replicated Foster’s feat in the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge as he bagged two wins in contrasting conditions. Basking in the Scottish sunshine, Stoney made his way from sixth on the grid into the lead to pip Max Bird by little under half a second.

Heavy rain welcomed the GT5 Challenge drivers on Sunday but that didn’t stop Stoney from once again starring. Holding a host of lurid slides around the 1.27 mile circuit, Stoney held his nerve to fend off the advances of James Kellett in a nail-biting finish to take a clean sweep at Knockhill.

Rounding out the TOCA support championship action was a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Johnathan Hoggard proved to be the driver to beat as he bagged a brace of pole positions and then a brace of race wins.

Title protagonist Ayrton Simmons maintained his championship charge as he triumphed in race two.

For the full classification results from all sessions and championships, click here.

The penultimate event of the season for the Ginetta Junior Championship, Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Renault UK Clio Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost will take place at Silverstone on September 15/16.

Brits take centre stage as Jack Young triumphs in Clio Cup International Final

Renault UK Clio Cup drivers underlined their class at Paul Ricard this past weekend (November 3/4) as Jack Young led a British 1-2 in the Clio Cup International Final to win a brand new Renault Megane R.S.

Bringing together the top Clio Cup competitors from around the world, the coveted race saw drivers from Central European, Chinese, Spanish, French, British and Italian Clio Cups battle it out to bring the curtain down on a successful 2018 campaign in France.

Having showcased their supremacy in the Central European block of races, with Max Coates triumphing in race one before Young scored a win of his own in the second encounter, the British duo turned the wick on their competition in qualifying for the grand final.

Fighting for track position against 37 other Clio Cup cars in the 30-minute session, Young and Coates hit the top of the timesheets midway through qualifying and were then never bettered, with Young edging UK championship runner-up Coates by a mere 0.210.

Brett Lidsey, the third UK Clio Cup competitor competing at the event, hustled his MRM Racing machine to fifth place – further underlining the superiority of the British contingent.

Getting a clean start as the lights went out, Young converted his pole position into a lead that he would ultimately never lose, producing a superlative lights-to-flag performance.

With Coates and Benoßt Castagné hot on the heels of the 17-year-old Northern Irishman, the top three soon broke away from the chasing pack, as battles took place throughout the bumper field.

Lidsey would run as high as fourth at one stage but would soon tumble down the order before being involved in an incident with David Pouget, which put the Frenchman on his roof and ended Lidsey’s race on the spot.

Back at the front, last year’s Clio Cup Junior champion held his nerve to take the chequered flag and land the biggest prize of his relatively short career so far. Coates finished second whilst CastagnĂ© rounded out the rostrum in third place.

Commenting on his victory, Young said: “This is amazing! Honestly, I still don’t quite believe it looking at how strong the field was. Max pushed me all race long, like he did earlier in the weekend.

“Little by little, he closed the gap, but I managed to pull away after the safety car. From there, I just had to control until the chequered flag.

“This is great and unreal, but I hope I’ll be able to defend this title next year!”

TOCA support championships head north of the border to Knockhill

Four support championships on the TOCA package will make the annual pilgrimage to Scotland this weekend (August 25/26) with title battles set to further intensify as the 2018 season moves toward an exciting climax.

In what is one of the highlights of the year, the journey north of the border to the picturesque Fife circuit has been an entertaining one down the years – and that is set to be no different this weekend.

The Ginetta Junior Championship arrives at Knockhill with Adam Smalley still leading the points having extended his lead to 45 markers at Rockingham. Underlining his title credentials with an impressive run of results, the former Scholarship winner has been the driver to beat for much of the season and will look to bridge that gap between himself and his rivals even further on Scottish soil.

Behind Smalley are a host of challengers, with Louis Foster and Luke Browning leading the way. The pair emerged as the winners from Rockingham earlier in the month and will be hard to bet against being the leading protagonists this time round too.

James Hedley, Fin Green and Patrick Kibble will also be drivers to look out for as the battle for supremacy hots up.

Last competing on the TOCA support package at Thruxton in May, the Protyre Motorsport GT5 Challenge rejoins the fray for a pair of races that will likely keep fans on the edge of their seats.

James Kellett currently sits atop of the championship standings, holding a 39-point advantage over Shane Stoney. Kellett and Stoney look to be the drivers to put money on triumphing around the 1.2 mile circuit however the likes of Geri Nicosia, Max Bird and Alex Toth-Jones can’t be counted out either.

Missing the most recent event at Rockingham, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is also back in action this weekend with the championship battle delicately poised.

As it stands, four drivers realistically look set to do battle for the coveted title with Dino Zamparelli leading the way, The Redline Racing driver was hotly tipped as one to watch at the start of the year and has reinstated that fact with three wins, propelling him to the standings summit.

Tio Ellinas, Tom Wrigley and Lewis Plato are all in the mix once dropped scores have been applied and will be eager to close the gap to Zamparelli further too.

Capping off the weekend’s action at Knockhill will be a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. In what has been another stellar campaign for the single seater category, this weekend’s triple-header could play a pivotal role in the outcome of the title.

Kiern Jewiss makes the long trip north with the chasing pack all trying to catch up him. Ayrton Simmons, Dennis Hauger, Jack Doohan and Sebastian Prialulx, amongst others, meanwhile have all shown what they are capable during the year and will be looking to take the fight to Jewiss.

Mark Higgins wins British Rallycross Championship title at sensational Silverstone finale

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship went down to the wire at Silverstone on Sunday (November 4) with Mark Higgins emerging victorious from a three-way title tussle to be crowned champion.

Arriving at the Northamptonshire venue sitting third in the drivers standings, all eyes were on Higgins to see if he could overhaul Ollie O’Donovan and Julian Godfrey to lift the coveted title.

With a deficit of six points to make up to series leader O’Donovan, the Albatec Racing driver kicked his pursuit of championship glory off in emphatic style as he charged from sixth on the grid to take victory in the first round of qualifying heats, setting the fastest time along the way too.

Oliver Bennett was the benchmark driver in Q2 and Q3 but he saw his hopes of victory extinguished in the first semi-final when his Ford Fiesta caught fire. Former champion Dan Rooke, on his return to the championship since lifting the crown in 2016, claimed his place in the final by taking the win whilst Higgins led the way in the second semi-final.

Starting from pole position in the final race of the season, Higgins served up a flawless drive to pilot his Peugeot 208 to take a third win of the year and with it, the 2018 title – writing his name into the history books as the 20th British Rallycross champion.

“It’s been a highly emotional year with big highs, and very big lows but that’s motorsport as we know,” Higgins said. “We’ve been a strong team all season, and I’ve had great support from Albatec Racing. To have the support too from Eddie Stobart has been really important.

“Of course, working with the students from the University of Bolton has been a big challenge but they’ve all performed really well. It’s great to come away from a race that was clean and fair and to win that and the title, well, I’m over the moon.”

Elsewhere, Tom Constantine got the better of brother Luke to win the final round of the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship and with it, the title too.

Dave Bellerby proved to be the benchmark driver in the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship as he scored victory in daughter Paige’s Lotus Exige.

Rounding out the list of winners was Tom Llewellin, Martin Hawkes, Chrissy Palmer and Ray Morgan who took the spoils in the Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, RX150 Championship and Retro Rallycross Championship respectively.

For the full classification of results from all sessions at Silverstone, click here.

Knockhill awaits for latest chapter of enthralling BTCC title fight

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is set to produce more twists and turns this weekend (August 25/26) as the series makes its annual trip north of the border to Knockhill for rounds 22, 23 and 24.

With nine races remaining and a total of 201 points up for grabs, the BTCC is set for an exciting climax to its 60th season and the landscape of the title picture could well change at the picturesque Fife venue.

Famed for producing plenty of two-wheeled, close-quarter action around its undulating 1.2 mile layout, Knockhill has traditionally played a pivotal role in the destiny of the championship and is firm favourite with drivers and fans alike.

Colin Turkington arrives in Scotland at the top of the standings however the double champion has found himself in a back-and-forth battle with Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram in recent rounds. Separated by just four points, the pair traded top spot on countless occasions at Snetterton and Rockingham, with Turkington currently edging out the incumbent Independent champion.

At a circuit which in the past has been well-suited to rear-wheel-drive machinery, the title pendulum could swing further between the pair as they enter the weekend ladened with success ballast.

Having been the epitome of consistency thus far, all eyes will be on the top two to see how their fortunes fair in the latest chapter of what is proving to be an enthralling 2018 campaign.

Hot on the heels of Turkington and Ingram and not to be counted out of contention is reigning champion Ashley Sutton, who sits third in the points. Four wins from the past nine races have ignited the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing drivers title defence and Sutton could propel himself further into the mix at Knockhill.

Were it not for two non-scoring finishes in race three at both Snetterton and Rockingham, Sutton could well be closer to the top two, but instead he has a 32-point deficit to make up.

Jack Goff and Matt Neal both endured tough weekends at Rockingham and the Honda duo will be keen to get back amongst the front runners to bring themselves the title fight further.

Adam Morgan’s third victory of the season in his Mercedes Benz A-Class last time out has brought him into play in sixth as he sits level on points with Motorbase Performance’s Tom Chilton. The Ford Focus RS driver has scored a handful of podiums however that first win is yet to fall his way.

Josh Cook, Andrew Jordan and Senna Proctor round out the top ten in the championship standings, and like those above them, will need a big points scoring performance to ensure they come further into play.

Dan Cammish, Sam Tordoff, Jason Plato and Rockingham race-winner Chris Smiley will all be ones to watch over the course of the weekend too.

Local fans will have a trio of stars to cheer on too in the shape of Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat and the AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing duo of Glynn Geddie and Rory Butcher, the latter whose father in in charge at the venue.

With 12 different drivers having topped the podium this season and the championship battle entering a crucial stage of the year, this weekend’s triple-header at Knockhill is set to be an unmissable event.

Qualifying for the eighth meeting of the year is scheduled to begin at 15:25 on Saturday whilst Sunday’s three races will begin at 11:50, 14:25 and 17:20.

British Truck Racing headlines Brands Hatch blockbuster

Brands Hatch played host to a spectacular two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (November 3/4) with yet more champions being crowned.

With a sensational firework display lighting up the sky to close out the weekend’s on-track entertainment, a bumper crowd descended on the Kent circuit to witness a feast of entertainment.

Topping the bill was the final round of the British Truck Racing Association Championship, which saw eight races run and two titles being decided.

In Division 1, Ryan Smith clinched his third title in succession as he pipped title rival David Jenkins in a pulsating opening race. Having been the benchmark driver all season, the MAN racer’s 21st victory of the season proved to be enough to see him join an elite list of champions.

Jamie Anderson, Stuart Oliver and John Newell scored a win apiece in the remaining Division 1 races to bring the curtain down on season that will live long in the memory.

Despite enduring his own share of bad luck towards the end of the season, two wins at Brands Hatch for Luke Garrett was enough for him to be crowned champion in Division 2.

Watching on as chief protagonist Brad Smith cantered to victory in the opening race, Garrett held his nerve to achieve a lifelong dream. Eric Forsstrom added his name to the long list of Division 2 winners by also triumphing.

John Mickel wrote his name into the history books of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres by wrapping up his fourth consecutive title. Solid points across the trio of races on day one was enough for Mickel to be crowned champion for a fifth time in his career – adding to his ledger as one of the best Legends drivers in the world.

Whilst the championship battle between Mickel and Steve Whitelegg became the main focus for many, a hat-trick of wins fell the way of Miles Rudman. Marcus Pett scored his own brace of victories too with Martin Gibson rounding out the season on the top step of the podium as well.

In the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Scott Bourne made it back-to-back titles as he successfully retained his crown, narrowly edging out season-long rival Lea Wood.

Entering the final event of the season with a slender points lead, a fifth, third and race win was more than enough to ensure Bourne lived up to the mantel of champion to defend his title. In the remaining two races

Lewis Saunders capped off his first season of racing in the Junior Saloon Car Championship in fine style as he clinched the inaugural Winter Cup title. Just a few weeks on from being crowned 2018 champion, the teenage sensation underlined his credentials as one to watch for the future around the Indy circuit.

Steven Chandler edged out Saunders and Ben Kasperczak in the opening encounter before the latter two produced a performance that will live long in the memory in race two. Going wheel-to-wheel race-long, Saunders grabbed victory at the final corner on the last lap to sign off a dream maiden year in the JSCC.

If you missed any of the action from day two of the BARC’s Truck Racing finale weekend, head to the BARC TV live stream and watch it back. Click here to view.

For the full classification of results from all sessions across the weekend, click here.

Lydden Hill set for Bank Holiday British Rallycross blockbuster

The three-way title fight for the 2018 Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship is set to further intensify at Lydden Hill on August 27 as the series stages its traditional August Bank Holiday Monday meeting.

In what has been a pulsating campaign so far, just a single point separates the top three in the standings heading into the seventh event of the season.

Five-time champion Julian Godfrey currently holds that slender one-point advantage after scoring victory at Croft last time out. Having been on the pace at every round, the Mitsubishi Mirage driver will be keen to bridge the gap to his rivals at this home round.

Tied on points for second and hot on the heels of Godfrey is former champion Ollie O’Donovan and Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins.

Three wins on the bounce had propelled O’Donovan to the summit of the points earlier in the season however a low-scoring round last time out as seen him drop to second in table.

Higgins meanwhile has been a revelation in his first full season of British Rallycross action, producing a string of eye-catching performances which have included a win at the corresponding Lydden Hill event earlier in the year.

Beyond the top three are a host of other drivers that will all be keen to get amongst the front runners and onto the podium. Former champion Kevin Proctor has endured a varied year whilst Steve Hill, Mad Mark, Andy Grant and Steve Mundy are all drivers to lookout for too.

Jake Harris will also make a welcome return to the series as he gets back behind the wheel of the LD Motorsport Citroen DS3.

In addition to the Supercar category, fans heading trackside for the day can expect to see plenty of high-octane thrills and spills from a stellar supporting cast too.

Action from the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship, MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, Retro Rallycross Championship and the RX150 Championship will keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Eight round 2019 British Rallycross Championship schedule unveiled

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship will be contested across eight events over seven weekends in 2019 after series organisers unveiled the calendar for next year.

Coming off the back of a hugely successful 2018 campaign which saw Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins crowned champion at the first attempt, the adrenaline-fuelled series is already looking ahead to another year of flat-out competition.

Silverstone will once again play host to the opening round of the season in late March before the championship heads to the spiritual home of rallycross, Lydden Hill, for its traditional Bank Holiday Monday meeting.

Pembrey will stage the only double-header of the year in June with rounds three and four taking place at the much-loved South Wales venue.

A second visit in August to Lydden Hill is then shortly followed up by the first of two trips to Croft. With the championship battle set to reach fever pitch, Pembrey will stage the penultimate round of the year before the curtain falls on the 2019 season at Croft.

Championship Manager, Tim Whittington, said: “I’m pleased to be able present a calendar that offers a full season of competition and makes use of the circuits available to us.

“Toyo Tires remains the title sponsor for the third year and the championship will continue to be covered by a mix of social media coverage and TV broadcasts.”

2019 Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship

Round 1 – Silverstone – March 24

Round 2 – Lydden Hill – April 22

Round 3 – Pembrey – June 22

Round 4 – Pembrey – June 23

Round 5 – Lydden Hill – August 26

Round 6 – Croft – September 8

Round 7 – Pembrey – September 22

Round 8 – Croft – October 27

Brian Roberts scores maiden Classic VW Cup podium finish

The Classic VW Cup saw a breakthrough podium fall the way of Brian Roberts last weekend (August 18/19) at Snetterton as the series’ 2018 campaign continued.

Having joined the Classic VW Cup this year, the disabled racer encountered a tough start to the season after being forced to sit out the opening rounds due to a delay in parts for his Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk5.

Making his debut at the Norfolk venue, the former Race of Remembrance racer finished third overall in the second race of the weekend – his highest finish in the series to-date.

Ian Fowler, Classic VW Cup Co-ordinator, said: “Brian has been getting faster all season. He is racing these circuits for the first time so its been a steep learning curve for him.”

Cadwell Park is next on the calendar for the Classic VW Cup contingent on September 8/9.

BARC stars at inaugural MotorsportDays.LIVE event

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a productive two days at Silverstone this past weekend (November 2/3) after attending the inaugural MotorsportDays.LIVE event.

Aimed at giving enthusiasts, amateurs and professional drivers the opportunity to get on track, as well as providing ample opportunity to begin preparation for 2019, the two-day spectacle proved to be an overwhelming success.

Situated in the exhibition hall, the BARC presented a striking stand and welcomed a raft of fans, drivers, teams, championship organisers and marshals across both days.

Downstairs in the pit garages and on-track around the International layout of the Northamptonshire-based venue were a host of BARC categories, all of whom were a popular draw for those in attendance.

Headlining the BARC contingent was the all new BARC UK Sports Prototype Cup which unveiled the jaw-dropping Revolution race car. Bringing LMP technology and safety to the masses for an affordable price, the lightweight sportscar garnered plenty of attention ahead of its 2019 debut.

Elsewhere the brand new Series Elite Jaguar XE SV Project 8 car also broke cover with two machines taking to the track. Set to launch next year, the unique over 50 championship has proven to be a popular concept and that was further cemented as it attracted plenty of eyes over both days.

The APL Caterham Graduates Championship, Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, Dunlop Endurance Championship and the Hyundai Coupe Cup were all also present at Silverstone, all of them enjoying a positive presence with several drivers keen to race with them next year.

MotorsportDays.LIVE is set to return to Silverstone in 2019 with an official date set to be announced in due course.

Motorsport to come to an end at Rockingham after 2018

Following the venue’s sale to an unnamed investor, Rockingham Motor Speedway have confirmed that motorsport events will cease at the end of the 2018 season.

Rumours surrounding the circuits future have intensified in recent months with news in mid-August confirming that the Corby-based site would be sold.

Opened by the Queen in 2001, Rockingham has staged all manner of championships down the years, all of them utilising the raft of circuit configurations on offer. In recent years the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has been one of the popular draws, serving up a feast of entertainment upon every visit.

The British Automobile Racing Club has also been regular visitor to Rockingham too, with a raft of championships battling it out. The Pickup Truck Racing Championship remains the only series to use the oval layout of the circuit whilst the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge made history earlier this year by staging its inaugural 24hr race at the track.

Commenting on the news that motorsport will cease, Rockingham Motor Speedway CEO Peter Hardman told the Northamptonshire Telegraph: “The team at Rockingham have done a tremendous job running the circuit and the facility over the last five years.

“However, it has been reluctantly concluded that motorsport activities are unlikely to produce an economic return for the new owners when set against the acquisition cost of the land.

“All events to the end of 2018 will be run with the professionalism and enthusiasm that are the hallmark of Rockingham, but circuit activities will cease from the beginning of 2019.”

Ian Watson, BARC General Manager, added: “The BARC is hugely disappointed to lose Rockingham from the limited number of venues available for use within the UK.

“This is further compounded by the fact that the BARC was involved in the initial development of the track from its inception, through the build process and the running of the first event so feels directly linked to the venue in a number of ways.”

The BARC’s final two visits to Rockingham takes place on August 31/September 2 and September 22/23 respectively