Category: Barc

Goodwood kick starts fortnight of hillclimbing for BARC

Give me Goodwood on a summer’s day and you can forget the rest. Words spoken by the late, great Roy Salvadori.

Those ring true for the British Automobile Racing Club as we support one of the biggest motoring events in the world – the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week.

The BARC provide sporting and administration support to the world famous hillclimb which runs across four days in the idyllic West Sussex Countryside.

The Festival of Speed whets the appetite for hillclimb fans as the British Hillclimb Championship reignites its second half of the season next week with four rounds in one week.

When is the next BARC weekend?
This weekend – 10-13 July

Where are the events being held?

Goodwood – Festival of Speed
Address: Kennel Hill, Chichester PO18 0PX

What is racing this weekend?

F1 cars to Rally Cars, Touring Cars to the pinnacle of Le Mans – there is so much to see with automotive history spanning over 125 years present. Here’s how you can follow the action.

Look out for the timed shootout on Sunday afternoon as cars from all disciplines and all eras go head-to-head for the honour of Fastest Time of the Day (FTD).

Can I watch in person?

Sadly it’s a hot ticket with tickets sold out for the 2025 event. If you have never been we recommend you register your interest for 2026 at www.goodwood.com/motorsport/festival-of-speed/tickets-and-packages/ to keep up with the latest news and ticket windows

But fear not…

How can I watch at home?

The hillclimb action as well as features, interviews and showcases will be shown on the comprehensive live stream across all four days on the Goodwood Road Racing Channel – right here – www.youtube.com/@GoodwoodRR

What time are things happening on track?

Action begins on the hill at 08:30 on each day with hill action set to finish by 18:30 each day.

Do you have any more information?

We have a few other handy links that might be useful to help you enjoy your weekend. Wherever you are!

Live Timing: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252866
Timetable*: www.goodwood.com/motorsport/festival-of-speed/plan-your-day/timetable/
Live Stream: www.youtube.com/@GoodwoodRR

* Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

Glorious Goodwood – Top 5 things you need to do at the Festival of Speed

The British Grand Prix, Wimbledon and now the Goodwood Festival of Speed – you well and truly know it’s the height of British summer. Now in its 32nd year, the Festival of Speed, hosted by the Duke of Richmond in the grounds around Goodwood House in Chichester West Sussex – is a must go to event on your motorsport list. There is always something for everyone. Trust us!

The British Automobile Racing club plays an integral part during the festival offering sporting and administration support to enable the mammoth four-day event to run like clockwork.

Whether you are a season regular or first time visitor, we hope these little tit-bits will help you get even more out of your weekend. Motorsport’s ultimate summer garden party is here.

1 – The Paddocks – Get in early!

The Paddocks are a real treasure trove to dive into and will leave you feeling gobsmacked or find yourself reminiscing big time. The Ballroom, Cathedral and Brooklands paddocks are situated either side of the main house and in our opinion should be one of the first places to visit. The Festival can get very busy – particularly on the weekend. Car Parks open at 06:30 and Gates open at 07:00 – if you can get there for then – do it. The Paddocks are fairly quiet when the festival opens. Head to the Main Ballroom one first and then explore the others on the other side of the house.

There is always something that takes your breath away. Perhaps you have never seen a car like it in person, or you stumble upon a car that you remember in a period that brings back wonderful memories. Going early enables you to take photos without many people around and are likely to find team members or car owners who will only be too happy to chat about the car or bike they are working on as its not too busy for them yet. You might even spot a famous driver or two milling around at the same time as they look to beat the crowds too for a look around. After all, they are fans of the sport as well!

2 – The Hillclimb

The cars you have seen up close – most will take to the hill for at least one run during the day. The total running order is massive, it’s colossal – longer than any other hillclimb event in the UK. If you want to see it all – you won’t be disappointed but it’s over half a day, but if you are into a particular section of cars, F1, Touring, Le Mans, Rallying – have a look online or keep an eye on the big screens as they show up the latest running order for that day. Find a spot in good time – perhaps a batch or two before your one so you can guarantee a good spot. A particular favourite of ours is the free to stand viewing terrace on the inside of turn one and two – giving you a chance to hear the cars reverberate between the trees over your left shoulder before bursting into view. You will get to see those who are committed, those who are going for a time or those who are out to entertain!

Our hot picks for 2025 that we are looking forward to. The sound of Le Mans comes to the Goodwood Estate – the bark of the deep, V8 Cadillac from Hertz Team JOTA will be pitched alongside the thunderous V12 of the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH Hyperpar.

The Audi 90 Quattro from the IMSA series complete with chirping turbo wastegate, raucous raw of the McLaren F1 GTR and a full line-up of Ford Supervans from 1971 to present day will be something special to behold too! Whether it’s a 1907 Mercedes 120hp through to the latest creations from Gordon Murray Automotive – you won’t be disappointed with the sight, sound and smell of every era!

3 – Forest Rally Stage

If you are into rallying or not – it is well worth visiting the bespoke Rally Stage at the top of the hill. Take our advice on this one, please. Unless you are a triathlete – take the complementary tractor shuttle up and you can catch them just north of the Ballroom Paddock. It’s bumpy – but it’s fun!

The stage designed by the late, great Hannu Mikkola has it all. Fast, flowing corners to hairpins and ‘s’ bends and even a small jump. Its slippery, chalky surface makes it very interesting – in the dry or wet and you can really explore lots of different vantage points as the stage is one big horse shoe – so you don’t have to walk far to see some good spots.

A full history will be in action from the dawn of rallying right the way through to the modern gladiators in the World Rally Championship. Just be prepared for the dust if it has been dry! You have been warned!

4 – Cartier Lawn

For a more laid back experience – the Cartier Style et Luxe Lawn is the place for you. Some of the most innovative, beautiful, game changing and all out unique are presented in the Concours d’Elegance. Judged in the latter part of the weekend, the public can get up close and personal to the cars all weekend and admire the craftsmanship, design and aura.

Expect to see beautiful sixties sports icons from Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini alongside the style from Bugatti and Rolls Royce to the more weird and wonderful Facel Vega and Invicta brands as well as a class for vans in 2025!

Speaking of design – do get up close or shall we say, get up close to the bottom of the Central Feature in front of the house. You can’t miss it! Always a closely guarded secret as to what it will look like each year – this year the monument will celebrate 60 years of Gordon Murray and his iconic designs. Some of our favourites in the past include the symbolic 1997 nod to Ferrari, the water misting display from Ford in 2023 and the 2005 counterbalancing act to celebrate the involvement of Honda in F1.

5 – Timed Shootout

Finally the timed shootout on Sunday is something to behold. If you are there on Sunday, watch it. If you are at home on Sunday – watch it online. Anything and everything takes part, and in true hillclimbing fashion, the slowest time set in the practice runs, run up the hill first with the running order getting faster and faster. The outright hill record sits at a 39.081 by Max Chilton in the electric McMurtry Spéirling. The time might not be beaten this year, but you get to see some proper cars being driven in anger – as they were designed – gunning for a time. Last year James Wallis in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, Scott Speed in the ‘Project Midnight’ Subaru WRX and Romain Dumas in the electric Ford Transit Supervan 4.2 all went head-to-head with Dumas in the van eventually sealing the FTD with a 43.99 seconds!

An event at Goodwood never fails to disappoint, and as Roy Salvadori so eloquently put it many years ago – Give me Goodwood on a summer’s day and you can forget the rest.

Simon Lambert appointed BARC Sporting Director

The British Automobile Racing Club is delighted to announce that Simon Lambert has been appointed to the role of BARC Sporting Director, following the departure of former Sporting Manager, Mark Turner.

Simon will lead the BARC’s experienced Competitions team, focusing on delivering excellent customer service to club members, competitors, marshals, officials and many others in a comprehensive schedule of more than 30 events and race meetings each season. He will also look at the development of the BARC as a members’ club, exploring the kind of activities that will attract a developing membership base to one of the UK’s oldest and most prestigious racing clubs.

Presently the Chief Motorsport Officer for Caterham, Simon has led and developed the company’s motorsport activities for 17 years. An accomplished competitor in his own right, with titles in Caterham and BMW racing, he has raced in the UK, Europe and Japan. As such, he brings a huge amount of experience to the role. He was responsible for the decision to bring Caterham Motorsport to the BARC stable in 2023 and consequently his personal knowledge as a customer will be invaluable in improving the club’s offering to all championships.

Simon Lambert said: “I have had an incredible journey with Caterham and I am immensely proud of what we have built as a team over the years. I am excited about being able to use that knowledge and experience to support all of the BARC’s championships, drivers and volunteers in the future. And, of course, that includes supporting the team I leave behind, helping them to continue to develop the Caterham championships.”

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Simon has agreed to join us and I am really excited to start working with him to shape the future of this great club. Simon brings with him racing pedigree, manufacturer credentials, marketing track record and a focus on customer experience – these are all critical to making the BARC’s service to championships and competitors the very best that it can be.

“I would like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the work that Mark Turner has delivered in the past four and a half years and to thank him for the impact that he has had on the BARC’s competitions department. He leaves a great legacy and a solid platform on which Simon can build to take the club’s activities to the next level.”

Simon Lambert will take up his position with BARC later in the year. In the meantime, any enquiries should be directed to Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive.

BTRC and Britcar headline blockbuster weekend at Convoy Thruxton

Thruxton Circuit reverberated to the sounds of horsepower this past weekend (July 5/6) as the British Truck Racing Championship and Britcar Endurance Championship headlined Convoy Thruxton.

The latest in a string of high-profile events to take place at the popular Hampshire venue, Convoy Thruxton saw a bumper crowd flock through the gates for two days of blockbuster entertainment – both on and off the track.

Five full-throttle races from the British Truck Racing Championship topped the bill and like previous events this year, the super-sized series didn’t disappoint as it delivered edge-of-the-seat enjoyment and nail-biting drama.

Division 1 underlined just how competitive the grid is this season as five different drivers charged to victory. Reigning champion Ryan Smith kicked off proceedings as he dominated race one and he appeared to have done the same in race two before he was disqualified post-race.

The Daimler Freightliner driver was issued the black and orange mechanical flag and required to make a visit to the pit lane however he never did, instead completing the race. Smith was subsequently kicked out of the final result which in-turn handed the win to Stuart Oliver.

Tom O’Rourke, David Smith and John Bowler then proved popular winners on Sunday as each of them produced a flawless defensive drive to secure a maiden race win apiece. Their triumphs now mean seven different drivers have won in Division 1 so far in 2025.

Over in Division 2, championship leader Jake Evans had hoped to extend his advantage at the top of the standings but a catastrophic engine failure in practice meant that he could only watch on from the sidelines.

With Evans out of contention, Simon Cole stepped up to the plate to tally a hat-trick of wins however issues with his windscreen prevented him from starting the remaining two races. That allowed Weaver Motorsport’s Bradley Harvey to secure a feel-good breakthrough brace.

The Britcar Endurance Championship made its first visit to Thruxton in almost a decade and its eclectic mix of monstrous GT machines lapped every inch of the 2.36-mile home of the British Automobile Racing Club.

FF Corse & Red River Sport duo Bonamy Grimes and Johnny Mowlem, driving a Ferrari 488 Challenge EVO, snared pole position in qualifying but they could do nothing to stop Amspeed’s Dom Malone and Adam Smalley in the races.

Driving their Porsche 991 Cup car, Malone and Smalley were victorious by more than 11 seconds in a frantic opening contest. They then upped the ante even more in race two to sweep aside the opposition and triumph by almost a full minute.

In fact, Woodrow Motorsport’s Nathan Wells and Raceworks Motorsport’s Chris Bingham were the only drivers to stay on the lead lap in race two – such was the dominance of Malone and Smalley.

The MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport continued its season with three more races and just like its season-opener at the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, the weekend belonged to Oli Willmott.

Arriving at Thruxton as the driver to beat, Willmott was at times in a league of his own as he charged to top spot in qualifying and then claimed a hat-trick of race wins. Andy Langley, Ian Trundley and Freddy Hewitt would end up being the best of the rest.

Also featuring over the course of the weekend were races from the 750 Motor Club and the much-loved Monoposto Championship.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Thruxton, CLICK HERE.

You can also re-watch all the action by heading over to the official BARC YouTube channel HERE.

BARC savours Super Saturday at Oulton Park

The battle for supremacy at the top of the TCR UK Championship standings ramped up at Oulton Park this past Saturday (July 5) as the British Automobile Racing Club delivered a blockbuster day of captivating competition in Cheshire.

Organised and run by the Club’s North Western Centre, the one-day meeting proved pivotal for a number of contenders as several different championships wrote the latest chapter in their respective 2025 campaigns.

Adam Shepherd was one driver that left the picturesque venue with a smile on his face after he bolstered his TCR UK title chances by producing a flawless performance behind the wheel of his Cupra Leon VZ TCR.

Shepherd arrived at Oulton Park in sight of the championship summit and he wasted no time in closing the gap to the leaders as he charged to pole position in qualifying, pipping rival Sam Laidlaw to top spot by just 0.060s.

Race one would prove to be a relatively straight-forward contest for Shepherd as he led from lights-to-flag, ultimately taking the chequered flag by more than three seconds ahead of Brad Hutchinson and Callum Newsham.

Newsham would provide a sterner test for Shepherd in race two however as the pair enjoyed a superlative back-and-forth duel for overall honours. In the end though it was Shepherd that did enough to triumph over Newsham while Hutchison completed the podium in third.

Elsewhere, similar levels of dominance were demonstrated by Simon Allaway in the CNC Heads Sports Saloon Car Championship as he also scored the perfect Oulton Park hat-trick of pole position in qualifying, victory in race one and victory in race two.

The Lotus Esprit V8 laid down his marker to the rest of the field in the opening encounter as he swept aside the opposition in a quite dominant manner; taking the chequered flag 14 seconds clear of his nearest challenger, which happened to be Richard Wood in his Nissan RB26.

Allaway faced a much sterner test in race two however as Alex Munro – who did not take the start in the day’s earlier bout – fought valiantly in his Westfield Aero throughout the 20-minute contest to finish just two seconds shy of the eventual double winner.

Over in the Milltek Civic Cup the spoils were shared between two of the lead protagonists; Liam McGill and former TCR UK champion Lewis Kent.

Having been the cream of the crop for much of the season, McGill came out on top of a feisty battle with Alistair Camp in race one to triumph. Kent then came to the fore in race two as he charged from eighth on the grid to narrowly beat Daniel Petters to victory.

Spoils were also shared in the Junior Saloon Car Championship as Wilf Butler and Josh Selvadorai tallied a win apiece while rounding out the BARC action were two races from the Track Action Racing Club, both of which were won by William Di Claudio in his Peugeot 106 GTI.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

You can also re-watch all the action from Oulton Park by heading to the official BARC YouTube channel HERE.

British F4 enjoys historic weekend at Formula 1 British Grand Prix

The Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA made history at Silverstone this past weekend (July 3-6) by taking on a starring role at the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2025.

Competing in front of more than 480,000 fans at the Home of British Motor Racing, the UK’s premier single-seater series delivered two captivating races that were both won by Virtuosi Racing’s Salim Hanna.

In what is renowned as being a jewel in the crown of the world motorsport, British F4’s appearance at Silverstone was made extra special by the fact that it was the first time Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 4 had all raced on the same bill.

Getting their first taste of action during practice on Friday evening, the 26-car field delivered a frenetic qualifying session on Saturday morning that culminated in Red Bull Junior Fionn McLaughlin smashing the British F4 lap record on his way to pole position.

Second fastest lap times dictated the starting grid for race one however and it was Hanna that made his front row advantage count as he swept aside the opposition to claim what is arguably the biggest win of his fledgling career to-date.

Despite being passed by Rowan Campbell-Pilling at Brooklands on the opening lap, the Columbian driver remained calm and when Campbell-Pilling spun going onto the Hangar Straight a few corners later, the race was in Hanna’s hands.

Soaking up pressure from Argenti Motorsport’s Ethan Jeff-Hall and Hitech TGR’s McLaughlin after a brief safety car period, the 15-year-old soon began to pull clear and after punching in the fastest lap of the race, he cruised to a historic victory.

Behind him, Mercedes F1 Junior Jeff-Hall recorded his best finish of the year in second place while McLaughlin fended off a late charge from Tommy Harfield to secure the final spot on the podium.

Race two kicked off the action on Sunday and it didn’t disappoint as Hanna completed a clean sweep in devastating fashion. In-doing so he underlined his status as being an undoubted star of the future.

McLaughlin started from pole position but it soon became apparent that he was nursing an issue. Despite resisting the challenge of Hanna for a handful of laps, the Irishman could do nothing to stop the race one winner from blasting past him at Maggots on lap four.

Once in clean air, the Virtuosi Racing hotshot began to streak clear of the chasing pack and once again tallying the fastest lap of the race on his way, he took the chequered flag almost six second clear of his nearest challenger.

Harfield claim runners-up laurels as he battled past McLaughlin with a feisty move at Club Corner and joining him on the podium in third was Campbell-Pilling – who put the disappointment of race one behind him in style.

Mechanical issues would sadly bring McLaughlin’s race to a premature end. His Hitech TGR team-mate Thomas Bearman and Virtuosi Racing’s Martin Molnar would benefit to complete the top five.

The Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA will continues its 2025 season – where points will once again be on offer – on July 26-27 when Zandvoort in the Netherlands stages Rounds 16, 17 & 18.

Happy and Glorious – The Summer of British Motorsport

Summer is here, the sun is shining and we have a weekend full of British Automobile Racing Club racing action at Thruxton, Harewood, Oulton Park and Silverstone. The final weekend of circuit racing before a BARC circuit racing summer break is backed up on the roster by hillclimbing as well as a supporting role in the British Grand Prix. What’s not love!

When is the next BARC weekend?
This weekend – 5-6 July

Where are the events being held?

Thruxton – British Truck Racing and Britcar
Address: Thruxton Circuit, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 8PN

Harewood – British Hillclimb Championship
Address: Harewood Avenue, Harewood, Leeds, LS17 9LA

Oulton Park – TCR UK
Address: Little Budworth, Tarporley CW6 9BW

Silverstone – British F4 and F1 British Grand Prix
Address: Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN

What is racing this weekend?

At the home of the BARC – Thruxton, prepare for the ground to shake as the heavy-hitting British Truck Racing Championship will lock horns for five bouts over the weekend. Off the track there will be lots to do thanks to Convoy Thruxton, while the ultimate test of national endance – the Britcar Endurance Championship will feature two races on a packed Saturday schedule. They will also be joined by the MINI Challenge Clubsport and guest series invites from Monoposto Racing Club, 750MC and BMW Car Club across the weekend.

Oulton Park will host racing on Saturday for power in the park.TCR UK headline the billing with a whole host of tin-topping support races including the Miltek Civic Cup, Junior Saloon Car Championship, Track Action, CNC Heads Sports and Saloons and coming from Scotland the Scottish MINI Cooper Cup.

We run to Yorkshire for the last round of the first half of the season in the British Hillclimb Championship as Harewood hosts two rounds of the exciting run off drama for the top single seaters and supporting classes.

It’s a proud parent moment as British F4 joins the supporting cast for the F1 British Grand Prix with Practice on Friday, Qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday and final race on Sunday morning in the building up to the Grand Prix.

Can I watch in person?

Absolutely! Tickets are available to soak up the sunshine and the scintillating racing this weekend – right across the board!

Thruxton – Truck Racing and Britcar
www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/british-trucks
Tickets are £24 for each day or £44 for a weekend with Children under 15 going free!

Harewood – British Hillclimb Championship
www.ticketsource.co.uk/HarewoodHillclimb
Tickets are £12.50 for each day in advance with Children under 14 going free!

Oulton Park – TCR UK
www.oultonpark.co.uk/2025/july/tcr-uk-touring-car-championship
Tickets are £19 in advance with Children under 13 going free!

Silverstone – British F4
www.silverstone.co.uk/events/formula-1-british-grand-prix/tickets
General admission from £99

How can I watch at home?

The racing action will be right at your fingertips as well this weekend. The BARC LIVE stream returns this weekend – covering every square inch of the racing action.

There will be over 18 hours of coverage across the two days on the BARC YouTube channel with the racing action supplemented with commentary, timing, interviews and features from both Thruxton and Oulton Park.

It is hoped Hillclimb.tv will broadcast the hillclimbing runs from Harewood on Sunday on their YouTube channel, while Sky Sports F1 and the British F4 YouTube channel will host the British F4 races live, while Channel 4 and Sky Sports F1 have you covered for the F1 British Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.

What time are things happening on track?

Thruxton
Saturday – Practice and Qualifying begins at 09:00 with the first race at 13:10
Sunday – Qualifying begins at 08:55 with the first race at 10:45

Harewood
Saturday – Practice runs begin at around 09:00 and go on to early evening
Sunday – Practice begins at around 09:00 with timed runs and run offs to follow

Oulton Park
Saturday Only – Qualifying begins at 08:30 with the first race at 11:10

Silverstone
Friday – F4 Practice – 17:45
Saturday F4 Qualifying – 08:10
Saturday F4 Race 1 – 17:00
Sunday F4 Race 2 – 08:20
Sunday F1 British Grand Prix – 15:00

Do you have any more information?

We have a few other handy links that might be useful to help you enjoy your weekend. Wherever you are!

Thruxton

Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252763
Timetable*: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-thruxton-july-5-6/
Tickets: www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/british-trucks
Live Stream: www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub

Harewood

Live Timing: https://www.hwtiming.co.uk/
Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/HarewoodHillclimb
Live Stream: https://hillclimb.tv/

Oulton Park

Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252724
Timetable*: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-oulton-park-island-july-4/
Tickets: www.oultonpark.co.uk/2025/july/tcr-uk-touring-car-championship
Live Stream: www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub

Silverstone

Timetable*: https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/formula-1-british-grand-prix/timetable
Tickets: https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/formula-1-british-grand-prix/tickets
F4 Live Stream Coverage : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMyROh3W_whYFCqfeTUndEg
F1 British Grand Prix Coverage: https://www.channel4.com/

* Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

Kick back and enjoy a weekend packed full of motorporting goodness. Cheers!

Capacity grid poised for CNC Heads battle at Oulton Park

With four wins from five races, Simon Allaway is certainly the man to beat in his Lotus Esprit V8. The former Champions only non success was at Anglesey, when he damaged a wheel after contact at the start with Ric Wood’s Volvo and failed to take the restart.

Current Championship leader is Paul Rotheroe, unbeaten so far in Class E, he as an eight point lead after playing his joker at Anglesey. Chris Roberts’ BMW M4 is second in the points, and like Allaway he has had four wins from five in Class D. He lost out to Carl Bennett’s BMW in race one at Anglesey, but had a fuel pressure issue all weekend.

In Class A Allaway has six challengers, headed by Gary Wardle’s Audi A3 TCR. Wardle took the Class win in round three at Anglesey when Allaway didn’t restart. Ryan Nelson is still getting used to his Ginetta G56 GTA, having changed from his JCW Mini over the winter, while Richard Blockley is out in a similar car. Ash Hicklin is continuing to develop his Bentley GT and had a few issues to sort at Anglesey. Philip White managed to stay out of trouble at Anglesey in his BMW, as did Jason Hennefer, after he had repaired his Fiesta ST180 following his shunt last time out at Oulton.

Allaway’s rivalry for outright victory is likely to come from Class B. Ben Roberts’ Locost 7 RR has already had an outright win, having come from the back of the grid to victory at Anglesey in round three. But it’s Bod Buckby’s Caterham currently leading the class, after beating Roberts in both rounds four and five at Anglesey, finishing second overall.

Both Connor and Alek Modro had issues with their Westfield Aero’s at Anglesey, if sorted they are likely to be challenging at the head of the class too. Jamie Cryer’s Ginetta G20 and Mark Primett’s Banks Lotus Europa had problems too last time out, but will hopefully be fighting fit this weekend. Jon Price’s Vauxhall Tigra and Baz Johnson’s Pontiac are also due to return, having missed Anglesey.

John Edwards-Parton’s Fiesta is due to make it’s seasonal debut in Class C, but as yet there are no more takers to challenge him.

The outcome of Class D could well depend on whether Chris Roberts gets a run, as he is on the reserve list. If not it’s likely to be Carl Bennett’s M3 E46 at the front. The two have been closely matched so far, a little too close at Anglesey on the last corner. Anthony Sullivan’s JCW Mini was missing from Anglesey, but was close to the pace of Roberts and Bennett’s BMW’s at Oulton, splitting the duo on the opening round. Championship sponsor Ric Wood is due out too in Class D with his Nissan Skyline, along with defending Champion Steven Parker’s Ford Fiesta ST. Matt Jones is out this weekend in his Dad’s Focus in this class.

Clive Dix will be hoping to continue the progress of his Mazda RX7, while novice Simon Graveley just wants to have a race and stay out of trouble with his Golf GTi. Two more VW’s are due to complete the class line-up, Octogenarian Bob Claxton’s Golf GTi and Paul Goodlad, who hopes to give his Scirocco its seasonal debut.

Can anyone beat Championship leader Paul Rotheroe’s Citroen Xsara VTS in Class E. There are six challengers, led by Julian Wood’s BMW Compact. Louie Dobson’s Fiesta is also up against the returning Cavan Taylor’s Renault Clio, while there are two shared cars, William and Georgina Bartlett in their Clio and Richard and Matt Hibbert’s Honda Civic Type R.

Three out of the four Class F runners have taken a win this season already. Rob Wakelin cleaned up at Anglesey in the ex Dave Green Honda Civic, while Helen Allen’s Fiesta and Jonty Lee’s Mini Cooper had a win each at Oulton. Lee lost out in the points at Anglesey with a blown engine, while completing the class is Errol Taylor, who may have a new engine in his Toyota Yaris.

Apart from Chris Roberts there are four other reserves and all from Class D. Oliver Thomas’ Subaru Impreza, Ralph Underwood’s TR7 V8, Steve Rowles’ Audi TT and Marshall Groves’ Vauxhall Vectra.

Qualifying is at 8.30, with race one at 11.10 and the second at 2.55, each 20 minutes duration.

Jake Evans learning his Truck Racing craft

There is something about climbing into your truck, closing the door and hitting the road. A sense of freedom, a sense of journey, a sense of purpose… then you throw in another 20 trucks all scrambling for the same piece of road at race tracks around the country! The British Truck Racing Championship is like nothing else – with Britain’s biggest racing series set to haul into Hampshire this weekend for Convoy Thruxton.

On the road for the very first time is Jakes Evans – who is racing through his first season in Division 2. We caught up with the Staffordshire driver as he explains how he got started and how his remarkable first season is going.

“When we were younger, we couldn’t afford to go circuit racing at a fairly high level and raise the money and budget for cars, so we turned to trucks – an industry that we are in already and made practical and commercial sense. We built this truck ourselves and we raced it as a team for another driver.

“We sat out 2024 and whilst on the sidelines I wanted a new challenge. We had run the truck for a number of years without a huge deal of success – there was a competitive Division 2 when we last ran it. I was itching and bored – looking at different ways to get out and do something. I looked at car racing like MINIs – but when you have the truck sitting there, it was too tempting to get behind the wheel of it myself. The whole rolling assembly was there, truck and trailer, and we worked hard to bring our previous sponsors and some new ones onboard and put a package together to do a season together.”

But it’s not just a simple case of building or buying a truck and going racing, you have to properly train and go through several important steps for safety and progression as Jake explains.

“There’s a couple of ways into it. I already had my Class C truck DVLA licence through work – something you need to have before you start and then you can apply for your ARDS licence. Once that is completed you apply for a National Truck licence from Motorsport UK. What you can’t do is compete with it without a letter from a circuit manager to prove you have tested somewhere for a minimum amount of hours. Those hours have to also be under tuition of a Division 1 driver. Bradley Harvey and I have started this year, and we went to Pembrey with Dave Jenkins for two days and we did all our tuition and we were signed off there. That’s the only way for a novice now. It’s been really beneficial for me as we wouldn’t have had the same level of confidence coming into Brands Hatch without that time and knowledge from someone like Dave.”

First weekend and it’s straight in at the deep end at Brands Hatch. How was Paddock Hill in a truck then?

“That first weekend at Brands was a strange experience for me. I have never done any circuit racing before. I had never driven the truck before the pre-season test at Pembrey to get my licence signed off. Brands Hatch was an eye opener as Pembrey was nice and flat, but going into Paddock in a truck was something else. When you feel that weight transfer as you go down into the compression and up again it’s a phenomenal experience.

“Being a bit higher up – you get a decent perception of the corner – you have that better viewpoint than you would say in a car, but when you are in a race, door-to-door two sometimes three wide – ideally two wide it’s a bit nerve-racking. We have a fair set of drivers in Division 2 – despite a few of us being novices, the standards are high and you feel safe when out racing.

You mentioned a Division 2 truck. For those new to truck racing – what’s the difference to a Division 1 truck?

“The Division 2 truck is a more basic beast. The Division 1 trucks are lighter, more powerful, with different springs and dampers. The regs allow them to be higher performing components than we are allowed. Division 2 used to be, but not anymore as things move on more of a road derived tractor unit come racing truck. Now there is a little more flex. We built this ourselves from two chassis rails up. We have a Division 1 style subframe – trying to make it the best of what it can be. The engine and gearbox are heavy which makes it a Division 2 truck.”

Jake leads the Division 2 standings with a strong 49 point margin as the series prepares for Thruxton. What was the opening round of the season like?

“Brands Hatch was all about getting my feet under the table and getting consistent results and seeing where we are against the competition and then start winding more and more from there. Mechanical reliability, reducing driver errors and trips to the gravel, and not breaking things are all on the mind every race. We took two wins on the opening day and that has given us the confidence to be able to challenge for the championship this year. I would have never believed it had you told me that would have happened. We might not be the quickest everywhere – but this year consistency is the key.

“I have never done Thruxton – that’s going to be some experience! Never done Snetterton or Le Mans so that will also be new. I did my ARDS at Donington so that will help a little. An absolute baptism of fire this year, but if we can have good weekends like the start of the year – then it’s all good and hope Thruxton will be the same.

This weekend the British Truck Racing Championship speeds into Thruxton for five heavyweight bouts around the Hampshire speed bowl. You can purchase you tickets to see the giants live at https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/british-trucks.

Caterham Motorsport and MINI CHALLENGE Trophy wow Croft crowds

Close finishes and captivating wheel-to-wheel battles was the narrative of the British Automobile Racing Club’s visit to Croft Circuit this past weekend (June 28/29) – where Caterham Motorsport and the VERTU MINI CHALLENGE Trophy both featured.

Taking centre stage at the North Yorkshire venue for a blockbuster two days of on-track entertainment, a bumper crowd flowed through the gates to enjoy a total of xx races around the 2.100-mile track.

When it came to the VERTU MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Westbourne Motorsport’s Olivier Algieri stood head and shoulders above the rest to dominate proceedings and with it, strengthen his own championship challenge.

Algieri was a winner last time out at Thruxton and he carried that momentum into the weekend as he reigned supreme in flawless fashion, beginning in qualifying as he swept his way to a double pole.

Race one would see Algieri claim an untroubled victory as he led from lights-to-flag and he soon doubled up as he showcased his overtaking prowess in a frenetic reverse grid contest, where he took control of the lead on the final lap.

The Rookie Cup competitor then completed an unprecedented hat-trick of race wins as he capped off the weekend by clinching yet commanding another victory after starting from pole position.

As expected, there were plenty of thrills and spills when it came to the Caterham Motorsport runners and riders. Max Richardson kicked things off as he charged to a brilliant win in the only moobob Caterham Academy Championship bout of the weekend.

Less than one second covered the top three in the Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship however it was Brian Thornton that managed to starve off the race-long attentions of William Harris and Craig Evans.

Over in the EDGE Caterham 270R Championship, spoils were shared between Lyonel Tollemache, Ben Wheatley and Nick Sampson, whilst Taylor O’Flanagan swept his way to all three wins in the Vertex Caterham 310R Championship.

Matthew Armstrong and Henry Heaton then rounded out the list of winners as they both triumphed in the Dutch Barn Vodka Caterham Seven UK Championship, with Armstrong tallying two wins to Heaton’s one.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Croft, CLICK HERE.

You can also watch all of the action from the weekend back on the official BARC YouTube channel HERE.

Classic Touring Car Racing Club stars at Super Touring Power 3

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club helped celebrate a golden era of tin top racing at Brands Hatch this past weekend (June 28/29) as its roster of championships took centre stage at Super Touring Power 3.

Running a third year in succession, the two-day event delivered unmissable nostalgia on both the Grand Prix and Indy layouts of the Kent circuit – with a special focus on machinery from the British Touring Car Championship’s popular ‘90s period.

Touring car heritage featured across the plethora of displays, demonstrations and guest appearances off-track however it was the action on circuit that had everyone captivated over the course of the weekend.

Three Super Tourer races were the undoubted headline acts of the meeting and on Saturday it was Michael Lyons that reigned supreme as he claimed bragging rights on the world-famous Grand Prix layout.

Driving a Honda Accord that had been shipped from New Zealand especially to contest the weekend’s races, Lyons got the better of four-time BTCC champion Colin Turkington – driving a Vauxhall Vectra – off the line however he didn’t have it for long.

Turkington would fight his way back into the lead soon after and then set about pulling clear of the chasing pack. Sadly though a mechanical issue would bring the Northern Irishman to a halt and gift Lyons the lead, which he duly converted into victory.

The Vectra would bounce back on Sunday around the Indy circuit however with Turkington switching to an MG ZR, former BTCC racer Jason Hughes got behind the wheel and charged to an impressive brace of race wins in the striking red and white machine.

Elsewhere another BTCC racer from recent years, Sam Tordoff, underlined his credentials as he guided his immaculately prepared Ford Mustang to four wins from four races in the Everard Pre-66 Touring Cars.

The Classic Thunder Saloons and Blue Oval Saloon Series staged a handful of races together, with the spoils being shared between Adrian Bradley and Alex Sidwell. Jonatan Corker meanwhile was flawless when it came to the Burty Pre-1983 Touring Cars.

One of the biggest grids of the weekend was found when the Group 1, Pre-93 and Pre-03 contingents amalgamated together. More than 40 cars battled for supremacy but in the end victory fell the way of Paul Mensley in his Ford Sierra RS500.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Brands Hatch, CLICK HERE.

Caterhams and Croft poised to provide the perfect combination

The Caterham racing ladder is due to take over Croft Circuit this weekend as a swarm of sports cars descend on North Yorkshire. Backing up the Caterham roster will be the hugely entertaining Vertu MINI Challenge Trophy which brings plenty of door-to-door action.

When is the next BARC weekend?
The next events will be this weekend – 28-29 June

Where are the events being held?
Croft Circuit
Address: West Ln, Dalton-on-Tees, Darlington DL2 2PL

What is racing this weekend?
The Vertu MINI Challenge will be joined by the Caterham brand – who will be bringing the full spectrum of light-weight sports cars. The Moobob Caterham Academy drivers will experience the rewarding Croft venue for the first time while the more seasoned classes including the Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship, Edge Caterham Seven 270R Championship, Vertex Caterham Seven 310R Championship and Dutch Barn Vodka Caterham Seven Championship UK – will all look to use Croft to mount their championship attack.

Can I watch in person?

Absolutely! Tickets are available to soak up the sunshine and the scintillating racing! Head to https://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/caterham-weekend for more information.

Tickets are £17 for each day with Children under 15 going free!

How can I watch at home?

The BARC LIVE stream returns this weekend – covering every square inch of the racing action. There will be over nine hours of coverage across the two days on the BARC YouTube channel with the racing action supplemented with commentary, timing, interviews and features.

What time are things happening on track?

Saturday – Qualifying begins at 09:30 with Racing starting at 13:55
Sunday – Racing starts at 12:00

Do you have any more information?

We have a few other handy links that might be useful to help you enjoy your weekend.

Croft Circuit

Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252621
Timetable*: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-croft-june-28-29/
Tickets: www.croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/caterham-weekend
Live Stream: www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub

* Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

Are you ready for the ‘snake’, ‘train’ and ‘breakaways’ – all the important lingo for close-quarter Caterham and MINI racing. Enjoy!