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BARC publishes COVID-19 guidelines for Competitors and Officials

With the restart to racing in the UK now well underway the British Automobile Racing Club has updated its guidelines on how events will be run for both Competitors and Officials.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to adjust some of our practices and procedures in order to satisfy the requirements laid down by the government and most importantly to provide the safest environment possible for everyone involved.

In line with the guidance provided by Motorsport UK, the BARC will operate their race meetings as follows:-

BARC Competitors Guidance (v3 21 July) – CLICK HERE

BARC Officials Guidance (v2 22 July) – CLICK HERE

These guidelines have been put in place with the well-being of staff, competitors, officials and all potential visitors to our venues and events remaining at the forefront of our considerations at all times.

As it stands, all race meetings and events remain provisional and subject to change in accordance with the latest directives from the UK government.

To view the remaining post-lockdown 2021 events schedule, head to https://www.barc.net/events/.

Four championships put on a Saturday show at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Oulton Park this past Saturday (September 12) where four championship basked in the Cheshire sunshine to serve up a feast of entertainment.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting had a host of thrills and spills as each category continued their condensed 2020 campaigns.

Headlining the day’s action was the much-loved Dunlop Endurance Championship, which was home to all manner of eye-catching pieces of machinery. Two races, one for the Endurance class and the other for the Trophy class set pulses well and truly racing.

In the hour-long Endurance encounter, VR Motorsport’s duo of Jack Fabby and Garry Townsend reigned supreme in their Praga R1T to triumph whilst the Honda Integra Type R pairing of Danny Casser and Nigel Ainge did the same in the Trophy category.

Harry Senior enjoyed a near-perfect weekend in the Caterham Graduates Championship as he tallied two wins from three races. Senior controlled proceedings in races one and two before missing out on the hat-trick in race three, where Andrew Whitton ran out as the victor.

The North West Centre’s flagship category – the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship – boasted a near 30-car entry list for its two races and close-quarter, wheel-to-wheel battles were present throughout the field.

Paul Woolfitt was to be the driver to beat, powering his Lotus Exige to an impressive pair of wins ahead of Luke Armiger. The spoils for third place were ultimately shared between Jon Woolfitt and Danny Bird.

Capping off the day’s action were two races from the Kumho BMW Championship, which showcased some of the best machines that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer from down the years.

Michael Pensaville proved too much for the competition at the wheel of his BMW M3 E36 to score an impressive brace of race wins whilst Brad Sheehan finished hot on his heels in both encounters. Lucky Khera and James Card each took a podium apiece as well.

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

Race of Remembrance postponed until 2021

Mission Motorsport have confirmed that his year’s Race of Remembrance event has been postponed and will subsequently return in 2021.

Scheduled to take place at Anglesey Circuit on November 6/7/8, the three-day meeting has proven to be a smash-hit down the years as it provides the perfect blend of on-track entertainment whilst also commemorating the sacrifices made by all service personnel and their families.

Encompassing some of the star names from the world of motor racing, a diverse range of cars will go wheel-to-wheel around the picturesque Welsh venue during the course of the 12-hour endurance encounter.

A from RoR read: “With heavy hearts, Race of Remembrance will be postponed this year, The uncertainty that COVID brings can only be mitigated so far, and for an event primarily but on goodwill we hope that by making a decision early we will reduce the impact on competitors, officials, partners, friends and beneficiaries. We will bring the event back in 2021.

“For now, we are engaging with our beneficiaries and working on telling those stories that shine a light on Mission Motorsport and the veteran community. That’s what Race of Remembrance is for, and we are determined to mark the event in another way. More details will be released through the RoR channels very shortly.

“Remembrance is important, and a key part of what Mission Motorsport stands for. As a group that’s spent many of the last Remembrance Days in each other’s company, we will find a way to come together, likely digitally, and we will remember them.”

Croft BTCC race meeting to be run behind closed doors

It comes with great disappointment to confirm that the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s annual visit to Croft Circuit on October 10/11 will be run behind closed doors, without spectators.

As Britain’s premier motorsport series, the BTCC has been classified as an elite sport by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and therefore must follow the government’s elite sport pathway.

This current pathway, coupled with the recent changes to government regulations, means that we have had to take the difficult decision to operate without spectators. However we can reassure you that the BTCC will be back at Croft on June 12/13 2021.

Croft will be providing a full refund to spectators who have purchased tickets in advance of this years race meeting within the next two weeks.

We appreciate the disappointment that this will cause to our loyal supporters, but we are grateful for your understanding at this difficult time and look forward to welcoming you back to Croft again very soon.

New format and location confirmed for BARC Awards in 2021

The British Automobile Racing Club’s annual Championship Awards Evening will have a different feel to it in 2021, both in terms of format and location, as it moves to the multi-million pound Thruxton Centre on Saturday 6^th February.

One of the biggest prize-giving nights in UK motorsport, the black tie event celebrates the achievements of drivers, officials and marshals in early February every year.

Due to the uncertainty that still remains surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the BARC has elected to change its traditional evening format and will instead host a lunch event for its award winners and special guests.

Taking place inside the state-of-the-art Thruxton Centre – which opened to the public back in 2018 – the event moves from a Big Night Out at the Chesford Grange Hotel, to a Big Lunch In at the home of the BARC.

Ben Taylor, BARC Group Chief Executive, said: “We have thought long and hard about this and it was a difficult decision to take.

“Ordinarily we would need to start making bookings and commitments about this time of year, but we simply cannot say with any certainty that by February our members will be ready to enjoy a weekend away with hundreds of others in a hotel.

“On the other hand, we’re in the middle of a busy season of motor sport, albeit one that has been slightly curtailed. Come the end of the year there will be worthy champions and award winners who will rightly want to celebrate their successes.

“So we think that a lovely lunch event at Thruxton is the best way to ensure that this year doesn’t get forgotten. We’ll make sure that it is one to remember.”

More information will follow in the coming months.

BARC heads to Oulton Park for one-day meeting

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Oulton Park this weekend (September 12) for a one-day meeting that will is bound to get pulses racing, as four championships continue their 2020 campaigns.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the Cheshire venue is set to play host to a breathtaking day of high-octane autumnal action in front what will undoubtedly be a bumper crowd of enthusiastic spectators.

Headlining the day’s timetable will be two pulsating encounters from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. Showcasing an eclectic mix of jaw-dropping machinery across multiple classes, the series has starred at Croft and Brands Hatch already this year and that theme is only set to continue.

VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison and Jem Hepworth hold the early initiative in the Endurance Category whilst Barry McMahon holds a slender advantage in the Trophy Class. Keen to extend their leads respectively, the duo will need to be in top form as the list of contenders that are hot on their heels continues to grow.

Boasting bumper grids and producing blockbuster wheel-to-wheel entertainment, the Caterham Graduates Championship has been at its brilliant best this year and Saturday’s visit to Oulton Park is set to be no different.

The Kumho BMW Championship will be back in action after starring at Mallory Park, with two races scheduled to take place. Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

Notable names to look out for include James Card, Brad Sheehan, Darren Morgan-Owen and Rick Kerry, amongst many others.

Rounding out Saturday’s action will be two races from the North West Centre’s flagship category, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship.

Open to all manner of machinery, the multi-class championship has seen its fair share of excitement and drama already this year, with events taking place at Cadwell Park and Donington Park. With the likes of Paul Rose, Paul Dobson and Danny Bird battling for supremacy, it’s all to play for at the top.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event at Oulton Park, head to https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-oulton-park/.

Thruxton completes further safety developments of Church Corner

Thruxton Circuit has continued in its efforts to ensure the highest levels of safety with the completion of further improvements being made to the run-off of Church Corner, often referred to as the fastest corner in British motor racing.

The British Automobile Racing Club operated venue had intended to proceed with the planned developments during the upcoming winter months however the suspension of motorsport due to the coronavirus pandemic allowed the work to be brought forward.

Having carried out a number of upgrades to the infamous corner in recent years, including the levelling of the ground and moving the barriers further back, recent months has seen extensive labour take place.

Manoeuvring more than 150,000 cubic metres of earth, a total of 580 metres of armco has been newly put in place around the corner; made up of 173 posts and no less than 652 car tyres.

Whilst the work has been substantial, the characteristics of the corner and challenges that it presents have crucially remained the same, much to the delight of competitors and spectators alike.

Pat Blakeney, Thruxton Operations Manager, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve now completed this vital safety enhancement to the circuit. This work was originally planned to be done over this winter but when the country went into lockdown this spring it gave us an ideal opportunity to do this with the virtual guarantee of some decent weather.

“In conjunction with our Landlord and their landfill contractors the work was completed on time and this in turn enabled us to run our first race meeting of 2020 at the end of July.

“At present Church Corner looks very different from a drivers perspective but the corner remains the same and I’m sure that by the time the grass grows and we’re a year or two down the line, nobody will remember what it used to look like.

“Thruxton is now in it’s 52^nd year of operation, with the track layout totally unchanged so it was important to us to both improve driver safety but to also preserve what has to be one of the most iconic corners in the country.”

The Hampshire venue is now making preparations for the annual visit of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship on September 19/20. To view the latest information on this race meeting, head to https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc.

BARC race meeting at Pembrey on September 12/13 cancelled

The British Automobile Racing Club is disappointed to have to announce the cancellation of the first scheduled race meeting since lockdown at Pembrey Race Circuit on 12/13 September.

The current regulations from the Welsh Government prevent the organisation of outdoor sporting activities for more than 30 people. In spite of the 200 acre site and geographical remoteness of the Pembrey Circuit, it has been confirmed that the regulations apply to all organised events, leaving the BARC with no option but to cancel.

“This is incredibly disappointing news,” said Ben Taylor, BARC Group Chief Executive. “We have been working closely with Welsh Government officials, the local council and Motorsport UK to try to find a solution, but there is simply no movement with the regulations. The Welsh Government have set up three ‘test’ events at the start of next month, but the First Minister won’t be making a further update until 11 September and that’s way too late for us.

“We know that all sports are suffering from the same 30 person restrictions in Wales; setting an arbitrary figure across the board is simply not a properly conceived policy, whether it is 30 or 100 or 500. We are not expecting special dispensation, but it is difficult to think of a more suitable activity for social distancing than motor sport, where everyone is in their own cars, in an outdoor environment across hundreds of acres.

“Social distancing protocols are all in place at the circuit, including signage, screens, sanitising stations, one-way routes, take-away food facilities and outdoor seating. The venue’s protocols have all been amended in keeping with the official guidelines and the circuit already provides its own medical cover.

“What is particularly galling is that we know of ‘unofficial’ events that are being held on private land for hundreds of participants in parts of Wales, but because we follow the rules of the governing body and the Welsh Government, it is our business that suffers and by extension that of our suppliers.

“Pembrey Circuit is a major business and employer in an area of social and financial deprivation, with a financial impact of around £10m on the local economy. It employs 20 people on full and part-time contracts, attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the area each year and has a long and local supply chain, including butcher, baker, brewery, marquee supplier, etc. All of these benefits will be lost to the region and the country if the venue is continually prevented from hosting its events.”

The first race meeting now scheduled for Pembrey Circuit is the Classic Motorcycle Race Meeting on 26/27 September, followed by the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship the following week, 3/4 October.

BTCC battle heads north of the border to Knockhill

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads north of the border to Fife’s Knockhill Circuit this weekend (August 29/30) for its annual Scottish jaunt and the latest three rounds of what is proving to be another enthralling season.

In what has been a rapid start to the 2020 campaign with this being the fourth event taking place in five weeks, Britain’s premier motorsport series is back on track mere days after serving up an abundance of entertainment at Oulton Park.

Typically, Knockhill’s undulating, short track layout has thrown up vintage touring car action down the years and that theme looks set to continue as the 27-car field makes its traditional pilgrimage to the picturesque venue.

Leading the pack is Team BMW’s four-time reigning champion Colin Turkington, who as it stands currently sits in prime position to clinch a record-breaking fifth BTCC crown.

Two wins have been complemented by a string of other podium and points-scoring finishes to leave him 19 clear at the summit and the West Surrey Racing ace appears to show no signs of letting up either.

Ashley Sutton has been in sensational form this year and the Laser Tools Racing driver leads the chase for Turkington after clinching his second win of the season at Oulton Park.

Motorbase Performance’s Rory Butcher scored a first win of the season last time out and with the speed of Ford Focus having been well-proven, the Scotsman could enjoy a dream weekend on home soil as he bids to close the gap to the top two.

Tom Oliphant and Dan Cammish round sit forth and fifth in the standings, both also having stood on the top step of the rostrum, and keen to reaffirm their challenges to capture the biggest prize in UK motorsport.

Beyond that; Tom Ingram, Oulton Park race-winner Adam Morgan, Tom Chilton, Chris Smiley and Ollie Jackson round out the top ten and they will all be wanting a strong performance to remain within touching distance.

Notable absentees from the top ten include Josh Cook, Jake Hill, Matt Neal and Stephen Jelley, but none of them, as well as several others, shouldn’t be discounted from making an impression on the front of the field.

With three thrilling races taking centre stage at Knockhill, expect fireworks as the BTCC campaign moves towards the halfway marker.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Knockhill, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here. ITV4 will broadcast live coverage of Sunday’s action from 10:40.

Knockhill provides latest stop on the calendar for TOCA support championships

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that will look to put on a show at Knockhill this coming weekend (August 29/30) as the championships that make up the TOCA support package will also be in action north of the border.

Capping off what has been a busy month with the annual trip to Scotland marking the fourth race meeting in the last five weeks, the battle for supremacy across five categories is only set to intensify around the undulating 1.27-mile layout.

Missing last weekend’s meeting at Oulton Park, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship returns to action with Bailey Voisin in control of proceedings at the standings summit. Winning twice at Brands Hatch, Voisin has the early initiative however he will need to be at his best if he is to hold onto it across the weekend’s three encounters.

Scholarship winner Tom Lebbon and rookie Georgi Dimitrov have both triumphed this year too and neither can be discounted out from standing on the top step once gain. Throw into the mix the likes of Josh Rattican, Zak Taylor and Freddie Tomlinson and you’ll begin to see why it is anyone’s game.

The Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge made its first appearance of the season on the TOCA package last week at Oulton Park and is back for more at Knockhill.

Josh Malin, Jonny Wilkinson and James Taylor emerged as the star drivers less than a week ago and the trio will undoubtedly be in the mix this time round once again.

Not featuring since the start of the month, the latest instalment of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship will be played out around the twists and turns of the Fife venue.

At Donington Park, spoils were shared between Ant Whorton-Eales, Nathan Harrison and Max Coates but the depth of talent in the grid means another three drivers could come to the fore this weekend including the likes of Dan Zelos, Lewis Brown and Kyle Reid – to name but a few.

Edge-of-the-seat thrills and spills has been a staple of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this year and arriving at Knockhill, Harry King holds the best hand in the points after three events.

Five wins from six races has been a dream start for King, this year’s Porsche GB Scholarship victor, and it will be hard to bet against him from adding to his tally. Josh Webster, Scott McKenna and Matthew Graham will lead the fight to overhaul the former GT4 Supercup champion.

Rounding out the weekend at Knockhill will be three more races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost.

Mallory Park set to stage BARC bank holiday blockbuster

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Mallory Park this coming Bank Holiday Monday (August 31) with an action-packed day of on-track entertainment lined up courtesy of three championships.

In what is the first of two visits to the Leicestershire venue by the Club this year, a busy month of racing will draw to a close with no less than nine races scheduled to take place over the course of the day.

Home to the next generation of rising stars, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has enjoyed a sensational start to the 2020 season with former champion Lewis Saunders setting his stall out as the driver to beat.

Scoring countless victories already, Saunders’ quest to become the first driver to be crowned a two-time champion is moving in the right direction. However, with the likes of Charlie Hand, Molly Dodd, Ruben Hage and Jake Weston – amongst others – all in front-running contention, Monday’s two races are far from guaranteed to fall the way of Saunders.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship roared into life at Brands Hatch at the start of the month and it didn’t disappoint. Running under a multi-class format, the single-marque category has proven to be a smash-hit down the years.

Notable names to keep an eye across the day’s trio of encounters include Fergus Campbell, a double race-winner at the Brands Hatch season-opener, as well as David Mellor, Steve McDermid and Steve Darbey.

Fresh off the back of two enthralling races at Donington Park last weekend, the Max5 Racing Championship continues to flourish with bumper grids primed to take centre stage.

Like the MGOC, the Max5 contingent runs under a multi-class system and it has already seen several star names come to the fore including the returning Jon Halliewell, Paul Roddison, Andrew Pretorius and Ian Loversidge.

Capping off the day’s action at Mallory Park will see new ground broken with the launch of an innovative set of Open Sports/Saloon Car races. Open competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in, providing they meet current Motorsport UK safety regulations, the new initiative is proving to be popular.

The format guarantees that everyone will be racing against those doing similar lap times, irrespective of the car they are driving, leading to much closer competition. Classes will be changed post-qualifying and post-race if competitors run two or more laps faster in a qualifying session or race than their nominated class allowance stipulates.

To find out more information on this Monday’s bank holiday race meeting, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here.

Snetterton primed for 2CV Racing 24-hour spectacle

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship will headline the British Automobile Racing Club’s late summer visit to Snetterton this coming weekend (August 28/29/30) for its yearly 24-hour race.

In what is one of the standout events on the Club motorsport calendar, the Norfolk venue will play host to a blockbuster three days of track action with several other categories all in action too.

Traditionally run as the series finale for the much-loved single-make championship, revisions to the 2020 calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic has meant that the annual 24-hour encounter will serve as the second event of a condensed schedule.

Roaring into life at Cadwell Park at the start of July, Alec Graham and Luca Proietti shared the spoils across two frenetic encounters but that was only half the story of what proved to be an enthralling spectacle.

Boasting a bumper entry list of not only competitors in the UK series but also in mainland Europe, this weekend’s 24-hour race is set to have pulses racing from start to finish and its anybody’s to win.

Prior to the 2CV Racing Championship taking centre stage at Snetterton, several other BARC categories will continue their campaigns including the Caterham Graduates Championship.

Serving up plenty of entertainment already this year, the one-make series is bigger and better than ever this year and is renowned for producing exhilarating wheel-to-wheel action. Notable names to keep an eye on over the course of the weekend include Andrew Whitton, Kevin Barrett and Barry White – amongst a host of others.

The Kumho BMW Championship will be back in action as well, with two races scheduled to take place. Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

James Card emerged as the man to beat at the Brands Hatch curtain-raiser and the E36 M3 driver will be hard to beat once again, however a host of contenders will undoubtedly not make it easy for Card to remain unbeaten.

Further tin top thrills and spills will be provided by the Hyundai Coupe Cup and BARC Saloon Series – both of which will amalgamate together to form one grid. Providing a low-cost means of going racing, each series has enjoyed great success in recent years and that trend will surely continue into this weekend.

Rounding out the action around the 200 layout of Snetterton will be a handful of races from the British Superkarts Championship.

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