Barc – Page 7 – Welcome to the BARC

BARC welcomes the BTCC and TOCA package to Thruxton

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, organised by the British Automobile Racing Club is about to kick it up a gear this weekend as Britain’s premier racing series heads to Thruxton – the fastest race circuit in the UK.

Fans will be treated to spectacular action from breathtaking views – including the new Woodham Hill spectator area – giving race goers a new angle to see the wheel-to-wheel racing from.

Ash Sutton leads the way in the title race from a chasing Tom Ingram and Jake Hill and Thruxton could well shape the championship fight. Thruxton can be classed as the home circuit for the likes of Josh Cook, Sam Hall, Nick Halstead and recent race winner Mikey Doble – who will all be looking for some strong results in front of a home crowd this weekend.

Supporting the BTCC will be packed grids on a busy timetable across Saturday and Sunday. The Wera Tools F4 British Championship, Vertu MINI Challenge Trophy and Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain join the roster and prepare to do battle under the spotlight of crowd and the ITV cameras this weekend.

Elsewhere on the BARC schedule is the fifth event of the British Hillclimb Championship Presented by Nova Motorsport. The championship heads to the iconic Shelsely Walsh in Worcestershire. The flat out blast is one of the quickest and most difficult to master and provides a real test and thrill for the drivers. Defending Champion Matt Ryder leads the way in the points, but has a hard charging Wallace Menzies and Will Hall are hot on his heels.

Finally, it’s also the BARC Wales Summer Sprint Weekend at Pembrey. Lots of motorsport to enjoy as we kick off June.

When is the next BARC weekend?
The next events will be this weekend – 7th/8th June

Where are the events being held?

Thruxton Circuit
Address: Thruxton Circuit, Andover SP11 8PN

Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb
Address: Shelsley Walsh, Worcester WR6 6RP

Pembrey Circuit
Address: Pembrey, Llanelli SA16 0HZ

What is racing this weekend?

Thruxton – Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Wera Tools F4 British Championship, Vertu MINI Challenge Trophy, and Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Shelsley Walsh – British Hillclimb Championship

Pembrey – BARC Wales Summer Sprint

How can I watch?

At the Track

Wanting to soak up the on-track action in person at Thruxton? As well as the racing there is lots to do for the whole family. Tickets are available on the day or on the Thruxton website from £22 for a Saturday ticket or £38 for a Sunday ticket – with weekend options available from £55. Children under 13 go free with discounts or teens.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://thruxtonracing.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/btcc

Hillclimb fans can head to Shelsley Walsh with tickets from £13 for Saturday and £18 for Sunday online now – or you can pay on the gate from £15 for Saturday or £20 for Sunday.

At Home
The TOCA Thruxton race weekend package will be broadcast live and for free on ITV4 and ITVX on Saturday and Sunday in the UK.

Qualifying will be available to all on ITVX on Saturday while race day will move to ITV4 in the UK, with International audiences able to watch the action on YouTube with races live on the RACER network in the US and Canada.

The uninterrupted coverage will feature all the on track drama with commentary, analysis and features throughout Sunday with coverage starting just ahead of the first BTCC race at 11:00

The British Hillclimb Championship action from the home of hillclimbing in the UK will be streamed on the Hillclimb.tv YouTube Channel on Sunday. It’s well worth a watch!

What time are things happening on track?

Track action at Thruxton begins at 09:00 on Saturday and 10:50 on Sunday, with BTCC races at 11:45, 14:35 and 17:05 on Sunday. Over at Shelsley Walsh, the course opens for practice early morning until early evening on Saturday with official timed runs to be held on the Sunday.

Do you have any more information?

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

Thruxton
Tickets: https://thruxtonracing.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/btcc
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252303
Timetable*: https://www.barc.net/event/toca-race-meeting-thruxton-june-7-8/

Shelsley Walsh
Watch Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/xmy7mI6vYic?si=w5l7y4TRuxh3Ezta
Event Information and Tickets: https://www.shelsleywalsh.com/
Championship Information: https://www.britishhillclimb.co.uk/

* Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

Such amazing variety on display this weekend! Enjoy!

Need For Speed: BTCC sets course for Thruxton

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) is poised to speed into Hampshire this weekend (June 7-8) as Thruxton Circuit prepares to host Rounds 10, 11 & 12 of the 2025 season.

Renowned for producing edge-of-the-seat entertainment around the the fastest circuit in the country, the UK’s premier motorsport series will headline what promises to be a weekend to remember at the home of the British Automobile Racing Club with three colossal tin top contests.

Despite there having only been three events, this season is already shaping up to be an instant class with the opening nine races producing eight different race winners – three of which were first-time winners.

NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton has been at his brilliant best so far and he arrives sitting atop the Drivers’ Championship – although circling behind him are a number of heavy hitters that are all ready to pounce if given the chance.

Seven podium finishes have provided the backbone to Tom Ingram’s charge so far however it is the top step that the 2022 title winner would love to scale this weekend – especially given Team VERTU have never won around Thruxton.

Reigning champion Jake Hill has endured a rollercoaster campaign to-date but the BMW driver can never be counted out and after all, he was twice a winner at this event last year.

Elsewhere, Dan Rowbottom and Dan Cammish both triumphed last time out at Snetterton while the Hyundai pairing of Adam Morgan and Tom Chilton have shown relentless speed and consistency.

Other names to look out for include the newest additions to the BTCC winners’ club – Mikey Doble, Daryl Deleon and Charles Rainford – as well as three-time champion Gordon Shedden, who is back in the series with Speedworks Motorsport.

Of course, one driver that can never be discounted from being in the mix towards the sharp end of the grid is the undisputed ‘King of Thruxton’ Josh Cook. The One Motorsport driver has a record 10 wins around his home circuit and he’ll be hungry for more in his Honda Civic Type R.

As always, it won’t just be the BTCC that takes centre stage though this weekend as a bumper supporting cast of categories is also revved up to put on a show for the expected bumper trackside crowd.

Expect full-throttle thrills from the Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy – all of whom make up the support bill.

Away from the on-track entertainment there will be plenty to see and do around the venue with a bustling trade village, supercar display, food stalls, mini karts, bouncy castle, bungee trampolining and face painting.

There will also be live entertainment on Friday 6th June and Saturday 7th June in the paddock, while the Crazy Cart Championship, which features a mix of drivers and special guests, is always a must-watch attraction.

The Thruxton Centre will be open all weekend to visitors, with food and drink being served across both days. Programmes will also be available to purchase from locations around the venue from £7.00.

Tickets for the weekend can be purchased via https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc.

BARC makes its mark on first visit of the season to Anglesey

The British Automobile Racing Club made its first visit of the 2025 season to Anglesey Circuit this past weekend (May 31/June 1) and it didn’t disappoint as racers from Caterham Motorsport and the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship put on a show.

Organised and run by the Club’s North Western Centre, the two-day event on the coast of North Wales saw a number of contests decided by the smallest of margins as the battle for supremacy well and truly ramped up.

In the moobob Caterham Academy Championship – which is for drivers that are embarking on their maiden year of car racing – nobody could stop Matt Fox from charging to back-to-back victories.

Snaring pole position by just 0.064 seconds, Fox narrowly fended off Max Richardson and Nick Tomadakis to triumph in race one before he stamped his authority to win in a more comfortable fashion in race two, again ahead of Richardson.

The Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship is the next step up on the Caterham Motorsport ladder and it produced a stunning opening encounter which culminated in the top three drivers being separated by just a tenth of a second.

Craig Evans, William Harris and Scott Helme were the cream of the crop in race one as they pulled clear of the chasing pack to scrap amongst themselves. In the end it would be Evans that held on to reign supreme; Helme though would have his moment of glory later on as he won race two.

Over in the EDGE Caterham Seven 270R Championship, Ben Wheatley – who has previously cut his teeth in the Caterham Graduates Championship – was perfection personified as he powered his way to a dominant hat-trick of race wins.

The likes of Louis Darling, Henry Speeks, Nick Highton and Paul Oggelsby could only watch on as Wheatley drove off into the distance but they did all manage to fill the remaining podium spots that were available.

Taylor O’Flanagan and Lars Alexander Hoffman continued their duel at the summit of the Vertex Caterham Seven 310R Championship standings, taking home a share of the spoils from the picturesque 2.1-mile International layout.

Both drivers have been the stars of the season so far and they continued their rich vein of form at Anglesey. O’Flanagan emerged victorious following an almighty scrap with Philip Bianchi in race one before Alexander Hoffman was triumphant in race two.

O’Flanagan returned to the top step of the podium in the weekend’s third and final race as he once again went wheel-to-wheel with Bianchi, beating him for a second time and in-turn, bolstering his title chances in the process.

Matthew Armstrong and Harry Senior showed their class in the Dutch Barn Vodka Caterham Seven UK Championship, Caterham’s premier category, as they remained the drivers to beat at the front of the field.

Picking up where they left off when they competed on the British Touring Car Championship support bill at Brands Hatch last month, Armstrong sped his way to the chequered flag in races one and three while Senior was victorious in race two.

Rounding out the weekend’s action were a trio of enthralling races from the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the North Western Centre’s premier category where variety is well and truly the spice of life.

Boasting a bumper grid, Ben Roberts produced a remarkable drive in race one as he went from the back row of the grid to the top step of the podium in his Locost 7 RR, winning by a sensational 15 seconds by the time the chequered flag was waved.

Roberts was unable to add to his win tally in races two and the however as Simon Allaway came to the fore in his Lotus Esprit V8, beating Bod Buckby and Roberts to top spot in relatively commanding fashion.

To view the full classification of results from Anglesey Circuit, CLICK HERE.

You can also re-watch all the action from the North Wales track via the official BARC YouTube channel HERE.

Britcar Endurance and Coupe Cup enjoy Super Sarturday at Snetterton

The British Automobile Racing Club dished up a full-throttle race day at Snetterton this past Saturday (May 31) as both the Britcar Endurance Championship and OT Publishing Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires continued their respective 2025 campaigns.

Taking centre stage on the 300 layout of the Norfolk venue, those in attendance and watching online were treated to a quartet of captivating races – all of which included their fair share of edge-of-the-seat moments.

Heading into Snetterton the Britcar Endurance Championship had been largely dominated by the Toro Verde GT pairing of Steve Gambrell and BTCC racer Daniel Lloyd, with the duo sweeping their way to each and every victory that had been on offer.

Their streak would come to an end around the near three-mile layout though as the FF Corse & Red River Sport Ferrari 488 Challenge EVO – driven by Bonamy Grimes and Johnny Mowlem – converted its front-running pace into a brace of well executed race wins.

As soon as a wheel was turned on Saturday morning the Ferrari pairing look destined to triumph and they duly swept their way to pole position in qualifying ahead of Gambrell, who was without Lloyd in their Porsche 991 Cup.

Despite riding solo Gambrell took the fight to Grimes and Mowlem in a frenetic opening encounter, with their being very little to separate the teams, however he was ultimately unable to overhaul them – taking the chequered flag just a second behind the 488 Challenge EVO runners.

Completing the podium a further seven seconds in arrears was another Porsche 991 Cup, this one run by the accomplished Amspeed outfit and driven by Dom Malone.

Race two proved to be somewhat more straightforward for Grimes and Mowlem as they swept aside the opposition to make it two wins from two – reigning supreme by more than 14 seconds in their striking red machine.

This time time round it would be Malone that finished as their closest challengers after Gambrell was forced into retirement at mid-distance. Completing the podium was David Fielder in the monstrous SGM Motorsport BMW GTR.

Over in the OT Publishing Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires, spoils were shared between Nathan Williams and Adam Jones as the pair claimed a win apiece.

Going into the event Williams had been the cream of the crop across the opening few race meetings and he continued his fine run of form with a sumptuous performance in race one as he beat Jones and Michael Evans to the chequered flag by more than two seconds.

Jones would turn the tables in race two however as he went wheel-to-wheel with Williams for honours. Despite being locked in battle, the pair managed to break clear of the chasing pack and once out front the race was really on.

Having been the only driver to snap Williams’ domination this year, Jones soaked up a remarkable amount of pressure out front and managed to hang on to clinch his second win of the campaign. Behind them, Evans maintained his consistency with a second third-place finish.

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

All of the action can be viewed via the click of a button also by visiting the official BARC YouTube channel HERE.

Double BARC billing on the cards this weekend

This weekend marks another busy weekend for the British Automobile Racing Club. Organising teams will be spread across two corners of the UK with teams in England and Wales delivering racing action at Snetterton and Anglesey this weekend.

Anglesey in the Northwest corner of Wales hosts its first BARC weekend, with a packed entry list of Caterham racing across the class spectrum – ably supported by the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship who will make their BARC LIVE stream bow this weekend.

Snetterton in Norfolk will welcome the BARC competitors to the 300 layout this weekend with a one day busy schedule on Saturday. The Britcar Endurance Championship and the OT Publishing Coupe Cup headlining the proceedings.

When is the next BARC weekend?
The next events will be this weekend – 31st May and 1st June.

Where are the events being held?

Anglesey Circuit
Address: Anglesey Circuit, 5YT, A4080, Ty Croes, LL63 5TF

Snetterton Circuit
Address: Snetterton Circuit, Norwich, Norfolk, NR16 2JU

What is racing this weekend?

Anglesey
CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship
EDGE Caterham Seven 270R Championship
Vertex Caterham 310R Championship
Dutch Barn Vodka Caterham Seven Championship UK
moobob Caterham Academy Championship
Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship

Snetterton
Britcar Endurance Championship
OT Publishing Coupe Cup

How can I watch?

At Home
The BARC race weekends will streamed LIVE and for free on our YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub

All of the action, reaction and commentary along with side-by-side racing from both venues will be housed on our channel – you won’t miss a thing! Stream start times do vary – please check our channel for the anticipated start times and relevant stream link.

At the Track

Racing fans can head to Anglesey or Snetterton to watch trackside this weekend. Tickets are £12 per day or £15 for a weekend at Anglesey and can be paid online or at the gate.
Tickets: https://angleseycircuit.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/2025-05-31-barc

Wanting to soak up the on-track action in person at Snetterton? Tickets are available on the day or on the Snetterton website from £16 or £19 on the day. Children under 13 go free.
Tickets: https://www.snetterton.co.uk/2025/may/britcar-endurance-championship

What time are things happening on track?

Anglesey track action begins at 10:00 on Saturday with racing beginning at 14:55 and 09:30 on Sunday.

Over at Snetterton – the single day of racing on Saturday begins at 09:00 for Practice, followed by qualifying, with the first race pencilled for 14:00.

Do you have any more information?

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

Anglesey
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252227
Timetable*: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-anglesey-may-31-june-1/
Watch Link Saturday: https://www.youtube.com/live/c6Tjzv84PrI?si=cXMQK_37mqSNPBGs
Watch Link Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/live/NHLzhB7pA-0?si=BJ59EwJvFVd8WW2z

Snetterton
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252263
Timetable*: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-snetterton-300-may-31/
Watch Link Saturday: https://www.youtube.com/live/aEuALHP31io?si=YDpdNmC4569JH3Wd

* Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

Have a fantastic weekend of racing! Summer is almost here!

Dan Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Mikey Doble share Snetterton spoils

Dan Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Mikey Doble triumphed at Snetterton this past weekend (May 24/25) to make it eight different winners from the opening nine races of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season.

Taking centre stage in Norfolk for the third event of what is already one of the most competitive campaigns in recent memory, the trio of Cammish, Rowbottom and Doble reigned supreme in style – much to the delight of the huge trackside crowd.

NAPA Racing UK’s Cammish proved to be the man to beat in qualifying on Saturday as he snared a second pole position of the season after setting the fastest ever lap around the Snetterton 300 layout.

Blasting away from the front row, Cammish duly delivered in race one as he didn’t put a wheel wrong on his way to tallying a first win of the season. Behind him, Tom Ingram and Ash Sutton had everyone on the edge of their seats as they scrapped for second and third.

Race two saw Rowbottom come to the fore in his NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus ST as he made the most of being the highest placed car on soft tyres to take a long overdue victory in the UK’s premier motorsport series.

The multiple race winner wasted no time in hitting the front however he soon faced an onslaught of pressure from several Hyundais. Soaking up everything they could throw at him, Rowbottom hung on to take finish ahead of Adam Morgan and Tom Chilton.

Without doubt the most popular win of the day came in the reverse grid finale as Mikey Doble clinched a memorable maiden win. Starting from pole position, the Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing driver was wheel-perfect throughout to take the chequered flag.

Four-time champion Sutton had closed onto the back of Doble late on but unable to find a way past he settled for second while Josh Cook claimed a first podium of the season in his One Motorsport Honda Civic Type R.

Not only was it a first-ever win for Doble but it was also the first time an Independent entry has won a race outright in the BTCC in 1001 days. The victory was also the first since 2019 for the Vauxhall Astra squad.

Leaving Snetterton, Sutton holds a 15-point advantage at the top of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship while EXCELR8 / Team VERTU head the way in both the Manufacturer / Constructors and Teams’ Championship’s.

In addition to his maiden win, Doble leads the Independent Drivers’ Championship whilst Restart Racing top the Independent Teams’ category. Daryl Deleon and Charles Rainford remain the benchmark in the Jack Sears Trophy.

Elsewhere, fans also had a bumper bill of support race action to soak up and in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE JCW those in attendance witnessed another near-perfect showing from Jamie Osborne.

Hot on the heels of winning all three races at the season-opener, the NAPA Racing UK driver was back in the winners circle again as he claim two wins and a third place finish. Stopping him from completing another clean sweep was Tom Ovenden who triumphed in race one.

The Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA has a new points leader after Red Bull Junior Fionn McLaughlin claimed a double podium and a first-ever win to move to the summit of the standings.

The Hitech TGR had looked on course to winning the opening encounter before damage sustained on a bollard broke his front wing and forced him into the pits. That opened the door for Adam Al Azhari to triumph before August Raber was victorious in race two.

Rounding out the weekend’s action were two full-throttles race from the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, which was celebrating milestone weekend with race one being the series’ 400th contest.

Arguably written in the stars, Porsche GB Junior James Wallis – who was running the number 400 for one weekend only – produced a virtuoso performance to claim his maiden victory in the one-make category.

Fan favourite Max Coates then guided his Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport machine to the top step of the podium in race two after holding off the JTR duo of Ollie Jackson and Josh Stanton.

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

Gurston Down and Snetterton the BARC venues this weekend

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, organised by the British Automobile Racing Club is up and running and striding into Snetterton this weekend as 300 layout for the Norfolk venue is called into action.

Ash Sutton leads the way in the title race from a chasing Tom Ingram and Jake Hill. Snetterton always provides great racing and if Brands Hatch was anything to go by last time out – we are in for a cracking ride! Could we see more new winners? Only time will tell!

Supporting the BTCC will be packed grids on a busy timetable across Saturday and Sunday. The Wera Tools F4 British Championship, Vertu MINI Challenge and Porsche Carrera Cup join the roster and prepare to do battle under the spotlight of the ITV cameras this weekend.

Elsewhere on the BARC schedule is the fourth event of the British Hillclimb Championship Presented by Nova Motorsport. The championship heads to a BARC venue – the fearsome Gurston Down Hillclimb. Single-seaters with up to 700bhp will be unleashed in Wiltshire. The hill is unique in the fact that it goes down before it goes up and with challenging sections including the Karousel and Deer’s Leap – it provides a real thrill for drivers. Defending Champion Matt Ryder has won four out of the six run-offs this year but is being chased hard by Wallace Menzies and Will Hall – both with one run-off a piece.

When is the next BARC weekend?
The next events will be this weekend – 24th/25th May

Where are the events being held?

Gurston Down Hillclimb
Address: Gurston Farm, Broad Chalke, Salisbury, Wiltshire. SP5 5HR

Snetterton Circuit
Address: Snetterton Circuit, Norwich, Norfolk, NR16 2JU

What is racing this weekend?

Gurston Down Hillclimb – British Hillclimb Championship

Snetterton – Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Wera Tools F4 British Championship, Vertu MINI Challenge, and Porsche Carrera Cu

How can I watch?

At the Track

Hillclimb fans can head to Gurston Down with tickets £15 for each day and you can pay on the gate.

Wanting to soak up the on-track action in person at Snetterton? Tickets are available on the day or on the Snetterton website from £22 for a Saturday ticket or £35 for a Sunday ticket – with weekend options available from £48. Children under 13 go free.

At Home
The TOCA Snetterton race weekend package will be broadcast live and for free on ITV4 and ITVX on Saturday and Sunday in the UK.

The uninterrupted coverage will feature all the on track drama with commentary, analysis and features throughout Sunday with coverage starting just ahead of the first BTCC race at 10:45

The British Hillclimb Championship will hopefully be live streamed this weekend – with coverage over on YouTube. Just search for Hillclimb.tv.

What time are things happening on track?

Track action begins at 09:15 on Saturday and 09:20 on Sunday at Brands Snetterton, with BTCC races at 11:30, 14:20 and 16:55 on Sunday. Over at Gurston Down the course opens for practice early morning until early evening on Saturday with official timed runs to be held on the Sunday.

Do you have any more information?

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

Snetterton
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252103
Timetable*: https://www.barc.net/event/toca-race-meeting-snetterton-300-may-24-25/
Watch Link: www.itv.com/btcc

Gurston Down
Live Timing Saturday: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252184
Live Timing Sunday: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252284
Event Information: https://www.britishhillclimb.co.uk/

* Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

Have a fantastic weekend of racing!

Laidlaw launches title bid with Silverstone silverware

Most people who arrive into a top-flight TCR series have gone through the ranks. Perhaps starting in Karting and then working the way through junior formula such as the Junior Saloon Car Championship, into the Civic Cup and then into one of the seats in TCR UK. Some like to break the mould.

With a very limited background in motosport – Steve Laidlaw arrived into the TCR fold last year self admittingly like a rabbit caught in headlights. Learning the ropes, the international businessman knuckled down and now fresh off the back of his best weekend of racing – is seriously gathering momentum for a TCR UK title tilt in 2025. The British Automobile Racing Club caught up with Steve before he left the circuit to head home to Dubai.

That wasn’t a bad weekend work was it Steve?

“It was the perfect weekend, a weekend of dreams for me,” said an enthusiastic Laidlaw. “We were fast in testing, we broke the TCR lap record at Silverstone in Qualifying, took my first pole, P1 in race one, P1 in race two and P2 and another lap record in the third – that was my best weekend in a car for sure. Don’t think I could ever top that!”

Moving to the third generation Cupra Leon at the end of last year, it took a few rounds for the 43-year-old to fine tune and get the car to his liking – a car that needs taking by the scruff of its neck to get the best out of it. Two wins from three at Silverstone last weekend – just how close was Laidlaw from the clean sweep?

“It’s not an easy game in this series. I took so much out of my tyres keeping up and passing Adam [Shepherd] I just had very little left to do anything about Callum [Newsham] – we were so close, I was taking about half a tenth a lap – but I would have needed 100 laps and the tyres wouldn’t have lasted that long. It was an awesome weekend – unbelievable. My son [Sam Laidlaw] had a good weekend on pace – although the results didn’t go his way, but what we are doing as a young, new team is phenomenal and this weekend has given us a real boost!

For Steve it’s not all about him – he gets to share race weekends and the track with his eldest son Sam who drives a sister Cupra under the Area Motorsport umbrella. There aren’t many sports at this level where you can compete in the same team and compete alongside your son or daughter. Motorsport gives that opportunity – but what is it actually like?

“To look back down the grid order to see my son enjoying the racing… just a little bit slower than I am.” said Laidlaw with the tongue firmly in cheek. “I will be straight – this is the first time this year I have been quicker than him, at Donington I was well and truly in his shadows.”

The relationship was clear to see – the pair supporting and driving each other on every step of the way is one of the key ingredients to the Laidlaw success. Running car numbers #100 for Steve and #101 for Sam – there was a penny drop moment after their recent success.

“He won the 100th race at Donington and I won the 101st at Silverstone, so we might need to swap our racing numbers over next year – how’s them apples then! I am unbelievably proud of my children, of both my sons, I have another son who does his own thing outside of racing and to share this with them and my oldest son Sam too is very special – I’m living the dream. It’s great as a Dad to see your children grow and shine and is just as special if not more so when I see him on the top step.”

In motorsport – nothing stands still for too long. Thoughts are already turning to the next round at Croft in Yorkshire – the home round for the Laidlaw’s. How does the title push now feel? Can the Father and Son duo fight for the crown?

“I am very confident after this weekend we can push on and make a real championship effort now 100%. Our objective is P1 and P2 in the championship and that won’t be easy as there are some good drivers around us. We have the outright pace at multiple tracks and in different conditions and we have illustrated that through a lot of hard work over the winter.”

The result at the weekend is even more remarkable when you take a step back to look at the amount of races under Steve’s belt – Almost half of those around them. Steely determination and creating the right environment is producing the results. Sky’s the limit now for Steve and Sam?

“One year ago we were six seconds a lap off the pace – we did TCR for the first time ever, we had done a bit of clubman before and so had Sam – but we had done very little racing at all and we decided we were going to do it and it was a big shock at first. But we put in a great deal of time and a concerted effort into it. We found a great team who we have really gelled with, in fact we have become more of a family unit rather than a team and every single one of us is working relentlessly with the goal of going from nowhere to fighting at the front in the UK. This is just the start, next year we are looking at doing TCR Europe and year after the world tour. Watch out!”

The TCR UK series heads to Yorkshire next up with the BARC owned Croft Circuit the next host venue for three more action-packed races. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased directly from the Croft website – https://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/tcr

BARC wows the crowds at the Home of British Motor Racing

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed an action-packed visit to the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this past weekend (May 17/18) with several championships writing the latest chapter in their respective campaigns.

Headlining the action around the National layout were three captivating contests from the TCR UK Championship, each of which were largely dominated by two drivers – Steve Laidlaw and Callum Newsham.

In qualifying, just 0.042s was all that could separate the duo in the battle for pole position but it was Laidlaw that claimed the bragging rights of clinching top spot. That set him up for a superlative opening bout where he charged to victory ahead of Newsham and Sam Laidlaw.

Race two proved to be slightly more contentious as despite winning on the road, Steve Laidlaw was handed a post-race time penalty which originally gave the victory to Newsham. However, following a successful appeal the result was reversed and that handed the win back to Laidlaw.

Newsham didn’t have to wait too much longer to finally have his moment on the top step of the podium in the weekend’s finale as he streaked clear of the chasing pack to tally a pivotal victory ahead of Steve Laidlaw and Adam Shepherd.

Variety was the spice of life when it came to the Milltek Civic Cup – the official feeder series to the TCR UK Championship – as three different drivers stood on the summit of the world-famous Silverstone rostrum.

Former TCR UK title winner Lewis Kent maintained his strong start to the season by claiming victory in a frantic opener before Dave Marshall narrowly beat Liam McGill to overall honours in race two.

Rounding out the weekend’s action for the popular tin top category around the 1.640-mile Northamptonshire venue was a victory for Alistair Camp, who prevailed ahead of Wesley Swain and the aforementioned Kent.

Over in the Junior Saloon Car Championship, the next generation of racing talent demonstrated just how bright their futures look as they had everyone on the edge of their seats in every one of their four races.

Luca Masarati kicked off proceedings as he triumphed in the race that was originally postponed at Brands Hatch in April before his title rivals Wilf Butler and Oliver Kerr went on to also reign supreme – Butler doing so on two occasions.

William Di Claudio was perfection personified when it came to the Track Action Racing Club as he won twice in his Peugeot 106 GTI, a feat that was also achieved by Jordan Dempsey in the Heroes of FF1600 Series – which was making its first appearance of the year.

Completing the BARC action were three races from the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport which, like the single-seater FF1600 category, was making its maiden outing for the new season.

Boasting another competitive entry list, Oliver Willmott wasted no time in underlining his status as one to watch as he piloted his MINI Cooper S to victory in all three races.

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

If you want to watch back any of the action from Silverstone, head to the official BARC YouTube channel, HERE.

BARC delivers all-out entertainment at Convoy Cymru

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a scorching weekend both on and off the track at Pembrey Circuit in South Wales this past weekend (May 17/18) as a number of different championships took centre stage at Convoy Cymru.

On what is one of the biggest events on the calendar for the Carmarthenshire venue each year, a bumper crowd poured through the gates to soak up the sunshine and to see what Wales’ biggest and best truck show had to offer.

While the likes of show trucks, monster truck shows and rides, live music, trade stands and double-decker bus rides headlined the attractions off-track, the heavyweight behemoths of the British Truck Racing Championship were the undoubted stars of the show on it.

Delivering five action-packed races, the battle for supremacy across Division 1 and Division 2 rightfully had fans on the edge of their seats as the momentum of the 2025 campaign was kicked up a gear or two.

Reigning nine-time champion Ryan Smith endured a weekend of two halves, the first of which started positively as he snared pole position and two dominant race wins in his Daimler Freightliner on Saturday.

That would be as good as it would get for the Worldwide Truck Racing driver though as contact and mechanical misfortune would scupper his chances on Sunday. Instead, Adam Bint charged to a popular maiden win before Team Oliver Racing dominated the remaining two races.

Michael Oliver led home a historic 1-2-3 finish for the successful squad in the penultimate bout before ten-time champion Stuart Oliver came to the fore in the final race of the day to tally a third win of the season.

In Division 2, last year’s runner-up Simon Cole enjoyed a similar superlative Saturday to Smith as he too was wheel-perfect in his Iveco TGS. Clinching pole position in the closing stages of qualifying, Cole then made no mistakes out front to win races one and two.

The Cole Trucksport driver maintained his front-running form into Sunday’s opening encounter as he again triumphed before title rival Jake Evans underlined his credentials as a serious contender by winning races four and five.

Those with a passion for tin tops were well catered for as the Classic Touring Car Racing Club descended on the Welsh countryside to write the latest chapter in what has already been a captivating 2025 season.

The Everard Pre-66 Touring Cars rolled back the years and it was local racer Endaf Owens that made home advantage count as he guided his Austin Cooper S to a commanding race win in the weekend’s curtain-raiser.

That performance set the tone for the remainder of the meeting too as Owens triumphed by more than 20 seconds in race two before he completed a clean sweep in race three, tallying a third win in equally impressive fashion.

Nic Grindrod showed similar levels of dominance in the Shell Oils Group 1 Touring Cars as he made the most of his Ford Escort to power his way to a pair of race wins. His hopes of claiming a hat-trick was ended in the finale by the hard-charging Jonathan Corker.

Rounding out the nostalgic touring car action were three races that amalgamated PRG Trailers Classic Thunder, Rikki Cann Historic Thunder Saloons, Trackhub.uk Pre-93 Touring Cars, Burty Pre-03 Touring Cars and Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series together.

William Davison – who traditionally cuts his teeth among the Pre-93 ranks – proved to be perfection personified in his BMW E36 M3 as he swept aside the opposition to secure all three wins that were on offer.

The Adrian Flux Insurance MG Owners Club Championship delivered a trio of enthralling races and it produced an exciting new battle for outright honours between James Cole and multiple title winner Steve McDermid.

McDermid entered the weekend as one of the form drivers however it was Cole that took the fight to him in races one and two, winning both contests in imperious fashion. Undeterred, McDermid fought back in race three to beat Cole by three tenths of a second.

Rounding out the weekend’s unmissable entertainment was the latest instalment of the Classic 2CV Racing Club, which staged two sprint races and a 90-minute endurance bout around the 1.456-mile circuit.

In the sprint races, the experienced Nick Crispin won a remarkable opening contest that saw the top five drivers covered by a little under seven tenths of a second at the chequered flag.

Sebastian White-Jones then triumphed in the weekend’s second race before doubling up the following day in the endurance bout, teaming up with Luca Proietti to give Podium MotorWorks the win.

To view the full classification of results from Pembrey Circuit, CLICK HERE.

You can also watch all the action back from Convoy Cymru by heading over to the official BARC YouTube channel HERE.

TCR and Trucks lead the timetables in England and Wales this weekend

This weekend is set to be one of the busiest yet for the British Automobile Racing Club. Organising teams will be spread across two UK favourites with the home of UK motorsport Silvestone and the home Welsh motorsport – Pembrey the host venues for a bursting to the brim timetable this weekend.

Pembrey in South Wales hosts its first BARC weekend, with the big hitting British Truck Racing Championship leading the charge, with five races across the two days. In support will be further bouts for the 2CV Racing Club, Classic Touring Car Racing Club and MG Owners Club.

Silverstone will welcome the BARC competitors to the National layout this weekend with TCR UK ready to put on a show in their three races. Adding to the Tin Top flavour is the Civic Cup, Track Action and Junior Saloon Car Championship with the MINI Challenge Clubsport making its 2025 bow. Also kicking off its season will be the Heroes of FF1600, who will take to the track for the first time this year.

When is the next BARC weekend?
The next events will be this weekend – 17th/18th May

Where are the events being held?
Pembrey Circuit
Address: Pembrey Circuit, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA16 0HZ

Silverstone Circuit
Address: Dadford Road, Silverstone, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN

What’s racing this weekend?

Pembrey
British Truck Racing Championship
CTCRC Thunder, BOSS, Pre ‘93, Pre ‘03
CTCRC Pre ‘83
CTCRC Pre ‘66
2CV Racing Club Championship
Adrian Flux MG Owners Club Championship

Silverstone
TCR UK
Miltek Civic Cup
Junior Saloon Car Championship
MINI Challenge Clubsport
Track Action
Equipe Sports Prototypes
CRCC Formula Libre

How can I watch?

At the Track

Pembrey
Wanting to soak up the on-track action in person? Tickets are available on the day at Pembrey or via the website – with tickets starting from £18 for adults – with children under 16 free of charge – https://pembreycircuit.co.uk/racing/british-truck-racing-championship

Silverstone
For all the action in Northamptonshire – tickets start at £19 per person or £32 for a weekend pass. Children under 16 are also free of charge https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/barc-tcr-uk-touring-car-championship

At Home

If you can’t get to the circuits, all of the action will be broadcast LIVE on the BARC YouTube channel – with all the racing from both venues housed on our channel – you won’t miss a thing! Stream start times do vary – please check our channel for the anticipated start times and relevant stream link.

What time are things happening on track?

At Pembrey, qualifying starts at 09:00 with the first race at 11:55 on Saturday, while on Sunday racing begins at 09:00 and runs all the way through to 17:15 – with a 2CV enduro ending the proceedings.

At Silverstone on Saturday – qualifying starts at 09:25 with the first race billed for 12:30. On Sunday, track action begins with a single qualifying season at 09:00 with racing starting at 09:25 going through to early evening.

Do you have any more information?

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

Pembrey
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252021
Tickets: https://pembreycircuit.co.uk/racing/british-truck-racing-championship
*Event Information: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-pembrey-may-17-18/
Saturday LIVE Stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/-EDftiHCjfY?si=XZ02JHOAr55_SPeT
Sunday Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/vi6EcdCnvQY?si=XVC0Y6_czKwWxRCz

Silverstone
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/252024
*Event Information: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-silverstone-national-may-17-18/
Tickets: https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/barc-tcr-uk-touring-car-championship
Saturday LIVE Stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/rDP6oDIZIpE?si=ZUkKMLG7mVZmTZDI
Sunday Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/pFurVwsv9VY?si=p8CIr36mFUfsH5dF

* Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

So much action – so much to follow! Be sure to get yourself trackside or follow the action from the comfort of your own home via YouTube and our social media channels.

It’s going to be a good one!

British F4 to race at 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix

The Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA has announced that it will make history this summer by making a guest appearance at the 2025 Formula 1 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

In what is guaranteed to be a ground-breaking moment at the Home of British Motorsport on July 3-6, Britain’s Formula 4 category will underline its status as the first step on the single-seater pathway in front of an expected 480,000 fans over the course of the weekend.

To further underpin the magnitude of British F4 being included on the schedule, the British Grand Prix will mark the first time in history that Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 4 have all competed at the same event.

As Formula 1 celebrates its 75th Anniversary this year, British F4’s debut at the British Grand Prix is even more befitting given the volume of drivers that have honed their skills in the category over the last decade – including current Formula 1 stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Poised to be an unforgettable experience, the British Grand Prix event has already received a high level of interest from drivers and is open only to teams that are competing in the 2025 Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA.

The appearance at the Silverstone Formula 1 event will be a non-points scoring round for the championship and will consist of two 25-minute plus one-lap races, with track action taking place across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Eve Lake-Grange, British F4 Championship Manager: “It goes without saying that this is a real milestone moment for everyone that is involved with the Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA.

“To have the opportunity to compete on the support bill of Formula 1 at the British Grand Prix is something that we’ve been working towards for a long time, so we are delighted to have been able to now make it happen.

“We pride ourselves on being the first step on the pathway to Formula 1 and for our drivers to be able to see the potential career roadmap that is ahead of them – on the same weekend that they are competing – will be both special and inspiring.

“The level of interest that we’ve had for this non-championship event has been incredible so far and we’re shaping up to confirm a bumper, ultra-competitive grid. There is no bigger stage than Formula 1 and we’re all incredibly excited to put on a show for the hundreds of thousands of fans that will be in attendance at Silverstone in July.”

Further details surrounding the Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA’s appearance at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix weekend will be available via our website over the coming weeks and months.