Category: Barc

Champions crowned at Oulton Park as the curtain falls on further BARC categories

The British Automobile Racing Club crowned more champions this past Saturday (October 20) as Oulton Park played host to a pulsating final day of the 2018 season for six championships.

As the sun shone over the Cheshire venue, those in attendance were treated to a feast of edge-of-the-seat thrills.

Lewis Saunders held his nerve in the Junior Saloon Car Championship to convert his points lead into title glory, narrowly pipping Joel Wren and Steven Chandler. Entering the event with an 11-point advantage, Saunders scored a fourth and a third place finish respectively to lift the coveted crown.

The 14 to 17-year-old series welcomed a new winner too as Scholarship winner Scott McIntyre capped off his maiden season with a pole position and first race win.

Ben Kasperczak then rounded out the year as the final victor of 2018 in the JSCC ranks, however it came following a red flag where a mere two laps were completed.

In the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, Paul Rose was at his brilliant best to wrap up the title at the wheel of his Saker. Having been a tour-de-force throughout the year, Rose arrived at Oulton Park with a slender lead in the multi-class series over Jamie Cryer.

Notching two lights-to-flag wins, Rose put himself out of touch to be crowned champion once again.

There were celebrations in the Mighty Minis Championship too as a pair of champions were decided in both the Mighty Mini and Super Mighty Mini classes. Whilst former BTCC driver Jeff Smith stormed to overall victory in both races, all eyes were on the main title protagonists.

Despite Lee Poolman’s best efforts as he scored two wins in the Mighty Mini class, Stuart Coombs emerged as champion of the category – albeit by a single point. Elsewhere in the Super Mighty Mini category, Connor O’Brien produced a measured drive to be crowned champion.

The Classic VW Cup also brought the curtain down on their season with Ken Lark once again underlining his credentials as the man to beat by sealing two wins in his Volkswagen Corrado.

Rounding out the action at Oulton Park were a pair of races from the BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge. Alexander Owen and Ben Rushworth were ultimately too much for the competition in their Honda Civic Type R and Honda Integra machines, taking two wins apiece.

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

Brands Hatch braced for unmissable BTCC finale

After nine events and 27 races, the destiny of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will be decided around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit this weekend (September 29/30) – and the fight is still very much on.

Since roaring into life at the Kent venue in early April the BTCC’s Diamond Jubilee year has been one to remember, with records tumbling on a consistent basis. Boasting an impressive 16 different race winners, the series has hit new heights and that is set to continue as the final chapter of the current campaign is written.

Colin Turkington heads to Brands Hatch as the man to beat holding a 34-point advantage over Tom Ingram at the top of the standings. Chasing a third BTCC crown, the Team BMW driver has once again underlined his class with a consistent season to-date.

A single victory, taken at Oulton Park, has been backed up by an additional nine podiums to leave the Northern Irishman with a clear road to the biggest prize in British motorsport.

Standing in the way of Turkington however is reigning Independents champion Ingram, who at the wheel of his Speedworks Toyota Avensis has pieced together a mesmerising championship challenge thus far.

Producing standout performance after standout performance, Ingram descends on Brands Hatch as the hunter and focused on overhauling the 34-point deficit he has to make up over the double champion. Renowned for his overtaking prowess and ability to rise to the occasion, the 25-year-old is expected to be on maximum attack from the get-go.

Tom Chilton also enters the final weekend of the year in mathematical contention for the title but with a gap of 64 markers to make up over Turkington, the Motorbase Performance driver’s chance of overall glory looks to be an unrealistic one.

Whilst the battle for the title will take centre stage, several other drivers will be keen to sign off their season’s in style. Having seen his aspirations of his retaining crown slip away, outgoing champion Ashley Sutton will be on the march for silverware and bidding to finish in the top three.

In addition, the likes of Andrew Jordan, Jack Goff, Adam Morgan, Josh Cook, Matt Neal, Aiden Moffat and Sam Tordoff, to name just a few, are also likely to be in the mix for silverware over the course of the weekend too.

Dan Cammish’s quest for a breakthrough BTCC victory will continue however the Halfords Yuasa Racing driver won’t need to worry about the Jack Sears Trophy after building up an unassailable lead at Silverstone last time out.

The remaining championships see Ingram and Chilton as well as Speedworks and Motorbase locked in a battle for both Independent titles whilst Team BMW will look to successfully retain their BTCC Manufacturer/Constructor and BTCC Teams Championship crowns too.

With a maximum 67 points up for grabs and three high-octane BTCC encounters set to take place around the 2.43 mile circuit, the final chapter of the Britain’s premier race series’ Diamond Jubilee is set to be an enthralling one – and it is not to be missed.

The all-important final qualifying session of the season will take place on Saturday at 15:20 before rounds 28, 29 & 30 take place on Sunday at 11:35, 14:25 & 17:15 respectively.

For more information in the event including links to the full timetable and live timing, click here.

Special BTCC liveries unveiled to mark 60th Anniversary at Snetterton

Several cars on the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship grid will sport different liveries at Snetterton this weekend (July 28/29) as part of the series’ 60th Anniversary celebrations.

In what is set to be a milestone event at the Norfolk venue, the second half of the 2018 season will kick into a life with plenty of Diamond Jubilee commemorations, including a reformatted race three titled the Diamond Double.

Instead of the traditional reverse grid encounter will be a 60-mile contest, which is almost double that of the customary BTCC race distance at Snetterton, run over 20 laps. In addition, double championship points will be on offer whilst all cars will run on base weight and the same tyre compound.

Honouring the BTCC’s Diamond Jubilee, reigning champion Ashley Sutton’s Adrian Flux Subaru Racing is adorned in black, grey and white, instead of its usual striking blue for the weekend’s trio of races.

Commenting on the livery, Sutton said: “Seeing as it is the BTCC’s 60th years felt right that we had to do something. I’ve had this idea in my head since around about Oulton Park so to now see it in the flesh is brilliant.

“I’ve always loved the BTCC; I looked up to it when I was growing up so to be in it, let alone a champion is something that is very special to me. Going black, grey and white fitted in with the theme of going back in time and looking at some of the iconic moments.

“I think it looks fantastic. When you look at it alongside Jason’s (Plato) car you almost have to look twice, it really throws you. When it is on track alongside everyone else it will really stand out.”

Sam Tordoff meanwhile will add an extra splash of colour to the grid by hitting the track in his now bright pink Motorbase Performance Ford Focus RS.

“We had such a great reaction to the JCT600 70th anniversary platinum livery that we ran at croft in 2016,” Tordoff said. “As soon as I had signed the contract with Motorbase to return to the BTCC this year, I was adamant that we should do something similar once again. The 60th BTCC anniversary celebrations at Snetterton seemed the perfect time to do it.

“We wanted to choose a colour that really made an impact on the track and also on TV. Bright pink has become my signature colour over recent years. My pink helmet attracts a lot of attentions and comments – as you’d expect – and we wanted something special for the car, so it was a no-brainer to run it.

“It’s definitely going to grab people’s attention – who knows, we may even decide to keep it.”

Rob Austin’s HMS Racing Alfa Romeo Giulietta will also carry a special roof design this weekend, with the colour matching the same paint that adorned the title-winning Alfa Romeo 155 of 1994.

BARC descends on Donington Park

It’s crunch time for three championships this Saturday (September 29) as the British Automobile Racing Club makes its final visit of 2018 to Donington Park.

As the motorsport season heads towards the business end of the year, every lap and point is set to count in the race for title supremacy with a total of 12 races scheduled to take place under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Open to drivers aged 14 to 17, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has once again underlined why it is a hotbed for the next generation of UK racers. In what has been another vintage season for the Citroen Saxo category, the title battle remains wide open with six races still to be run.

Lewis Saunders enters rounds 13 and 14 as the teenager to beat, albeit holding a slender seven-point advantage at the summit of the standings. Joel Wren, a six-time race winner in 2018, remains Saunders closest challenger as it stands and he will be keen to continue his momentum having won the past three races in a row.

With the likes of Steven Chandler, Scott McIntyre, Frankie Taylor also in the mix, Saturday’s double-header is set add further twists and turns to the JSCC plot.

Saloon cars from all eras will duke it out around Donington Park in the Classic Touring Car Championship, with six races being staged in total. With everything from Pre ’66 tin tops right the way through to modern machinery, there is something for everyone in the CTCRC and that will be on display across the day’s amalgamated races.

Notable names to look out for include Steve Barden, Stephen Primett, Mark Osbourne, Luc Wilson and Ian Bower – to name but a few.

Capping off the BARC action will be a pair of races from the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship. Enjoying what has been another stellar year of competition in the series with bumper grids throughout, variety has always been the spice of life in the CNC Heads – with all manner of cars competing.

Following on from an impressive hat-trick at Anglesey last time out, Paul Rose will bid to further extend his championship lead at the wheel of his Saker, edging him closer to what will another championship crown. The quartet of Jamie Cryer, Oliver Thomas, Dave Harvey and Clive Dix will be out to ensure that doesn’t happen however.

Joining the BARC’s three categories will be a pair of 15-minute encounters from the Track Attack Racing Club.

All for to play for in TOCA support championships at Rockingham

The battle for supremacy across the TOCA support championships will continues this weekend (August 11/12) with Rockingham playing host to the latest stop on the 2018 calendar.

In what has been another memorable season across the board thus far, four categories will continue their campaigns on the popular partial-oval circuit based in Northamptonshire.

Arriving at every weekend bar one as the points leader, Adam Smalley remains firmly in control of the Ginetta Junior Championship and is still the teenager to beat currently. Further success at Snetterton last time out maintained his healthy advantage at the summit of the standings however a host of contenders are all still within touching distance.

Virtue of his two wins at Snetterton, Luke Browning has moved up into second place in the standings, and along with leading rookie Louis Foster, could still wrestle the lead from former Scholarship winner Smalley. Tipped as the drivers to beat, those drivers could steal the show although there are plenty more youngsters all keen to make their mark too.

Whatever the outcome, three high-octane races from the Junior category is certain to get fans on the edge-of-their-seats and will also likely play a pivotal role in deciding the destiny of this years title.

In the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Charlie Ladell and Carl Boardley look set to renew their rivalry as they battle for championship glory. At one stage the pair were split by just a single point at Snetterton, that changed however when Ladell notched his latest victory in race three at the Norfolk venue.

Now separated by 20 points, all eyes will be on Boardley to see if he can close the deficit to Ladell over the weekend’s three encounters. Tom Roche, Harry King and Jac Constable will also be one’s to watch as they bid to catch the top two as well.

Six races remain in the Renault UK Clio Cup, including the two here at Rockingham, and there are still no less than 11 drivers in contention of lifting the coveted title. It is likely that that number will come down this weekend although the question by how many and who is yet to be answered.

Max Coates, Paul Rivett and James Dorlin have proved to be the leading protagonists this season and the top three have pulled away from the chasing pack; all should be battling it out towards the front once again as they bid to better each other.

Off the back of scoring his maiden victory, Daniel Rowbottom will look to continue his pursuit of the top three with more success whilst the likes of Mike Epps, Lee Pattison and Jack McCarthy can’t be counted out either.

Capping off the weekend’s racing around Rockingham will be three races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. The single seater category has had many gripped this year with a raft of drivers all s taking their claim to being the one to lift the iconic title at the end of the year.

Leading the way as it stands is Kiern Jewiss, who will be hoping for better fortunes after a gruelling Snetterton event which yielded just 12 points. Ayrton Simmons remains Jewiss’ nearest challenger but the likes of Dennis Hauger, Sebastian Priaulx, Patrik Pasma and Jack Doohan are all also zeroing in too.

Croft gearing up for second visit of British Rallycross Championship

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship returns to Croft Circuit this Sunday (July 29) for round six of what is proving to an exciting and unpredictable 2018 season.

Following a short summer break, the series resumes in North Yorkshire with sideways, high-octane thrills firmly high on the agenda in the forecasted searing sun.

It was in May that the British Rallycross contingent last visited Croft and fans were treated to a flat-out day of track action as the leading lights went wheel-to-wheel, and some even into the air – Julian Godfrey walking away unscathed from a scary roll and subsequent fire in his Mitsubishi Mirage.

Ollie O’Donovan walked away as the victor in the end and the Irishman arrives at Croft in control of the point’s standings. Three wins on the bounce has propelled the Ford driver to the summit, six points ahead of his nearest challenger Mark Higgins, who has been a revelation in his maiden season in the series.

A further four points back in the championship is multiple title winner Godfrey, who is keen to add another crown to his ever-growing list of accomplishments. These three will likely be the ones to watch in the Supercar category however there are a host of others that are all also sighting glory around the challenging Croft layout.

Local drivers Mad Mark and Kevin Proctor will be keen to put on a show in front of their home crowd whilst Steve Hill, Roger Thomas, Steve Mundy and Liam Manning make up the entry list in the flagship championship.

Aside from the Supercar action this weekend, fans will also have plenty of other categories to watch, undoubtedly keeping them on the edge-of-their seats.

Races from the MSA Supernational Championship (incl. Super 1600), MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, Retro Rallycross and Super Retro Rallycross will all be on the billing too.

Tickets will be available to purchase on the day, priced at ÂŁ18 per person whilst children 15 and under go free when accompanied by a paying adult. Gates will open at 08:30 and track action will kick off at 09:30.

UK Sports Prototype Cup to launch in 2019

A brand new series is set to launch in 2019 titled the UK Sports Prototype Cup, aimed at providing a multi-marque racing environment for lightweight sports prototype cars to race in a premium race weekend package.

In partnership with the British Automobile Racing Club, Dunlop and Sunoco, the UK Sports Prototype Cup is set to break new ground next year with James Bailey of Pitbox 91 heading up the project.

The inaugural calendar for the Cup is still to be announced however events alongside the Britcar-promoted Dunlop Endurance Championships at UK circuit’s such as Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Silverstone are all being formulated.

A visit to mainland Europe on the support package of the European Le Mans Series at the Autudromo International Algarve is also set to feature on the provisional calendar.

Sprint races of an estimated 25 minutes will be blended with longer endurance style encounters, featuring a compulsory pit-stop and billed to be between 45 minutes and one hour, is set to formulate the race format of the Cup.

One of the leading lights to come from the UK Sports Prototype Cup will be the exciting new V6-powered Revolution, which is set to be unveiled at Motorsport Days Live on November 2nd.

Having been under development for over a year, the Revolution is set to be one of the cornerstones of the Cup as the LMP inspired, carbon tubbed, high downforce prototype will have its own dedicated class following a multi-year agreement being confirmed.

“We believe the 440bhp per tonne performance coupled with the quality, design and technology of the Revolution will quickly establish it as one of the leading premium prototype cars on the market,” Bailey explained.

“It’s important for drivers and teams investing in the Revolution to know that they have strong race events to compete in together. We are delighted to promote the Revolution UK Trophy as a feature category with a commitment until at least 2023.”

In addition to the Revolution UK Trophy, the UK Sports Prototype Cup will also feature of a promoted category for the one of the world’s best-selling race cars, the Radical SR3.

Bailey added: “When we started planning the UK Sports Prototype Cup, we had considerable interest from teams and drivers who own Radical SR3 cars. They told us that the service level of Dunlop’s experienced Le Mans technical team and the welcoming ‘family atmosphere’ we aim to create were attractive selling points for them.”

There will be further emphasis for those competing in the 2019 season of the series too as the Cup will also be a qualifying event for the Sunoco 240 Challenge.

Drivers meeting the Sunoco 240 Challenge criteria and that enter for the full season will have the opportunity to compete for a place in a GT4 car in 240-minute endurance race which takes place the Friday before the coveted Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Further information is set to be announced at the upcoming Motorsport Days Live event, held at Silverstone on November 2/3.

For more information on the UK Sports Prototype Cup, head to their website https://www.sportsprototypecup.com/.

BTCC sets new record north of the border

On what was a dramatic weekend of racing at Knockhill, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship hit new heights as it set a new record for the number of different race winners in a single season – with six races still left to run.

In treacherous conditions around the undulating Fife circuit, BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan and Motorbase Performance’s Tom Chilton became the 13th and 14th victors of the 2018 campaign, surpassing the previous record of 13 which was set in 2017.

Off the back of that record high last year, Britain’s much loved tin-top championship ensured that it wrote another chapter in its illustrious history as it continues to celebrate its 60th Anniversary.

Boasting one of the strongest line-up’s in recent memory with five former champions and 17 race-winners headlining the class of 2018, this season was one that had the makings of being a marquee campaign – such was the level of competition.

The record-breaking run of race winners began at the season-opener as Jack Goff converted pole position into victory at a sodden Brands Hatch for WIX Racing with Eurotech.

Senna Proctor came to the fore in round two at the Kent circuit in one of the races of the season as he, like a handful of drivers around him, gambled on slick tyres to scythe his way from 27th on the grid to take a maiden victory for Power Maxed TAG Racing.

Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram made it three different winners from three races on the opening weekend of the season as he piloted his Toyota Avensis to the chequered flag after overhauling Rob Austin late on.

Onto Donington Park and there was to be another new winner, also from the Power Maxed TAG Racing stable. After storming to pole position on the Saturday, Josh Cook became the fourth winner of the year as he dominated proceeding’s in his Vauxhall Astra.

Later that day the MAC Tools with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes Benz A-Class of Adam Morgan would be back in the winners circle as he fended off Cook in the reverse grid encounter.

Matt Neal was to be next to stand on the top step of the podium as he showed his class to emerge victorious around the fastest circuit in the country, Thruxton, replicating the feat he had achieved 12 months earlier.

Oulton Park would serve up three different winners as the series moved north, the first being Matt Simpson who claimed a popular breakthrough triumph at the wheel of his Honda Civic Type R. Team BMW would make their mark on the remainder of the day as Colin Turkington and then Rob Collard tallied a win apiece.

Croft marked the halfway point in the season with two more drivers adding their names to the ever-growing list of race winners. Reigning champion Ashley Sutton ignited his title defence with back-to-back wins before BTC Norlin Racing and Daniel Lloyd became BTCC victors for the first time in race three.

The second BTC Norlin Honda Civic Type R of Chris Smiley would become the 12th different winner of the season as the series closed out racing at Rockingham, producing a measured drive in round 24.

With heavy rain falling throughout race day and a bumper Scottish crowd in attendance, the BTCC re-wrote the history books at Knockhill this past weekend (August 25/26) as Joran firstly inherited victory in race two to tie the 2017 record before Chilton’s triumph later surpassed it.

As records continue to tumble in the BTCC, the number of different race winners for this season could yet still rise with events at Silverstone and Brands Hatch GP still to be played out.

Next on the calendar for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is Silverstone, which will host the penultimate event of the season on September 15/16.

Heading into rounds 25, 26 and 27, Turkington sits atop of the Drivers’ standings holding a 43-point advantage over Ingram, who remains his nearest challenger.

BTCC set for Diamond Jubilee celebrations as battle resumes at Snetterton

After a busy summer break the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returns to action at Snetterton this weekend (July 28/29) with its 60th Anniversary set to be celebrated in style.

Following on from events at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Silverstone Classic in recent weeks, Britain’s premier race series will continue to mark its milestone year as battle resumes in rounds 16, 17 & 18 at the Norfolk venue.

Marking the kick-off to the second half of the season, race three of the weekend is set to be the headline attraction. As opposed to the traditional reverse grid encounter, race three from Snetterton will be a unique ‘Diamond Double’ to celebrate the BTCC’s diamond jubilee.

Now a 60-mile contest, almost double the length of a traditional race distance at the circuit, and run over 20 laps, a standalone qualifying session will take place on Saturday to decide the starting positions.

In addition, all cars will compete on base weight and they will all also race on the same tyre, the Dunlop Sport Maxx Prime. Most importantly however is that round 18 of the season will see double championship points on offer. With strategy playing a greater role than usual and tyre management being key, the Diamond Double could well play a major role in the outcome of the title battle.

It has been another vintage year in the BTCC so far with the first half of the 2018 campaign underlining how highly competitive the grid and championship is. So far 11 different drivers have scored race victories whilst a further nine have ascended the second and third place spots on the podium.

Leading the standings heading into the weekend is double champion Colin Turkington. Despite only scoring one victory so far, the Team BMW driver has been a front runner consistently and holds a 19-point advantage over Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram.

Ingram is one of several driver heralded as the next wave of BTCC stars and he has been in fine form too, with two victories being the highlight. Three-time champion Matt Neal finds himself in third whilst BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan has real momentum on his side, elevating himself to fourth in the point’s last time out at Croft.

Tom Chilton and Adam Morgan are firmly in the title fight too whilst reigning champion Ashley Sutton can never be discounted. The Adrian Flux Subaru Racing driver ignited his title defence at Croft with a pair of wins and he will be keen to continue his fine form at Snetterton.

Jack Goff, Josh Cook and Senna Proctor all find themselves inside the top ten too. Goff led the way at the recent Dunlop tyre test held at Snetterton and will be one to watch over the course of the weekend.

Elsewhere, the likes of Croft race winner Daniel Lloyd, Sam Tordoff, Dan Cammish, Rob Collard, Rob Austin and Jason Plato, amongst others, will all be looking to shine too. Familiar faces in the shape of Dan Welch and Ant Whorton-Eales will join the fray too as they replace Jake Hill and Tom Boardman respectively.

With the BTCC celebrating its 60th Anniversary at Snetterton, it is set to be an unforgettable weekend of racing and one that could ultimately prove pivotal come the series finale at Brands Hatch GP.

Ginetta Junior trio set for championship crescendo

The destiny of the Ginetta Junior Championship will be decided at Brands Hatch this weekend (September 29/30) with three drivers set to duke it out across what is expected to be a trio of high-octane races.

This year’s crop of youngsters aged 14 to 17 have served up a feast of entertainment so far, with 23 races of blockbuster action already in the books.

Heading south to tackle the Grand Prix layout of the popular Kent venue, the trio of Louis Foster, Adam Smalley and Luke Browning look set to continue their season-long fight for supremacy.

Once penalty points are applied, Elite Motorsport’s Foster heads into the title showdown holding a 21-point advantage. On the cusp of writing his name into the history books by the winning the series at the first attempt, Foster will be keen to continue the impressive run of results that has seen him move to the top of the standings.

Having enjoyed a consistent first half of the year, six victories from the past seven races has seen the teenage sensation topple his rivals and take the lead of the championship with just three races to spare.

Former Ginetta Scholarship winner Smalley is Foster’s main protagonist in the title battle as it stands and he had been leading the standings for a majority of the season before Silverstone.

With a total of 15 podiums to his name, including six wins, Smalley has been a revelation in his second season in the championship and the Elite Motorsport driver could yet walk away as champion.

Richardson Racing’s Browning sits third on the leaderboard, albeit 48 points off the summit. Seven victories have been the peak of his season however a handful of low scoring rounds is the reason why the #11 machine will enter the weekend needing to do the most if he is to steal the title from under the noses of Foster and Smalley.

Whilst all eyes will be focused on the top three in the standings as they duke it out for the championship crown, several other drivers will be keen to end their 2018 campaigns on a high.

Patrick Kibble, James Taylor, Ruben Del Sarte, James Hedley and Greg Johnson are just a handful of drivers that have been in the mix for podium finishes this year and all of them, plus a host of others, could play a pivotal role in the outcome of the title if they throw themselves into the mix at the sharp end of the grid over the course of the weekend.

Qualifying for the Ginetta Junior Championship takes place on Saturday at 10:30 before races one and two at 14:45 and 17:45 later that day. The final round of the season takes place on Sunday at 12:55.

Tom Ingram leads BTCC battle into Rockingham as title fight gets set to intensify

The fight to decide the destiny of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is set to further intensify this weekend (August 11/12) as the series heads to Rockingham for rounds 19, 20 and 21.

Following on from a weekend of Diamond Jubilee celebrations at Snetterton last time out, the annual visit to the Corby-based circuit will likely play a pivotal role as drivers battle to stamp their authority heading into the title run-in.

Since the BTCC’s first visit in 2003, Rockingham has continued to deliver a feast of entertainment on its partial-oval 1.94-mile layout. Whilst this weekend marks the seventh stop on the BTCC calendar, it is also set to be the last for at least one year after it was announced that Rockingham would not be part of the 2019 BTCC schedule.

Leading the way to Northamptonshire is Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram who is six points clear of double-champion Colin Turkington. Ingram produced a stellar performance at Snetterton last time out, salvaging his race day with a storming driver from P27 to third in the second encounter, before adding another podium in the Diamond Double.

With two wins to his name and momentum on his side, Ingram has shown no signs of wavering at the moment and his hunt for a maiden BTCC title could well pick up steam at a venue that holds fond memories for himself and the team.

Turkington’s consistency has been second to none this year and the Team BMW driver will be focused on recapturing the points lead he lost last time out.

Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Matt Neal currently sits in third and he emerged as the big winner from Snetterton as he closed the gap to summit with victory in the double points race at the Norfolk venue.

Jack Goff, another winner from Snetterton, trails Neal by a single point – meaning the top four are covered by a mere 17 points and that it is all to play for as the title battle heats up.

Beyond the top five sit a host of drivers that are all also on the fringe of the championship battle and one good result away from throwing themselves into further contention. BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan has yet to win but has been in the mix at each event and will be keen to repeat his winning performances of Rockingham from one year ago.

Defending champion Ashley Sutton has the most victories this season, three, but no points in the Diamond Double saw him lose crucial ground in the title race. Tom Chilton, Adam Morgan and Sam Tordoff round out the championship top ten and all three could yet have their say on the title fight too.

Whilst the likes of Daniel Lloyd, Dan Cammish, Senna Proctor, Brett Smith and Jason Plato, amongst others, have all also starred this year and will be focused on adding further strong results.

The BTCC will see three new faces join the fray this weekend too as Ricky Collard replaces father Rob Collard at Team BMW, Glynn Geddie returns to fill the vacant MG seat at AMD Tuning and Ollie Pidgley completes Team HARD’s Volskwagen driver line-up.

With a total of 11 different race winners already and a title race seemingly wide open, the BTCC is for another ultra-competitive weekend as Rockingham signs off.

TOCA support package ready to return for Snetterton spectacular

It is not just the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship that returns this weekend at Snetterton (July 28/29), with all five TOCA support categories also resuming battle following the customary mid-season break.

In what has already been an action-packed campaign for the variety of one-make championships, the annual trip to Norfolk will spark the second half of the season for all five – and the intensity is set to increase.

Grabbing a lot of the headlines so far this season has been the Renault UK Clio Cup, and that theme could continue across the weekend’s two races. Max Coates arrives at Snetterton as the series leader but the Team Pyro driver has stiff competition hot on his heels.

Multiple champion Paul Rivett has proved to be a continuous threat so far whilst James Dorlin will be keen to get back in the mix after a tough Croft. The Westbourne Motorsport driver won five races in-a-row earlier in the year but came unstuck at his home event.

The likes of Daniel Rowbottom, Dan Zelos, Jade Edwards, Ben Colburn, Mike Epps and last year’s Renault UK Clio Cup Junior champion Jack Young, who makes his debut this weekend, will also be ones to look out for.

There is always an abundance of entertainment in the Ginetta Junior Championship and this year’s crop of 14 to 17-year-olds have showcased that once again. Former scholarship winner Adam Smalley currently leads the way after a strong Croft event and he will be keen to extend his advantage in the weekend’s two nine-lap encounters.

On his tail however are a host of youngsters that have been in the mix from the get-go. Louis Foster, Luke Browning, Fin Green, Ruben Del Sarte, and Gus Burton are just five drivers from a stacked entry list that can stop Smalley from further strengthening his position at the top of the points.

Further Ginetta action will be on display at Snetterton in the shape of the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup. A trio of races are set to be run around the challenging 300 circuit and the title race is set to hot up as Charlie Ladell looks to continue his run of being on the podium in every race so far.

Carl Boardley scored a hat-trick of wins at Croft last time out and closing the gap to series leader will be his main goal whilst Harry King, Tom Roche and Carl Shield will all also be eyeing that top step of the rostrum.

Racing for the first time since Oulton Park, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB will get back on track with two races during the weekend. In what has already been a tense battle at the top of the points, Tio Ellinas currently leads the way but Dino Zamparelli, Tom Wrigley, Lewis Plato, George Gamble and Dan Harper are all in the championship conversation.

Capping off the weekend’s blockbuster action is a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Kiern Jewiss is currently the drive to beat in the single seaters series but the likes of Ayrton Simmons, Dennis Hauger, Sebastian Priaulx and Jack Doohan lead the fight into Snetterton.