Category: Barc

Thruxton Circuit is set to mark its 50th Anniversary in style this weekend (June 2/3) with two days of iconic races, mesmerising displays, jaw-dropping off track attractions and famous faces all set to feature.

The first motorsport event to be held at the home of the British Automobile Racing Club in its current guise took place in 1968 and since then, the Hampshire venue has welcomed all manner of machinery, all of them making an indelible mark.

One of the very few circuits in the UK that has remained untouched, all five decades of Thruxton will be showcased during the weekend on what is set to be a spirited trip down memory lane.

Part of that visit to yesteryear will come from the bumper 13-race programme that has been put together which encompasses a wide range of illustrious machines that have starred at the venue down the years.

Action from the Historic Touring Car Challenge/Tony Dron Trophy, Spirit of Thruxton Single-Seater Race for the Jochen Rindt Memorial Trophy, RAC Woodcote Trophy/Stirling Moss Trophy, Ian Taylor Trophy Race for HSCC Historic Formula Ford Championship, HSCC Guards Trophy, M7RC Mini Se7en Championship and M7RC Mini Miglia Championship are set to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Away from the racing there will be a host of eye-catching demonstration runs, all of which will be out to steal the show. Formula 1 will return to Thruxton for the first time since 1993 to top the demo run billing as Karun Chandhok takes the reins of the flame-spitting Williams FW08C, the 540kg, 530bhp Ford Cosworth DFV V8 powered car that Keke Rosberg drove in 1983.

The last time a Formula 1 car tackled the sweeping bends of Thruxton was when Damon Hill drove the title-winning Williams FW15C 25 years ago, clocking a stunning average speed of 147.25mph.

Other machines that will take to the track include a Lola T70, March 721g, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford GT and a host of motorcycles from different eras.

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will also have a presence too with old and new machines turning a wheel; Rob Austin and Rob Collard in the machines they currently compete in whilst James and Anita Dodd pilot a Honda Accord and Nissan Primera, two icons of Super Touring.

The array of stunning machines don’t just stop on the track however with a wealth of much-loved static cars on display. In addition to the Rosberg Formula 1 machine, Williams will also showcase the famous ‘Red 5’ of Nigel Mansell that powered him to championship glory in 1992, the unique six-wheeled FW08B and the FW38 – the teams 2016 car.

Porsche’s last hurrah in the FIA World Endurance Championship – the stunning technical marvel that is the 919 Hybrid Sports Prototype – will join the likes of the Aston Martin GTE, Ford GT40 and much more.

Mansell himself will be in attendance too and will be joined my Murray Walker as they both officially open the brand-new, state-of-the-art £2 million Thruxton Centre at 12:00 noon on Sunday.

Beyond all of the track and paddock attractions there is set to be even more entertainment taking place around the venue across both days.

Coach rounds around the circuit, car club reunions, live music and fireworks on Saturday, as well as a funfair will ensure there is fun for all of the family. One eye should also be fixed on the skies on Sunday morning as the world-famous British Army parachute display team the Red Devils will perform their thrilling, adrenaline-fuelled aerial choreography over the circuit.

It is set to be a fitting way to mark five decades of Thruxton and it will also serve as the perfect start to the next 50 years as well.

Tickets will be available to purchase on the gate from £15.00 on Saturday, £20.00 on Sunday and £24.00 for the whole weekend.

Proving to be one of the marquee nights on the calendar, the great and the good of UK motorsport came together on Saturday (17th February) for the annual BARC Championship Awards Evening.

Held at the Mecure Daventry Court Hotel for the first time, Alan Hyde hosted what proved to be a memorable night where a host of prestigious awards were handed out. In-keeping with the new venue there were also new trophies, provided by Aford Awards.

More than 30 drivers were awarded during the evening with Dunlop MSA British Touring Car champion Ashley Sutton leading the coveted list.

Alongside the championship awards, a further three illustrious accolades were handed out to unsuspecting winners.

The Densley Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding female driver in the BARC, went the way of Mighty Minis champion Alice Hughes whilst Junior Saloon Car title winner Will Dyrdal picked up The Peter Collins Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most promising newcomer competing in BARC events.

The Presidents Cup, which is presented to the most successful driver below international level, was awarded to BARC King Henry’s Taverns Clubmans champion Mike Evans.

Prize-giving didn’t just stop with those that sit behind-the-wheel however with two marshals picking up awards too. Di Hardy picked up the BARC Marshal of the Year Trophy whilst Dave Hodgson was bestowed with The Sir Clive Bossom Trophy, virtue of completing the most volunteering days.

Commenting on the evening, BARC Chief Operating Officer Drew Furlong said: “As always our annual awards night proved to be a fitting and memorable night to commemorate our champions of 2017.

“Last year proved to be another memorable season across all of our championships with many of them going right down to the wire and producing non-stop entertainment along the way.

“Evenings like this are a great way to commemorate everyone from the drivers that compete to those that work behind-the-scenes on putting together the events – as well as everyone in-between.

“It proved to be another awards evening to remember and has set everyone up for the season ahead.”

On top of the trophy presentation, the Club also awarded Formula 1 figurehead Bernie Ecclestone with a Gold Medal for his contribution to motorsport, which spanned countless decades.

Finally, as has become a tradition on the night, a total of £1595 was raised and donated to the BARC Marshals and Rescue Fund.

The Williams FW08C raced by Keke Rosberg in the 1983 Formula 1 World Championship is set to return to the track as part of Thruxton Circuit’s eagerly-anticipated 50th Anniversary Celebration this spring.

Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Celebration will take place over the weekend of 2/3 June. The first motorsport event to be held at the venue in its current guise was on Easter Monday, 1968 and half-a-century on, a whole host of single-seaters, sportscars and saloons from the last five decades will hit the track for a spirited sprint down memory lane.

Away from the race programme, there will be a raft of eye-catching demo runs and static displays, car club reunions and a smattering of famous faces, as well as a funfair, live music, overnight camping and a fireworks display in evidence of the festival’s family-friendly appeal.

With its 540kg aluminium honeycomb chassis powered by a three-litre Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine punching out 530bhp and a six-speed gearbox, the Williams FW08C will both look and sound phenomenal as it scorches around Thruxton’s flat-out sweepers in the hands of a yet-to-be-confirmed high-profile driver. The last time an F1 car was driven at Thruxton in anger was all the way back in 1993, when Damon Hill averaged an eye-watering 147.25mph in the title-winning Williams FW15C.

“We are thrilled to be able to confirm the attendance of the Williams FW08C for a high-speed demo run at our 50th Anniversary Celebration,” enthused Thruxton Group Managing Director, Bill Coombs. “We are grateful to Williams Heritage for agreeing to supply the car.

“I have no doubt that the FW08C will make for a quite incredible spectacle in June. It is what I would call a ‘proper’ F1 car – with its screeching V8 engine and wide rear tyres – and it will surely bring back many evocative memories for those like me who were lucky enough to have witnessed it competing during its heyday. This really will be very special indeed.

“Best of all, this is only the first of several exciting announcements we have in the pipeline for our 50th Anniversary Celebration, so stay tuned to find out what else we have in store for an event that promises to be a race meeting with a difference and much, much more besides.”

Rosberg was the reigning Formula 1 World Champion in 1983, and the moustachioed Finn remained a major player as the complexion of the sport began to change with the advent of the legendary turbo era. Although the FW08C’s ageing, naturally-aspirated Cosworth powerplant was at a disadvantage around some circuits, at the higher-downforce tracks, it truly came into its own and Rosberg was the architect of a superbly-judged wet/dry victory in Monte-Carlo that year.

He went on to finish fifth in the world championship standings, with the additional points scored by French team-mate Jacques Laffite securing Williams fourth spot in the constructors’ classification.

The FW08C is now part of the esteemed Williams Heritage portfolio, which was created in 2014 to manage the British outfit’s collection of historic Formula 1 cars. It is headed up by Jonathan Williams and run by long-time former Williams mechanic and team manager Dickie Stanford.

Since the team’s debut in the top flight back in 1978, Williams cars have won 114 grands prix and no fewer than 16 world championships.

Advance tickets for Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on 2/3 June are available from just £12 for Saturday entry and £15 for Sunday – or £24 for both days. Sunday grandstand seats are an additional £5. Accompanied children aged 15 and under will be admitted free of charge.