It’s another capacity entry as the CNC Heads Sports/Saloons head for Donington Park this weekend, with Paul Rotheroe’s Citroen Xsara VTS still leading the points table after seven rounds. But Rotheroe recorded his first non-finish in the last round at Oulton after losing power to his ECU with a suspected alternator issue.

Simon Allaway’s Lotus Esprit V8 is proving almost unbeatable overall though. Second in the points, he has won every race apart from round three at Anglesey, when he damaged a wheel at the start after contact with Ric Wood’s Volvo. Carl Bennett’s BMW M3 E46 currently lies third and heads Class B, by just two points from Chris Roberts’ BMW M4. Bennett and Rotheroe have both played their double points joker too. Roberts won both races at Oulton at the start of the season, but has had some ongoing issues developing his new car, but his rivalry with Bennett is likely to be just as intense at Donington this weekend.

Fifth in the Championship and second in Class A behind Allaway is Garry Wardle. His TCR Audi A3 had it’s best overall finish at Oulton in the last round, finishing fourth overall. But Garry can often be seen playing catch up, as his car is not suited to standing starts. The closest rivals to Allaway and Wardle in Class A are Ryan Nelson and Ric Wood. Nelson switched from a JCW Mini to a Ginetta G56 GTA this season and was third overall in round six at Oulton. Championship sponsor Wood is due out in his Holden Commodore, but that could end up as any one of his fleet of cars on race day.

Thomas Frankland is due out again in his Renault 5GT Turbo, along with Phil White’s BMW 325 and Jason Hennefer’s Ford Fiesta ST180, while Billy Blockley takes over the family Ginetta G56 GTA from his Dad Richard and Zack Booth’s Renault Megane complete the Class line-up.

With Class B frontrunners Bod Buckby and Ben Roberts both absent this weekend, it gives former Champion Jamie Cryer and opportunity to close up in his Ginetta G20, after problems at Anglesey with broken suspension. But Cryer will have a stern challenge from two further returnees. Paul Masters returns with his Westfield after engine issues at the Oulton opener and former Champion Ian Bamber is back with his Ginetta G20 having missed the whole of last season. Andrew Armiger also becomes the fourth member of his family to race their Vauxhall Tigra in the Championship, while Mark Primett will hopefully have solved the plethora of issues that have plagued his Banks Lotus Europa.

Alek Modro’s Westfield Aero finally came good at Oulton too, finishing second to Allaway in round seven and could be on for another overall podium this weekend. Simon Hutt is in his Silhouette BMW Z4 and James Owen is in another Tigra, along with three Escort RSR’s for Daz Owen, Dave Owen and former BTCC and Pickup racer Lea Wood, while Baz Johnson’s Pontiac Coupe rounds off the Class.

There is just the one taker in Class C again, as John Edwards-Parton brings his Ford Fiesta XR2 out. But in Class D reigning Champion Steven Parker’s Fiesta will have a tough call to challenge the BMW’s of

Bennett and Roberts. Marshall Groves’ Vauxhall Vectra heads the rest, from Simon Graveley’s Golf Gti, Paul Goodlad’s Scirocco hopefully making its seasonal debut, Riccy Walker’s JCW Mini and John Madoc-Jones’ BMW E4 330.David Jones reclaims his Ford Focus Turbo from son Matthew after he raced it at Oulton, David Lawrence is due to debut in a Seat Leon Cupra and veterans Bob Claxton and Ralph Underwood are bringing their respective VW Golf GTi and TR7 V8.

Matthew Jones is re-united with his Ford Focus in Class E and as well as Championship leader Rotheroe, he will have Cavan Taylor’s Renault Clio, Louie Dobson’s Fiesta ST150 and Stuart Connolly’s Honda Civic to challenge him.

Three out of the four Class F entries have taken a win this season. Robert Wakelin won all three races at Anglesey before blowing up at Oulton, but Helen Allen’s Fiesta Zetec currently heads the way, with double Oulton winner Jonjo Lee’s Mini Cooper now back on the pace. Errol Taylor’s Toyota Yaris completes their class.

Finally 2022 Champion Jon Woolfitt is due to make a return too with his Spire GTR.

Qualifying is on Saturday morning at 11.05 for 20 minutes, with race one at 16.15. Sundays race is at 13.25 and both are over 20 minutes too.