Tag: BARC

British Truck Racing headlines Brands Hatch blockbuster

Brands Hatch played host to a spectacular two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (November 3/4) with yet more champions being crowned.

With a sensational firework display lighting up the sky to close out the weekend’s on-track entertainment, a bumper crowd descended on the Kent circuit to witness a feast of entertainment.

Topping the bill was the final round of the British Truck Racing Association Championship, which saw eight races run and two titles being decided.

In Division 1, Ryan Smith clinched his third title in succession as he pipped title rival David Jenkins in a pulsating opening race. Having been the benchmark driver all season, the MAN racer’s 21st victory of the season proved to be enough to see him join an elite list of champions.

Jamie Anderson, Stuart Oliver and John Newell scored a win apiece in the remaining Division 1 races to bring the curtain down on season that will live long in the memory.

Despite enduring his own share of bad luck towards the end of the season, two wins at Brands Hatch for Luke Garrett was enough for him to be crowned champion in Division 2.

Watching on as chief protagonist Brad Smith cantered to victory in the opening race, Garrett held his nerve to achieve a lifelong dream. Eric Forsstrom added his name to the long list of Division 2 winners by also triumphing.

John Mickel wrote his name into the history books of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres by wrapping up his fourth consecutive title. Solid points across the trio of races on day one was enough for Mickel to be crowned champion for a fifth time in his career – adding to his ledger as one of the best Legends drivers in the world.

Whilst the championship battle between Mickel and Steve Whitelegg became the main focus for many, a hat-trick of wins fell the way of Miles Rudman. Marcus Pett scored his own brace of victories too with Martin Gibson rounding out the season on the top step of the podium as well.

In the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Scott Bourne made it back-to-back titles as he successfully retained his crown, narrowly edging out season-long rival Lea Wood.

Entering the final event of the season with a slender points lead, a fifth, third and race win was more than enough to ensure Bourne lived up to the mantel of champion to defend his title. In the remaining two races

Lewis Saunders capped off his first season of racing in the Junior Saloon Car Championship in fine style as he clinched the inaugural Winter Cup title. Just a few weeks on from being crowned 2018 champion, the teenage sensation underlined his credentials as one to watch for the future around the Indy circuit.

Steven Chandler edged out Saunders and Ben Kasperczak in the opening encounter before the latter two produced a performance that will live long in the memory in race two. Going wheel-to-wheel race-long, Saunders grabbed victory at the final corner on the last lap to sign off a dream maiden year in the JSCC.

If you missed any of the action from day two of the BARC’s Truck Racing finale weekend, head to the BARC TV live stream and watch it back. Click here to view.

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

Eight round 2019 British Rallycross Championship schedule unveiled

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship will be contested across eight events over seven weekends in 2019 after series organisers unveiled the calendar for next year.

Coming off the back of a hugely successful 2018 campaign which saw Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins crowned champion at the first attempt, the adrenaline-fuelled series is already looking ahead to another year of flat-out competition.

Silverstone will once again play host to the opening round of the season in late March before the championship heads to the spiritual home of rallycross, Lydden Hill, for its traditional Bank Holiday Monday meeting.

Pembrey will stage the only double-header of the year in June with rounds three and four taking place at the much-loved South Wales venue.

A second visit in August to Lydden Hill is then shortly followed up by the first of two trips to Croft. With the championship battle set to reach fever pitch, Pembrey will stage the penultimate round of the year before the curtain falls on the 2019 season at Croft.

Championship Manager, Tim Whittington, said: “I’m pleased to be able present a calendar that offers a full season of competition and makes use of the circuits available to us.

“Toyo Tires remains the title sponsor for the third year and the championship will continue to be covered by a mix of social media coverage and TV broadcasts.”

2019 Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship

Round 1 – Silverstone – March 24

Round 2 – Lydden Hill – April 22

Round 3 – Pembrey – June 22

Round 4 – Pembrey – June 23

Round 5 – Lydden Hill – August 26

Round 6 – Croft – September 8

Round 7 – Pembrey – September 22

Round 8 – Croft – October 27

BARC stars at inaugural MotorsportDays.LIVE event

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a productive two days at Silverstone this past weekend (November 2/3) after attending the inaugural MotorsportDays.LIVE event.

Aimed at giving enthusiasts, amateurs and professional drivers the opportunity to get on track, as well as providing ample opportunity to begin preparation for 2019, the two-day spectacle proved to be an overwhelming success.

Situated in the exhibition hall, the BARC presented a striking stand and welcomed a raft of fans, drivers, teams, championship organisers and marshals across both days.

Downstairs in the pit garages and on-track around the International layout of the Northamptonshire-based venue were a host of BARC categories, all of whom were a popular draw for those in attendance.

Headlining the BARC contingent was the all new BARC UK Sports Prototype Cup which unveiled the jaw-dropping Revolution race car. Bringing LMP technology and safety to the masses for an affordable price, the lightweight sportscar garnered plenty of attention ahead of its 2019 debut.

Elsewhere the brand new Series Elite Jaguar XE SV Project 8 car also broke cover with two machines taking to the track. Set to launch next year, the unique over 50 championship has proven to be a popular concept and that was further cemented as it attracted plenty of eyes over both days.

The APL Caterham Graduates Championship, Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, Dunlop Endurance Championship and the Hyundai Coupe Cup were all also present at Silverstone, all of them enjoying a positive presence with several drivers keen to race with them next year.

MotorsportDays.LIVE is set to return to Silverstone in 2019 with an official date set to be announced in due course.

Three-way British Rallycross Championship title fight to be decided at Silverstone

The destiny of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship will be decided at Silverstone this Sunday (November 4) with three drivers all in contention to lift the coveted crown.

Mark Higgins, Julian Godfrey and Ollie O’Donovan enter the final round of the season with a mathematical shot of being crowned champion, and the home of British motorsport is set to provide a fitting backdrop for the impending battle.

Making history by staging the inaugural rallycross at Silverstone on a sub-zero day in March, the championship has since travelled the length and breadth of the country, with twists and turns taking place along the way.

O’Donovan heads to the home of British motorsport in the pound seat, sitting atop the drivers standings. At the wheel of his striking Ford Focus and at times Ford Fiesta, the Irishman has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the year, scoring three wins during the mid-point of the campaign.

Whilst O’Donovan finds himself as the leader of the pack, his advantage is a slim one with five-time champion Godfrey just five points back. Having switched to the Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage for the season, the renowned racer has endured his own fair share of bad luck on his way to also notching a trio of triumphs.

Albatec Racing’s Higgins is the final contender in with a shout of lifting the title at Silverstone, and if he were to do so it would cap off a brilliant maiden season for him. Jumping across to the world of rallycross, Higgins has been a regular fixture towards the front of the field and sits just six points behind O’Donovan having scored two wins.

With a titanic three-way fight for supremacy brewing in the Supercar category, all eyes are set to be on O’Donovan, Godfrey and Higgins to see who walks away as 2018 champion come Sunday night.

Beyond the top three are a host of drivers that can all leave their mark on the title battle too. Dan Rooke, champion of 2016, makes a triumphant return to the series in the RX Racing Ford Fiesta – his first appearance since winning the title at Croft two years ago.

Series stalwarts Pat Doran, Mad Mark, Kevin Proctor, Steve Hill, Steve Mundy and a handful more will also be in action over the course of the day; all keen to sign off their season’s in style.

In addition to the Supercar category, spectators will also witness edge-of-the-seat thrills from the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship, Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, Retro Rallycross and RX150 – all adding up to make it a day to remember.

Fireworks set to fly at Brands Hatch spectacular

Fireworks are set to fly both on and off the track at Brands Hatch this weekend (November 3/4) as the British Automobile Racing Club descends on the Indy circuit for a blockbuster season finale for four categories.

Billed as one of the standout events on the 2018 calendar, the Kent venue will played host to a titanic two days of track action before lighting up the sky for fans with a spectacular firework display like no other.

Headlining the weekend’s action are eight races from the British Truck Racing Association Championship which has an entry list of 30+ machines. Returning to the scene of where their year began, the heavyweight behemoths have been in mesmerising form throughout the season, with titles in both Division 1 and Division 2 still to be decided.

Sitting on the cusp of a third consecutive crown in the top tier, Ryan Smith has at times been in a league of his own in Division 1 and could well be crowned champion in race one of the weekend. With David Jenkins being the only man to stop Smith, all eyes will be on the top two to see if Smith can write his name into the history books or whether Jenkins can produce a comeback for the ages.

Division 2 will also see a two-horse race for the title unfold with Luke Garrett and Brad Smith set to go head-to-head. Garrett has been the leading figure to emerge from the more production-based class this year with countless victories placing him at the summit of points.

Smith meanwhile has been somewhat under the radar, keeping his head down to tally the points week-by-week. With the pair set to be joined by a host of race-winning contenders, this weekend’s battle for the Division 2 is not to be missed at all.

The theme of two drivers battling it out for title supremacy continues in the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, with John Mickel and Steve Whitelegg bidding to walk away as the victor.

Aiming to clinch his fourth successive Legends title, Mickel has been in superlative form – notching 13 wins along the way. Sitting in the box seat, Mickel heads into the finale as the favourite although with 1200 points on offer and Whitelegg a man on a mission, anything could happen.

In addition to the title battle, Legends will write a notable piece in their own history at Brands Hatch with the opening heat on Sunday being the championship’s 250th in its near 25-year lineage.

Scott Bourne and Lea Wood will bring the curtain down on their season-long battle by fighting it out for the Pickup Truck Racing Championship. Bidding to defend the title he won last year, Bourne has been at his brilliant best throughout the season but has come under constant threat from Wood.

With the two having sharing top spot as each round has passed, the culmination of a years racing will come down to the boil across three high-octane races around the 1.2 mile Indy layout.

Capping off the weekend will be a pair of races from the Junior Saloon Car Championship as it stages its inaugural Winter Cup. Just a few weeks ago the curtain fell on the 2018 season for the 14 to 17-year-old category with Lewis Saunders being crowned champion, and he makes up the 15-car entry list.

Running as a standalone one-off event, the highest points scorer over the two races will be declared the maiden victor in the JSCC Winter Cup.

CTCRC & Max’s shine at Brands Hatch

There were further title celebrations for a host of drivers at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 27/28) as the British Automobile Racing Club brought the curtain down on more championships.

As the 2018 motorsport season continues to draw to a close, the first of several visits to the Kent circuit by the BARC served up a feast of entertainment, with the Classic Touring Car Championship and Max5 Racing Championship taking centre stage.

The combined Class & Historic Thunder and Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series races showcased what the CTCRC is all about as Dave Cockell reigned supreme, taking a pair of wins in his striking Ford Escort Cosworth.

Spoils were shared between Mini drivers Barry Sime and Paul Inch in the Pre 66 Classic Saloon and Historic Touring Cars encounters whilst David Howard and Stephen Primett did the same in the Pre 83 Touring Cars category.

Fans of more modern machinery would have been glued to the amalgamated Pre 93 Touring Cars, Pre 2003 Touring Cars and Pre 05 Production Saloon Cars, both of which delivered unrelenting thrills and spills throughout. Come the end of the weekend, Ray West and Alexander Own took a win apiece.

With Brands Hatch proving to be the footnote of the Classic Touring Car Championship season, it also meant that champions would be crowned; Stephen Primett, Steve Barden and Anna Barden just some of them.

In the Max5 Racing Championship, two wins for Paul Roddison meant that he asserted himself as the man to beat in the series whilst also wrapping up the title in Class C. Roddison was at his brilliant best around the Indy circuit and couldn’t be matched, despite the best efforts of Ian Loversidge.

Variety was the spice of life in the BARC South East Tin Tops Championship where Rod Birley and Bradley Lane scored one win each. Birley was in superlative form across the weekend as he also scored victory in the BARC South East Modified Saloon Car Championship too, with Andy Thompson also triumphing.

Lewis Smith meanwhile wrapped up the weekend’s BARC action in the Scrapco Avon Intermarque Championship as he romped to a pair of race wins.

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

MotorsportDays.LIVE awaits the BARC in early November

The British Automobile Racing Club will have a presence at the inaugural MotorsportDays.LIVE event which takes place at Silverstone Circuit on November 2/3.

Offering a fresh opportunity for genuine track day enthusiasts, amateur and professional race drivers, championship co-ordinators, engineers, industry progressional, motorsport investors and more, MSD Live is set to be a smash-hit.

Based at Stand H2-108, the BARC will be on hand to discuss everything from championships to compete in, 2019 race meetings, membership, marshalling and much more.

In addition, a handful of cars from BARC categories – situated in the garages underneath the trade area – will be on-site for prospective drivers to sample around the ‘International layout’ as they evaluate their options for next season.

Having gone from strength-to-strength in recent years, the Hyundai Coupe Cup will be present with four cars whilst two machines from the ever-growing Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge will also be in attendance.

Set to launch in 2019, Series Elite will be on hand to discuss what they are bringing to the UK motorsport scene with a pair of eye-catching Jaguar’s ready to turn a wheel.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship are also confirmed to take to the track in their high-octane machines too.

With the overall objective of making ‘getting on track’ easier, MSD Live will also provide a panelled conference, giving attendees the opportunity to gain expert advice and interact with some of motorsport’s established names. Areas of the sport such as technical set-ups, attracting sponsorship, marketing, media engagement and legal guidance are just some subjects up for discussion.

For more information on MotorsportDays.LIVE and how to purchase tickets, visit www.motorsportdays.live

British Schools Karting Championship victor Ethan Brooks wins Ginetta Junior Scholarship

Ethan Brooks has secured a fully-funded season in the 2019 Ginetta Junior Championship after winning the coveted Ginetta Junior Scholarship.

Taking place at Ginetta’s own circuit, Blyton Park, the three-day process saw a wealth of young drivers take on a variety of driving, media and fitness tests – with the competition being whittled down along the way.

Impressing the judging panel throughout the process, Brooks was crowned the winner to clinch one of the most coveted prizes in British motorsport.

In addition to earning himself a spot on the grid for next year and the use of a Ginetta G40 race car, Brooks will also receive insurance, consumables, tyres and fuel plus professional car preparation from an experienced team for the duration of the 2019 campaign.

Brooks’ triumph has further reinforced the importance of competing in the British Schools Karting Championship. In the past two years, the teenager racer has won the arrive-and-drive karting title with Brentwood School, using it as a springboard to continue to climb the motorsport ladder.

Brooks is set to follow in the footsteps of former BSKC victor Matt Luff, as well as former Scholarship winners James Taylor and newly crowned champion Adam Smalley by competing in the popular one-make series.

The 2019 Ginetta Junior Championship will once again take place alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, travelling the length and breadth of the UK. Brands Hatch will play host to the opening round of the season on April 6/7.

Adam Smalley prevails as champion from Ginetta Junior Championship finale

The Ginetta Junior Championship crowned Adam Smalley as its champion at Brands Hatch this past weekend (September 29/30) following a dramatic final event of the season around the iconic Grand Prix circuit.

Having served up a year of thrills and spills, the Junior category had one last chapter of 2018 to write and it proved to be entertaining all the way.

After showcasing themselves to being in a league of their own against the rest of the field, Smalley, Louis Foster and Luke Browning all arrived at the Kent venue with a chance of being crowned champion.

All three would shine over the course of the weekend with Richardson Racing’s Browning being the first to do so in race one. With the lead pack bumper-to-bumper throughout, overtaking moves were being made at almost every turn and the decisive one came in the closing minutes as Browning muscled his way past Smalley into the lead.

Going on to score a pivotal victory, Browning kept his title hopes alive whilst Smalley banked solid points in second. Foster meanwhile could only salvage fourth as Patrick Kibble rounded off the podium.

Arguably the most crucial race came in the second Junior duel as Smalley prevailed to extend his points lead. In a race of attrition, the Elite Motorsport withstood a barrage of attacks from the chasing pack before a late safety car neutralised the race, and due to the clock ticking to zero, that is how things would finish.

With all three drivers heading into the final race of the season still in contention, Smalley found himself in the pound seat holding a 26-point advantage over Foster. Starting on pole position, Smalley dropped down the order early on as team-mate Foster stormed to the front of the field.

As the laps ticked by, the battle for supremacy hanged in the balance but as Foster crossed the line to record his latest victory after a back-and-forth battle with Browning, Smalley finished fifth and with it, sealed the championship crown.

“It was pretty horrific!” he said after the race. “I got passed on the first lap, and then beaten up after that. I knew I had to finish around sixth to take the title comfortably. The goal was to go out and win it, but I did what I needed to to.

“I couldn’t control the emotion, it was too overwhelming, I’m over the moon.  We’ve been unfortunate in races, coming out on top is great.”

For the full final championship standings and results from all sessions at Brands Hatch, click here.

BTCC signs off 2018 season in spectacular style at Brands Hatch

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship brought the curtain down on its Diamond Jubilee season in style at Brands Hatch this weekend with three dramatic races and champions being crowned.

Having already proven to be a record-breaking campaign, the BTCC’s 60th Anniversary was signed off in typically thrilling fashion as Colin Turkington beat season-long rival Tom Ingram to lift the coveted title for a third time.

Turkington’s championship triumph was just half the story however on a weekend that saw the series showcase why it is one of the leading categories in the world.

Qualifying kicked off proceedings with the all-important battle for pole position set to be critical in the title battle. Following a frenetic session, Brett Smith topped the timesheet as the clock ticked to zero, handing him his maiden BTCC pole position.

Behind the Eurotech Racing driver were a further four Honda Civic Type R’s as the underlined their superiority around the Grand Prix layout. Of the championship protagonists, Turkington could only manage 17th whilst Ingram languished in 19th.

Halfords Yuasa Racing wild prove to be the dominant force on race day however as they stormed to a pair of 1-2 finishes, with Dan Cammish finally scoring a breakthrough victory and with it becoming the 17th different race winner of the season.

As the lights went out for race one, Smith held the lead off the start but soon found himself at the mercy of Cammish who made his move at Clearways. Triple champion Neal followed soon after and that was to be how it finished at the chequered flag.

Drama was to follow afterwards though as Cammish was handed a 30-second time penalty after being adjudged to have made a false start. Following an appeal by the team, Cammish was later reinstated as the race winner meaning the original result stood.

For Turkington and Ingram, a handful of points for both saw the Team BMW driver extend his advantage and put him on the cusp of championship glory heading into race two.

Cammish produced a carbon copy performance in race two, despite being ladened with 75kgs of success ballast as he led home Neal for another Honda 1-2. Things were far less comfortable for Neal however as he fended off Andrew Jordan for a majority of the race.

In the title battle, Turkington found himself in the thick of the action and contact with Dan Lloyd at Paddock Hill Bend was shortly followed by a trip through the gravel trap sent him tumbling down the order.

As that happened, Ingram’s target became clear – he had to finish on the podium to keep the championship alive. Hustling his Speedworks Motorsport Toyota into fourth, Ingram tried everything he could to muscle his way past Jordan in the closing laps but was unable to do so, meaning Turkington secured an unassailable lead and was crowned champion.

The final race of the weekend and the season proved to be a fitting end to the BTCC’s Diamond Jubilee as outgoing champion Ashley Sutton and Josh Cook engaged in a ding-dong battle for the honours.

Going bumper-to-bumper for a majority of the race and dicing for the lead, the pair kept fans on the edge of their seats and they were soon out of them as Sutton drew alongside Cook on the run to the line – snatching victory by a mere 0.032 of a second.

Rob Austin rounded out the final podium of the season as he finished third in his HMS Racing Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

As Turkington celebrated becoming a three-time BTCC champion, BMW and West Surrey Racing also successfully retained their BTCC Manufacturer/Constructor Championship and BTCC Teams Championship respectively.

Ingram and Speedworks Motorsport did the same in the Independents’ categories whilst the Toyota Avensis driver was also the winner of the Dunlop Forever Forward award for the most overtakes over the course of the season.

Capping off the list of title winners was two-time race winner Cammish who lifted the Jack Sears Trophy.

For the final championship standings as well as the full classification of results from the weekend, click here.

Series Elite unveils new car ahead of inaugural season

The striking Jaguar XE SV Project 8 has been unveiled at the International Property Awards in London as the new car that will be campaigned in the inaugural season of Series Elite in 2019.

Aimed at high net worth individuals with a minimum age of 50 years, the newly launched category is aimed at providing novice drivers who never had the opportunity to go racing in their youth, as well those more experienced drivers who raced in their younger days and still wish to compete.

Since launching in March the series has garnered plenty of interest, with work progressing behind the scenes to put together the correct package to ensure the one-make category continues to flourish.

Having received high acclaim from the automotive industry and media, the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is set to become a thoroughbred race car in the series, with development of the car already well underway before testing commences in early 2019.

Series Elite founder, Graeme Glew, said: “The opportunity to develop this awesome car into a fully fledged racer was one that I jumped at. Not only will our drivers own a fantastic race car, when they finally hang up their race boots, they can if they wish, convert their Project 8 back to a road going version, one of no more than 300 will be made by Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations.”

Set to offer a turnkey racing opportunity and designed to appeal to both amateurs and more experienced racers, drivers will be provided with all the relevant training, testing and race experience needed to compete in the new series, with their cars stored and prepared at a centralised team facility.

With visits to Silverstone, Donington Park, Brands Hatch and Portimao all set to feature on the calendar next year, preparations are in full swing for the category to make its mark early next year.

“The last six months have been an intensive period of developments and it’s another milestone for us with the showcasing of the Project 8 car at the International Property Awards event this week,” Glew continued.

“We’ll be introducing the Series to a vey affluent, driven audience and offer them the chance to re-ignite an old passion or achieve an unfulfilled ambition.

“Our original plan was to hold a one-off ‘taster’ race weekend later this year. However, the car development and series preparation has led us to focus on an early 2019 test programme ahead of the inaugural race calendar.

“We’ll be giving our drivers even more track time and an opportunity to be race-ready and fully prepared for what promises to be a very exciting addition to the options for the more mature driver to go racing.

“We’ve also partnered with a number of luxury brands that will be joining us at the event, like-minded businesses who work within the HNWI industry and meet their demands for exclusivity and enriching their lives.”

Those wanting more information on Series Elite should head to https://www.serieselite.com/

Charlie Ladell seals Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup title in dominant fashion

Charlie Ladell was perfection personified in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup at Brands Hatch to seal the coveted championship title in fine style.

Having topped the standings since the opening event of the season, the Rob Boston Racing wrapped up the one-make series crown with one race to spare after dominating proceedings around the Grand Prix layout.

Arriving at the season finale in a commanding position at the summit of the points, ahead of chief rival Carl Boardley, Ladell laid down his marker by storming to pole position in qualifying after originally losing his fastest time.

Launching off the front row in race one, the 22-year-old took a significant step closer to championship glory with a lights-to-flag victory ahead of Angus Fender and Harry King.

Starting on pole position for race two, Ladell underlined his title credentials with another superlative drive from behind the wheel of his #32 machine. Holding off King as the lights went out, Ladell settled into a rhythm and maintained the gap to the Elite Motorsport driver all the way to the chequered flag to score his tenth win of the season.

“This is an incredible feeling, it won’t sink in for a while,” Ladell said as celebrations began. “To do it with two wins is amazing, I can’t thank everyone around me enough. Everyone has worked so hard and it’s all come together.

“It was just a case of counting down the laps. Harry kept close, it wasn’t easy but I brought it home!”

Tom Roche capped off the season as he cantered to the victory in the final race of the weekend and the 2018 campaign, finishing ahead of Carl Boardley and Adam Shepherd.

In the Am class, Michael Crees recovered from a first lap spin in race two to charge through the field and ensure he secured title honours.

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