Tag: BTRC

The British Truck Racing Championship has confirmed that experienced champions, credible race winners and proven contenders will go wheel-to-wheel for title honours this year, following the official announcement of the 2026 entry list.

Announcing a capacity grid for a second successive campaign, the UK’s premier super-sized series has arguably never been in better shape and that statement is reinforced by the depth in talent that make up this year’s sublime line-up.

Last year saw records tumble as the title races in both Division 1 and Division 2 went down to the wire; and the expectation is for more of the same this time around as the ‘Class of 2026’ look to stake their claim.

Ryan Smith made it a decade of dominance in the series’ premier class last year and the Worldwide Truck Racing driver is back for more in 2026 as he looks to make history by clinching the title for a record 11th time.

Smith’s superlative championship-winning campaign last year saw him draw level with Stuart Oliver on ten titles and now the race is on to see who can become the first driver to lift the coveted prize on 11 different occasions.

Oliver is likely to be one of the biggest threats to Smith’s title defence over the course of the season however not to be discounted from the conversation ether is his Team Oliver Racing team-mate and son, Michael Oliver.

Another former champion that will be worth keeping an eye on is David Jenkins. The MAN driver remained in the mix right the way throughout last season and he’ll be eager to return to the top of the tree once more.

Elsewhere, 333 Motorsport’s Steven Powell and Neil Yates – both podium finishers in 2025 – are back again, so too is Scotsman Tom O’Rourke, who will be hoping to add to the popular victory that he scored in his International Navistar at Thruxton.

Other returning names include John Bowler, Richard Collett, and Nathan Smith, the latter of who is replacing his father David on a full-time basis. He provided a glimpse of his ability at Brands Hatch last November as he charged to a sensational win on his debut.

Completing the Division 1 grid are two returning faces to the championship, brothers Simon Reid and Craig Reid. The Reid Trucksport duo last competed in the series in 2023 and after two years of cutting their teeth on the European stage, they’re back to challenge the established order.

Division 2 delivered action-packed moments at almost every turn last year and the category is poised to serve up even more in 2026.

Jake Evans came out on top of a thrilling head-to-head battle with Callum Eason to ultimately walk away as the champion and the young racer will return this season to defend his crown.

As he will be all too aware, the level of competition in Division 2 is set to be as fierce as ever and Evans will undoubtedly come under pressure in his pursuit of going back-to-back.

Leading the charge for the reigning champion is last year’s runner-up Eason. The WDE Motorsport driver came of age in his debut campaign and with a years’ worth of experience under his belt, he’ll be eager to go one better this time around.

Finnish ace Sami Ojanen tallied multiple wins in his rookie season and he too is another driver that will be one to watch as he looks to secure championship honours for the first time.

Another driver that will no doubt be in the title picture is Simon Cole. Without question one of the most experienced drivers on the Division 2 grid, the Kent racer enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 season before mechanical issues brought his challenge to a close.

Lining up alongside his son Archie Handy, the Cole Trucksport duo will no doubt catch the eye of those watching – especially as the team will be taking the covers off to reveal a striking new look in the cmning months.

Cole and Handy won’t be the only ‘Dad and Lad’ pairing in Division 2 either as Weaver Motorsport will field Bradley Harvey – a double winner at Thruxton last year – and his father, debutant Warren Harvey.

Former champion John Powell will also make a triumphant return to the class this year. After lifting the coveted crown in 2024, Powell graduated to Division 1 with a new truck last year however he was unable to show his full potential – something he will be keen to achieve this time.

There are now less than 75 days to go until the Easter extravaganza curtain-raiser at Brands Hatch.

Tickets for all seven race meetings are available to purchase via each circuit website, with many venues providing discounted prices for a limited time only.

Further announcements regarding official championship partners and 2026 truck liveries are due to be made over the coming weeks and months.

The British Truck Racing Championship is delighted to today (October 10) announce its full calendar for the 2026 season.

Ahead of next month’s season finale, the UK’s biggest motor racing series has locked down its dates for next year, sticking to the tried and tested format of seven events and a total of 34 races.

While the circuits that the championship will visit remain the same as previous years, the order in which they will run has been shaken up by organisers Truck Sport and the British Automobile Racing Club.

Brands Hatch will provide the setting for the annual curtain-raiser in early April before the heavyweight behemoths then set course to the fastest circuit in the country, Thruxton, in mid-May.

The annual visit to Pembrey in South Wales moves to a slot in late June whilst the action at Snetterton takes place two months earlier than usual, moving from its traditional September spot to July.

Donington Park retains its customary headline position in August before the penultimate meeting of the season sees the championship hit the road to France to race at Le Mans in late September.

As has been the case for a number of years, the super-sized series will then close out its season back at Brands Hatch, where a capacity crowd is expected to see fireworks will fly both on and off the track.

Steve Thomas, Truck Sport Director, said: “We’re delighted to be able to share our calendar for the 2026 British Truck Racing Championship season, which sees a slight twist on what is a tried and tested formula.

“Continuing with the brilliant mix of circuits that have made up our calendar in recent years but along with the British Automobile Racing Club, we’ve been able to shake things up in terms of the order and ensuring we race once a month.

“We’ve seen first-hand that the BTRC is as competitive – both on and of the track – as it ever has been and I’ve no doubt that next season will see us continue to hit new, ground-breaking heights.”

2026 British Truck Racing Championship Calendar

April 4-5 // Brands Hatch Indy // Rounds 1-5
May 16-17 // Thruxton // Rounds 6-10
June 20-21 // Pembrey // Rounds 11-15
July 11-12 // Snetterton 300 // Rounds 16-20
August 8-9 // Donington Park // Rounds 21-25
September 26-27 // Le Mans // Rounds 26-29
October 31-November 1 // Brands Hatch Indy // Rounds 30-34

There is something about climbing into your truck, closing the door and hitting the road. A sense of freedom, a sense of journey, a sense of purpose… then you throw in another 20 trucks all scrambling for the same piece of road at race tracks around the country! The British Truck Racing Championship is like nothing else – with Britain’s biggest racing series set to haul into Hampshire this weekend for Convoy Thruxton.

On the road for the very first time is Jakes Evans – who is racing through his first season in Division 2. We caught up with the Staffordshire driver as he explains how he got started and how his remarkable first season is going.

“When we were younger, we couldn’t afford to go circuit racing at a fairly high level and raise the money and budget for cars, so we turned to trucks – an industry that we are in already and made practical and commercial sense. We built this truck ourselves and we raced it as a team for another driver.

“We sat out 2024 and whilst on the sidelines I wanted a new challenge. We had run the truck for a number of years without a huge deal of success – there was a competitive Division 2 when we last ran it. I was itching and bored – looking at different ways to get out and do something. I looked at car racing like MINIs – but when you have the truck sitting there, it was too tempting to get behind the wheel of it myself. The whole rolling assembly was there, truck and trailer, and we worked hard to bring our previous sponsors and some new ones onboard and put a package together to do a season together.”

But it’s not just a simple case of building or buying a truck and going racing, you have to properly train and go through several important steps for safety and progression as Jake explains.

“There’s a couple of ways into it. I already had my Class C truck DVLA licence through work – something you need to have before you start and then you can apply for your ARDS licence. Once that is completed you apply for a National Truck licence from Motorsport UK. What you can’t do is compete with it without a letter from a circuit manager to prove you have tested somewhere for a minimum amount of hours. Those hours have to also be under tuition of a Division 1 driver. Bradley Harvey and I have started this year, and we went to Pembrey with Dave Jenkins for two days and we did all our tuition and we were signed off there. That’s the only way for a novice now. It’s been really beneficial for me as we wouldn’t have had the same level of confidence coming into Brands Hatch without that time and knowledge from someone like Dave.”

First weekend and it’s straight in at the deep end at Brands Hatch. How was Paddock Hill in a truck then?

“That first weekend at Brands was a strange experience for me. I have never done any circuit racing before. I had never driven the truck before the pre-season test at Pembrey to get my licence signed off. Brands Hatch was an eye opener as Pembrey was nice and flat, but going into Paddock in a truck was something else. When you feel that weight transfer as you go down into the compression and up again it’s a phenomenal experience.

“Being a bit higher up – you get a decent perception of the corner – you have that better viewpoint than you would say in a car, but when you are in a race, door-to-door two sometimes three wide – ideally two wide it’s a bit nerve-racking. We have a fair set of drivers in Division 2 – despite a few of us being novices, the standards are high and you feel safe when out racing.

You mentioned a Division 2 truck. For those new to truck racing – what’s the difference to a Division 1 truck?

“The Division 2 truck is a more basic beast. The Division 1 trucks are lighter, more powerful, with different springs and dampers. The regs allow them to be higher performing components than we are allowed. Division 2 used to be, but not anymore as things move on more of a road derived tractor unit come racing truck. Now there is a little more flex. We built this ourselves from two chassis rails up. We have a Division 1 style subframe – trying to make it the best of what it can be. The engine and gearbox are heavy which makes it a Division 2 truck.”

Jake leads the Division 2 standings with a strong 49 point margin as the series prepares for Thruxton. What was the opening round of the season like?

“Brands Hatch was all about getting my feet under the table and getting consistent results and seeing where we are against the competition and then start winding more and more from there. Mechanical reliability, reducing driver errors and trips to the gravel, and not breaking things are all on the mind every race. We took two wins on the opening day and that has given us the confidence to be able to challenge for the championship this year. I would have never believed it had you told me that would have happened. We might not be the quickest everywhere – but this year consistency is the key.

“I have never done Thruxton – that’s going to be some experience! Never done Snetterton or Le Mans so that will also be new. I did my ARDS at Donington so that will help a little. An absolute baptism of fire this year, but if we can have good weekends like the start of the year – then it’s all good and hope Thruxton will be the same.

This weekend the British Truck Racing Championship speeds into Thruxton for five heavyweight bouts around the Hampshire speed bowl. You can purchase you tickets to see the giants live at https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/british-trucks.