Tag: Classic Touring Car Championship

Tickets on sale for prestigious BARC Championship Awards Evening in February

Champions, marshals and officials are set to be honoured at the British Automobile Racing Club’s annual Championship Awards Evening on Saturday 8th February 2020, with the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth confirmed to once again host the prestigious event.

Celebrating the 2019 season in fine style, race suits and overalls will be swapped for black ties and ball gowns as the great and good of UK motorsport come together for what should be another unforgettable night.

Whilst those who emerged victorious from their respective categories over the course of the season will take centre stage, several other ‘secret’ awards will be handed out during the evening as well – adding further excitement to the spectacle.

Hosted by Alan Hyde, the star-studded evening is set to include a three-course dinner and raffle in addition to the customary trophy presentation. Entertainment will come in the shape of popular cover band ‘The Torn Off Strips’.

Tickets for the BARC Championship Awards Evening are priced at £75.00 for BARC Members whilst £85.00 for Non-Members. Click HERE to view and complete the ticket booking form.

For more information regarding the event, please contact: Mandy Curley, BARC Ltd, Thruxton Circuit, Andover, Hants SP11 8PN | Tel: 01264 882202 (direct) | Fax: 01264 882233 | Email: mcurley@barc.net

A limited number of rooms have been allocated at Chesford Grange Hotel on a Bed & Breakfast basis at Double £112 per room and Single £98 per room.

Once allocation has gone, the full rate may be charged. To book and pre pay for your accommodation with the hotel’s central reservations line, contact 0845 074 0060 and quote ‘BARC event’.

BARC champions begin to be crowned as 2019 season heads towards its finale

September; the start of the autumnal season and for the British Automobile Racing Club, a month that marks the start of the title run-in for several of its championships – and several champions having already been crowned.

With the business end of the motorsport season seeing nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat entertainment being provided around the country, a host of BARC categories have already brought the curtain down on their 2019 campaigns.

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club, where variety is the spice of life, served up another exciting season and finished with a flourish at Cadwell Park. Patrick Harris reigned supreme in the Paul Inch – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars whilst CTCRC Group 1 Touring Car Championship honours fell the way of Alan Wilshire.

Envirotec Hygiene Services Pre-93 Touring Cars spoils went to Graham Myers with AJ Owen triumphing in the Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars. In the Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship and Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series, Josh Barber and Piers Grange were the respective victors.

Rounding out the CTCRC winners was Andy Robinson, who was crowned champion in the Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship.

Pete Sparrow was the driver to beat in the Classic 2CV Racing Championship once again as he recorded an unprecedented eighth title triumph. Entering the season as defending champion, nobody could ultimately stop Sparrow from writing his name further into the history books.

The Max5 Racing Championship delivered another captivating year of racing too with Paul Roddison, Aaron Bunning and Steve Kite triumphing in Classes A, B and C respectively.

Ginetta’s raft of different categories have wowed crowds wherever they have competed, with both the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge and Ginetta G40 Cup going down to the wire. Scott McKenna did enough for GT5 spoils whilst Chris Salkeld was the winner in the G40 Cup.

Whilst the Ginetta Racing Drivers Series is not recognised as a championship, Michael Kidson was declared as the winner for achieving the most successful run of results across the six-event calendar. 

Outright honours in the BARC Connaught Speed Championship meanwhile went to James Hunt.

Finally, the British Schools Karting Championship once again saw another ultra-competitive year of racing however nobody was able to stop Brentwood School from scooping a fourth consecutive title.

With plenty more motorsport action taking place over the next month and a half, championship triumphs are set to come thick and fast before another year of motorsport draws to close.

To stay up-to-date with all the latest news and reports from the British Automobile Racing Club, visit www.barc.net.

In addition, you can also follow the BARC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Trio of championships star at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club served up an action-packed day of tin top thrills at Donington Park this past weekend (August 24) as three categories continued their journey towards crowning 2019 champions.

With the sun shining on the challenging Leicestershire venue and the business end of the season fast approaching, the need to succeed was as great as ever.

Ronan Pearson did just that in the Michelin Clio Cup Series as he closed the gap to Simon Freeman in the battle for Race Class honours, winning twice. Having been the benchmark drivers at the front of the field up until now, the pair continued their scrap under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

In the Road Class, Nic Harrison produced another flawless performance to further extend his points lead after scoring another two wins – edging him closer to a third successive title triumph in the process.

The Classic Touring Car Championship meanwhile boasted plenty of variety as some of the most iconic saloon cars went wheel-to-wheel across six enthralling encounters.

Both the Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series and Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship amalgamated together for an action-packed pair of races which saw spoils shared between Andrew Wilson and Mathew Evans.

Elsewhere, Stephen Primett and Mike Luck were the victors in the Paul Inch – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars and CTCRC Group 1 Touring Car Championship races.

The Envirotec Hygiene Services Pre-93 Touring Cars, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars and Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship also came together for two races over the course of the day, with Ray West reigning supreme in both.

Garrie Whittaker capped off the day’s action with another superlative performance in the Kumho BMW Championship, extending his winning streak with another two lights-to-flag drives.

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

Donington Park awaits trio of championships for latest chapter of 2019 season

Donington Park is set to play host to a scintillating Saturday (August 24) of British Automobile Racing Club track action this weekend as three championships journey to the Leicestershire venue to continue their 2019 campaigns.

One of the headline acts will be the Michelin Clio Cup Series, where the pendulum looks likely to continue swinging back-and-forth this weekend as the popular one-make category gears up for its latest instalment.

The Race Class has proven to be highly entertaining with Simon Freeman and Ronan Pearson going wheel-to-wheel on a number of occasions already. Freeman holds the advantage however a breakthrough win for Pearson last time out will likely serve as added motivation to close the gap in the standings.

New-for-2019 has been the Sport Class, which has been open to the fourth generation Clio Cup car and Westbourne Motorsport’s James Colburn has emerged as the benchmark driver up to now, winning every race that has been run so far.

Capping off the Clio Cup Series grid is the Road Class, which is home to machines that are the closest to their road-going counterparts. Double champion Nic Harrison holds the initiative at the moment as he bids to record a third successive title however both Richard Colburn and Darren Geeraerts remain within touching distance.

Garrie Whittaker will look to continue his dominant winning streak at Donington Park this weekend as the Kumho BMW Championship resumes battle.

Open to any production BMW sold in the UK, the championship has proven to be a popular draw for fans and competitors alike with non-stop action all-but guaranteed at every event so far this year.

Triumphing at every event so far, the E36 M3 driver has been the cream of the crop so far, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Notable names to look out for as they aim to take the fight to Whittaker during the day include Lucky Khera, James Card, James West, Trevor Ford and Jas Sapra, amongst many more.

The Classic Touring Car Championship takes centre at Donington Park this weekend as the 2019 approaches its climax, with this stop in Leicestershire the penultimate event on the calendar.

Overall honours in the Paul Inch – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, CTCRC Group 1 Touring Car Championship, Envirotec Hygiene Services Pre-93 Touring Cars, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars, Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship, Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series and Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship are what drivers have been fighting for this – and the battle line are drawn.

Boasting a glittering array of iconic tin top machinery, notable names too cast a watchful eye over as the day progresses include AJ Owen, Martin Reynolds, Piers Grange, Stephen Primett, Alan Wilshire, Patrick Harris and Paul Inch – to name but a few.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event at Donington Park, including links to live timing and timetables, click here.

Classic Touring Cars and MG Owners Club revved up for Castle Combe event

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club and Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship will continue their 2019 campaigns at Castle Combe this weekend (July 6/7) as they fly the flag for the British Automobile Racing Club.

Home to some of the most iconic saloon cars that have spanned countless decades, the Classic Touring Car Championship is renowned for producing all-out action; and this weekend should be no different.

Boasting a rich history which spans more than three decades, the championship has become a cornerstone of the British Automobile Racing Club and continues to deliver bumper grid and exhilarating competition.

Those in attendance during the weekend will be able to see the Paul Inch – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, CTCRC Group 1 Touring Car Championship, Envirotec Hygiene Services Pre-93 Touring Cars, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars, Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship, Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series and Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship all in action.

Notable names to cast a watchful eye over include Stephen Primett, AJ Owen, Patrick Harris, Mark Osborne, Richard Wood and Piers Grange, amongst others.

Kicking off the second half of their season in Wiltshire, the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship is primed to set pulses racing with two races scheduled to be run around the 1.85-mile circuit.

Having already produced show-stopping performances at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington Park and Oulton Park, the category will continue its campaign this weekend with it all still to play for in the championship battles.

Spanning several decades, variety is the spice of life when it comes to the MGOC with an eclectic mix of models representing the iconic manufacturer, all of which go wheel-to-wheel in the battle for supremacy.

Split into multiple classes, race-winners come throughout the field with drivers such as Jim Baynam, Simon Kendrick, Steve Darbey and Stuart Plotnek just a handful of drivers to keep a close eye on as the weekend progresses.

Alongside both categories will be action from a host of Castle Combe Racing Club championships as well as the Monoposto Championship, all adding up to a memorable two-day spectacle.

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

BARC championships serve up scintillating Silverstone showing

Five championships from the British Automobile Racing Club tackled the iconic sweeping curves of Silverstone this past weekend (June 1/2) as each campaign continued on their 2019 journeys.

Topping the bill were no less than eight races from the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, which showcased that variety really is the spice of life from a wide range of eras.

Alan Greenhalgh was perfection personified in the Pre 66’ Touring Cars races as he scored a brace of wins in his Ford Falcon. Elsewhere, Stephen Primett and Mike Luck shared the spoils in the Pre 83’ Group 1 Touring Cars.

In the amalgamated Pre 93’, Pre 03’ and Pre 05’ races, David Griffin and AJ Owen scored victories whilst Andrew Wilson and Lucky Khera did the same in the combined Thunder Saloons & Blue Oval Saloons races.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship saw reigning champion Lewis Saunders get himself back into the win bracket as he made a triumphant return to the top step of the podium. Saunders however could do nothing about his main title protagonist and series leader Scott McIntyre from firing back in race two as he picked up the win.

Garrie Whittaker continued his superlative start to the Kumho BMW Championship by enjoying yet more success, scoring a pair of wins. Having won every race heading into the weekend, the E36 M3 driver extended his winning streak in sensational style.

Whittaker beat Darren Fielding and Jasver Sapra in the opener before then getting the better of Khera and Fielding in race two. 

Fans enjoyed a slipstreaming extravaganza over the course of the weekend thanks to the Mighty Minis Championship. Marking the second event on the calendar for the iconic machines, Silverstone’s National layout proved to be the perfect backdrop for two frenetic races.

Alex Comis was the man to beat in the opening encounter as he led narrowly edged out Greg Jenkins and Neven Kirkpatrick. Jenkins would bounce back in race two as he edged out Kirkpatrick and Comis, the trio covered by less than half a second at the chequered flag.

Rounding out the weekend’s action at the Northamptonshire venue were the first-ever races from the SmarTrack Series Elite. Vic Lee wrote his name into the history books as the inaugural race winner before then doubling up his win tally later in the day.

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

Silverstone revved up for BARC spectacular around National layout

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Silverstone this weekend (June 1/2) for what should be a memorable two days of track action as several championship continue their 2019 campaigns.

In what is the latest visit to the Northamptonshire venue by the Club, the National layout will play host to a selection of categories – all of which are keen on taking centre stage as the battle for supremacy rages on.

Variety has always been the spice of life in the Classic Touring Car Racing Club and an eclectic mix of saloon cars from all eras will roll back the years across eight blockbuster encounters.

Racing will come from the Paul Inch – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, CTCRC Group 1 Touring Car Championship, Envirotec Hygiene Services Pre-93 Touring Cars, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars, Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship, Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series and Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship.

Small in stature but packing a real punch under the bonnet, those in attendance are set to witness a slipstreaming battle like no other as the Mighty Minis Championship hit the track for the second time this year.

Mini racing is renowned for putting spectators on the edge of their seats and competitors from both the Mighty Mini and Super Mighty Mini classes will likely live up to that mantel in the weekend’s two races.

The next generation of racers will be in action too as the Junior Saloon Car Championship returns from an in-season break to pick up where they left off last. Scott McIntyre and Lewis Saunders have proven to be the benchmark

Garrie Whittaker will look to extend his winning streak in the Kumho BMW Championship as he bids to carry out a perfect season. Having won six outright races on the bounce, Whittaker has been the man to beat in the lone manufacturer series.

Showcasing some of the most iconic models produced by BMW from down the years, the championship has hit new heights this year with grid sizes continuing to swell.

Rounding off the weekend’s action from the BARC will be a pair of races from the SmarTrack Series Elite. Breaking cover at Brands Hatch earlier this month, the single-make Jaguar category will look to rev up the crowd as it stages its inaugural two races of the season.

Despite a relatively small grid being confirmed for the curtain-raiser, expect plenty of wheel-to-wheel action from the thunderous 600bhp machinery around the iconic curves of Silverstone.

Action from the Historic 750 Motor Club and CALM 4-Pot Porsche Trophy will be races to watch too.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event, click here.

BARC championships serve up Snetterton spectacular

Snetterton played host to a memorable two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (May 5/6) as five championships continued their 2019 campaigns around the Norfolk venue.

In what proved to be a bank holiday to remember, edge of the seat entertainment was served up from start-to-finish as a variety of categories tackled the challenging 2.99 circuit layout.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship saw spoils shared as Thomas Ward and Scott McIntyre took a win apiece. Having entered the weekend sitting atop of the standings, McIntyre was keen to extend his advantage at the summit and set about doing so by storming to pole position in qualifying.

McIntyre was unable to convert it into victory however as Ward stormed into the lead and ultimately powered his way to a first win of the season as he led McIntyre and reigning champion Lewis Saunders across the line.

Race two would see McIntyre and Saunders in a league of their own as they pulled away from the chasing gap to lead by more than ten seconds. With little separating the pair as the laps ticked by, former Scholarship winner McIntyre managed to pull away to win once again, with Saunders and Jemma Moore rounding out the rostrum.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns was back in action for its second event of the year, and it didn’t disappoint.

Three races yielded a dominant day in each class as three drivers produced stunning hat-trick performances, although they didn’t always have things their own way. On a bank holiday weekend which saw fierce competition, Clive Wood led the way with a scintillating display in class CSP1, winning all three races.

Elsewhere, CSP2 honours went the way of Mike Evans whilst Brian Hunter completed the trio of hat-tricks by triumphing in the CSP3 category.

A jaw-dropping 40-car grid in the Caterham Graduates Championship was a sight to behold and the on-track action ensured those in attendance were gripped. Samuel Wilson continued his strong start to the year with victory in race one, heading the duelling duo of Jamie Winrow and Jamie Ellwood by more than eight seconds.

Wilson’s winning streak came to an end in race two however as an ultra-close battle between Winrow, Ellwood and Stephen Clark covered by just three tenths of a second as the chequered flag flew – with Winrow coming out on top.

The Classic Touring Car Championship was back in action for the third time this year and its block of races didn’t disappoint. James Burrows and Martin Reynolds were the victors in the Pre ’66 Touring Car Championship encounters whilst Mark Osborne was at the double in the Pre ’83 Touring Car Championship.

Stephen Pearson meanwhile swept his to victory in the amalgamated Pre ’93 / Pre ’03 / Pre ’05 Touring Car Championships. Capping off the CTCRC winners was James Janicki and Andrew Wilson, each of whom triumphed in the combined Classic Thunder Touring Car Championship & Blue Oval Touring Car Championship.

Rounding out the weekend’s action were a handful of races from the British Superkart Championship, with Liam Morley, Sam Moss, Andy Bird and Jason Dredge all standing on the top step of the podium at one stage.

For the full results from all of the weekend’s sessions across each championship, click here.

BARC bank holiday bonanza ready to be played out at Snetterton

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for another bank holiday bonanza of on-track action this coming weekend (May 5/6) as five championships travel Norfolk to take on the challenges of Snetterton.

With the 2019 season now in full swing, events are coming thick and fast for the Club with this weekend’s meeting set to be an enthralling affair.

The battle for supremacy will rumble on in the Junior Saloon Car Championship this weekend, with Snetterton providing the stage for the third event of what has already been an enthralling season.

Offering aspiring racers aged between the ages of 14 to 17 to make the transition from karts to cars, the JSCC has become the perfect platform for teenagers to forge a career in motorsport at an affordable price, and this year has already seen events at Oulton Park and Croft.

Scott McIntyre finds himself in the lead of the championship standings virtue of three consecutive wins however his advantage is a slender one over reigning champion Lewis Saunders.

Beyond the top two, Thomas Ward has enjoyed a strong start to the year to sit third whilst the likes of Jemma Moore, Owen Hizzey, Alex Jay, Leo Panayiotu and TJ Rodriguez, among many more, will all be keen to close the gap to the leaders.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns is back in action with another trio of races after roaring into life at Brands Hatch a few weeks ago.

The multi-class category has become a cornerstone of British motorsport down the years and the 2019 edition has already served up plenty of talking points.

Clive Wood and Peter Richings shared the outright spoils last time out and the pair will be keen to carry their momentum forward. The likes of Morris Hart, Barry Webb, Mike Evans, Pippa Tanner-Wood and Brian Hunter however will all be looking to enjoy success too.

Snetterton will mark the third weekend of the year for the Caterham Graduates Championship, with another sizeable entry list revved up for a high-octane two days of racing. With varying classes ensuring parity remains throughout, the championship has been a stable for thrilling wheel-to-wheel racing down the years.

Samuel Wilson has emerged as the head figure in the series and has been perfection personified thus far, leading the way in the SigMax category. Throughout the grid, drivers to keep an eye on over the course of the weekend as well as Wilson include Jamie Ellwood, Robin Webb, Paul Hawker and many more.

The very best saloon cars from down the years will be in action in the Classic Touring Car Championship, which will continue its 2019 campaign at Snetterton after an impressive opening two events at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch.

As always, the Paul Inch – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, CTCRC Group 1 Touring Car Championship, Envirotec Hygiene Services Pre-93 Touring Cars, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars, Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship, Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series and Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship will respectively amalgamate.

Drivers to keep a close eye on include AJ Owen, Stephen Primett, Don Hughes, Richard Wood, Mike Luck, Johnathan Lewis and many more.

Rounding out the action will be a handful of races from the jaw-dropping British Superkart Championship, which resumes after an eventful season-opener at Cadwell Park last month.

For more information on this weekend’s event at Snetterton, including links to timetables and live timing, click here.

BARC delivers scorching Brands Hatch bank holiday blockbuster

The British Automobile Racing Club put on an Easter extravaganza at Brands Hatch this past weekend (April 20/21/22) as eight championships basked in the bank holiday sun to produce three days of unmissable action.

Topping the bill were eight dramatic race, four for Division 1 and four for Division 2, from the MV Commercial BTRA Championship. Kicking off another season of edge-of-the-seat entertainment, the heavyweight behemoths served up a string of spellbinding performances. 

In Division 1, reigning champion Ryan Smith began the defence of his title in style as he picked up a pair of victories whilst Stuart Oliver and David Jenkins also triumphed.

There was a similar theme in Division 2 as well with reigning champion Luke Garrett making an equally flying start as he too picked up a pair of wins. Eric Forsstrom and Steve Powell left the Kent circuit with a win apiece as well whilst Paul Rivett made his mark by scoring a hat-trick of podium finishes.

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2019, the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres was back and better than ever. Renowned for close-quarter racing, the 5/8 scale championship wowed crowds from start-to-finish with a host of photo finishes.

Connor Mills prevailed as the most successful driver around the 1.2 mile circuit as he bagged three wins whilst the trio of Sy Harraway, Jack Parker and James Hall-Morton, upon which was his maiden victory in the series, shared the remaining spoils.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship is set to be wide open this year with five different drivers filling the podium across the weekend’s two races. With the void of double champion Scott Bourne needing to be filled, Michael Smith came to the fore in the curtain-raiser to beat George Turiccki and David O’Regan.

O’Regan would move up the order in the second race as he produced a scintillating performance to score victory ahead of Dale Gent and Paul Jones.

Malcolm Blackman wrote his name into the history books as the first winner in the BARC Super Silhouette Championship, which is now being run by SHP Promotions. A stalwart of the spaceframe formula, Blackman delivered a stunning lap in qualifying to bag pole position and then backed it up with victory in race one.

The former champion made it two from two later in the day but was made to work for it as he came under extreme pressure from Chris Brockhurst in the closing laps.

Wayne Rockett was at his brilliant best as a new season of the Carbon 8 Hyundai Coupe Cup got underway, notching two commanding race wins as Alex Cursley, Kevin Smiles and Nick Moore all rounded out the rostrum across the two respective races.

Saturday saw a Classic Touring Car Championship takeover with several races from its multiple classes. Mike Luck and Stephen Primett were the victors in the Pre ’83 Touring Car Championship whilst Richard Wood dominated the combined Classic Thunder & Blue Oval encounters.

Jonathan Lewis emerged as the driver to beat in the Pre ’66 Touring Car Championship, winning both races, as the amalgamated Pre ’93, Pre ’03 & Pre ’05 spoils fell the way of Don Hughes and AJ Owen.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns saw Clive Wood kick off his campaign on the right as he stormed to a trio of pole positions, and then backed it up with a pair of race wins.

Dominating proceeding’s in races one and two, Wood had looked to be a sure bet to complete a clean sweep in race three however a mechanical issue when trying to leave the pit lane put an end to that dream before the race had even begun. Taking advantage of a vacant pole position spot, Peter Richings brought the curtain down on the weekend with victory.

Capping off the bank holiday weekend’s racing at the Kent circuit was a pair of races from the BARC Tin Tops Championship. Guest driver Steve Rothery piloted his Peugeot 308 to the top of the time-sheets in qualifying and then onto victory twice later on Saturday afternoon.

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

BARC revved up for Easter extravaganza at Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch is set to play host to a blockbuster Easter extravaganza this weekend (April 20/21/22) as the British Automobile Racing Club descends on the Kent circuit with eight championships for three days of door-to-door action.

A traditional fixture on the motorsport calendar for both the Club and the circuit, the Easter race weekend has provided plenty of memorable moments down the years and 2019 is likely to be no different.

Headlining the action with eight races will be the MV Commercial BTRA Championship, which roars back into life for another year. Weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing in excess of 1000bhp, the championship is a favourite among many and boasts a bumper entry list in both Division 1 & 2.

Three-time champion Ryan Smith will be the man to beat in Division 1 as he bids to write his name into the history books whilst both former champions David Jenkins and Stuart Oliver will be keen to halt the MAN juggernaut and get the jump on him early in the year.

Division 2 will see Luke Garrett begin the defence of his title however he faces a stern test from a raft of contenders including Brad Smith, Steven Powell, Simon Cole and Paul Rivett, who has made the switch from the Renault UK Clio Cup to Truck Racing full-time.

At the other end of the scale in terms of size competing at Brands Hatch is the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres. Marking the start of a milestone year for the category as it celebrates its 25th Anniversary, the 5/8 scale machines are set to wow crowds with a host of races, and a big grid all aiming to topple reigning champion John Mickel.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship will crown a new champion this year with two-time victor Scott Bourne not returning for 2019, and judging by the entry list it is set to be as wide open as ever. A blend of experienced and fresh-faced racers will line up on the grid for the opening event of the year with it all to play for.

Rebranded and running under the SHP Promotions banner, the BARC Super Silhouette Championship will kick off a new era at Brands Hatch. Formerly known as Intermarques, the space-frame machines are set to ensure pulses are racing as a strong entry list dukes it out for honours in the opening event of the season.

Those wanting to take a trip down touring car memory lane will be well catered for as the Classic Touring Car Championship continues. Kicking off the season at Oulton Park in March, the championship once again has another awe-inspiring line-up of cars and drivers, all of whom will be keen to shine at this second meeting of the year.

Brands Hatch will mark the start of new seasons for the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns and the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup too. Both delighting fans wherever they went in 2018, the two categories are polar opposites from each other however one theme is set to relate them around the Indy circuit and that is that they will deliver non-stop entertainment.

Capping off the action will be further saloon car thrills from the BARC Tin Tops Championship, which is open to a diverse range of machines.

In total, a scheduled 33 races are set to take place over Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Brands Hatch making it an event that is not to be missed. To find out more information on the event as a whole, click here.

Blockbuster BARC race day served up at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club delivered a scintillating race day at Oulton Park this past Saturday (March 23) as four championships kick-started their 2019 campaigns in blockbuster style.

Following a busy off-season which has seen meticulous car preparation from teams and drivers, the picturesque Cheshire venue provided the perfect backdrop to lift the curtain on the new season.

 Home to the next generation of motorsport talent, the Junior Saloon Car Championship provided two pulsating races with a bumper grid of 14 to 17-year-old racers, with the spoils shared between reigning champion Lewis Saunders and 2018 Scholarship winner Scott McIntyre.

Bidding to become the first back-to-back JSCC champion, Saunders ignited his title defence in emphatic fashion as he scored a lights-to-flag victory in the opening round after leapfrogging pole sitter McIntyre. Thomas Ward would also get the better of McIntyre over the course of the race and it would be that order that the top three finished in.

Roles were reversed in race two as McIntyre got the better of Saunders and raced on to take the chequered by little under a second. Ward once again underlined his credentials and consistency by notching another podium finish, albeit this time third place.

The Club’s North West Centre’s flagship series, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, raced just once during the day but it proved to be an eventful six-lap encounter which culminated in Jon Woolfitt piloting his MK Indy to the chequered flag.

David Harvey and Danny Bird proved to be the closest challengers to Woolfitt in the end however the pair had to settle for second and third respectively.

Garrie Whittaker proved to be in irresistible force in the Kumho BMW Championship too as he romped his way to a brace of victories. Once again behind the wheel of his BMW E36 M3, Whittaker made an emphatic statement in race one, beating Lucky Khera by more than 45 seconds.

Whittaker followed up his first victory with a second one shortly after, this time heading Jason West by a somewhat smaller margin – 26 seconds this time.

Capping off the day’s action at Oulton Park were a raft of races from the Classic Touring Car Championship, each of them mixing classes together.

AJ Owen emerged as the benchmark in the amalgamated Pre 93, Pre 03 and Pre 05 encounters as he scored a pair of wins at the wheel of his Honda Civic Type R. Leading Ross Craig and Graham Myers in race one, Owen made a further statement as one to watch by heading Ian Bower and Craig in the second race.

Mark Osborne and his Triumph Dolomite Sprint were in fine form in the combined Pre 66 and Pre 83 eight-lap races, claiming outright honours in both.

Elsewhere Andrew Wilson and Richard Wood ensured that they left Oulton Park with a win apiece after each triumphing in the day’s two Blue Oval Saloon and Thunder Saloon races.

For the full classification of results from Saturday, click here.