Tag: Classic Touring Car Championship

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.

Oulton Park primed to welcome four BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club will head to Cheshire this Saturday (March 23) with four championships kick-starting their 2019 campaigns around the infamous Oulton Park International layout.

Serving as the traditional starting point for the Club’s North West Centre, who organise and run the race meeting, Oulton Park has become renowned down the years for producing exhilarating action whenever the BARC is in town.

That theme looks likely to continue as months of preparation and anticipation comes to fruition for the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Classic Touring Car Championship, CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship and Kumho BMW Championship.

Providing a clear path into motorsport for drivers aged 14 to 17, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has become a force to be reckoned with in recent years, with 2019 set to arguably be one of the strongest yet for the single-make series.

Reigning champion Lewis Saunders enters the year as the teenager to beat as he bids to become the first JSCC racer to score back-to-back titles. The challenges however will come from all angles with Ben Kasperczak and Scott McIntyre leading the list of returning drivers.

The day’s two races will also feature a host of new faces, all of whom will be making their first foray into car racing. Of those on the entry list, recent Scholarship winner Harry Rice will one many will be keeping a keen eye on.

Fans of saloon cars from yesteryear will be well catered for as the Classic Touring Car Championship also kicks off their campaign with a raft of races. Once again providing a variety of different classes, all of which span different decades, the series will hit the track for six races over the course of the day, with edge-of-the-seat thrills predicted in each.

Notable names to keep an eye include the long list of 2018 champions such as Stephen Primett, Steve Barden and Piers Grange, all of whom were in fine form when the championship last took to the track.

The BARC North West Centre’s flagship series, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship will also hit the track over the course of the day as they lift the curtain on their 2019 campaign. A popular fixture on the calendar for the championship, this weekend marks the first of three visits to Oulton Park

Open to a whole host of cars, variety really is the spice of life when it comes to the CNC Heads and it is a championship that was dominated by Paul Rose last year. With Rose having moved onto pastures new for this season, the door is open for a new driver to step under the spotlight, with James Cryer and Richard Wood just two season veterans to look out for.

Capping off the action will be a pair of races from the Kumho BMW Championship. Showcasing the very best machines built by the German manufacturer, the series will add another chapter with its illustrious history this year as it continues to go from strength to strength.

With a blend of returning and new faces set to line up on the grid, picking not only an outright race winner but also class winners has never been more difficult.

For more information on this Saturday’s Oulton Park event, head to the official race meeting page here.

BARC races into the sunset in style at Rockingham

The British Automobile Racing Club raced into the sunset on Saturday (June 16) this past weekend as a host of championships duked it out at Rockingham.

In what was another first for the Corby circuit, a sizeable crowd turned out in force to witness a flat-out day’s racing which started at 09:00 and ended more than 12 hours later at 21:30.

Taking to the oval of Rockingham for the first time this year, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship was in fine form. Going wheel-to-wheel on the steep bankings, providing plenty of jaw-dropping moments along the way, the championship saw a maiden win for George Turiccki in race one.

Running as low as seventh at one stage, Turiccki scythed his way up the order to narrowly pip Mark Willis and Scott Bourne to victory. Reigning champion Bourne struck back in race two as he underlined his credentials of still being the man to beat in the championship.

Despite losing the lead from pole position in the early stages, Bourne produced a superlative driver to muscle his way back to the helm of proceedings and then onto victory, with Willis and Mel Collins close behind.

Spoils were shared in the Junior Saloon Car Championship, which served up two lively races. On what was their second visit to Rockingham this year, the current crop of 14 to 17-year-old racers were in fine form as they went wheel-to-wheel for victory.

Joel Wren, who won both races on the championship’s first visit to the venue, led the way in race one to notch his third victory of the season. Starting fourth, Wren threaded his way to the front of the field and once there, stretched his legs to take the chequered flag by more than six seconds ahead of Thomas Ward and Lewis Saunders.

Race two was to be a closer affair as Saunders took his breakthrough victory of 2018, becoming the fourth different winner. In a tense battle that saw the top five covered by little over two seconds at the flag, Saunders held his nerve to control proceedings and pip Ward to the win, whilst Jemma Moore rounded off the podium.

There was action aplenty in the Classic Touring Car Championship too; with no less than six races being run as a variety of classes were amalgamated together.

In the pair of Classic Thunder and Blue Oval Saloon Series encounters, Dale Gent and Dave Cockell scored a win apiece. Gent was the man to beat in race one at the wheel of his Subaru Impreza, finishing ahead of Cockell before the latter than took control in race two, piloting his Ford Escort Cosworth to the top of the podium.

Steve Barden proved to be an irresistible force in the two Pre 93 Touring Cars, Pre 03 Touring Cars and Pre 05 Production Touring Cars races. Behind the wheel of his trusty Honda Civic Type R, Barden narrowly triumphed in race one, finishing ahead of Ian Bower and Luke Allen by just a couple of seconds.

Race two was more clear cut for the championship front runner as he powered his Type R to victory, once again ahead of Bower and Allen, but this time by more than eight seconds.

Stephen Primett showcased similar levels of dominance in the Pre 83 Group 1 Touring Cars, Paul Inch Race Engines Pre 66 Classic Saloon and Historic Touring Cars races. Having been the benchmark over the past couple of years, the Ford Escort Mk1 driver powered his way to two wins. Mark Osbourne and Stephen Cripps bagged a pair of podiums.

The Scrapco Avon Intermarque Championship rounded off the day’s racing with a bumper grid producing a brace of frenetic encounters. Having largely been dominated by Malcolm Blackman thus far, the series was calling out for some fresh faces to grace the top step of the podium – and that’s what it got at Rockingham.

Lewis Smith led home Steve Burrows and Richard Smith in the opener before doubling up in race two, triumphing in a chaotic second race.

For the full classification of results across all categories, click here.

Bank holiday blockbuster expected at Mallory Park

The British Automobile Racing Club is set for a bank holiday Monday (May 28) to remember as the Classic Touring Car Racing Club and Hyundai Coupe Cup head to Mallory Park for a flat-out day’s reaction.

Making it’s customary visit to the popular Leicestershire circuit, the two categories are set for a bumper day of action as they seek to dazzle those in attendance.

In what is the third meeting of the season for the championship, Classic Touring Cars will be once again out to steal the show as they stage a scheduled eight races in total.

Amalgamating different classes together, a diverse range of machinery will go wheel-to-wheel, all of which span countless decades.

With everything from iconic Mini Cooper’s and Ford Escort’s, all the way up to modern vehicles such as Renault Clio’s there will be something for everyone when the action gets underway.

Notable names to look out for during the day include multiple champion Stephen Primett, Dale Gent, Roger Stanford, James Wilson and Steve Barden, as well as a host more too.

Having continued to go from strength-to-strength in recent years, the Hyundai Coupe Cup is enjoying a period of rude health – and it appears that it is showing no signs of letting up either.

Coming from humble beginnings to benefitting from having its own grid, the series has become one of the most sought after within the BARC to compete in; with its low-cost, tin top thrills proving to be part of its charm.

Arriving at Mallory Park off the back of events at Silverstone, Pembrey and Snetterton, the Coupe Cup is set to shine on bank holiday Monday alongside the CTCRC.

So far this season the narrative has been Misty Racing’s Steve Kite asserting his dominance, winning countless races already. Whilst points are not on offer, bragging rights of who can score the most wins over the course of the season is high on the agenda of many, and Kite is establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Whilst Kite will be looking to extend his winning run, the likes of Wayne Rockett, who is the only man to beat Kite to the top step this year, along with Alex Cursley, Neale Hurran and Nick Moore will all be eyeing silverware too.

Two 20-minute encounters from the Coupe Cup category will no doubt set pulses racing.

Action aplenty at Snetterton as BARC championships shine

It proved to be a scorching two days both on and off the track at Snetterton this past weekend (August 4/5) as a host of British Automobile Racing Club categories produced mesmerising action.

Back on track and providing plenty of entertainment at the top of the race programme was the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, which staged a four-hour endurance race around the 2.99 mile circuit.

Boasting another bumper entry list, a staggering 53 cars lined up for the start of the 240-minute race which saw plenty of high drama and memorable moments. Come the end of what was a gruelling race in scorching conditions, McAttack Racing emerged as the winners, little under a minute ahead of their nearest challengers Absolute Alignment.

Notching an impressive 76 laps, the team of Declan McDonnell, Joe Wiggin and Simon Walker-Hansell topped the podium in their trusty #347 machine. With Absolute Alignment finishing second, Old Hat Motorsport rounded off the rostrum and ended the race as the final team to finish on the lead lap.

Ben Palmer continued his march towards defending his title in the Michelin Clio Cup Series, maintaining his perfect record with two more races wins. Blasting his way to pole position for both races, the reigning champion once again underlined his title credentials with his latest set triumphant performances.

Palmer narrowly pipped Ronan Pearson in race one whilst Ben Colburn was also hot on the heels of the pair too. Race two proved to be an equally tense affair as Pearson and Colburn produced a carbon copy performance, hounding Palmer to the chequered flag but ultimately being unable to overhaul him.

In the Road Class, defending champion Nic Harrison continued his fine run of recent form to score a double of his own.

Garrie Whittaker was another driver to score a brace of victories at Snetterton, dominating proceedings in the Kumho BMW Championship. Just three laps were completed in race one but come the end of it, Whittaker was the man to beat – finishing little over a second ahead of Colin Wells whilst Darren Fielding rounded off the podium.

Race two would go the distance later in the day but Whittaker was again leading the way, with Wells and Fielding continuing to give chase but unable to gain the upper hand over the BMW E63 M3 driver.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship was in action with its raft of classes, many of them amalgamated together to produce an array of on-track thrills.

A bumper 30-car grid made up the Sigmax races where the spoils were shared between two drivers. Jamie Winrow led a tense opener in which the top three were covered by less than half a second, pipping Mark Johnson across the line whilst Samuel Wilson rounded out the podium.

Wilson was to make his mark in the weekend’s second Sigmax encounter as he got the better of Winrow to prevail, with Johnson this time propping up the podium in third.

Declan Dolan was at his brilliant best in the combined Sigma/Mega/Classic races, charging to a pair of race wins to further strengthen his position at the top of the standings.

Rounding out the racing at Snetterton where a flurry of races from the Classic Touring Car Championship. Famed for its blend of iconic tin top machines from all eras, the championship descended on Norfolk with a bumper entry list that didn’t disappoint.

Pre 83 Group 1 Touring Cars had a familiar feel to it as David Howard and Stephen Primett took a win apiece whilst Matthew Evans and Stuart Day did the same in the Classic Thunder & Blue Oval Saloon Series races.

Pre 93 Touring Cars, Pre 03 Touring Cars and Pre 05 Production Touring Cars came together for a pair of races over the course of the weekend too, with David Griffin in unstoppable form as he notched wins in both.

Capping off the list of race winners was David Hall and Michael Sheraton, both of whom scaled to the top step of the podium in the two Paul Inch Classic and Historic Touring Car races.

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

Rockingham ready to race into the evening with trio of BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club is set to race into the evening at Rockingham this Saturday (June 16) in what is set to be another first.

Following on from the venue’s inaugural 24hr race last month, the popular Corby track will now race into the sunset with the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Junior Saloon Car Championship and Classic Touring Car Championship.

Kicking off the action with qualifying sessions at 09:00, fans will be treated to a feast of on-track entertainment as the categories race through the day and into the night, with the final chequered flag set to fall at 21:30.

Headlining proceedings on the iconic oval circuit, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship makes its second visit to Rockingham this year – having already competed on the infield section of the track for the first time in its history.

Establishing himself as the dominant force early on, Lea Wood heads into the weekend as the championship leader. Now in his third full season, the former BTCC racer has strung together an impressive run of results which has seen countless victories.

Reigning champion Scott Bourne is hot on the heels of Wood and although he may not have won as many races as the points leader, Bourne has been the epitome of consistency. Also in the mix this weekend will likely be David O’Regan, Michael Smith, Mark Willis and Paul Tompkins.

Two high-speed, adrenaline-fuelled 30 lap races around the banked oval are set to be as enthralling as ever.

There will be plenty of variety in the Classic Touring Car Championship during the day too, with no less than eight races being run. Bringing together some of the most iconic tin top and saloon machines from yesteryear, championship will be amalgamated

Notable names to look for during the day include Stephen Primett in his Ford Escort, Dale Gent in his Subaru Impreza and also Mark Cholerton, Mark Osborne and David Howard, amongst others.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship reaches the halfway point in the season with the next generation of racers all set to serve up further thrills and spills.

Events at Silverstone, Rockingham and Brands Hatch so far have proved fruitful with three drivers taking two wins a piece, Frankie Taylor the latest of those. Entering the weekend as the championship leader, Taylor will be keen to extend his advantage across both races whilst fellow winners Joel Wren and Ben Kasperczak will be nipping at his heels.

BARC delivers memorable two days at Croft

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a memorable two days at Croft this past weekend (April 28/29) as a trio of championships continued their campaigns.

Searing temperatures coupled with rain showers only added to the spectacle as the fans were treated to an abundance of bumper-to-bumper thrills.

Making their first visit to the North Yorkshire venue since 2007, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship returned to Croft for the second chapter of what has already been an enthralling 2018 campaign to-date.

Reigning champion Scott Bourne opened his silverware account in race one as he stormed to victory, narrowly pipping David O’Reagan and Mark Willis, with just under three seconds covering the rostrum finishers.

O’Reagan climbed to the top step in race two however as he emerged as the victor following a frenetic race-long battle with Lea Wood, crossing the line 0.051 ahead of the double Brands Hatch winner.

Wood wasn’t to be denied in the final race of the weekend though, cementing himself as the man to beat at this stage in the championship by scoring his third win of the season. Having failed to finish earlier in the day, Bourne bagged second place behind the former BTCC star whilst O’Reagan scored a hat-trick of podiums.

In the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, John Mickel underlined his status as a multiple and defending champion with a scintillating showing.

Boasting another bumper grid of the 5/8 scale machines, Mickel started the weekend hot on the heels of Steve Whitelegg who took the win in the first of six races. From there on however the event belonged to Mickel as he produced a string of mesmerising performances to win the next five races.

Other notable performances included Miles Rudman, Jack Parker, Paul Simmons and Sean Smith.

There were no less than eight races from the Classic Touring Car Championship, with many classes amalgamating. The Pre 66 Classic Saloon & Historic Touring Cars saw Philip House pilot his Ford Lotus Cortina to a brace of wins as Alan Greenhalgh and Roger Stanford rounded off the remaining podium positions, each taking a second and third place finish each.

Stephen Primett and Jim Mcloughlin shared the spoils in Pre 83 Group 1 Touring Cars whilst Dale Gent and his Subaru Impreza proved to be too much for the competition in both Classic & Historic Thunder Saloons & Blue Oval Saloon Series both races.

Outright wins also went the way of Ian Bower and Steven Barden in the combined Pre 93 Touring Cars, Pre 2003 Touring Cars & Pre 05 Production Saloon Cars races around the 2.1 mile layout.

Rounding out the action over the course of the weekend was two races from the DDMC Northern Saloon & Sports Car Championship, which boasted an entry list of more than 30 cars. Jeff Wilson piloted his Lotus Elise to both victories.

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

Trio of BARC championships descend on Croft

The British Automobile Racing Club makes its first visit of the season to Croft Circuit this weekend (April 21/22) with a trio of championships set to entertain fans trackside.

Scorching weather is set to match the on-track action, which is made up of a diverse variety of categories and machines.

Making their first visit to North Yorkshire since 2007, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship returns to Croft for the second chapter of their season.

Former British Touring Car Championship racer Lea Wood leads the pack into weekend after scoring a dominant pair of victories at Brands Hatch at the start of the month. Defending champion Scott Bourne however is hot on his heels and will be keen to strike back

Add into the mix a host of wily veterans and fresh faces that make up this year’s grid and it is set to be a frenetic weekend of racing from the iconic line-up of trucks.

Iconic is a word that can be strongly linked to the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, with multiple classes and a raft of diverse cars set to take to the track during both days too.

Grids for Pre-93, Pre-96, Pre-03 and Pre-05 as well as the Pre-83, Thunder and BOSS make up the grid for this championship, ensuring that there is something for everyone no matter the age.

A total of eight races will be run over the course of both days with notable names such as Stephen Primett in his Ford Escort Mk1, Richard Askham in his Jaguar XJR and Dale Gent in his Subaru Impreza, to name just a few, to keep an eye on.

Rounding out the BARC flavour is the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres. In what is their third event of the 2018 campaign, the action from the 5/8 scale has once again produced edge-of-the-seat thrills up to now, and that theme is set to continue this weekend.

Five races and a grid in excess of 30 cars will do battle around the Darlington-based venue. Two wins at Brands Hatch, paired with his consistency so far, sees Miles Rudman lead the series however he has a host of contenders hot on his heels.

Multiple and reigning champion John Mickel, Ben Power, Steve Whitelegg and Jack Parker are just a few drivers that will be in contention for outright honours.

Darlington and District Motor Club’s capacity-entry Northern Sports and Saloon Car Championship will also feature at their local track with a majority of the grid made up of local drivers to Croft in a host of different cars, ranging from historic sports cars to modern-day Touring Cars.

Scotsman Andrew Morrison leads the series after Oulton Park in his Seat Leon TCR just ahead of former champion Mike Cutt from York in his rapid BMW M3.

Practice gets underway at 9.30 on Saturday with ten races starting at 12.10. Sunday’s action commences at 12.00 with another nine races to round off a bumper weekend of action.

Adult admission is just £11.00 on both days in advance or £15.00 on the day with accompanied children aged 15 and under admitted FREE on both days. A weekend ticket costs £15 in advance or £25 on the gate. There is also FREE car parking and FREE paddock access.

BARC descends on Silverstone for bumper weekend of racing

The British Automobile Racing Club returns to Silverstone this weekend (March 24/25) for the first bumper two-day club meeting of 2018 with no less than seven championships competing.

Taking to the National layout of the Northamptonshire-based venue, the curtain is set to be lifted on a host of categories as the battle for the coveted titles begins.

More than 75 cars from the Classic Touring Car Racing Club are set to provide unmissable action over both days with their eight classes hitting the track.

With a diverse range of machines, ranging from Pre-66 all the way up to Pre-05, there is set to be something for everyone. Notable drivers to keep an eye on include Stephen Primett in his Ford Escort Mk1, Richard Askham in his Jaguar XJR and Dale Gent in his Subaru Impreza, to name just a few.

A record grid is expected for the Hyundai Coupe Cup, which is once again set to go from strength-to-strength. Boasting an entry list of 24 cars, the popular one-make series is set to put on quite the show with two races set to be run.

Alongside a host of new faces that are joining the fray, series stalwarts such as Alex Cursley and Steve Kite are back in their own bids to rule the roost once again.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series will begin over the course of the weekend too with defending champion Ben Palmer lining up and looking to make it back-to-back triumphs. Palmer broke all sorts of records in 2017 and enters this weekend as a favourite amongst many, although the likes of Ben Colburn, Tyler Lidsey and Finlay Robinson will have something to say about it.

There will be additional action from the French manufacturer too virtue of the Renault UK Clio Cup Junior Championship. Coming off the back of its inaugural season last year, the latest crop of youngsters are set to do battle for a standout prize – free entry into the senior Clio Cup.

On-track thrills ’n’ spills for drivers aged between 14 to 17 are also set to come from the Junior Saloon Car Championship. With champion Will Dyrdal moving on to new pastures, a new name is set to be etched into the history books of the Citroen Saxo category – and there are no shortage of contenders with likes of Jemma Moore, Ben Kaseperczak and Ethan Rogers.

A tin top masterclass is set to be given by the Mighty Mini Championship too as they also roar into life for what will be their third full campaign with the BARC. Last year saw a blockbuster season in which Alice Hughes and Scott Kendall won their respective classes, and with Kendall returning this year, the same levels of excitement can be expected.

Rounding out what is gearing up to be a blockbuster weekend is the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Catering for fans of single seaters from yesteryear, the Classic Formula Ford series has continued to grow and a packed-out entry list are ready to duke it out at Silverstone.

Snetterton scorcher expected to come from BARC categories

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Snetterton this weekend (August 4/5) with five championships ready to set pulses racing over two action-packed days.

With its blend of tight corners and flowing straights, the Norfolk circuit is the perfect backdrop for what is set to be a scorching weekend both on and off the track.

Topping the bill will be the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, which will stage two endurance encounters. Making waves this year already with its inaugural 24-hour race in the UK and big grids at all events, the series has become one the leading lights within the BARC’s long list of categories.

Providing a low-cost method of going endurance racing, the one-make series is set for another memorable weekend with a four-hour and one hour race.

Boasting an entry list of more than 40 machines and north of 100 drivers, Snetterton is set to catch C1 fever as the series writes another milestone in its short history.

If Saturday belongs to the C1 Challenge taking centre stage then Sunday is all about the Classic Touring Car Championship. With its diverse mix of iconic tin top machines and multiple classes, classics will be the norm on day two with a total of eight races being run.

Those in attendance will see the Paul Inch – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, CTCRC Group 1 Touring Car Championship, Envirotec Hygiene Services Pre-93 Touring Cars, YourITman Pre-2003 Touring Cars, Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship, Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series and the MRF Motorsport Tyres Classic & Historic Thunder Saloon Championship all in action – and delivering edge-of-the-seat thrills.

Ben Palmer will look to continue his march towards a second successive Michelin Clio Cup Series title as he bids for wins 11 and 12. Palmer has won every single race so far this season and has shown no signs of slowing down either. Tyler Lidsey and Ben Colburn are just some of the contenders all vying to stop the #1 drivers charge.

There will be plenty of racing from the APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship as well. Another category that has flourished with big grids this season, the one-make series is better than ever and with a host of leading contenders coming to the fore.

Across the different classes, keep a close eye on Declan Dolan, Oliver Gibson, Jonathan Curry, Robert Winrow and Peter Tattersall – all of who m lead the way in their respective championships.

Rounding out the weekend’s racing will be action from the Kumho BMW Championship, home to some of the most infamous machines the German manufacturer have put into production.

For more information on this weekend’s event, including timetable and entry lists, click here.

Seven championships kickstart campaigns in Silverstone thriller

Seven championships from the British Automobile Racing Club kicked off their 2018 seasons this past weekend (March 24/25) at Silverstone.

Tackling the National layout of the popular venue, high sped edge-of-the-seat thrills were on order in contrasting conditions of rain and sun.

Battling the wet weather on Saturday, the Hyundai Coupe Cup roared into life with a record 24-car entry list. Now entering what is it’s third full season as a standalone series, the one-make tin top category produced a memorable two encounters around Northamptonshire venue.

Like he did on countless occasions last year, Steve Kite proved to be the man to beat as he stormed to a brace of victories, both by more than three seconds. Kite fended off Alex Cursley and Wayne Rockett in the opener before then leading Rockett and Neil Hurren in race two.

The theme of dominant doubles continued in the Michelin Clio Cup Series as Ben Palmer kickstarted his title defence in fine style. With the number one adorning his car for this year, Palmer underlined why he is the benchmark by romping to victory by more than 19 seconds in race one ahead of Simon Freeman and John Hamilton.

Both Hamilton and Freeman locked out the podium in race two but both could only watch on again as Palmer took the chequered flag, this time by just two seconds. In the Road class, Nic Harrison also enjoyed a strong start to the defence of his crown by picking up a pair of wins.

In the Renault UK Clio Cup Junior Championship, Nick Reeve had a dream debut as he took a clean sweep, claiming a pair of pole positions and then converting them into wins.

A five-car entry produced plenty of thrills ’n’ spills with Gus Burton winning on the road in race one after making a robust move on Reeve on the penultimate lap. Following a review, the positions were swapped by officials, giving Reeve the win.

The Specialized Motorsport driver proved to be in a league of his own in race two as he led Lorcan Hanafin and Burton to vault himself to the top of the championship standings.

Ben Kasperczak was in similar form in the Junior Saloon Car Championship, another one-make series that caters for drivers 14 to 17-years-old. At the wheel of his brightly coloured Citroen Saxo, Kasperczak stormed to a brace of victories to establish himself at the helm of the points.

Jemma Moore, Steven Chandler, Tony Rodriguez and Lewis Saunders all also picked up silverware across the two races too.

In the Mighty Minis Championship, Scott Kendall kicked off the defence of his title in style with an impressive victory in race one, taking the chequered flag ahead of Neven Kirkpatrick by four tenths of a second – a sizeable gap in Mini terms.

Race two proved to be a much tighter affair with a host of cars all dicing for top spot. In the end, Jo Polley made it a debut to remember as she took the win ahead of Greg Jenkins, Kendall and Kirkpatrick – a mere tenth of a second covering the four of them.

A diverse range of tin top thrills were also provided by the Classic Touring Car Racing club, which boasted more than 80 cars competing in a range of classes.

The amalgamated Classic, Historic Thunder Saloons & Blue Oval Saloon Series races brought outright victories the way of Dale Gent and Dave Cockell. The Pre 66 Classic Saloon & Historic Touring Cars saw Jonathan Lewis emerge victorious in both races at the wheel of his Mini Cooper S.

Rounding out the action at Silverstone was two races from the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Catering for fans of single seater machines from yesteryear, Mike Gardner and Benn Tilley were the drivers to beat as they shared the spoils, taking a win apiece.

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

Classic Touring Cars and Coupe Cup serve up feast of action at Mallory Park

The British Automobile Racing Club’s bank holiday Monday (May 28) visit to Mallory Park proved to be a memorable one as the Classic Touring Car Championship and Hyundai Coupe Cup produced plenty of wheel-to-wheel thrills.

Basking under the bright sunshine, both categories dually entertained those in attendance as ten action-packed races were run on the day.

A majority of the encounters came from the Classic Touring Car Championship, which boasted bumper and diverse grids – of which some were amalgamated together.

The MRF Classic & Historic Thunder Saloons & Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series saw Dale Gent score a brace of victories at the wheel of his Subaru Impreza, each by more than six seconds to his nearest rival, which was Adrian Hawkins on both occasions.

Ray West notched a double of his own as he piloted his BMW M3 to two wins in the Envirotec Pre 93, YourITMan Pre 03 & Toyo Tires Pre 05 Touring Cars races. Steve Barden and Simon Ward were the nearest challengers to West in the end, each taking a second and third place finish each.

There was a win apiece for Alan Greenhalgh and David Heale in the two Paul Inch Pre 66 Classic Saloon & Historic Touring Cars races whilst Mark Osboure and Stephen Primett banked a victory each in the Pre 83 Group 1 Touring Cars races.

In the Hyundai Coupe Cup, spoils were shared between Steve Kite and Alex Cursley. Entering the weekend as the man to beat, winning a majority of the races from behind the wheel of his Misty Racing machine, Kite further established himself as the dominant force.

Qualifying third behind Cursely and fellow front-runner Wayne Rockett, Kite scythed his way to the front of the field, bringing the aforementioned duo with him. As the top three scrapped to the chequered flag, Kite held on to score another victory whilst Rockett and Cursely followed.

A mere 0.639s separated the trio as they crossed the line, with the next driver on the road trailing them by more than 12 seconds.

Race two saw Cursely finally land his maiden win of the 2018 campaign. Like Kite, Cursely started the race from the second row of the grid but was not to be denied as he stormed to the front of the field, and on to victory, with less than a second covering himself, Kite and Rockett by the end of it all.

For the full classification of results, click here.

The Classic Touring Car Championship is next in action at Rockingham on June 16 whilst the Hyundai Coupe Cup visits the same venue on August 4.