Tag: Kumho BMW Championship

2020 Season Review: Kumho BMW Championship

The Kumho BMW Championship was at its brilliant best this year as it served up a memorable season, with a total of three class champions being crowned come the final chequered flag being waved.

Home to some of the most iconic models of the German manufacturer in recent decades, an action-packed ten-race campaign kept fans on the edge of their seats right up until the final lap.

Visiting Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Oulton Park, Mallory Park and Thruxton, the Kumho BMW contingent boasted bumper entry lists throughout what was an unprecedented year too, underlining the continuing popularity after more than 30 years.

In Class A, James Card emerged as the driver to beat as he powered he E36 M3 to the summit of the standings. Double wins at Brands Hatch and Snetterton kickstarted his campaign off on the right foot and he only continued to improve as the season progressed.

Another double at Mallory Park, in addition to further podium finishes in the remaining rounds, proved enough to hand Card the honours ahead of Darren Morgan-Owen, Brad Sheehan and Michael Pensavalle.

Class B saw Sunny Gill prevail from an intriguing three-way battle for supremacy ahead of series stalwarts’ Trevor Ford and Russell Dack. The cornerstone of Gill’s triumph came in the opening six races as he triumphed on no less than five occasions, with Ford winning the remaining contest.

Despite a late five-race winning streak charge from Dack and his E46 M3, Gill kept the points ticking over to ensure he ended the year as champion.

Ralph Kirk rounded out the list of winners in the Kumho BMW Championship as he clinched the Class C crown. Making a handful of appearances, Kirk netted a brace of wins at Oulton Park and Mallory Park to run out as a convincing winner.

Mixed conditions add to the BARC spectacle at Thruxton

Mixed weather conditions added to the on-track spectacle at Thruxton this past weekend (October 24/25) as the British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage on home turf for a blockbuster two days of racing.

On what proved to be a frenetic race meeting in front of an appreciative crowd, bright sunshine and heavy showers played its part as championship battles raged on.

The C1 Challenge wrote the latest chapter of its ever-growing illustrious history as it made its first visit to Thruxton. Boasting a 45-car entry list, the one-make series starred on Sunday afternoon as an epic three-hour endurance race unfolded around the high-speed Hampshire venue.

Completing a total of 96 laps, the Hybrid Tune trio of Stephen James, David Meenan and Ben Simonds ran out as race winners, scoring victory by more than 90 seconds at the chequered flag.

Fans of Mini racing were treated to a feast of entertainment over the course of the weekend as both the Mighty Minis Championship and the Mini Seven Racing Club served up exhilarating wheel-to-wheel action.

Ian Slark and David Kirpatrick shared the spoils in the two Mighty Mini encounters whilst there was plenty of variety when it came to the winners of the Mini Seven contingent.

In the Dunlop National Mini Challenge supported by Mini Spares Miglia category, Rupert Deeth bagged an impressive brace with Sam Summerhayes clinching the remaining win.

Summerhayes then jumped across to the Dunlop National Mini Challenge supported by Mini Spares Se7en class and tallied another win before Joe Thompson and Jeff Smith also triumphed.

The Kumho BMW Championship battled the treacherous conditions and delivered two scintillating contests. Brad Sheehan powered his E46 M3 to victory in the opener before Michael Pensaville bounced back from a retirement to prevail in race two.

Rounding out the weekend were two BARC Open Sports/Saloon races, both of which were won by Jamie Sturges at the wheel of his Seat Leon TCR.

To view the full classification of results from every session at Thruxton, click here.

The British Automobile Racing Club returns to Thruxton this coming weekend (October 31/November 1) with the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship taking centre stage.

Thruxton thrill ride awaits BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for the first of two blockbuster events at its spiritual home of Thruxton this coming weekend (October 24/25) as a host of championships continue their 2020 campaigns.

Put together post-lockdown to provide an extra date on the calendar for a number of series, the fastest circuit in the UK is set to undoubtedly get pulses racing as title battles reach fever pitch and drivers duke it out for outright bragging rights.

Taking centre stage at the Hampshire venue for the first-time ever is the C1 Challenge. Providing a low-cost method of going endurance racing, the C1 Challenge has proven to be one of the fastest growing categories in the country since launching midway through 2017.

Often boasting huge grids, this weekend’s three-hour encounter is set to provide an abundance of thrills and spills as teams and drivers bid to write their name into the history books as the first winners at Thruxton.

Unlike the C1 Challenge, the Kumho BMW Championship is no stranger to Thruxton having been a regular fixture at the circuit down the years. Home to all manner of models produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, the multi-class series has become a haven for full-throttle action.

Notable names to keep an eye on over the course of the weekend’s two races include James Card, Sunny Gill, Brad Sheehan and Darren Morgan-Owen, amongst others.

Thruxton will mark the penultimate event of the Mighty Minis Championship season and it is all to play for in the race to be crowned champion. Paul Ogborn holds the advantage in the Mighty Mini class whilst Neven Kirkpatrick finds himself in a similar position in the Super Mighty Mini category.

As is the case when it comes to the Mighty Minis contingent however, both Ogborn and Kirkpatrick can’t rest for a second as things can change in an instant and each driver has a host of contenders chasing them down.

Further slipstreaming, wheel-to-wheel Mini madness will come in the shape of the Mini Seven Championship and Mini Miglia Championship. Stealing the show when they appeared on the TOCA support package at Thruxton last year, edge of the seat entertainment is all-but guaranteed.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action will be two innovative Open Sports/Saloon car races after debuting at Mallory Park in late August.

Open to competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in, providing they meet current Motorsport UK safety regulations, the new initiative is proving to be popular.

The format guarantees that everyone will be racing against those doing similar lap times, irrespective of the car they are driving, leading to much closer competition. Classes will be changed post-qualifying and post-race if competitors run two or more laps faster in a qualifying session or race than their nominated class allowance stipulates.

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

BARC serves up sensational Sunday of racing at Mallory Park

Mallory Park played host to a memorable day of British Automobile Racing Club track action this past Sunday (October 11) as four championships served up a feast of entertainment.

Visiting the Leicestershire venue for the final time this season, the Club crowned a champion in one category and saw the battle for supremacy intensify across a host of others.

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship brought the curtain down on its short three-round campaign in style, serving up two pulsating races around the challenging 1.35-mile circuit.

Alec Graham pieced together a consistent race day to wrap up the 2020 crown whilst outgoing champion Pete Sparrow underlined his credentials as one of the great racers to compete in the series as he topped the rostrum in each contest.

In the Kumho BMW Championship, James Card claimed a commanding double win to further strengthen his title challenge. Piloting his trusty E46 M3, Card showcased sensational pace to get the better of Jason West in both bouts.

Sharing the grid with the Kumho BMW Championship over the course of the day was the Uncle Luke’s BARC Saloons Series. At the wheel of his monstrous Ford Escort RS2000, Paul Nevill emerged as the driver to beat in the category to triumph in his class twice.

Alex Cursley proved too much for the opposition in the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup as he powered his way to an impressive brace of victories. Cursely narrowly edged out Kevin Smiles in the opening encounter before repeating the feat in race two, this time ahead of Mark Dickens.

Capping off the day’s action at Mallory Park were two races from the Historic F3 Championship, both of which were won by Ian Bankhurst.

To view the full classification of results from Sunday’s race day, click here.

BARC heads back to Mallory Park for Sunday spectacular

The British Automobile Racing Club will make its second and final visit to Mallory Park of the 2020 campaign this coming Sunday (October 11), with four championships all keen to make their mark in front of what is expected to be a bumper crowd.

Serving up a feast of entertainment at the Leicestershire venue back in late August, further thrills and spills are expected to have fans on the edge of their seats once more.

Headlining the day’s action will be two races from the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship. Bringing the curtain down on its season, the much-loved one-make series will take centre stage for its title-decider.

Coming off the back of events at Cadwell Park and Snetterton, Alec Graham finds himself in the box seat to be crowned champion however things are far from guaranteed. Holding a 12-point advantage at the standings summit, Graham will be keen to wrap up the title as quickly as possible.

Aiming to overhaul Graham’s slender advantage is Sandro Proietti and when you throw into the mix the likes of former champion Lien Davies, Nick Crispin, Mick Storey and Luca Proietti, the fight for supremacy could go in any direction.

Steeped in a rich history, the Kumho BMW Championship has dazzled down the years and the multi-class category will look to continue doing just that this weekend as it resumes its 2020 campaign.

Open to all manner of models that have been built by the Bavarian manufacturer, the Kumho BMW contingent have delivered a string of sensational wheel-to-wheel battles this year already; with the likes of James Card, Niall Bradley and Brad Sheehan will undoubtedly be in the mix.

Sunday will also see the Kumho BMW Championship joined by the BARC Saloon Series, as the two join forces to form one bumper grid.

Elsewhere, the Hyundai Coupe Cup has once again proven to be a smash-hit this year. Roaring into life a few years ago, the Coupe Cup is a budget conscious, single-make category for first and second generation two-lite Hyundai Coupe machines.

Notable names to look out for at Mallory Park across the categories two encounters include  Alex Cursley, Wayne Rockett, Mark Dicken and Kevin Smiles – to name but a few.

Rounding out the day’s action will be a pair of races from the Historic F3 Championship.

To view more information on Sunday’s race day at Mallory Park, including where to follow live timing and to view the event timetable, click here.

BARC publishes COVID-19 guidelines for Competitors and Officials

With the restart to racing in the UK now well underway the British Automobile Racing Club has updated its guidelines on how events will be run for both Competitors and Officials.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to adjust some of our practices and procedures in order to satisfy the requirements laid down by the government and most importantly to provide the safest environment possible for everyone involved.

In line with the guidance provided by Motorsport UK, the BARC will operate their race meetings as follows:-

BARC Competitors Guidance (v3 21 July) – CLICK HERE

BARC Officials Guidance (v2 22 July) – CLICK HERE

These guidelines have been put in place with the well-being of staff, competitors, officials and all potential visitors to our venues and events remaining at the forefront of our considerations at all times.

As it stands, all race meetings and events remain provisional and subject to change in accordance with the latest directives from the UK government.

To view the remaining post-lockdown 2021 events schedule, head to https://www.barc.net/events/.

Four championships put on a Saturday show at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Oulton Park this past Saturday (September 12) where four championship basked in the Cheshire sunshine to serve up a feast of entertainment.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting had a host of thrills and spills as each category continued their condensed 2020 campaigns.

Headlining the day’s action was the much-loved Dunlop Endurance Championship, which was home to all manner of eye-catching pieces of machinery. Two races, one for the Endurance class and the other for the Trophy class set pulses well and truly racing.

In the hour-long Endurance encounter, VR Motorsport’s duo of Jack Fabby and Garry Townsend reigned supreme in their Praga R1T to triumph whilst the Honda Integra Type R pairing of Danny Casser and Nigel Ainge did the same in the Trophy category.

Harry Senior enjoyed a near-perfect weekend in the Caterham Graduates Championship as he tallied two wins from three races. Senior controlled proceedings in races one and two before missing out on the hat-trick in race three, where Andrew Whitton ran out as the victor.

The North West Centre’s flagship category – the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship – boasted a near 30-car entry list for its two races and close-quarter, wheel-to-wheel battles were present throughout the field.

Paul Woolfitt was to be the driver to beat, powering his Lotus Exige to an impressive pair of wins ahead of Luke Armiger. The spoils for third place were ultimately shared between Jon Woolfitt and Danny Bird.

Capping off the day’s action were two races from the Kumho BMW Championship, which showcased some of the best machines that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer from down the years.

Michael Pensaville proved too much for the competition at the wheel of his BMW M3 E36 to score an impressive brace of race wins whilst Brad Sheehan finished hot on his heels in both encounters. Lucky Khera and James Card each took a podium apiece as well.

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

BARC heads to Oulton Park for one-day meeting

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Oulton Park this weekend (September 12) for a one-day meeting that will is bound to get pulses racing, as four championships continue their 2020 campaigns.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the Cheshire venue is set to play host to a breathtaking day of high-octane autumnal action in front what will undoubtedly be a bumper crowd of enthusiastic spectators.

Headlining the day’s timetable will be two pulsating encounters from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. Showcasing an eclectic mix of jaw-dropping machinery across multiple classes, the series has starred at Croft and Brands Hatch already this year and that theme is only set to continue.

VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison and Jem Hepworth hold the early initiative in the Endurance Category whilst Barry McMahon holds a slender advantage in the Trophy Class. Keen to extend their leads respectively, the duo will need to be in top form as the list of contenders that are hot on their heels continues to grow.

Boasting bumper grids and producing blockbuster wheel-to-wheel entertainment, the Caterham Graduates Championship has been at its brilliant best this year and Saturday’s visit to Oulton Park is set to be no different.

The Kumho BMW Championship will be back in action after starring at Mallory Park, with two races scheduled to take place. Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

Notable names to look out for include James Card, Brad Sheehan, Darren Morgan-Owen and Rick Kerry, amongst many others.

Rounding out Saturday’s action will be two races from the North West Centre’s flagship category, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship.

Open to all manner of machinery, the multi-class championship has seen its fair share of excitement and drama already this year, with events taking place at Cadwell Park and Donington Park. With the likes of Paul Rose, Paul Dobson and Danny Bird battling for supremacy, it’s all to play for at the top.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event at Oulton Park, head to https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-oulton-park/.

Snetterton primed for 2CV Racing 24-hour spectacle

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship will headline the British Automobile Racing Club’s late summer visit to Snetterton this coming weekend (August 28/29/30) for its yearly 24-hour race.

In what is one of the standout events on the Club motorsport calendar, the Norfolk venue will play host to a blockbuster three days of track action with several other categories all in action too.

Traditionally run as the series finale for the much-loved single-make championship, revisions to the 2020 calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic has meant that the annual 24-hour encounter will serve as the second event of a condensed schedule.

Roaring into life at Cadwell Park at the start of July, Alec Graham and Luca Proietti shared the spoils across two frenetic encounters but that was only half the story of what proved to be an enthralling spectacle.

Boasting a bumper entry list of not only competitors in the UK series but also in mainland Europe, this weekend’s 24-hour race is set to have pulses racing from start to finish and its anybody’s to win.

Prior to the 2CV Racing Championship taking centre stage at Snetterton, several other BARC categories will continue their campaigns including the Caterham Graduates Championship.

Serving up plenty of entertainment already this year, the one-make series is bigger and better than ever this year and is renowned for producing exhilarating wheel-to-wheel action. Notable names to keep an eye on over the course of the weekend include Andrew Whitton, Kevin Barrett and Barry White – amongst a host of others.

The Kumho BMW Championship will be back in action as well, with two races scheduled to take place. Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

James Card emerged as the man to beat at the Brands Hatch curtain-raiser and the E36 M3 driver will be hard to beat once again, however a host of contenders will undoubtedly not make it easy for Card to remain unbeaten.

Further tin top thrills and spills will be provided by the Hyundai Coupe Cup and BARC Saloon Series – both of which will amalgamate together to form one grid. Providing a low-cost means of going racing, each series has enjoyed great success in recent years and that trend will surely continue into this weekend.

Rounding out the action around the 200 layout of Snetterton will be a handful of races from the British Superkarts Championship.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Snetterton, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here.

BARC championship serve up Brands Hatch thrills and spills

Brands Hatch played host to a memorable two days of British Automobile Racing Club track action this past weekend (August 1/2) as six championships took centre stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Whilst some categories continuing their 2020 campaigns and others starting them, the Indy configuration of the Kent venue proved to be smash-hit for competitors and spectators alike.

The Classic Touring Car Championship was one that was continuing its condensed season having starred at Cadwell Park last month. With bumper grids of tin top machines from a bygone era, there was something for everyone across the multiple races that took place around the 1.2-mile layout.

James Card and James Janicki took a win apiece in the amalgamated Thunder Saloons and Blue Oval Saloons whilst Alan Greenhalgh was unstoppable across both Pre 66’ Touring Car races in his Ford Falcon.

In the Pre 83’ category, Mike Luck enjoyed a trouble-free two races to cater to victory with Rod Birley doing the same in the two Pre 93’ & Pre 03’ spectacles.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship served up a feast of entertainment as it staged races in both its Endurance and Trophy classes. VR Motorsport duo of Danny Harrison and Jem Hepworth were the victors in the Endurance category whilst Trophy Class spoils were split between Charlie Campbell and Barry McMahon.

Lewis Saunders continued his relentless march towards a second Junior Saloon Car Championship title, sweeping to another brace of race wins to take his tally for the season to six.

Saunders didn’t have things his own way however as the Ciceley Motorsport-backed former champion fended off the race-long advances of Charlie Hand in both encounters, whilst Alex Solley clinched a pair of third place finishes.

James Card was another driver to leave the Kent venue with plenty of silverware, claiming both wins in the opening round of the Kumho BMW Championship. At the wheel of his E46 M3, Card dominated proceedings to kick-start the new season in fine style.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship was another category to see one driver take centre stage as Fergus Campbell lifted the curtain on the new season with a double-winning performance.

Piloting his MG ZR, Campbell led a bumper entry list throughout Sunday’s two races as David Mellor, Steve McDermid and Steve Darbey filled the remaining podium positions.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action at Brands Hatch were two races from the UK Sports Prototype Cup. Having debuted in 2019, the multi-marque series boasted a bumper entry list for the start of its sophomore season and it put on quite the show.

Alex Kapadia narrowly edged out Scott Mansell in the opener before Mansell struck back in race two, getting the better of Bradley Ellis to take home a share of the spoils.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Brands Hatch, click here.

Brands Hatch beckons for BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club makes the first of two scheduled visits to Brands Hatch this weekend (August 1/2) for what should be a spectacular two days of on-track entertainment, with no less than six championships in action.

Following on from successful events at Cadwell Park and Croft last month, this weekend will be a notable one for the Club as it will be the first for spectators to watch in person since motorsport resumed in the UK following the COVID-19 lockdown.

With a total of 20 races set to take place around the iconic Indy layout of the Kent venue across both days, thrills and spills will be all-but guaranteed across each category. 

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Lewis Saunders has proven to be the benchmark driver thus far having scored an impressive three wins from four races. Bidding to become the first two-time champion in the series, Saunders has been in fine form but hasn’t had things all his own way.

Charlie Hand has been the other race winner and alongside the likes of Molly Dodd, Ruben Hage and Jake Weston, things are far from a forgone conclusion – especially with two more encounters taking centre stage this weekend.

Variety has always proven to be the spice of life in the Classic Touring Car Championship and that was on full show last month as a bumper entry list of tin top titans lifted the curtain on the new season.

Featuring cars built in 1966 through to the early noughties, the CTCRC has something for everyone. Expect the likes of Guy Smith, Stephen Primett, Alexander Owen and Andy Robinson to be some of the names dicing towards the front for outright honours.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship starred at Croft several weeks ago and it is set to do so once again in Kent as a feast of GT machinery will do battle across a pair of 50-minute races.

At Croft, the RAW Motorsport duo of Steve Burgess and Ben Dimmack, as well as VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison, shared the spoils and while both will be keen to replicate that feat once again this weekend, the competition is likely to make it a tough fight to do so.

Whilst several championships will be back in action this weekend, Brands Hatch will also represent the opening event of what is now a condensed 2020 season for some.

One category which will be making its first appearance of the campaign will be the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship. Home to some of the most famous cars to ever be built, the cost-effective category has been much-loved for a number of years.

Notable drivers to cast a watchful eye over at Brands Hatch include series stalwarts Jim Baynam, Stuart Plotnek, Steve McDermid and Will Sharpe – to name but a few.

Fans of all things BMW will be well-catered for over the course of the weekend as the Kumho BMW Championship roars into life for another year.

Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

Rounding out the weekend will be action from the UK Sports Prototype Cup, which is embarking on its sophomore season in 2020. Looking to build on the foundations that it laid down last year, the multi-marque series boasts an ultra-competitive grid so expect fireworks to fly.

To view all of the important information ahead of this weekend’s event at Brands Hatch, such as links to the entry list and timetable, click here.

BARC announces revised provisional 2020 calendar for remainder of the year

The British Automobile Racing Club can today (June 22) reveal its revised provisional calendar for the remainder 2020; kicking off on July 4/5 and running right the way through until November 22.

Following on from the suspension of UK motorsport in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Club has worked tirelessly to put together a calendar with the dates available that will suit each individual championship.

Unfortunately, both the British Hillclimb Championship and BARC Connaught Speed Championship have elected to cancel their 2020 campaigns, with the focus now on 2021.

To view the full revised list of 2020 British Automobile Racing Club race meetings, CLICK HERE.

All dates remain provisional and subject to change in line with the current and ever-evolving government guidelines. Spectators are currently not permitted to attend events at this moment in time.

Those wishing to enter a race meeting can do so via the BARC Competitor Entry System.

For those that do not have a Username to access the BARC Competitor Entry System or if you have a general enquiry, please contact BARC Competitors secretary David Wheadon via 01264 882209 or dwheadon@barc.net.

Guidelines for Competitors and Officials have also been published in relation to how BARC race meetings will operate moving forward. They can be viewed by heading to https://www.barc.net/barc-publishes-covid-19-guidelines-for-competitors-and-officials/