Max5’s and Classic Formula Ford primed for Mallory Park

The Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship and the Max5 Racing Championship are gearing up for a flat-out days racing at Mallory Park this Sunday (August 5), where title battles will resume.

Welcoming two British Automobile Racing Club championships to tackles its challenging layout, the Leicestershire venue is set to play a pivotal role in the outcome of both categories come the end of the season.

Boasting the biggest grid on the day, the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship will undoubtedly provide plenty of edge-of-the-seat thrills with two race set to be run.

Taking a spirited trip down memory lane to a bygone era of open-wheeled racing, the championship is split into two classes. Class A is open to those competing in cars built between 1st January 1974 and 31st December 1981 whilst Class B is for those competing cars built before 1st January 1974.

Five different drivers have scored wins in Class A so far but it is Mike Gardner who leads the way, holding a slender two-point advantage over Mark Armstrong. The pair have taken a win apiece but missed the last round at Donington, allowing Ben Tinkler to score a double of his own.

Throw into the mix the likes of Kevin Mansell, Adriano Medeiros, Scott Mansell, Jordan Harrison, Steve Pearce and a host of others and you begin to see why the championship is as competitive as it currently is.

In Class B, Benn Tilley is currently the man to beat as he holds a 16-point advantage virtue of his four victories so far. At the wheel of his Merlyn Mk20, Tilley has momentum on his side and he will be keen to stretch his legs ahead of Stuart Kestenbaum, Ian Jeary and Simon Hadfield in the race for the title.

The Max5 Racing Championship will head into the second of its season look to pick up where it left off at Donington Park last month, delivering high-octane entertainment.

Open to different marks of the popular Mazda MX5 machine, the championship has enjoyed a fruitful campaign to-date, with numbers remaining strong as each round has passed.

Despite not winning a race yet in Class A, Andrew Pretorius will be looking to extend his ten-point lead over Josh Malin in the day’s two races. Malin has been the form man, winning every race he has finished – with a single non-finish being his only downfall and the reason why he trails Pretorius.

Other names to keep an eye on in the top tier include Matthew Tidmarsh and Lee Hollin, both of whom are capable of winning on their day.

Richard Smith has underlined that consistency is key in Class B as he sits atop the standings, despite being another driver to have not won yet. Picking up solid points in every race, Smith has slowly chipped away whilst watching Jordan Johnson, Adrian Johnson, Bryan Bursey, Nicholas Bailey and Phil Little all pick up victories.

All eyes will arguably be on the scrapping pair in Class C, Paul Roddison and Jeremy Shipley. Both have been the benchmark drivers in the races this season, battling it out towards the front of the field, and the pair will resume their duel for honours around the challenging Mallory layout.

Also joining the action this weekend will be a pair of races from the Racing Ford Series.

BARC championships dazzle at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club produced two days of memorising racing this past weekend (June 2/3) at Donington Park, with six championships in action.

On what was a scorching event both on and off the track, the Leicestershire-based venue proved to be a fitting backdrop for the latest chapter of championship action across all categories.

In the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns, three high-octane encounters served up a feast of thrills ’n’ spills. At the wheel of his Mallock MK23, Clive Wood proved to be the driver to beat as he charged to a trio of victories – all by more than ten seconds.

As Wood emerged as the yardstick for those behind to beat, a host of contenders all picked up rostrum finishes. Ian Crombie, Monika Arvidsson, Peter Richings and Michael Mallock all secured silverware over the course of the weekend too.

Boasting an entry list of more than 20 iconic German machines, the Kumho BMW Championship delivered two action-packed races. In the opening encounter, James Card piloted his BMW M3 E46 to victory, a mere two seconds ahead of Piers Reid.

Missing out on top spot in race one, Reid made no mistake in the second bout of the weekend as he too drove his M3 to win, narrowly pipping Garrie Whittaker.

Dave Rees was perfection personified in the Mighty Minis Championship, bagging a brace of victories whilst Paul Roddison did the same in the Max5 Racing Championship. Roddison’s double further underlined his dominance in the one-make Mazda series as he extended his win tally to seven victories from eight races.

Fans of single seater racing were treated over the course of the weekend too virtue of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship.

Winding the clock back to a bygone era of open-wheeled racing, both races delivered exhilarating entertainment and ultimately saw Benn Tilley steer his Merlyn Mk20 to victory in both races. Ben Tinkler and Nigel Lingwood could only watch on and occupy the remaining podium positions as Tilley added to his impressive record in 2018.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship rounded off the action from the Club, bringing together some of the most iconic models from the much-loved marques.

Spoils were to be shared come the end of the weekend with Martin Willis in his MG F and Steve Darbey in his MG ZR taking a win apiece.

In addition to the BARC championship action, MSA British Superkarts also duked it out around the sweeping curves under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

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.

Contrasting conditions add to the BARC spectacle at Cadwell Park

The British Automobile Racing Club showcased a wet and wild visit to the picturesque Cadwell Park with five championships continuing their 2018 campaigns.

Mixed weather throughout the weekend provided tricky track conditions, adding further spice to the action, especially in the amalgamated BARC Saloons Series & Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Series races – both eventually won by Robert Burkinshaw.

Starting from pole, the Honda Integra driver produced an effortless performance to gap William Casswell, Phil Wright and Ashley Shelswell before taking the chequered flag. Race two mirrored the opener in what proved to be a race of attrition for the top positions.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship has provided some excellent racing all year and that was underlined throughout the breadth of the field during the weekend too. A narrow victory for Martin Wills ahead of Simon Kendrick in race one aided his solid points haul over the weekend, later adding with a second victory in race two.

The Classic VW Cup returned to action with Ken Lark in his Corrado 2994 taking victory over Toby Absolom’s Golf 3200. A tight battle between Alex Kite and Nick Sanderson for third on track gave the fans plenty to put them on the edge of their seat, with both serving up an enthralling show despite the treacherous conditions. Race one winner and pole sitter Lark suffered a non-finish in race two, leaving the path to victory win wide open for Absolom, who gratefully prevailed.

The penultimate event of the year for the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600s saw Benn Tilley extend his championship lead with a win in race one. A non-finish for Tilley in race two however allowed his rivals to strike with Nigel Lingwood notching his maiden victory ahead of Ted Pearson and former champion Stuart Kestenbaum.

Paul Roddison continued his winning streak in the Max5 Racing Championship as he added to his impressive win tally with another pair of triumphs. Roddison asserted himself in the opener to beat Ian Loversidge by nine seconds before turning the wick up in race two to take the chequered flag by more than 20 seconds.

Capping off the weekend at Cadwell Park was host of races from the Dunlop Mini Miglia Championship and Dunlop Mini Se7en Championship. Kane Astin and Rupert Deeth shared the spoils in the Miglia category whilst Scott Kendall reigned supreme in the Se7en class. Paul Nevill rounded out the long list of race winners in the Ford Saloon Series.

For the full classification of results, click here.

Britcar headlines BARC weekend at Silverstone

A handful of British Automobile Racing Club championships are set to make their mark this weekend (May 12/13) as they head to Silverstone.

Taking to the iconic Grand Prix circuit, four BARC categories will duke it out for supremacy with Britcar Endurance headlining with its vast array of machinery.

More than 35 cars are expected to contest the second event of the season, a 50-minute sprint race which is then later followed by the customary two-hour endurance encounter.

Blending the likes of Ferrari 458 GT3’s and Ginetta G50’s, amongst a host of other jaw-dropping cars, the championship has continued its meteoric rise over the past couple of years, with 2018 no different.

Arriving at the Northamptonshire-based venue, the Sprint category sees a host of drivers in early contention for outright honours. The Mercedes of Richard Neary scored two wins at Rockingham and will likely be a threat again whilst Ferrari duo David Mason and Ross Wylie will be keen to add to their silverware collections. Add into the mix the BMW of Mike Moss and Tom Howard and you begin to build a picture of how competitive this year’s crop of drivers is.

Elsewhere in the Endurance standings, Black Mamba Racing duo Andy Demetriou and Luke Williams will have their sights set on building on what was a dream opening weekend at the wheel of their Ginetta G55.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship resumes during the weekend too after last racing in mid-March at Oulton Park. Another to boast a significant entry list, two 20-minute encounters, with all classes being amalgamated, will be run around Silverstone.

Notable names to look out for include Oliver Gibson, Lee Collins, Declan Dolan and Graeme Smith who lead the Sigmax, Sigma, Mega and Classic classes respectively.

Single seater action comes in the form of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship, who are making their second visit to Silverstone this year. Bringing together some of the most desirable open-wheeled machines from yesteryear, the championship continues to produce edge-of-the-seat thrills.

Benn Tilley and Mike Gardner shared the spoils the last time the series hit the track and both will be keen to top the podium once again.

The Kumho BMW Championship is also set for action this weekend in what will also be their second event of the season. Roaring into life at Brands Hatch over the on Easter Sunday, the championship has once again attracted a big grid with drivers competing in all manner of models from the popular German manufacturer.

Colin Wells, Ian Crisp, Gareth Montgomery, Kevin Denwood and Russell Dack leading the long list of potential front runners to keep a watchful eye on.

Capping off the racing around the home of British motorsport will be the MSA British Superkarts Championship and Speed Group OSS Championship.

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.

BARC championships set to dazzle at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Donington Park this weekend (June 2/3) with six championships set to produce plenty of wheel-to-wheel thrills as they continue their 2018 campaigns.

With summer approaching and events coming thick and fast, this visit to the Leicestershire-based venue for some will mark the second half of the season – igniting title battles even further.

Having been in action just last weekend, the Max5 Racing Championship descends on Donington Park for another two races this weekend with it all to play for. Marking the fourth stop on the calendar, the multi-class category has served up plenty of entertainment thus far.

Paul Roddison enters the event as the man to beat having won five of the six races already. Winning five in-a-row, the series veteran saw his winning streak come to an end at Anglesey last time out as Jeremy Shipley took the chequered flag. Keen to strike back with further triumphs, Roddison will be one to watch however Shipley, Matthew Tidmarsh, Richard Smith and Josh Malin are set to all be in the mix.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns will be in action for the second time this season over the course of the weekend too. Kicking off their campaign at Brands Hatch, the popular prototype series is never short of producing close racing.

Mark Charteris, Steve Dickens and Michelle Hayward all took class victories around the Indy layout last month and the trio will be looking to add to their ever-growing silverware collections under the flightpath of East Midlands airport this weekend.

Small in size but packing a real punch on-track, the Mighty Minis Championship will undoubtedly be deliver a host of edge-of-the-seat moments. Boasting a bumper grid made up of the iconic car, Donington Park marks the halfway point in the season and it is all to play for.

In the more powerful Super Mighty Mini class wins have gone the way of Stuart Combes, Lee Polman, Greg Jenkins, Damien Harrington and Alex Comis – making picking a winner for outright glory at this event almost impossible to choose from.

Elsewhere in the Mighty Mini class, the likes of Seven Kirkpatrick, Scott Kendall and Jo Polley have all been the leading lights and each will be looking to add to their impressive 2018 resumes.

There will be a diverse range of machinery in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship as it too reaches the halfway stage of the season. Events at Oulton Park, Rockingham and Snetterton have set the tone already, with the likes of Jim Baynam, Stuart Plotnek and David Mellor as the perennial contenders to look out for.

Fans of single seater racing will be well catered for over the course of the weekend too via the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Taking a trip down memory lane of the once popular category, the jaw-dropping machines of yesteryear continue to spark great racing.

Mike Gardner, Mark Armstrong, Benn Tilley, Adriano Mederios and more have all tasted success this year and will be looking to do so once again.

Capping off the BARC competition will be a pair of races from the Kumho BMW Championship. Bringing the best models from the German manufacturer together onto one grid, the series has continued to keep going from strength-to-strength with Colin Wells, Ian Crisp and Russell Dack are three of just many drivers that have made their mark this year.

In addition to the feast of BARC action, the British Superkarts will also be in action around the sweeping curves of Donington Park.

BARC heads back to Cadwell Park for full-throttle weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club heads north to the undulating curves of Cadwell Park this weekend (September 8/9) with six championships set to continue their 2018 campaigns.

In what will be the latest visit to the picturesque circuit in Lancashire, the demanding layout of Cadwell is set to produce close-quarter action across the variety of categories competing.

A spirited trip down memory lane will be in order for the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship as they stage their penultimate event of the season. Showcasing the glory years of single seater racing, the open-wheeled series has been rife with high-octane moments throughout the year – and this weekend is set to be no different with two races set to be run.

Benn Tilley has proved to be the benchmark driver in recent rounds but the likes of Mark Armstrong, Stuart Kestenbaum and Ben Tinkler, amongst a host of others, will all be out to haunt his momentum.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship has served up another enthralling season of racing this year and shows no sign of slowing up heading to Cadwell. With all manner of models from the marquee manufacturer being represented on the grid, the multi-class series has proven to be a haven for entertainment.

Series veteran Jim Baynam finds himself leading the way in the standings however his lead could come under further threat if the likes of Stephen McDermid and Martin Willis score big points.

There has been a fair share of memorable moments from the Max5 Racing Championship this year which has largely been dominated by Paul Roddison. Holding a near-perfect record, Roddison will be keen to continue his winning ways whilst the likes of Jeremy Shipley bid to halt his progress.

Elsewhere over the course of the weekend will be a feast of tin top action from the Classic VW Cup, BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge.

Bringing together some of the most iconic machines from the German marque, the Classic VW Cup has flourished in its maiden season of having its own grids. A diverse range of machines will also been seen across the BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge -each of them likely to take on a starring role.

In addition to the feast of BARC action, on-track thrills will also come from the Mini Se7en Championship and Mini Miglia Championship, both of whom starred at Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Meeting in early June.

Fans of all things Ford will be well-catered for too as a pair of races from the Racing Fords series will also take place.

For more information on this weekend’s event at Cadwell Park, including a timetable and links to live timing, click here