Tag: MINI CHALLENGE Trophy

Snetterton delivers all-action BARC race weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club put on a show around Snetterton’s 300 circuit this past weekend (April 13/14) as a number of championships continued, as well as started, their 2024 campaigns with two days of exceptional action-packed racing. 

On was the first of several visits the Club will make to the Norfolk venue over the course of this year, four categories took centre stage to write the latest chapter of their stories for the crowd watching in attendance and at home via YouTube.

The British Endurance Championship in association with Motorsport UK saw PB Racing with JMH maintain their 100% winning record in 2024 as Peter Erceg and Marcus Clutton charged to a dominant lights-to-flag victory.

After reigning supreme at the series’ Donington Park curtain-raiser last month, the Audi GT3 duo were among the favourites to star at Snetterton and they didn’t disappoint as they quickly showcased that they were in a league of their own.

Clinching a commanding pole position during qualifying, the only challenge that Erceg ended up facing was the hustle and bustle of the opening lap, where he was briefly put under pressure by the Porsche’s of Team Tasman and Road & Competition Engineering through turns one and two. 

Once clear, Erceg built up a steady advantage throughout his stint before handing the car over to Clutton, who was wheel-perfect to the finish. In the end the pair took the chequered flag five clear laps ahead of their nearest challengers.

Behind the eventual race winners, Team Tasman – which was made up of David Harrison and Nathan Luckey in a Porsche 991.2 Cup – secured a spot on the second step of the podium after holding off the race-long charge of Chris Murphy in his BMW E46 GTR, who finished third. 

Caterham Motorsport began their 2024 season in style with four of their five championships producing a plethora of thrills and spills across an unmissable 11 races. 

In the Mission Motorsport Caterham Seven 270R Championship, spoils were shared between Nick Bryant, Toby Ballard and Ben Timmons whilst Hugo Bush, Harry Cook and Lars Alexander Hoffman did the same in the Motul Caterham Seven 310R Championship.

More than 40 cars lined up to battle for supremacy in the Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship however there was one name that stood head and shoulders above the rest to win both races, Jonathan Emery. 

There was virtually nothing to separate defending champion Lewis Thompson and William Smith in the Vertex Caterham Seven UK Championship. Thompson laid down his marker with victory in the opener however try as he might, he couldn’t overhaul Smith in the remaining two bouts. 

Harry Hickton emerged as one of the leading lights from the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy as he produced a near-perfect display to claim the early bragging rights at the top of the championship standings. 

Kicking off a brand-new campaign with three action-packed races, Hickton reigned supreme in the popular one-make series as he claimed victory in two of the three contests, while Sam Gornall secured the remaining honours that were up for grabs.

After shadowing Gornall to the chequered flag in race one, Westbourne Motorsport’s Hickton was a tour-de-force in race two as he went from ninth to first in just over a lap and once out front, he was uncatchable as he pulled clear to claim a long-awaited maiden win. 

The Hampshire-based racer didn’t have to wait too long for a second win in the championship as he utilised another of his demon starts to jump into the lead at the start and then control proceedings while Alex Solley and Reece Lycett trailed him in second and third.  

Concluding the weekend’s track action around Snetterton were two races from the Britcar Trophy Championship which, like the British Endurance Championship, was back competing following a pulsating season-opener a couple of weeks’ back. 

Simon Mason and Chris Bialan picked up where they left off a few weeks ago by chalking up their second consecutive victory in their Cupra Gen 1. After qualifying inside the top three, the duo were in scintillating form as they carved their way to the front to ultimately triumph.

Maurizio Sciglio then led home a Datum Motorsport 1-2-3 in the weekend’s finale as he led home Axel van Nederveen and Marco Anstasti. Sciglio’s victory means that three driver entries have now stood on the top step of the podium across the opening four races.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Snetterton, CLICK HERE. 

Watch all of the action back from both days via the BARC’s official YouTube channel HERE.

MINI CHALLENGE opens entry process for 2025 Scholarship

Organisers of the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE have confirmed that entries for the 2025 Scholarship programme have opened – two months before a winner for the 2024 competition has even been selected.

Launching its inaugural Scholarship in September of this year, the popular one-make series welcomed more than 100 drivers to battle for a host of prizes, with the winner being awarded a package worth ÂŁ50,000 towards a season in the new JCW Sport class.

Such has been the popularity of the 2024 Scholarship, series organisers have moved quickly to finalise plans for the 2025 edition to provide potential entrants with as much time as possible to secure their place.

The 2025 competition will run across two days and will be run exclusively at one of the leading race circuits in the UK. Stage 1 will comprise of on-track activities alongside a motorsport quiz and media interviews; Stage 2 will then include the opportunity to drive a MINI CHALLENGE race car.

“Given the interest we had in the 2024 Scholarship, we were keen to push ahead with plans to bring it back and are delighted to now be launching entries for 2025,” said Rhea Beauchamp, Championship Co-Ordinator.

“As we did this time around, we are packing in plenty of activities as we look to uncover new talent and help them make it onto the race track.

“Seeing the way people competing in the 2024 Scholarship embraced the opening stage of the ongoing competition, we look forward to making things even bigger and better for 2025 and providing people with the opportunity to battle for a place on the grid as part of the MINI CHALLENGE family.”

The competition will run in August 2024 with the winner securing the top prize of a package worth ÂŁ50,000 to compete in the JCW Sport category during the 2025 season.

CLICK HERE to enter the 2025 Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Scholarship.

BARC concludes 2023 season with thrilling Brands Hatch title-decider

The British Automobile Racing Club closed out its 2023 season at Brands Hatch last weekend (November 4/5) with an extravaganza of title-deciding entertainment as a number of champions were crowned in front of a capacity trackside crowd.

Concluding what has been a year to remember for the Club’s championships, series, centres and venues; two days of blockbuster racing – in contrasting weather conditions – provided the backdrop to a fitting finale around the Indy layout of the Kent venue. 

Headlining the action was the British Truck Racing Championship, which saw Ryan Smith continue to re-write the history books as he claimed an unprecedented eighth consecutive Division 1 title.

Going into the weekend holding a commanding lead at the top of the standings, Smith mastered both the wet and dry conditions in his Daimler Freightliner to clinch a hat-trick of race wins and with it, the coveted crown for an eighth time.

Unfortunately, incidents on-track meant that the super-sized series only really contested three of its five scheduled bouts. The first race was declared without a result following two red flag stoppages while the finale lasted just a couple of corners before an accident caused barrier damage on the run up to Druids.

Huge credit must be given to all of the volunteer marshals, BARC officials and circuit staff for their tireless and swift efforts over the course of the weekend.

While Smith comfortably cruised to championship glory, there was unbelievably nothing to separate Paul Rivett and Adam Bint in the battle for overall Division 2 honours – with the pair ending the season tied on points. 

Across both days, the pendulum between the title protagonists swung back-and-forth, with each of them scoring wins. Come the final race, both drivers were locked on the same amount of points and due to the race not taking place, the champion was crowned on a count back of wins.

Having been somewhat of a winning juggernaut, especially in recent rounds, NAPA Racing UK’s Rivett was declared the new Division 2 champion ahead of Bint – who had pieced together an incredible campaign from start-to-finish. 

Things were somewhat more straight forward in the ultra-competitive Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy as former rallycross champion Tom Ovenden reigned supreme to wrap up the title.

Entering the weekend as one of six drivers that held a mathematical chance of lifting the one-make series crown, the EXCELR8 Motorsport driver shadowed his title rivals in the opening encounter before then securing the title with a fifth place finish in race two. 

As Ovenden rightly soaked up the spoils of championship glory, the final three race wins of the season fell the way of Alex Keens, Jack Byrne and Nathan Edwards; whilst Maximus Hall punched in an impressive showing by clinching hat-trick of second place finishes. 

Daire Flock turned his dreams of being crowned champion of the Junior Saloon Car Championship into a reality as he came out on top in the final two races of a thrilling 2023 campaign.

The Westbourne Motorsport driver entered the weekend with a healthy advantage in the standings however with double points on offer, he couldn’t afford to make any mistakes – especially as rookie ace Cameron Pratt-Thompson was waiting in the wings. 

Victory in race one put the sophomore racer on the cusp of glory before he wrapped things up with second place in race two, just behind eventual winner Oskar Dix. Pratt-Thompson would settle for the runners-up spot overall, although he did manage to clinch the Rookie Cup.

Third and sixth place finishes proved to be enough for Reece Jones to successfully retain his Pickup Truck Racing Championship title as he became a two-time champion in the popular one-make series. 

Arriving at Brands Hatch in the pound seat, Jones produced a flurry of measured performances to ensure he did enough to hold off Dale Gent and Paul Tompkins – who were his main rivals heading into the weekend. 

Gent would sign off the season with victory in the final race, although he could do nothing to stop former British Touring Car Championship race winner Matt Simpson from triumphing in the weekend’s earlier two contests.

Rounding out the list of newly crowned champions at Brands Hatch was Will Gibson, who – after coming oh-so close last year – was able to secure the Legends Cars National Championship for 2023.

As expected, the 5/8 scale pocket rockets delivered frenetic racing and while he didn’t win any of the heats, Gibson wracked up the points finishes to guarantee himself an unassailable lead in the standings. Jack Parker and Chris Needham would share the spoils in terms of race wins. 

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Brands Hatch, CLICK HERE.

BARC championships entertain the masses at Silverstone

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this past weekend (September 16/17) for a full-throttle two days of track action that had everyone perched on the edge of their seats. 

Entering the business end of the 2023 season, every position and point proved to be crucial as eight championships wrote the latest chapter in their campaigns around the flowing 1.64-mile National layout. 

Topping the bill were three pulsating contests from the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy; which has set up a tantalising title showdown with Tom Ovenden and Alex Solley now separated by just 30 points at the top of the standings. 

Neither Ovenden or Solley would claim outright wins over the course of the weekend; instead that honour fell the way of Nathan Edwards and Rhys Hurd. Hot on the heels of his maiden victory, Edwards produced a pair of superlative defence drive in races one and two to triumph.

Hurd then became the latest driver to add his name to the ever-growing MINI CHALLENGE Trophy winners list this year as he charged to glory in a frenetic finale ahead of Gabe Fairbrother and the ever-impressive Edwards. 

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Daire Flock and Cameron Pratt-Thompson continued their battle for the title by once again being the drivers to beat. Westbourne Motorsport’s Flock struck first with a charging drive from fifth to win race one before his title protagonist then took on a starring role.

Pratt-Thompson – who is in his Rookie season in the popular one-make series for teenage drivers – went on to hold off Flock in races two and three by the narrowest of margins to make significant in-roads towards the standings summit. 

Elsewhere, Stephen Berry and Charlie Newton-Darbey enjoyed a share of the spoils in what were three blockbuster MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport bouts. The Track Attack Race Club meanwhile concluded its campaign with a trio of races that were won by Charlotte Birch and Paul Roddison.

Bryan Bransom and James Card scored a victory apiece in the Kumho BMW Championship whilst Jonny Rockett reigned supreme in a highly-entertaining OT Publishing Coupe Cup 40-minute endurance race.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw its fair share of drama too as reigning champion Steve McDermid saw his chances of retaining the crown dealt a blow as he was disqualified from race one. 

McDermid did bounce back in race two however he could do nothing to stop Scott Bugner and Maninder Golhar from claiming victory.

Rounding out the weekend’s action were a trio of captivating contests from the British Superkart Racing Club and its bumper 46-kart entry list – with Jack Tritton, Liam Morley and Brian Jones coming out on top. 

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Silverstone, CLICK HERE. 

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend – September 16/17

The British Automobile Racing Club is entering the home stretch of its 2023 season and this weekend sees two unmissable race meetings take place.

Below is all the information you’ll need to know to keep up-to-date with all the action that is being broadcast over the course of this weekend: 

SNETTERTON

Snetterton will play host to an action-packed two days of epic proportions as the British Truck Racing Championship writes the latest chapter of what is proving to be another captivating campaign.

Tin top thrills and spills will be served up in the shape of the Classic Touring Car Racing Club whilst the British Endurance Championship and ROWE Britcar Trophy Championship will also star.

Saturday 16th September – 12:30 // WATCH HERE

Sunday 17th September – 10:30 // WATCH HERE

SILVERSTONE 

At the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, a number of championships are poised to take centre stage on the National circuit.

Featuring on the billing around the 1.64-mile layout includes the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Junior Saloon Car Championship, Track Attack Race Club, Kumho BMW Championship, OT Publishing Coupe Cup and Lancaster Insurance MGOC Championship.

Saturday 16th September – 14:00 // WATCH HERE

Sunday 17th September – 09:40 // WATCH HERE

To find out more information about this weekend’s race meeting, CLICK HERE.

Blockbuster entertainment runs throughout TOCA support bill at Croft

Croft Circuit provided the backdrop to a thrilling two days of action this past weekend (July 29/30) as the TOCA support package blasted back into life.

Making the annual trip to North Yorkshire following the traditional mid-season summer break, a quartet of categories served up an unmissable show alongside the British Touring Car Championship for a capacity trackside crowd.

Hot on heels of confirming that they will remain on the TOCA bill until at least the end of 2026, the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA underlined its status as being the first step on the road to Formula 1 by providing three frenetic races.

After setting the pace early on in the season, Louis Sharp made a welcome return to the top step of the podium by claiming a commanding lights-to-flag victory in the weekend’s opener before Sonny Smith reigned supreme in an action-packed reverse grid contest. 

Sharp then doubled his account for the weekend with a clinical display in race three as he cruised to victory ahead of Will Macintyre and Deagen Fairclough.

Having dazzled crowds with scintillating overtakes and close-quarter racing at Brands Hatch back in May, the Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM made a triumphant return to the TOCA support bill and as expected, they didn’t disappoint. 

Round three on Saturday saw the trio of Marcus Pett, Jack Parker and Will Gibson claim a win apiece before Connor Mills and Robert triumphed across round four’s double-header on Sunday.

Blockbuster entertainment was around nearly every corner when it came to the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, as they too returned to the BTCC billing, having not featured since Thruxton. 

Tom Ovenden strengthened his championship challenge with an assertive performance in the weekend’s opening bout however he could do nothing to stop Jack Byrne from triumphing in a pulsating finale. 

Concluding the weekend’s action around the British Automobile Racing Club-operated venue were two contests from the Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain. 

Team Parker Racing’s Joseph Warhurst edged out Matthew Armstrong and Max Coates in the opening encounter before  Armstrong and Toby Trice reigned supreme in Sunday’s second and third bouts.

To view the full classifications of results from all competing championships over the course of the weekend at Croft, CLICK HERE.

BARC championships put on entertaining show at Snetterton

The British Automobile Racing Club put on a show around Snetterton’s 300 circuit this past weekend (May 13/14) as a number of championships continued their 2023 campaigns with two days of exceptional action-packed racing.

In what marked the first of several visits to the Norfolk venue for the Club over the course of this season, five categories took centre stage to write the latest chapter of their stories – and they didn’t disappoint those that were watching in attendance and at home via live stream.

One of the leading lights to emerge from the weekend was last year’s Junior Saloon Car champion and winner of the prestigious Peter Collins Trophy at the BARC Championship Awards Evening in February, Maximus Hall.

Hot on the heels of an impressive debut outing in the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy last month, Hall didn’t put a wheel wrong at Snetterton to ignite his championship charge with two overall victories and a second place finish.

Three frenetic contests – the first of which was won by Nicky Taylor, who had only landed in the country after holidaying in Florida on Saturday morning – around the 2.97-mile layout produced an abundance of overtaking and it was Hall that starred as one of the big movers across both days.

The battle for supremacy across the Morphmy Caterham Graduates Championship ramped up over the course of Saturday and Sunday as the popular single-manufacturer series delivered an impressive six bouts.

In the combined Sigma 150 and Sigmax races, James Wingfield opened his account for the season with a narrow – just 0.048 of a second in fact – win over defending champion Harry Senior. Race two saw Senior strike back with a win of his own but he could do nothing to stop Wingfield from doubling his tally later on in a frenetic finale.

Over in the Sigma 135 category, a bumper 31-car grid had everyone on the edge of their seats as Theo Theato, Ben Wheatley and Richard Groom each claimed a hard-fought win apiece.

Jason West and James Card proved to be the standout performers in the Kumho BMW Championship, with West coming out on top of two captivating encounters with a pair of impressive victories.

Barely anything could split the top two throughout the weekend however it was West that proved too have just enough in hand to stay ahead of multiple title winner and Brands Hatch victor Card.

Over in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, spoils were shared as reigning champion Steve McDermid ramped up his title defence with an impressive first victory of the year. Scott Bugner – who was twice a winner at last month’s curtain-raiser – also chalked up yet another win in Sunday’s second bout.

Elsewhere, Luca Staccini Anzanello became the latest race winner in the OT Publishing Coupe Cup with Toyo Tyres. The Italian was perfection personified as he topped qualifying and then triumphed in both races of the much-loved tin top series.

Fans were treated to further slip-streaming Mini action as the Dunlop National Mini Challenge supported by Mini Spares made a guest appearance on the billing. Mike Jordan charged to an impressive double win in the Se7en class whilst Jeff Smith and Kane Astin both triumphed in the Miglia races.

Concluding the weekend’s action was a 45-minute contest from the Uncle Luke’s Snetterton Saloons. After powering his BMW E46 M3 to a commanding pole position in qualifying, Bryan Bransom withstood the challenge of Kevin Clarke and Jasper Sapra to clinch victory.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Snetterton, CLICK HERE.

Watch all races that were streamed live across both days on the BARC’s official YouTube channel HERE.

How To Watch BARC LIVE: Snetterton 300 – May 13/14

The British Automobile Racing Club is back on the big screen this weekend (May 13/14) as a number of championships continue their 2023 campaigns at the Snetterton 300 circuit in Norfolk.

In what is the first of several visits to the challenging 2.99-mile track over the course of this year, the Club’s TV cameras will be on-site across Saturday and Sunday to deliver edge-of-the-seat moment on Facebook and YouTube.

Headlining the action will be races from the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, MORPHMY Caterham Graduates Championship, Kumho BMW Championship, Lancaster Insurance MGOC Championship and OT Publishing Coupe Cup.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 13:00 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 09:30 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Snetterton, including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

Sun shines on Brands Hatch as BARC serves up Easter extravaganza

The British Automobile Racing Club served up an Easter extravaganza at Brands Hatch this past weekend (April 8/9) as seven more championships lifted the curtain on their 2023 seasons in spectacular fashion.

Basking in the warm Spring sunshine at the famous Kent venue, a bumper crowd were treated to 21 blockbuster races across Saturday and Sunday – each of which were packed with their own thrills and spills. 

Headlining the weekend’s action around the 1.2-mile Indy circuit were five contests from the British Truck Racing Championship and they certainly didn’t disappoint; with a near capacity grid of heavyweight behemoths delivering an unmissable show.

In Division 1, two of the series’ most successful drivers staked an early claim to the title by sharing the spoils. Reigning seven time-champion Ryan Smith – who was armed with a brand-new Daimler Freightliner – bagged a hat-trick of wins whilst ten-time champion Stuart Oliver scored a brace of his own.

There was a similar theme in Division 2 as two drivers split the wins; Adam Bint and John Powell. Former champion Bint made one of his best starts to a season in recent years with three emphatic victories whilst championship stalwart Powell reigned supreme in the remaining two bouts.

Three different drivers stood on the top step of the podium in what was an action-packed start to the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy. Widely regarded as one of the most competitive one-make categories in the UK, no quarter was given throughout the 30-car grid.

Second-year driver Tom Ovenden kicked off proceedings with an impressive victory before Jack Byrne scampered into the distance to win race two, all while an almighty scrap for second place played out behind him. Alex Solley then rounded out proceedings by clinching his maiden win in a shortened third race.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship also saw three different drivers claim victory. Renowned for producing high-octane wheel-to-wheel moments, the category had everyone on the edge of their seats as they debuted their new two heats and a grand final format.

Pre-season title favourites Matt Simpson, Dale Gent and reigning champion Reece Jones proved to be the class of the field as they led the way out front – taking a win apiece to set up what promises to be an exciting remainder of the season.

Elsewhere, the Morphmy Caterham Graduates Championship served up no less than four races during the weekend, each of them proving to be as captivating as the one that went before it. 

Harry Senior and Harry Cramer shared the victories on offer in the amalgamated Sigma 150 and Sigmax races whilst Richard Groom and Ben Wheatley emerged victorious from the two thrilling Sigma 135 bouts that were on offer.

Scott Bugner made a flying start to life in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship as he opened his 2023 account with two wins. 

At the wheel of his MG ZR, Bugner edged out Jack Chapman and multiple champion Steve McDermid in a close opening race before then doubling up for the day with a more comfortable victory ahead of McDermid and Andy Heitman in race two.

Wayne Rockett showcased why he has established himself as one of the most successful drivers to ever compete in the OT Publishing Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires by taking a clean sweep of race victories.

Hot on the heels of finishing the 2022 campaign with the most race wins, Rockett picked up where he left off as he produced a pair of measured drives to lead home Luca Staccini Anzanello and Mark Ridout in both encounters.

Rounding out the weekend’s action was two races from the Kumho BMW Championship, the single-manufacturer series which boasts more than three decades of history and is home to some of the most iconic models that run the badge of the Bavarian brand.

Donning the mantel of defending champion after a sensational 2022 campaign, James Card picked up from where he left off last year with an assured performance in the weekend’s opening contest as he guided his E46 M3 to victory ahead of Jason West.

Roles were reversed in race two however as West staked his claim as one to watch over the course of the year with a somewhat dominant win; leading home Card and Paul Wood to the chequered flag by more than ten seconds.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Brands Hatch, CLICK HERE.

Watch all of the action that was streamed live across both days on the BARC’s official YouTube channel HERE.

How To Watch BARC LIVE: Brands Hatch – April 8/9

The British Automobile Racing Club makes its first visit of the 2023 season to Brands Hatch this weekend (April 8/9) with a blockbuster two days of on-track entertainment comprising of a staggering 21 races.

Five races that are guaranteed to have fans on the edge-of-their-seats – both trackside and watching online – will come from the British Truck Racing Championship as they blast into life for a brand new season.

Weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing in excess of 1000bhp, there is nothing quite like seeing the heavyweight behemoths of Divison 1 and Division 2 go wheel-to-wheel, and BARC LIVE is poised to bring every lap live across Facebook and YouTube.

Elsewhere, the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Kumho BMW Championship, Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, OT Publishing Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires and Caterham Graduates Racing Club will all kick-start their campaigns.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 11:50 – Facebook | YouTube 

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 10:10 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Brands Hatch, including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

Vertu Motors named as new MINI CHALLENGE UK title sponsor

Organisers of the MINI CHALLENGE have announced a new title sponsorship agreement with Vertu Motors – part of the Vertu Motors Group – for the 2023 season.

The new partnership will see the popular single-marque series rebranded as the ‘Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE’ and will cover both the headline JCW class – which competes exclusively on the British Touring Car Championship support bill – and entry-level Trophy class.

Vertu Motors branding will feature on the windscreen of all competing cars across both classes, as well as on support vehicles and around racing venues up and down the country.

Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Vertu Motors plc, said: “I am delighted that Vertu Motors is now an Official Partner with MINI CHALLENGE for this coming season. We have worked with the organisers for several years now and have admired their commitment, passion and enthusiasm for this series.

“Our Group’s brands already have strong roots in motorsport and a history of support across a multitude of disciplines, from the Birmingham Superprix in the 1980s, to sponsorship of Channel 4’s coverage of the Formula 1 in recent years, and of course, our Bristol Street Motors British Touring Car Championship team with EXCELR8 Motorsport.

“We strongly believe that this new partnership with MINI CHALLENGE, a very exciting, ‘Best of British’ motorsport series, epitomises many of the characteristics the Vertu Motors brand embodies including precision, innovation, technical advancement, commitment, determination and teamwork. We look forward to supporting each race weekend and connecting fans and communities with our ever-growing brand.”

Antony Williams, Championship Director for The Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE, added: “We’re incredibly excited and grateful to have the Vertu Motors brand on board with us for this coming season. Their enthusiasm and support have been brilliant already.

“The MINI CHALLENGE is the UK’s premier single-make race series and offers a great opportunity for drivers to put their skills to the test at some of the best tracks this country has to offer.

“The Vertu Motors group already holds brands that are well-known for championing motorsport at all levels, and we’re excited to see the Vertu Motors retail brand, which includes a multitude of MINI dealerships nationwide, fly the ‘chequered’ flag too. We’re all looking forward to the season ahead!”

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Brands Hatch – November 5/6

It’s the penultimate meeting of the season for the British Automobile Racing Club this weekend (November 5/6) and fireworks are set to fly at Brands Hatch as champions are crowned.

On what promises to be a captivating title deciding weekend at the Kent venue, the gloves are set to come off as the battle for supremacy intensifies across two action-packed days.

Headlining the weekend’s action will be five blockbuster races from the British Truck Racing Championship, where the destiny of both the Division 1 and Division 2 crowns are still up for grabs.

Also taking centre stage on the live stream will be the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, MINI CHALLENGE Trophy and Mini 7 Racing Club Winter Championship.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 11:40 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 10:05 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Brands Hatch including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.