BARC championships battle Storm Callum on memorable Pembrey weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club faced rain, wind and bright sunshine at Pembrey this past weekend (October 13/14) as Storm Callum made its presence felt at the venue’s Autumn Truckfest meeting.

On what is one of the standout events for the Welsh venue, not even torrential rain and high speed winds on Saturday could stop a hearty crowd from flocking trackside to witness a flat-out two days of track action.

Circuit staff, officials and marshals met be credited b their determination and hard work at the start of the weekend as they battled the treacherous conditions to ensure racing could go ahead, albeit later than originally scheduled.

When the action did get underway the British Truck Racing Association Championship lived up to its billing by taking centre stage. With the battle for supremacy in Division 1 and Division 2 approaching an exciting climax, the penultimate event of the season served up a feast of entertainment.

Reigning champion Ryan Smith proved to be the benchmark driver in Division 1 once again as he scored a pair of victories however the MAN driver didn’t have things all his own way. Chief title rival David Jenkins scored a win of his own in the premier class whilst Simon Reid also added his name to the winners list in the final race of the weekend.

In Division 2, spoils were shared between three drivers as the title battle heated up. Series leader Luke Garrett kicked off the weekend with victory but that was to be as good as it got for the multiple race-winner as he endured a rough ride from then on.

John Powell notched his first win since the season-opener at Brands Hatch and swiftly followed it up with a second victory not long after. Former champion Adam Bint meanwhile rounded off the Division 2 victors as he produced a defensive masterclass to score his maiden win of 2018.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship is set to go down to the wire following an enthralling triple-header at Pembrey, with Lea Wood vaulting himself into title contention.

Bidding to chase down reigning champion Scott Bourne, former BTCC ace Wood did his championship charge no harm at all as he scored a pair of impressive victories around the 1.49 mile circuit.

Having triumphed twice, Wood capped off his weekend with a third place finish in race three as Dale Gent showcased what he has become known for in the Classic Touring Car Championship by clinching a narrow victory ahead of Bourne.

In the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, four drivers scored victory across the weekend as the series delivered a wealth of twists and turns. On Saturday, Sy Harraway wrote his name into the history books with a maiden win before Jack Parker and John Mickel each topped the rostrum too.

Harraway and Mickel would score a win apiece on Sunday too before Steve Whitelegg brought the curtain down on proceedings by taking the chequered flag in race six.

Joining the three BARC championships at Pembrey was also the Welsh Racing Drivers Association and the MSA Superkarts Championship.

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

BARC descends on Pembrey for Autumn Truckfest

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Pembrey Circuit this weekend (October 13/14) primed for two days of blockbuster track action, headlined by the British Truck Racing Association Championship.

In what is being billed as the ‘Autumn Truckfest’, a bumper crowd is expected to flock trackside to witness all manner of edge-of-the-seat thrills from a variety of categories.

Making their second visit of the year to South Wales, the British Truck Racing Association Championship will look to steal the show as they get set to stage eight races over the course of the weekend.

Sitting at the summit of Division 1 and on course to secure his third title in succession, Ryan Smith will likely be the man to beat at the wheel of his MAN. Having enjoyed plenty of success throughout the year, the reigning champion could well wrap up the title if things fall his way at the sharp end of the grid.

David Jenkins and Jamie Anderson will stand the best chance of haulting Smith’s charge albeit the likes of Stuart Oliver, Richard Collett and Simon Reid will also be in the mix no doubt too.

It is a similar story in Division 2 as well as Luke Garrett bids to put himself out of touch of his rivals at the summit of the standings. Having built up a comfortable lead with a string of victories, the MAN driver will need to replicate his pulsating form to remain control of the championship battle.

Leading the chase for Garrett are a host of experienced racers including Brad Smith, John Powell, Steve Powell and John Bowler, all of whom have showcased their credentials at some stage during the year.

The action is set to be similarly exciting in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, with the battle for supremacy at the top of the standings firmly on. Reigning champion Scott Bourne finds himself leading the way after a resurgent run of form but he isn’t likely to have things his own way.

Season-long rivals David O’Regan and Lea Wood are hot on the heels of Bourne and the weekend’s three races will be pivotal in deciding the outcome of who walks away as champion.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres will make its first visit to Pembrey since 2016 with a bumper grid and six sensational races lined up.

As it stands, John Mickel and Steve Whitelegg look destined to take the battler the title all the way to the wire and neither of them can afford a slip up around the challenging curves of Pembrey.

Eyes must also be focused on Jack Parker, Miles Rudman, Sean Smith and Paul Simmons, all race winners that on their day can take the fight to the top two.

In addition to the BARC action, Pembrey will also play host to the MSA British Superkarts and Welsh Racing Drivers Association throughout the weekend too.