Tag: Pickup Truck Racing Championship

Thruxton serves up scorching weekend of BARC championship action

The British Automobile Racing Club served up a scorching two days of racing around the fastest circuit in the UK, Thruxton, this past weekend (June 29/30) as a host of championships took centre stage in Hampshire.

Basking in the searing sun, spectators that lined the bankings across both days were treated to a feast of entertainment as temperatures continued to rise both on and off the track.

Headlining the weekend were no less than seven races from the MV Commercial BTRA Championship, all of which delivered exhilarating thrills and spills.

Division 1 of the heavyweight behemoths saw Ryan Smith serve up a perfect performance as he clinched pole position and then all four race wins. David Jenkins was to be Smith’s closest challenger but the former champion could do nothing to stop the MAN driver.

Luke Garrett came close to doing the same in Division 2 as he secured a hat-trick of race wins around the high-speed venue. Clinching pole position, Garrett won the opener and then a further two races on Sunday, with Steve Powell the only driver able to knock him off the top step of the podium.

Having thrown up plenty of unpredictability leading into the event, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship continued to deliver a nail-biting battle towards the sharp end of the grid – with Mark Willis and Michael Smith sharing the spoils.

The Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship produced a spectacular pair of races, rolling back the years in emphatic style. Tim Harvey enjoyed a near perfect weekend around the ultra-fast venue to take the lead in the overall standings.

Triumphing in the opening encounter, the former BTCC champion narrowly missed out on a second win by 0.187 as Rick Morris bounced back from a frustrating race one to round out the weekend on the top step of the podium.

There was plenty of drama in the Mighty Minis Championship as those in attendance were treated to a raft of slipstreaming thrills and spills. Just 0.024 separated Stuart Coombs and Greg Jenkins in race one, with Coombs getting the better of his rival to score a hard-earned win.

Jenkins would strike back in the second race of the weekend as he fended off a swarm of challengers to narrowly pip Neven Kirkpatrick to the chequered flag.

Elsewhere, the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns provided plenty of entertainment with Clive Wood in dominant mood as he swept his way to a hard-earned hat-trick of wins.

In the Kumho BMW Championship, Garrie Whittaker continued his winning streak with a dominant performance, extending his unbeaten run in 2019 as well. Arriving as the man to beat in the single manufacturer category, the E36 M3 driver exerted his status as the man to beat by scoring wins in both races by more than 30 seconds.

Rounding out the weekend’s action at Thruxton was a pair of races from the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup. Wayne Rockett recorded his fifth win on the bounce in the opener but saw his winning streak come an end later in the day as Nick Moore struck to notch his first win of the year.

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

Thruxton’s next major event of the year takes place on August 2/3/4 in the shape of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli.

Thruxton revved up for blockbuster BARC race weekend

The home of the British Automobile Racing Club, Thruxton Circuit, will play host to a blockbuster two days of track action this weekend (June 29/30) as the MV Commercial BTRA Championship descends on Hampshire with a bumper supporting cast.

In what is one of the highlights of the season for the fastest track in the UK, a total of seven championships will go wheel-to-wheel around the much-loved venue as they each write the latest chapter in their 2019 campaigns.

Headlining the weekend’s action will be no less than seven races from the MV Commercial BTRA Championship. Weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing in excess of 1000bhp, the heavyweight behemoths have delivered all-out action so far this year, and it’s only set to continue.

Division 1 currently sees three-time champion Ryan Smith in control of the points after making a flying start to the year. Aiming to become a four-time title winner, Smith has a wave of momentum behind him however fierce rival David Jenkins will be keen to halt his progress and close the gap.

Luke Garrett meanwhile has taken on the role of defending champion in Division 2 with relative ease, leading the way in the points after two events. Notching four wins so far, Garrett will be one to watch as he bids to extend his advantage over the chasing pack – made up of Paul Rivett, Steve Powell, Brad Smith and more.

Whilst Division 1 and Division 2 will compete in three races each, the fourth and final encounter will see both grids combine – bringing the curtain down on the weekend in sensational style.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship has kicked off the year in ultra-competitive fashion with six different winners from the first seven races. George Turiccki leads the pack into the weekend’s two races however staying there may prove difficult, with the competition being as fierce as it is.

Dale Gent, David O’Regan, Reece Jones, Paul Tompkins and Michael Smith are the other victors so far and any one of them could top the podium over the course of the two days.

Slipstreaming will be on full display in the Mighty Minis Championship as a bumper entry list of the iconic car duke it out for supremacy. Renowned for producing edge-of-the-seat thrills, both the Mighty Mini and Super Mighty Mini classes will be in attendance for a pair of thrilling races.

Notable names to keep an eye on over the course of the event include Alex Comis, Owen Edgley and Neven Kirkpatrick, amongst many more.

Speaking of cars from a bygone era, fans of single seaters will be well catered for in the shape of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Rick Morris and Tim Harvey have emerged as the form men early on, the pair separated by just a point, however a whole host of contenders could come to the fore and challenge their status. 

Open-wheeled action will also be served up in the shape of the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns. Unique in every manner, the championship has packed grid and delivers non-stop entertainment, with the likes of Peter Richings, Barry Webb and Pippa Tanner-Wood just some of the stars of the show.

Tin top thrills will come in the shape of the Kumho BMW Championship, where Garrie Whittaker will be aiming to extend his winning streak. Showcasing some of the most awe-inspiring models from the Bavarian brand, the Kumho BMW contingent have become a haven for doorhandle-to-doorhandle thrills and spills, with Thruxton set to be no different.

Rounding out the weekend’s action will be a pair of races from the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup. Continuing to grow in stature as each year passes, the Coupe Cup contingent have raised the bar each year and the 2019 crop of racers are in demand by fans.

Wayne Rockett has won every race run so far and you’d not bet against him from being amongst the front-runners, alongside Alex Cursley and Nick Moore, either.

Tickets are available to purchase on the gate from £15 on Saturday and £20 on Sunday. Further information regarding ticketing can be found at http://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/trucks.

For more information on this weekend’s event at Thruxton, such as links to timetables and live timing, click here.

Legends UK, Pickup Truck Racing & Super Silhouettes star at American Speedfest

Brands Hatch brought a flavour of the USA to Kent in the shape of American Speedfest this past weekend (June 1/2), and three British Automobile Racing Club championships took centre stage to put on a star-studded performance.

In what is billed as the biggest celebration of American-fuelled motoring, music and racing this side of the Atlantic, the two-day event welcomed a bumper crowd – all of whom got the full stars and stripes treatment.

Alongside the likes of Euro NASCAR and Bernie V8s that all took to the track, the BARC trio of the Legends UK National Championship with MRF Tyres, Pickup Truck Racing Championship and the BARC Super Silhouettes Championship were also in action.

Having last been action just a week previous at Anglesey, the 5/8 scale Legends contingent wrote the latest chapter in what has already been storybook season for them.

Saturday saw three different winners come to the fore across the day’s three races, with a popular winner triumphing in the final. Storming to pole position in qualifying, Marcus Pett scored victory in race one before Sean Smith triumphed in race two.

Donning the mantel of defending champion and teamed up with a special level for Legends’ 25th Anniversary, John Mickel finally notched a first win of the season in race three of the weekend.

Another trio of races followed on Sunday at Brands Hatch for the Legends with Pett, Smith and Tom Grainger topping the rostrum.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship saw two pulsating encounters played out around the Indy circuit of Brands Hatch, and both of them will likely be crucial on the outcome of who walks away as champion.

George Turiccki struck first around the 1.20 mile layout as he piloted his machine to pole position for both races. Turiccki was unable to convert his front row start into victory however as Reece Jones emerged as the man to beat in the opening race, taking victory by seven seconds ahead of Turiccki.

Race two saw Turiccki make amends however as he stole a march on his rivals to canter to victory ahead of David O’Regan and Jones.

Rounding out the action for the BARC representatives was the ever-growing BARC Super Silhouette Championship. Already reaping the benefits of a rebrand this year, the space frame category served up a mesmerising performance for those in attendance.

Qualifying saw Chris Brockhurst lay down the gauntlet to his rivals as he topped the timesheets in qualifying from behind the wheel of his Vauxhall Tigra. However, as he has done on many occasions this year already, Malcolm Blackman was the man to beat in race one as he scored yet another victory – before then repeating the feat in race two.

For the full classification of results from American Speedfest, click here.

Sun shines on memorable weekend at Pembrey for Spring Truckfest

Pembrey Circuit served up a captivating two days of track action this past weekend (May 11/12) as several British Automobile Racing Club championships continued their 2019 campaigns.

Basking in bright sunshine throughout both days, a bumper crowd descended on the picturesque Welsh venue for one of the biggest events of the year – Spring Truckfest.

Making the first of two visits to South Wales to headline the action was the MV Commercial BTRA Championship, and all seven races didn’t disappoint. Division 1 saw the ongoing duel between reigning champion Ryan Smith and David Jenkins take another turn, as the pair squabbled for supremacy.

Smith struck first with victory in the opening encounter before Jenkins bounced back with a win of his own in race two, albeit narrowly ahead of the three-time title winner.

A stunning last lap overtake in the third encounter handed the advantage back to Smith before the three-time title winner capped off his weekend in style by completing his hat-trick in the combined finale.

In Division 2, Luke Garrett continued his march towards securing back-to-back titles with another superlative performance. Storming to pole position, the MAN driver clinched a lights-to-flag victory in the opener before doing the same in race three.

Paul Rivett scored a hugely popular first win in the series also whilst Steve Powell also tasted success by powering towards the top step of the podium in the final race of the weekend.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship served up plenty of unpredictability once more as a trio of races were played out around the 1.49 mile layout. Paul Tompkins edged out a nail-biting battle for victory in the opening race ahead of Michael Smith and Mark Willis before Reece Jones came to the fore in race two to prevail.

The third and final race from the Pickup Trucks saw Dale Gent charge towards the summit to become the third different race winner in the series.

Malcolm Blackman continued his dominant start to the year in the BARC Super Silhouette Championship with a further three wins at Pembrey. Having topped the podium twice at the Brands Hatch season-opener, Blackman extended his unbeaten start to the season with a commanding performance.

As Blackman starred Chris Brockenhurst, Steve Burrows and Danny Hunn all also picked up podium finishes.

There was further dominance in the Max5 Racing Championship as well as Paul Roddison notched two wins to extend his perfect start to the 2019 campaign. Coming off the back of claiming a sensational hat-trick of wins at Croft, Roddison underlined his credentials as the man to beat in superlative circumstances.

Roddison battled back from fourth to head Ian Loversidge and Andrew Pretorius in race one before then doing the same in race two, this time doing so from lights-to-flag.

The BARC Saloons Series, TDi North Honda VTEC Challenge and KW Automotive Classic VW Cup amalgamated together once again to give fans of all things tin tops plenty to get excited about.

William Casswell piloted his Honda Civic to the top of the rostrum in race one before the eye-catching Ford Sierra XR4i of Ashley Shelswell triumphed later on.

Rounding out the weekend’s action were a pair of races from the Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship which were both won by Keith Butcher.

For the full classification of results from Pembrey across the weekend, click here.

Pembrey revved up and ready for two-day Spring Truckfest meeting

Pembrey Circuit is gearing up for one of the biggest events of the season in South Wales this weekend (May 11/12) as a host of British Automobile Racing Club championships descend on the popular venue for Spring Truckfest.

In what has become a marque two-day event in recent years, a bumper crowd is set to line the spectator bankings over the course of the weekend to soak up all of the on and off track entertainment, of which there is plenty for the whole family.

Headlining the on-track action will be several races from the MV Commercial BTlRA Championship. Roaring into life at Brands Hatch in style, the heavyweight behemoths head to Pembrey for the second event of the 2019 campaign and with it all to play for in both Divisions.

Ryan Smith and David Jenkins find themselves locked in a battle at the top of the points in Division 1 currently after emerging as the early pace-setters from the round one.

After ruling the roost at the season-opener, Ryan Smith and David Jenkins enter round two with nothing between them in the points. Sharing the spoils along with Stuart Oliver last time out, the pair are set to renew their rivalry further as they bid to gain the upper-hand. John Newell, Richard Collett and Simon Reid will all likely be in the mix too.

Division 2 currently sees a familiar face at the summit of the standings with Luke Garrett getting the defence of his title off to a strong start. Winning twice last time out, Garrett will be keen to continue his momentum however the likes of Steve Powell, Paul Rivett and Erik Forsstrom will be worth keeping a keen eye on too.

More truck racing action will be on offer at Pembrey in the shape of the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, which also resumes after a pulsating season-opener at Brands Hatch. Two more races from the much-loved series will likely get those in attendance on the edge of their seats from the get-go.

Those with a keen interest in all things tin tops will be well-catered for as the KW Automotive Classic VW Cup, BARC Saloon Series and TDi North Honda VTEC Challenge continue their campaigns.

All roaring into life at Silverstone a couple of weeks back, the very best in saloon car machinery will be on display over the course of the weekend with a raft of notable names to keep an eye on.

The Max5 Racing Championship will be back in action with Paul Roddison aiming to maintain his scintillating start to the year. Roddison scored a sensational hat-trick at Croft and will be eyeing further success across the weekend.

Fans will also be able to get behind a host of local drivers too as the Welsh Racing Drivers Association Championship takes centre stage. With a variety of cars set to duke it out for supremacy, the WRDA is one not to be missed.

For more information on this weekend’s event at Pembrey Circuit, click here.

BARC delivers scorching Brands Hatch bank holiday blockbuster

The British Automobile Racing Club put on an Easter extravaganza at Brands Hatch this past weekend (April 20/21/22) as eight championships basked in the bank holiday sun to produce three days of unmissable action.

Topping the bill were eight dramatic race, four for Division 1 and four for Division 2, from the MV Commercial BTRA Championship. Kicking off another season of edge-of-the-seat entertainment, the heavyweight behemoths served up a string of spellbinding performances. 

In Division 1, reigning champion Ryan Smith began the defence of his title in style as he picked up a pair of victories whilst Stuart Oliver and David Jenkins also triumphed.

There was a similar theme in Division 2 as well with reigning champion Luke Garrett making an equally flying start as he too picked up a pair of wins. Eric Forsstrom and Steve Powell left the Kent circuit with a win apiece as well whilst Paul Rivett made his mark by scoring a hat-trick of podium finishes.

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2019, the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres was back and better than ever. Renowned for close-quarter racing, the 5/8 scale championship wowed crowds from start-to-finish with a host of photo finishes.

Connor Mills prevailed as the most successful driver around the 1.2 mile circuit as he bagged three wins whilst the trio of Sy Harraway, Jack Parker and James Hall-Morton, upon which was his maiden victory in the series, shared the remaining spoils.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship is set to be wide open this year with five different drivers filling the podium across the weekend’s two races. With the void of double champion Scott Bourne needing to be filled, Michael Smith came to the fore in the curtain-raiser to beat George Turiccki and David O’Regan.

O’Regan would move up the order in the second race as he produced a scintillating performance to score victory ahead of Dale Gent and Paul Jones.

Malcolm Blackman wrote his name into the history books as the first winner in the BARC Super Silhouette Championship, which is now being run by SHP Promotions. A stalwart of the spaceframe formula, Blackman delivered a stunning lap in qualifying to bag pole position and then backed it up with victory in race one.

The former champion made it two from two later in the day but was made to work for it as he came under extreme pressure from Chris Brockhurst in the closing laps.

Wayne Rockett was at his brilliant best as a new season of the Carbon 8 Hyundai Coupe Cup got underway, notching two commanding race wins as Alex Cursley, Kevin Smiles and Nick Moore all rounded out the rostrum across the two respective races.

Saturday saw a Classic Touring Car Championship takeover with several races from its multiple classes. Mike Luck and Stephen Primett were the victors in the Pre ’83 Touring Car Championship whilst Richard Wood dominated the combined Classic Thunder & Blue Oval encounters.

Jonathan Lewis emerged as the driver to beat in the Pre ’66 Touring Car Championship, winning both races, as the amalgamated Pre ’93, Pre ’03 & Pre ’05 spoils fell the way of Don Hughes and AJ Owen.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns saw Clive Wood kick off his campaign on the right as he stormed to a trio of pole positions, and then backed it up with a pair of race wins.

Dominating proceeding’s in races one and two, Wood had looked to be a sure bet to complete a clean sweep in race three however a mechanical issue when trying to leave the pit lane put an end to that dream before the race had even begun. Taking advantage of a vacant pole position spot, Peter Richings brought the curtain down on the weekend with victory.

Capping off the bank holiday weekend’s racing at the Kent circuit was a pair of races from the BARC Tin Tops Championship. Guest driver Steve Rothery piloted his Peugeot 308 to the top of the time-sheets in qualifying and then onto victory twice later on Saturday afternoon.

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

BARC revved up for Easter extravaganza at Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch is set to play host to a blockbuster Easter extravaganza this weekend (April 20/21/22) as the British Automobile Racing Club descends on the Kent circuit with eight championships for three days of door-to-door action.

A traditional fixture on the motorsport calendar for both the Club and the circuit, the Easter race weekend has provided plenty of memorable moments down the years and 2019 is likely to be no different.

Headlining the action with eight races will be the MV Commercial BTRA Championship, which roars back into life for another year. Weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing in excess of 1000bhp, the championship is a favourite among many and boasts a bumper entry list in both Division 1 & 2.

Three-time champion Ryan Smith will be the man to beat in Division 1 as he bids to write his name into the history books whilst both former champions David Jenkins and Stuart Oliver will be keen to halt the MAN juggernaut and get the jump on him early in the year.

Division 2 will see Luke Garrett begin the defence of his title however he faces a stern test from a raft of contenders including Brad Smith, Steven Powell, Simon Cole and Paul Rivett, who has made the switch from the Renault UK Clio Cup to Truck Racing full-time.

At the other end of the scale in terms of size competing at Brands Hatch is the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres. Marking the start of a milestone year for the category as it celebrates its 25th Anniversary, the 5/8 scale machines are set to wow crowds with a host of races, and a big grid all aiming to topple reigning champion John Mickel.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship will crown a new champion this year with two-time victor Scott Bourne not returning for 2019, and judging by the entry list it is set to be as wide open as ever. A blend of experienced and fresh-faced racers will line up on the grid for the opening event of the year with it all to play for.

Rebranded and running under the SHP Promotions banner, the BARC Super Silhouette Championship will kick off a new era at Brands Hatch. Formerly known as Intermarques, the space-frame machines are set to ensure pulses are racing as a strong entry list dukes it out for honours in the opening event of the season.

Those wanting to take a trip down touring car memory lane will be well catered for as the Classic Touring Car Championship continues. Kicking off the season at Oulton Park in March, the championship once again has another awe-inspiring line-up of cars and drivers, all of whom will be keen to shine at this second meeting of the year.

Brands Hatch will mark the start of new seasons for the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns and the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup too. Both delighting fans wherever they went in 2018, the two categories are polar opposites from each other however one theme is set to relate them around the Indy circuit and that is that they will deliver non-stop entertainment.

Capping off the action will be further saloon car thrills from the BARC Tin Tops Championship, which is open to a diverse range of machines.

In total, a scheduled 33 races are set to take place over Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Brands Hatch making it an event that is not to be missed. To find out more information on the event as a whole, click here.

British Truck Racing headlines Brands Hatch blockbuster

Brands Hatch played host to a spectacular two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (November 3/4) with yet more champions being crowned.

With a sensational firework display lighting up the sky to close out the weekend’s on-track entertainment, a bumper crowd descended on the Kent circuit to witness a feast of entertainment.

Topping the bill was the final round of the British Truck Racing Association Championship, which saw eight races run and two titles being decided.

In Division 1, Ryan Smith clinched his third title in succession as he pipped title rival David Jenkins in a pulsating opening race. Having been the benchmark driver all season, the MAN racer’s 21st victory of the season proved to be enough to see him join an elite list of champions.

Jamie Anderson, Stuart Oliver and John Newell scored a win apiece in the remaining Division 1 races to bring the curtain down on season that will live long in the memory.

Despite enduring his own share of bad luck towards the end of the season, two wins at Brands Hatch for Luke Garrett was enough for him to be crowned champion in Division 2.

Watching on as chief protagonist Brad Smith cantered to victory in the opening race, Garrett held his nerve to achieve a lifelong dream. Eric Forsstrom added his name to the long list of Division 2 winners by also triumphing.

John Mickel wrote his name into the history books of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres by wrapping up his fourth consecutive title. Solid points across the trio of races on day one was enough for Mickel to be crowned champion for a fifth time in his career – adding to his ledger as one of the best Legends drivers in the world.

Whilst the championship battle between Mickel and Steve Whitelegg became the main focus for many, a hat-trick of wins fell the way of Miles Rudman. Marcus Pett scored his own brace of victories too with Martin Gibson rounding out the season on the top step of the podium as well.

In the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Scott Bourne made it back-to-back titles as he successfully retained his crown, narrowly edging out season-long rival Lea Wood.

Entering the final event of the season with a slender points lead, a fifth, third and race win was more than enough to ensure Bourne lived up to the mantel of champion to defend his title. In the remaining two races

Lewis Saunders capped off his first season of racing in the Junior Saloon Car Championship in fine style as he clinched the inaugural Winter Cup title. Just a few weeks on from being crowned 2018 champion, the teenage sensation underlined his credentials as one to watch for the future around the Indy circuit.

Steven Chandler edged out Saunders and Ben Kasperczak in the opening encounter before the latter two produced a performance that will live long in the memory in race two. Going wheel-to-wheel race-long, Saunders grabbed victory at the final corner on the last lap to sign off a dream maiden year in the JSCC.

If you missed any of the action from day two of the BARC’s Truck Racing finale weekend, head to the BARC TV live stream and watch it back. Click here to view.

For the full classification of results from all sessions across the weekend, click here.

Fireworks set to fly at Brands Hatch spectacular

Fireworks are set to fly both on and off the track at Brands Hatch this weekend (November 3/4) as the British Automobile Racing Club descends on the Indy circuit for a blockbuster season finale for four categories.

Billed as one of the standout events on the 2018 calendar, the Kent venue will played host to a titanic two days of track action before lighting up the sky for fans with a spectacular firework display like no other.

Headlining the weekend’s action are eight races from the British Truck Racing Association Championship which has an entry list of 30+ machines. Returning to the scene of where their year began, the heavyweight behemoths have been in mesmerising form throughout the season, with titles in both Division 1 and Division 2 still to be decided.

Sitting on the cusp of a third consecutive crown in the top tier, Ryan Smith has at times been in a league of his own in Division 1 and could well be crowned champion in race one of the weekend. With David Jenkins being the only man to stop Smith, all eyes will be on the top two to see if Smith can write his name into the history books or whether Jenkins can produce a comeback for the ages.

Division 2 will also see a two-horse race for the title unfold with Luke Garrett and Brad Smith set to go head-to-head. Garrett has been the leading figure to emerge from the more production-based class this year with countless victories placing him at the summit of points.

Smith meanwhile has been somewhat under the radar, keeping his head down to tally the points week-by-week. With the pair set to be joined by a host of race-winning contenders, this weekend’s battle for the Division 2 is not to be missed at all.

The theme of two drivers battling it out for title supremacy continues in the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, with John Mickel and Steve Whitelegg bidding to walk away as the victor.

Aiming to clinch his fourth successive Legends title, Mickel has been in superlative form – notching 13 wins along the way. Sitting in the box seat, Mickel heads into the finale as the favourite although with 1200 points on offer and Whitelegg a man on a mission, anything could happen.

In addition to the title battle, Legends will write a notable piece in their own history at Brands Hatch with the opening heat on Sunday being the championship’s 250th in its near 25-year lineage.

Scott Bourne and Lea Wood will bring the curtain down on their season-long battle by fighting it out for the Pickup Truck Racing Championship. Bidding to defend the title he won last year, Bourne has been at his brilliant best throughout the season but has come under constant threat from Wood.

With the two having sharing top spot as each round has passed, the culmination of a years racing will come down to the boil across three high-octane races around the 1.2 mile Indy layout.

Capping off the weekend will be a pair of races from the Junior Saloon Car Championship as it stages its inaugural Winter Cup. Just a few weeks ago the curtain fell on the 2018 season for the 14 to 17-year-old category with Lewis Saunders being crowned champion, and he makes up the 15-car entry list.

Running as a standalone one-off event, the highest points scorer over the two races will be declared the maiden victor in the JSCC Winter Cup.

BARC delivers blockbuster two days of racing at Donington Park

Five British Automobile Racing Club championships served up a feast of high-octane entertainment and drama at Donington Park this past weekend (July 21/22), as a bumper crowd soaked up the sun at Convoy in the Park.

Headlining the weekend were ten races from the British Truck Racing Association Championship, all of which left fans on the edge of their seats. Division 1 had a familiar feel to it as reigning champion Ryan Smith underlined his excellence with a trio of victories.

Storming to pole position in qualifying, Smith dominated proceedings in race one to take a lights-to-flag victory. He backed it up with a pair of wins from the back of the grid soon after before seeing his winning run come to an end.

Jamie Anderson and David Jenkins then came to the fore in races four and five as they notched a win apiece, rounding off an exhilarating weekend of Division 1 race.

In Division 2, Luke Garrett was in a league of his own as he powered his way to an unprecedented clean sweep. Setting the pace from the opening session on Saturday morning, the MAN driver was not to be denied as he scored five wins from five races, extending his championship lead in the process too.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship saw two frenetic encounters deliver plenty of heart stopping moments right up until the chequered flag. As they have done for a majority of the season, Scott Bourne and Lea Wood continued their duel by scoring a win apiece under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Race one saw reigning champion Bourne emerge as the victor following a tense battle. Duking it out from lights-to-flag, Bourne pipped Wood to the chequered flag by a mere 0.025 to win. The roles were reversed in race two as Wood led Bourne, this time by more than seven seconds. David O’Reagan and Michael Smith bagged a podium each as the top two squabbled.

Six races from the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres delivered some memorable moments too, as the title battle intensified. Miles Rudman, Ben Power and Sam Smith scored a win apiece on Saturday, each encounter bettering the one that went before it.

Sunday’s trio of races from the 5/8 scale machines saw Power come out swinging in heat one as he stormed to the front to win. Reigning champion John Mickel showcased he has lost none of his guile in race two as he stormed through the field to take another win.

The third and final race from the weekend proved to be an all-time classic from the Legends as Paul Simmons claimed his maiden victory in the series, with the top three being covered by just 0.081 seconds.

In the Britcar Endurance Championship, Jonny MacGregor piloted his MacG Racing Taranis to victory in the 50-minute sprint race before doing the same in the sprint section of the longer two-hour race too.

As MacGregor celebrated his Donington double, race two of the weekend continued and ended with the Team HARD duo of Simon Rudd and Sam Randon driving their Ginetta G55 GT4 to the top step of the podium.

Rounding out the action from Convoy in the Park was two races from the 2CV Parts,com Classic Racing Championship. Spoils were shared as Pete Sparrow and Simon Clarke took a win each, whilst there were podiums for Matthew Hollis, Nick Crispin, Tom Perry and Brian Heerey.

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

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 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.