Author: Chris Ashby

500 not out for Pickup Truck Racing Championship

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship reached a significant milestone at Snetterton this past weekend (September 8/9) as it staged its 500th race.

Launched in 1997, the series has become a popular fixture in the UK’s national motorsport landscape and a permanent fixture within the British Automobile Racing Club banner of championships.

Going from strength-to-strength each year, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship has won the hearts of racers and fans alike. Travelling the length and breadth of the country and even Europe, the series has made a name for itself on both traditional tracks and ovals.

With the championship currently enjoying a period of rude health, this past weekend’s milestone race only further underlined the popularity of the series as reigning champion Scott Bourne charged to victory.

Commenting on the milestone, Championship Co-ordinator Sonny Howard said: “The second race at Snetterton last weekend marked a milestone in Pickup Truck Racing history as the Championship achieving its 500th race.

“Over this period the Pickups have raced at every circuit in the UK and as importantly a large number in Europe as well. The Championship over the years has had the support of drivers from a cross section of motorsport disciplines but also the Pickup Trucks have a core of drivers who have supported the Championship for many years.

“In addition, the entertainment value it offers and the venues it visits as Pickup Truck Racing is very gladiatorial and the drivers are real characters.  Add to this billboard element that the vehicles offer in graphic design, it comes across as brash and flash but why not!

“Most importantly, this is not just about the drivers nor has it ever been. Pickup Truck Racing is about the teams and it is a team sport something the management encourage and embrace at all levels within the Championship.

“As we pass this milestone we now have our sights set on new highs, more goals and more boxes to tick.  Nothing will ever hold back the Pickup Trucks. They will never rest on their laurels either because they have a vision, a plan for the future.”

Three BARC championships ready to race into the evening at Rockingham

The British Automobile Racing Club is set to race into the night at Rockingham this Saturday (August 4) with the Pickup Truck Racing Championship set to take on a starring role.

Making its latest trip to the Corby venue, the BARC will see three championships take to the track and tackle a somewhat revised format, with action not starting until midday.

Topping the bill will be the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, which takes to the oval layout of Rockingham for two adrenaline-fuelled 30-minute encounters.

Coming off the back of pulsating weekend at Donington Park last time out, the title battle in the series is set to further intensify as Lea Wood and reigning champion Scott Bourne renew their fight for the prestigious crown.

A mere 23 points separate the pair at the summit of the standings and both will be looking to gain the upper hand around the fast banking’s this weekend. Also in the mix and not to be discounted is David O’Reagen, Michael Smith and Paul Tompkins – all of whom have been running towards the sharp end of the field this year.

The Hyundai Coupe Cup brings its annual mid-season break to an end too with a bumper entry list set to serve up a feast of entertainment.

Renowned for putting the fun into racing, the Coupe Cup has gone from strength-to-strength this year with entries continuing to grow. As it stands, all eyes are set to be focused on the Steve Kite, Alex Cursley and Wayne Rockett – all of whom have been at the sharp end of the grid at almost every turn.

While those three will be ones to watch, the likes of Dan Fletcher, Kevin Smiles, Simon Miles, Darren Holmes and many more will also be keen to thrust themselves into the podium conversation.

Rounding off the day’s racing will be action from the BARC Clubmans Sport Prototype Championship in assoc. with King Henry’s Taverns.

Split into a variety of classes depending on the specification of cars, Clubmans have been wowing crowds since 1965 and that is set to continue at the Corby venue on Saturday.

Events at Brands Hatch and Donington Park produced mesmerising racing earlier in the season, setting the scene for what should be a tense duo of 20-minute bouts.

Clive Wood has been the man to beat in class CSP1 so far this season but series veteran Peter Richings is hot on his heels and will be looking to close the gap at Rockingham. Yet to win so far, Richings will be highly motivated to overhaul

Elsewhere in CSP2, Michelle Hayward has been perfection personified so far with eight wins from nine races. Morris Hart is the one to have prevented Hayward from taking a clean sweep thus far and Hart will need to be on top form once again to prevent the #87 from extending her points lead.

Pippa Tanner-Wood is the pace-setter in CSP3 with John Lambert bidding to close the gap too.

Brentwood School A win British Schools Karting Championship for third consecutive year

The British Schools Karting Championship final had a familiar feel to it at Whilton Mill this past weekend (June 30) as Brentwood School A once again triumphed to clinch a third title in as many years.

Having seen the competition whittled down through a raft of local and regional finals, 26 schools/colleges descended on the Northamptonshire venue for ten blockbuster races.

Remaining with the same driver line-up that guided them to the crown in 2017 of Callum Brooks, Ethan Brooks and Iaroslav Kovalev, Brentwood School A proved that consistency was key during the final, notching just one victory and a string of front-running performances.

Basking in the searing sun, the action kicked off with a victory apiece for BRA A and Peter Symonds A before Brooklands College came to the fore.

Winning races three, four and five, the Surrey-based college asserted themselves as the team to beat however the reigning champions ensured that that wasn’t to be the case for long.

Sidcot and Woodmill High School brought Brooklands College’s winning streak to an end in races six and seven before Brentwood School finally struck. Dominating proceedings in race eight, the champion trio bagged vital points in the remaining two races, won by Sidcot and SHSB A, to clinch the title by four points.

Triumphing for the third year in-a-row, Brentwood School A retained their crown whilst Brooklands College and Peter Symonds A were left to round out the remaining podium positions.

As a reward for their victory, Brentwood School A will be given a Heritage Tour of the Williams Grand Prix Collection, which is home to a multi-million pound Grand Prix Collection that has more than 40 Williams Formula One cars on display.

There was a further prize for Ethan Brooks too as he was the recipient of a spot on the Ginetta Junior Scholarship. Set to battle against a host of other 14 to 17-year-old’s, if Brooks is successful at the Scholarship then he will be given a free entry into 2019 Ginetta Junior Championship.

Barnet & Southgate College’s Taylor Norton rounded out the list of winners as he set the fastest lap of the day. Norton was presented with tickets to a British GT meeting for setting a blistering pace.

Information on how your school or college can get involved in the 2019 British Schools Karting Championship can be found by visiting the BSKC website.

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.

Ten championships head to Brands Hatch for BARC bonanza

The British Automobile Racing Club is set for a blockbuster weekend (May 12/13) of racing at Brands Hatch as a total of ten different championships write the latest chapter in their 2018 campaigns.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series hits the track for the third time this season with reigning champion Ben Palmer firmly in control of the standings. Perfection personified so far, Palmer has won all four races and has shown no signs of letting up in the Race class. Simon Freeman and Ben Colburn are the champion’s nearest challengers and both will be looking to bring his winning run to an end.

In the Road category, Nic Harrison has enjoyed a similar level of dominance and he is also bidding to retain the title he won last year. Four wins from four races leaves James Joannou and Darren Geeraerts needing to fightback in Kent.

Providing a cost effective first step on the motorsport level for drivers aged between 14 to 17-years-old, the Junior Saloon Car Championship is set to dazzle those in attendance over the weekend. Already visiting Silverstone and Rockingham, the one-make tin top category sees Joel Wren leading the way after scoring a dominant double last time out, however Ben Kasperczak, who also netted a pair of wins at the curtain-raiser, is hot on his heels.

Peter Sparrows will look to extend his slender lead in the 2CV Parts.com Championship as the much-loved category heads to Brands Hatch. Emerging as the man to beat at Cadwell Park, Sparrows will look to further cement his status as the early pace setter, with reigning champion Lien Davies and Tom Perry in close proximity.

The BARC Clubmans Sport Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns will kick off a five-event season this weekend, with a healthy grid of cars. Front-engined sports racing cars that originated in Britain in 1965, the championship has become a stable of the BARC and this year’s crop of racers are set to put on a memorable show. Notable names to keep an eye on include Barry Webb, Peter Richings and Ben Mallock.

All three of the BARC South Eastern Centre championships will be in action over both days too, with it all to play for after their Easter season-opener. The BARC Modified Saloon Car Championship sees Adrian Bradley and Steve Rothery tied on points at the top of the standings whilst Rikki Taylor holds a slender advantage over Daniel Fisher in the BARC South East Tin Tops Championship. Expect fireworks from both categories as some of the most much-loved saloon cars do battle.

Elsewhere, Malcolm Blackman will be looking to continue his strong start to the year in the Scrapco Metal/Avon Tyres Intermarque Championship. Blackman swept his way to a pair of wins at Brands Hatch last month and is shaping up to be a formidable force at this early stage in the year.

Rounding off the bumper programme of racing around the Indy layout will be the BARC Saloon Series, Honda VTEC Challenge and Classic VW Cup. Amalgamating grids between themselves, this trio of categories have enjoyed a strong start to the 2018 campaign with bumper grids and a diverse range of cars competing.; all of which is set to continue here.

Rockingham serves up BARC weekend to remember

It was all-out action at Rockingham this past weekend (April 14/15) as the British Automobile Racing Club produced a blockbuster two days of racing, with a host of championships coming to the fore.

On what was the first of what are set to be many visits that the Club will make to the Corby circuit over the course of the 2018 campaign, wheel-to-wheel edge-of-the-seat thrills were on order from the get-go.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship roared into life for a new season with another jaw-dropping array of cars and drivers making up the entry list. In the shorter 50-minute sprint race, Richard Neary powered his Mercedes AMG GT GT3 to victory ahead of the Ferrari 458 GT3 pairing of David Mason and Ross Wylie.

Neary notched a second sprint race win later in the day as the longer two-hour endurance race began to unfold. Following a total of 79 laps being completed, Andreas Demetriou and Luke Williams of Black Mamba Racing stormed to take the chequered flag, a mere three seconds ahead of the KTM X-Bow duo of Mike McCollum and Sean Cooper.

Ben Palmer continued his dominance of the Michelin Clio Cup Series, making it four wins from four races with another double at Rockingham. Living up the mantel of defending champion, Palmer once again swept his way to the top step of the podium in both races, further strengthening his position at the top of the points. The road class saw Nic Harrison win twice too.

The Renault UK Clio Cup Junior Championship saw similar levels of dominance with Gus Burton propelling himself to the top of the point’s standings after notching two wins.

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Joel Wren staked his claim as a credible title contender with a double of his own. In what turned out to be another frenetic weekend for the Citroen Saxo category, Wren made a lightening start in race one to take a commanding lights-to-flag victory.

Despite finishing second on the road in race two, Wren was declared the winner following a post-race exclusion for Ben Kasperczak, making it a dream weekend for him. Kasperczak picked up a rostrum finisher in the opener with Steven Chandler. Frankie Taylor and Charlotte Birch meanwhile scored silverware in race two.

Scott Kendall and Nevan Kirkpatrick shared the spoils in the Mighty Minis Championship whilst the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw two wins go the way of Lee Sullivan in his MG ZR.

The curtain lifted on a new season for the Classic VW Cup with a variety of different models from the German brand doing battle. In what proved to be two thrilling encounters, Daniel Rose and Ken Lark proved to be in a league of their own, with Rose narrowly getting the better of Lark in his Golf to take both wins.

Rounding out the action at Rockingham was the new-for-2018 BARC Saloon Series, which also encompassed the Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge. Open to all manner of saloon cars, the latest series to align itself with the Club enjoyed a strong first showing.

Robert Burkinshaw claimed race honours both in the overall and the VTEC Challenge classifications whilst Alistair Lindsey and Jacob Carter took a win apiece in the BARC Saloons classification.

For the full race results from every championship, click here.

Alan Gow hails 2018 BTCC season as one of the ‘truly great years’

Alan Gow has hailed the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season as going down as one of the ‘truly great years’ in the series’ 60-year history following the Brands Hatch finale this past weekend (September 29/30).

Celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, the BTCC served up a record-breaking campaign which ultimately culminated in Team BMW’s Colin Turkington being crowned champion for a third time.

Boasting another capacity entry list, a total of 17 different drivers tasted victory at some stage through the 30-race campaign as the series travelled the length and breadth of the UK.

Handing the coveted trophy to Turkington on Sunday evening, the BTCC Series Director admitted was full of praise for the newly crowned three-time champion and the championship as a whole.

“This year has certainly lived up to all expectations, how it could it not!” Gow said. “Having 17 different race winners, the championship go down to the wire and a host of incredible races underlines why it will go down as one of the truly great years.

“There has never been an underserving champion and Colin is testament to that. He has shown he is championship material all year and to do it with one win speaks volumes of his consistency and ability to constantly rack up the points.

“It has arguably been the most competitive season in the BTCC; we’ve a record number of winners and the cars are so evenly matched. Cream always rises to the top and Colin is a class act.”

As the dust settles on the 2018 campaign, the focus towards 2019 will soon be on the horizon however Gow admits he isn’t thinking about that just yet.

He explained: “It is hard to see how we can top this year in 2019 but somehow we always seem to do so. I’m sure we will have another fantastic year next season but for now I am going to sit back and think about how well this year has gone.”

Stars and cars take centre stage at Goodwood Revival

The Goodwood Revival celebrated its 20th anniversary this past weekend (September 8/9) with another memorable trip down memory lane as some of the biggest names in motorsport turned out in force for all manner of sideways shenanigans in iconic cars.

Andy Priaulx and Steve Soper piloted their Ford-Lotus Cortina to overall victory in the St. Mary’s Trophy, which was jam-packed with a who’s who of touring car stars. In an enthralling first race, Priaulx emerged victorious following a post-race penalty for on-the-road winner Rob Huff.

Andrew Jordan took on a starring role as he charged from the back of the grid to finish on the podium. Oliver Hart tamed his Alfa Romeo 1600 to the top step of the podium in the second race of the weekend, open to the owners of the cars driven by their owners.

The Sussex Trophy, which was open to sportscars and production sports racing cars from between 1955 to 1960, was won by Phil Keen from behind the wheel of a 1959 Lister Jaguar ‘Knobbly’.

Harry Dark was declared the winner of the Settrington Cup once both results were combined whilst William Nuthall narrowly pipped Nicholas Padmore to top the rostrum in the Richmond & Gordon Trophies, a 12-lap race for two and a half litre Grand Prix cars from 1952 to 1960.

One of the marquee events of the three-day meeting, the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration, saw a dominant performance from the duo of Oliver and David Hart reigned supreme in their AC Cobra as they took the chequered flag more than 18 seconds ahead of their nearest challengers, the Jaguar E-Type pairing of Phil Keen and Jon Minshaw.

The Kinara Trophy race went the way of Emanuele Pirro and Niklas Halusa in their Ferrari 20 GT. Elsewhere, Andrew Hibberd secured victory in the Chicester Cup, beating Cameron Jackson by a mere half a second.

Having endured despair in the St. Mary’s Trophy, GT ace Darren Turner made amends in the Fordwater Trophy to ensure he picked up a win in the iconic Aston Martin DB2.

Calum Lockie underlined his skillset with a masterful performance in The Goodwood Trophy, taming the brutal 1938 Maserati 6CM to finish little under half a second ahead of Mark Gillies in the ERA A-type R3A.

Fans of all things two wheels were well catered for over the course of the weekend too in the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy. With pre 1959 motorcycles sharing the grid, the action was fast and frenetic but over the course of two races, nobody was able to prevent the pairing of Troy Corser and Herbert Schwab.

Rounding out the list of race winners was Martin Hunt in the Freddie March Memorial Trophy, Joe Colasacco in the Glover Trophy and John Young in the Jack Sears Memorial Trophy.

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

Four championships gearing up for Oulton Park race day

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Oulton Park this Saturday (June 23) for what is set to be a full-throttle day of track action around the picturesque International layout.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, four championships will do battle to write the latest chapter in their 2018 memoirs.

Topping the bill will be the hugely popular Britcar Dunlop Endurance Championship. Continuing to go from strength-to-strength under the stewardship of Claire Hedley, a 50-minute sprint race and two-hour encounter will take place in the afternoon.

Boasting a bumper entry list of jaw-dropping machinery and top names, both the Sprint and Endurance categories are beginning to heat up. Maximum Motorsport’s Stewart Lines and Adam Morgan currently lead the way in the Endurance series, however with Morgan on BTCC duties this weekend Lines has had to draft in a new team-mate. Step forward former BTCC racer Mat Jackson.

Piloting the teams SEAT Cupra, Jackson will get back behind the wheel and will be keen to taste champagne as he targets victory. The pair will have to keep on their toes though as the pairing of Matt Greenwood and Sarah Moore lead the chasing pack, which is quickly followed up by Andreas Demetriou and Luke Williams.

Elsewhere in the Sprint standings, Tim Docker is the benchmark driver at the moment at the wheel of his VW Scirocco. Richard Neary and the duo of Alex Day and Robert Day are in hot pursuit of Docker arriving at Oulton Park.

As the flagship category for the BARC North West Centre, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship will undoubtedly deliver a banquet of thrills ’n’ spills. Staging just a single 20-minute plus one lap race, expect there to be plenty of action.

Running under a multi-class system, all manner of cars compete in the series, and with the engine sizes being so vast, there literally is action right throughout the field. Paul Rose and Jamie Cryer took an outright win apiece at Cadwell Park last time out and with Paul Dobson, David Harvey, Oliver Thomas and Tony Ellis, amongst others, joining those two in contention, it is anybody’s race to take this weekend.

The Classic 2CV parts.com Championship will roll back the years with two 20-minute encounters poised to keep fans on the edge of their seats. One of the most low cost categories to compete within in the UK, the 2CV series continues to garner interest and big grids, thus adding up to exciting races.

Whilst the speeds aren’t the highest, overtaking is high on the agenda and there will likely be plenty of it at Oulton Park. Peter Sparrow, reigning champion Lien Davis, Tom Perry, Sandro Proietti and Luca Proietti are just a handful of names to keep a watchful eye on during the day – all of them having known what it takes to succeed.

Rounding off the action at the Cheshire venue will be two races from the Kumho BMW Championship. Bringing together some of the most iconic models from the German manufacturer onto the same piece of tarmac, the championship has a long and rich history.

Marking the half-way point in the season, the sweeping curves of Oulton Park are set to add another twist in the tail. The multi-class format of the championships means that there are battles running throughout the field, not just at the sharp end, lending itself to dramatic wheel-to-wheel duels.

Notable names to look out for over the course of the day include Colin Wells, Ian Crisp, Russell Dack, Kevin Denwood, Giuseppe Callari and Darren Morgan-Owen.

Motor sport legends turn back the clock as Thruxton looks firmly to the future

Thruxton Circuit marked its historic half-century in style last weekend (2/3 June), serving up a feast of high-octane entertainment for an appreciative, sun-kissed crowd in the presence of some of motor sport’s biggest names.

Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Celebration feted five decades of the UK’s fastest motor racing circuit, with fans pouring through the gates of the popular Hampshire venue to lap up a bevy of retro races, spellbinding high-speed demonstration runs, spectacular aerial aerobatics from world-famous British Army parachute display team the Red Devils, live music and show-stopping fireworks.

The event was an opportunity to celebrate Thruxton’s past, present and future. The past was in evidence everywhere you looked, from the evocative single-seaters, sportscars and GTs out on the track to the eye-catching Williams F1 line-up in the paddock, including an ex-Keke Rosberg FW08C from 1983, Nigel Mansell’s famous ‘Red 5’ title-winner and the last of the sport’s six-wheelers, the groundbreaking FW08B – a car so rapid it was banned before it got chance to compete in anger.

The Rosberg car took to the circuit in the hands of ex-grand prix racer and current Channel 4 F1 pundit Karun Chandhok, whose last on-track appearance at Thruxton had been all the way back in 2003.

“I love Thruxton!” he enthused. “I remember competing here 15 years ago in Formula 3, and it’s still just as quick and still has plenty of character. I enjoy coming here because it’s different. A lot of other circuits all have the same characteristics, whereas because Thruxton is so fast-and-flowing, the racing is always fantastic with all the slipstreaming and it’s nice to go somewhere that’s got bumps and kerbs and camber in the road.

“Better still, I got to drive it in what is one hell of a piece of kit – and the first F1 car that Ayrton Senna ever tested. Its screaming DFV engine – pulling 9,800rpm in top gear – seemed to please everyone on the grass banks, and I certainly had a lot of fun!”

An ear-splitting Lola T70 and a raucous 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 added to the dynamic demos in the blazing summer sunshine, while another ‘blast from the past’ was the appearance of Robs Lamplough – who contested the 1968 European Formula Two Championship race at Thruxton, an event won by future F1 World Champion Jochen Rindt. Similarly in attendance was Duncan White, whose association with the circuit stretches back even further to the very first meeting 50 years ago, when he campaigned an 1140cc Austin Healey Sprite. He now marshals at Thruxton.

Thruxton Group Managing Director Bill Coombs donned his racing helmet and overalls to climb into the cockpit of a March 733 – the car in which Ian Taylor clinched the 1973 British F3 Championship. Taylor founded the Ian Taylor Motor Racing School, which subsequently became Thruxton Motorsport Centre in 1998.

The present was represented by two-wheeled aces Taylor Mackenzie and Iain Hopcroft aboard Ducati’s 1199 Panigale R and V4 Panigale, while Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship stars Rob Collard and Rob Austin thrilled spectators in their BMW 125i M Sport and Alfa Romeo Giulietta respectively. Current BTCC championship leader Adam Morgan, for his part, teamed up with Ric Wood to triumph in the entertaining HSCC Historic Touring Car Challenge / Tony Dron Trophy encounter.

The Le Mans 24 Hours-winning Porsche 919 Hybrid Sports Prototype took pride of place in the paddock, and to whet the appetite ahead of the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship’s visit to Thruxton next month (7/8 July), a thunderous Mercedes cab left fans awestruck as it danced around the circuit’s flat-out sweepers at scarcely conceivable speeds.

Fast forwarding into the future, two special guests dropped in on Sunday to perform the official opening ceremony for the new Thruxton Centre, a state-of-the-art hospitality facility that is set to transform Thruxton’s offering for racegoers and corporate guests. The honour fell to 1992 F1 World Champion Nigel Mansell and legendary motor sport commentator Murray Walker, both of whom were palpably delighted to return to a venue that holds many happy memories.

“It’s been a great privilege to be here at Thruxton with Murray – bless him, he still looks like he’s a teenager,” joked Mansell. “He’s ever the voice of motor sport and a great friend. It’s been a fantastic day for the fans, with superb weather and just a wonderful atmosphere.

“I remember Thruxton very fondly. It’s one of my favourite circuits, because it is very technical and a really demanding, ballsy place round the back with the bumps and the long corners, and the braver you are, the faster you can go. It’s one of the last circuits that has kept its identity, which is great.

“BARC have done a fabulous job to evolve, and I think the new Thruxton Centre is absolutely brilliant. What people don’t realise is just how much work has gone into it – it’s a great credit to the whole team, so congratulations to them all!”

“I enjoyed the day immensely,” echoed Walker. “It’s been lovely getting out and meeting so many people and seeing a lot of old friends. I first came to Thruxton in 1951, so I’ve got about 17 years’ advance on most people! They had motorcycle meetings back then, and I am a motorcycle man at heart and one of the greatest races I have ever seen was Geoff Duke on the works Norton and John Surtees on a self-built Vincent HRD Grey Flash battling for supremacy – the top man of international motorcycle racing against the young newcomer.

“Not only did I commentate here, but years later, I actually had Graham Hill in the box with me – you know, like a taxi driver that says, ‘I had so-and-so in the back of my cab’, I had Graham Hill and Colin Chapman in the box while I was commentating. Graham did a bit of co-commentating, and I was very pleased and proud afterwards when he said, ‘I didn’t realise it was as difficult as this!’

“Looking back, I can’t think of any other track that has changed as little as Thruxton has – it’s the same now as I always remember it, which is one of its great strengths. Not only that, but it’s in this glorious rural setting in Hampshire, you get mammoth crowds and the racing is always good and varied – I’ve seen trucks here, I’ve seen touring cars, Formula 3, Formula 2, Formula 3000, Formula 5000, even a few Formula 1 cars. It’s just a great circuit.

“This fabulous new hospitality building is what Thruxton has really needed, and now it’s here, I’m sure the venue is going to go from strength-to-strength. Sponsors will want to come here, people will want to hold events here and it will all add to the lustre of Thruxton because there’s nothing people like more than to be made a fuss of. To be brought to a building like this and shown such terrific racing like the British Touring Car Championship or British Superbikes is something, I think, that will guarantee a bright future for the circuit.”

In evidence of the magnitude of the occasion, regional BBC and ITV crews both attended over the weekend, taking in some of the ‘terrific racing’ to which Walker alludes and capturing the memories of the great and the good who have competed at the circuit over the years. Thruxton Group Managing Director Bill Coombs said he was delighted with the success of the milestone event.

“What a wonderful weekend to celebrate our 50th Anniversary,” he enthused. “Thruxton has earned a legion of fans over the decades, and it was fantastic to see so many of them – from Nigel and Murray to people like Robs Lamplough and Duncan White – back here again to join in the festivities.

“That said, for me – and, I daresay, the crowds enjoying the summer sunshine on the banking and in the grandstand – the cars were the real stars of the weekend, and to see Formula 1 back at Thruxton was a truly memorable moment. The awesome sound and spectacle of the Williams FW08C is something I certainly won’t forget anytime soon.

“While our Anniversary Celebration harked back to the past, our focus moving forward is firmly on the future and the new Thruxton Centre is a signal of intent as we look to continually enhance our circuit and its facilities for forthcoming generations to enjoy. Here’s to the next 50 years!”

As a footnote, finally, the second ‘Spirit of Thruxton Single-Seater Race for the Jochen Rindt Memorial Trophy’ saw Thruxton Circuit instructor Martin Bloss embody the spirit of going motor racing by claiming a brave fifth-place finish, less than 24 hours after rolling his FF2000 twice on the opening lap of Saturday’s contest.

Bloss’ mechanics worked through the night to repair the battered Van Diemen to enable its driver to make amends for his Saturday drama – proof, if ever it were needed, that the Spirit of Thruxton is still going strong, 50 years on.

For more on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit: www.thruxtonracing.co.uk

Fun in the sun at record-breaking Thruxton thriller

Thousands of fans have lapped up the high-octane thrills on a record-breaking Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) weekend at Thruxton, as the fastest drivers in the country put on a spellbinding show for the capacity crowds.

The UK’s leading motor sport series is always a major draw, and this year, record numbers of fans chose to eschew the Royal Wedding and FA Cup Final to flock to Britain’s quickest circuit.

They were repaid with interest, witnessing 12 absorbing races, headlined by the attention-grabbing BTCC but also comprising the Renault UK Clio Cup, F4 British Championship, Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge and Ginetta Junior Championship.

A sun-kissed weekend saw victories for Matt Neal, home hero Josh Cook and Adam Morgan, whose race three triumph earned the Ciceley Motorsport star the championship lead. Two-time title-holder Colin Turkington made history in the first race as he broke a lap record that had held firm since 2002 – the longest-standing benchmark in the BTCC – before it was further lowered by a charging Tom Ingram in the day’s finale.

The popular Chicane grandstands and spectator banks around the circuit were filled with enthusiastic fans, while the new, £2 million state-of-the-art Thruxton Centre – due to be officially opened by motor sport legends Murray Walker and Nigel Mansell during Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in a fortnight’s time (2/3 June) – received a rapturous reception, with the first guests soaking up both the sunshine and the action from the panoramic balcony.

“What a brilliant weekend!” enthused Thruxton Group Managing Director, Bill Coombs. “It’s obviously extremely satisfying to welcome another record crowd, which is testament to the enduring appeal of the BTCC and the first-class entertainment that Thruxton invariably produces – and with wonderful weather and some sensational racing, they all went home with smiles on their faces, which is great to see.

“The packed spectator banks looked fabulous in the sunshine, and the action was phenomenal across the board, from the young guns in Ginetta Juniors up to Britain’s biggest motor sport stars in the BTCC.

“Thruxton always generates superb slipstreaming scraps and close, competitive racing, and with battles throughout the field, there was something to catch the eye wherever you looked.

“Congratulations also to Tom and Colin for their lap record-breaking pace. To lower a benchmark that had gone unchallenged for 16 years – and on such a hot day, too – was quite an achievement.

“It was fantastic, finally, to see the new Thruxton Centre open for business for the first time, and the feedback we received has been universally positive, which is very gratifying. In building this facility, we were keen to really raise the bar and there is no question that it sets the tone for the circuit’s future. We now look forward to its official inauguration with Murray and Nigel at our 50th Anniversary Celebration.”

Thruxton’s Anniversary weekend will feature 15 races, high-speed demonstrations from Williams’ 1983 FW08C amongst other iconic racing cars and bikes, a static display of Mansell’s all-conquering, title-winning Williams FW14B, world-famous British Army parachute team the Red Devils, car club reunions, a funfair, live music, overnight camping and a fireworks display in evidence of the festival’s family-friendly appeal.

Advance tickets for Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Celebration are available from just £12 for Saturday entry and £15 for Sunday – or £24 for both days. Sunday grandstand seats are an additional £5. Accompanied children aged 15 and under will be admitted free of charge.

BTCC launches for 60th anniversary season

Following months of anticipation and pre-season testing, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has officially launched for 2018.

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of one of the most much-loved and prolific touring car categories in the world, the forthcoming campaign is set to be another blockbuster affair.

Four manufacturer-backed teams are joined by a host of Independent-run squads, further cementing the strength in depth of the series.

Ashley Sutton enters the year as the man to beat, donning the mantel of defending champion after producing a stunning campaign in 2017 to lift the title in just his second season. Running the famed number one on the side of his Subaru Levorg, Sutton will seek to become a double champion, but will have a whole host of competitors to take on.

Former champions Jason Plato, Matt Neal, Colin Turkington and Andrew Jordan will all be keen to add to their impressive CV’s. Elsehwere, the likes of Tom Ingram, Jack Goff, Sam Tordoff, Tom Chilton and Rob Austin lead the long list of former race winners (17 in total) that will all be looking to be amongst the championship fight.

In addition to the 30 races that will take place across ten weekend’s at some of the countries top circuits, a special 60-mile race will take place in the third encounter at Snetterton in late July.

Titled the ‘Diamond Double’ race, all cars will run on a base weight and double points will be on offer, further adding to the drama of the 2018 championship battle.

Alan Gow, BTCC Series Director, said: “Our capacity line-up for the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, with a remarkable record 17 race-winners, yet again underlines the championship’s strength and depth.

“Last year saw the incredible rise-and-rise of eventual champion Ash Sutton, and he is just one of an ever-growing number of emerging talents in the BTCC. The mix of young guns taking on the established stars has been one of the fascinating stories in recent years, and that looks set to continue in 2018.

“Once again, we expect to see battles throughout the field with the Manufacturers’, Independents’ and Jack Sears Trophy providing as much entertainment as the fight for the overall Drivers’ title.

“Whilst firmly focussing on the future we are also immensely proud of the BTCC’s illustrious 60-year history, which we will be celebrating throughout 2018. We are delighted to have confirmed the ‘Diamond Double’ race at Snetterton as part of these diamond jubilee celebrations, and look forward to a number of other 60th anniversary activities during the year.

“This is a truly phenomenal period for the BTCC. The continued and unrivalled support from Dunlop, ITV, IHG and our host of loyal partners remains the envy of comparable motor sport series’ around the world.

“Add to this our incredible fanbase, the media interest that you see here today and of course the unparalleled excitement provided on-track… the BTCC remains the greatest show in British motorsport.”

The opening rounds of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship take place on April 7/8 at Brands Hatch