Author: Chris Ashby

Red Devils to dazzle overhead at Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Celebration

World-famous British Army parachute display team the Red Devils will take to the skies over Thruxton on Sunday, 3 June, with their adrenaline-fuelled aerial choreography set to thrill fans at the popular Hampshire circuit’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Formed back in 1964, the Red Devils have been the official parachute display team of the British Army and the Parachute Regiment since 1979. Remaining ever-faithful to its ‘Ready For Anything’ motto, it is a non-profit organisation whose purpose is to recruit for the British Army and support its charities by raising funds and profile through awe-inspiring public displays.

All recruits are full-time serving paratroopers and as such, can be called back to Regimental Duty at any time. During the winter off-season, team members complete mandatory military training and career courses to ensure their green army skillset can always be relied upon.

The team is currently composed of 14 professional skydivers, who have conducted air shows and tandem parachute descents as far afield as America, Bahrain and at poignant Regimental memorial events such as Arnhem in the Netherlands. Thruxton Group Managing Director Bill Coombs says spectators attending the 50th Anniversary Celebration will be in for a real treat.

“We already have a fabulous line-up of on and off-track entertainment planned for our milestone anniversary weekend, but to now secure the Red Devils as part of the high-octane bill will add another dimension to an event that truly does have something for everyone,” he enthused.

“The skill and courage of these paratroopers is quite extraordinary, and we have no doubt that they will wow the crowds as they perform their spectacular routine above Thruxton’s sweeping curves on the Sunday. As an active airfield, it is almost a ‘home-from-home’ for them and we are sure they will put on an extra-special show to celebrate our landmark year in style.”

The first motorsport event to be held at Thruxton in its current guise was in March, 1968 and half-a-century on, a whole host of single-seaters, sportscars and saloons from the last five decades will hit the track for a spirited sprint down memory lane at the circuit’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on 2/3 June.

The weekend will feature 15 races, high-speed demonstrations from Williams’ 1983 FW08C amongst other iconic racing cars and bikes and a static display of Nigel Mansell’s all-conquering, title-winning Williams FW14B. There will notably also be high-profile appearances from 1992 Formula 1 World Champion Mansell and legendary motorsport commentator Murray Walker, who together will officially open The Thruxton Centre, the venue’s new, £2 million state-of-the-art hospitality facility.

In addition to the Red Devils, off-track activities will include 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 on 2/3 June 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.

Renault UK Clio Cup set for ‘memorable’ 2018

Following a lengthy winter break, the Renault UK Clio Cup is set for lift off following the annual Media Day at Silverstone on Thursday 15th March.

Serving as the launchpad for the 2018 season, teams and drivers from both the senior and junior categories descended on the Northamptonshire venue to kick off the forthcoming campaign.

Off the back of what proved to be an enthralling record-breaking year in the UK Clio Cup, the 2018 season is set to be just as competitive with a bumper grid confirmed.

With the likes of Max Coates, Daniel Rowbottom, Paul Rivett, Mike Epps and many more set to be in the mix for the overall title, the championship is set to hit further

Will Fewkes, Renault UK Motorsport Championship Manager, said: “Year after year the level of talent in the championship keeps rising and everyone puts on a show.

“We have always prided ourselves on our technical excellence and our heritage and I am sure that will shine through this year. Being part of the incredible TOCA package, which sees huge trackside crowds and great coverage on ITV4, is a huge benefit for everyone involved.

“For 2018 we have another exciting year ahead of us with a hugely competitive grid, a new control tyre by Michelin and a revised points structure which includes the reintroduction of the dropped score format – it is once again too close to call on who could walk away as champion.

Off the back of its inaugural season in 2017, the Junior championship is set to further flourish this year too with the opening round of the season set to take place at Silverstone on March 24/25.

Champion Jack Young returns with the coveted number one adorning his car in a bid to make it back-to-back titles; however a host of youngsters will be keen to wrestle the mantel of champion away from him.

Visiting a host of circuits throughout the year, the Junior championship’s second year is likely to be another blockbuster one.

Fewkes enthused: “When we introduced the current car in 2014 we always planned to put that into the junior market, giving them a fresh option of where to race as well as a clear stepping stone to progress their career.

“The racing last year was tremendous, the opening weekend at Snetterton was a real highlight and proved to be hugely satisfying as the work that had been put in came to fruition.

“This year we have a host of new faces set to compete and I am sure they will have a great experience and hone their craft further. We are giving away one of the biggest prizes in junior motorsport and that only adds to the brilliant spectacle I am sure it will be this year.”

To view the full entry lists for both championships, plus much more, head to the Renault UK website.

BARC retains Achievement of Excellence from FIA Sustainability Programme

The British Automobile Racing Club has been reaccredited with the Achievement of Excellence rating in the FIA Institute’s Sustainability Programme.

The BARC became the first British motorsport venue operator to achieve the top rank of accreditation in 2016, making a significant statement as to the status that environmental awareness now holds in UK motorsport.

Continuing to ensure that a lesser impact on the environment was made in motorsport by implementing a variety of strategies, the Club has consistently strived to ensure all championships do the same.

Ian Watson, BARC General Manager, said: “To be recognised by the FIA is a great achievement and we are one of only a very few that have been selected from the United Kingdom.

“Following an audit in October 2017 we are pleased to have had our Achievement of Excellence rating extended by a further two years;

“Whilst this is fantastic for the Club we are still focused on ensuring that we continue to uphold and better the high standards we have set regarding motorsport and the environment.”

Colin Turkington: “Third BTCC title is the most special”

Newly-crowned three-time Dunlop MSA British Touring Car champion Colin Turkington admits his third title is the most special after enduring what he has described as the toughest year of his life away from the circuit.

The Team BMW driver secured the crown on a dramatic final day of the season at Brands Hatch this past weekend (September 29/30) to join an exclusive list of triple champions.

In what has arguably been the BTCC’s most competitive season to-date in the modern era, the Northern Irishman showcased his title credentials with a consistent season that culminated in him scoring just a solitary victory at Oulton Park.

Scoring a further nine podiums along the way, Turkington fended off the charging Tom Ingram to lift the coveted trophy for a third time and in-doing so, be crowned champion in the series’ 60th Anniversary season.

Commenting on his title success, Turkington said: “This title is the most special, it is difficult to believe that it has actually all happened. On Sunday morning I woke up as a double champion and by the evening I went to bed as a triple champion.

“This year has been the hardest of my life and the struggles we have been through as a family have been tough. The BTCC has been the one thing that has kept us happy though and coming here, getting results has been a ray of light for us.

“I had so many reasons why I wanted to win it this year and I was hungrier than ever to do so. We laid the groundwork coming into Brands Hatch but we knew it was going to be tough.

Whilst his third title will write his name into the history books, so will his single victory of 2018 – a feat never before achieved by a driver that would end the year as champion.

Admitting that the competition in the BTCC has been tougher than ever, the BMW driver revealed playing to their strengths was the secret behind his and West Surrey Racing’s success this year.

He explained: “We haven’t had the fastest car this year and as we have seen the competition is fierce; everybody is fast and it gets a step more difficult every year.

“We were clever throughout the year and played to our strengths, maximising what we had along the way too. From Thruxton onwards we began to find our groove and had momentum on our side, we were strong everywhere pretty much.”

Now with all-time record holder Andy Rouse, who holds four titles, in his sights, Turkington admits he would like nothing more than to return and defend his title in 2019 with the number one adorning his car.

“I love this championship and I hope to come back next year and defend my title,” he stated. “For now though I am going to live in the moment and soak up what we as a family and as a team have achieved this year.”

Turkington’s triumph was further backed up with West Surrey Racing and BMW successfully retaining their BTCC Teams Championship and BTCC Manufacturer/Constructors Championship respectively.

British Truck Racing Association Championship stars on memorable BARC weekend at Snetterton

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a memorable final visit to Snetterton for the 2018 season this past weekend (September 8/9) as five championships continued their campaigns.

Headlining the action were seven races from the British Truck Racing Association Championship. Having been out of action since late July, the heavyweight behemoths of the BTRA returned with title battles further intensifying.

Division 1 had looked like it would take on a familiar feel as reigning champion Ryan Smith set his stall out as the man to beat in qualifying, storming to pole position. Converting his front row start into a superlative victory in race one however that was to be his only triumph as others came to the fore.

Simon Reid, Terry Gibbon and David Jenkins, who triumphed when both Division 1 and Division 2 were combined, shared the spoils to round off the seventh event of the season.

Luke Garrett took another step closer to Division 2 glory as he bagged a brace of wins whilst Steve Powell and Brad Smith also picked up a victory apiece as well.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship enjoyed a milestone moment at the Norfolk venue too as it staged its 500th race in the second encounter of the weekend. David O’Regan emerged victorious from race one, heading Dale Gent and Reece Jones.

Reigning champion Scott Bourne wrote his name into the history books later in the day as he triumphed in the series’ marque race. In a league of his own, Bourne headed O’Regan and Gent to keep his title aspirations firmly alive.

Connor O’Brien was perfection personified in the pair of Mighty Minis Championship races as he surged to a pair of victories. A dominant drive in race one saw O’Brien take the chequered flag by more than 17 seconds ahead of David Kirpatrick and Alex Comis.

The Super Mighty Minis hotshot then headed Nevan Kirkpatrick and championship protagonist Jo Polley to make it a weekend to remember.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres saw two contrasting days at Snetterton as the title battle took another pivotal swing. On Saturday, Stephen Whitelegg affirmed his status as one to watch as he produced a scintillating hat-trick of wins.

Day two during the weekend saw Miles Rudman, Marcus Pett and Matthew Pape each take a win

Rounding off the weekend were a brace of races from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. Laurent de Meeus and Jamie Stanley dominated in the Sprint category as they piloted their FF Corse Ferrair 488 Challenge machine to victory in the shorter 50-minute duels.

The longer two-hour race was won by the KTM X-Bow pairing of Mike McCollum and Sean Cooper in their Track Focused – Oakfields Advisors Ltd-backed car.

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

Brand-new Pembrey layout awaits full-throttle British Rallycross Championship

Pembrey Circuit will see its brand-new rallycross layout used this weekend (June 23/24) as the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship heads to South Wales for rounds four and five.

In what is the only double-header on the 2018 calendar, the first of two visits to British Automobile Racing Club-run venue is likely to set pulses races for drivers and spectators alike.

Since the series visited late last year, significant work and investment has gone into improving the rallycross section of the venue over the winter, headed up by Circuit Manager Phil Davies.

With trackside crowds continuing to grow, careful planning has been taken to create a new track layout that will produce more of an arena atmosphere for fans spectating on the bankings – allowing them to see a majority of the action unfold in front of the.

Firstly the start line, which was previously situated on the main pit straight, has been moved to just before the pedestrian crossing. From there cars will then head through Senna’s before heading into a new left-handed turn titled Toyo’s, immediately tacking Brooklands Haiprin afterwards.

Up next for competitors will be Speedway Straight, which leads into the transition from tarmac to loose, tackling the challenging Carter’s Hairpin at the same time.

Using all of their skills and experience, drivers will thread their way through the next sequence of corners, some taking the joker section, before rejoining the tarmac at Ollie’s and on to start a new lap or take the chequered flag.

The same set of corners will be used when the circuit is run in the reverse direction as well; competitors turning right instead of left off the start.

With events at Silverstone, Lydden Hill and Croft serving up three different winners, the battle for this year’s British Rallycross title is being fiercely fought over.

Arriving at Pembrey, Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins sits atop of the championship standings having matched front-running consistency alongside his breakthrough win at Lydden. Holding a slender four-point leader, the Peugeot driver will be keen to score big and stretch his lead come the end of play on Sunday.

Higgins’ nearest challenger to the summit is five-time champion Julian Godfrey, however it is yet to be determined whether he will compete and if he does, how competitive he actually will be. Godfrey suffered a major crash at Croft which effectively wrote off the Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage he was driving. With frantic work taking place to ready the machine, Godfrey could be one to watch if he lines up.

Ollie O’Donovan was a winner last time out at Croft and is always in the mix whilst Steve Hill and Mad Mark have both shown glimpses of promise along the way too. Throw into the mix the likes of Kevin Proctor and Andy Scott and you begin to see why it the depth of talent is so deep in the series.

In addition to the Supercar action there will be racing from the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, MSA Supernational Championship (inc. Super 1600), Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship and the RX150 Championship.

Tickets will be available to purchase on the gate on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, priced at ÂŁ15 per day or ÂŁ36 for the full weekend (which includes camping). Children 15 and under go free when accompanied by an adult whilst gates open at 08:00 both days.

Croft braced for more magic moments as BTCC speeds into town

Fans will have ‘plenty to get excited about’ when the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races into North Yorkshire this weekend (23/24 June). That’s the prediction of Tim Harvey, as the 1992 title-winner forecasts more magic moments in the Croft Circuit story.

Croft first hosted the UK’s premier motor sport series all the way back in 1968 – then known as the British Saloon Car Championship – making 2018 the 50th anniversary of the circuit’s relationship with the BTCC.

That initial stint lasted until 1971, and while a major Croft regeneration in the 1980s meant the championship did not return to the north-east until 1997, it has featured on the calendar every year since, becoming a hugely popular stop on the schedule for competitors and spectators alike.

Harvey was on the grid for the 1997 event – one that very nearly didn’t go ahead due to rain flooding the circuit – and he has fond memories of the track.

“Croft always generates great action, with plenty of opportunities for overtaking and, dare I say it, incidents!” reflected the 16-time race-winner turned ITV4 commentator. “It’s a difficult circuit to master; the first half of the lap is a high-speed challenge, before you get to the Complex, where you need to slow it all down. There’s a bit of everything, which is what the drivers really appreciate.

“I always enjoyed racing at Croft, whether in the BTCC, Porsche Carrera Cup GB or my one-off outing in the Ginetta GT SuperCup a few years ago. The first year – 1997 – was certainly an interesting one. The one thing no venue can control is the weather, and Croft didn’t drain well back in those days – it’s much, much better now – but it’s testament to the circuit’s strength-of-character that the race meeting went ahead and went well, and Croft has remained a favourite on the BTCC calendar ever since.”

Fast forward 19 years to 2016, and Croft provided the platform for Ashley Sutton to scythe through the spray in changeable conditions to claim his breakthrough BTCC victory. Barely a year later, the Subaru star clinched the coveted drivers’ crown at the end of only his second season, but it was Yorkshire where he first made his mark.

“That was a really significant moment – the point at which people properly sat up and said, ‘boy, this kid has got something special’,” acknowledged Harvey. “He made the most of his opportunity in tricky conditions, so I’d say Croft was where he really announced his arrival – and in some style. And then obviously he went on to fulfil that potential by winning the championship last year…”

Results might be proving hard to come by for Sutton at present, but the man currently leading the charge – BMW’s Colin Turkington – has earned the sobriquet ‘King of Croft’ for his stellar success at the track over the years, tallying 12 race wins, 19 podium finishes and eight fastest laps. Harvey, however, suggests the Ulsterman won’t have it all his own way this weekend, with a quartet of local heroes all eager to steal the spotlight for themselves.

“Colin’s results can be attributed to consistently putting the standout rear wheel-drive driver in the best rear wheel-drive car,” he opined. “That said, things have now evened out a bit in terms of the front wheel-drive / rear wheel-drive difference at Croft, and while I still expect him to have a slight edge, running with maximum ballast in qualifying and race one as championship leader certainly won’t make life easy for him.

“The BTCC is proving absolutely impossible to predict this year, with ten or 15 drivers that can realistically win races – including the four Yorkshiremen in the field. None of them will be carrying any extra weight, and Sam Tordoff in particular has been quick everywhere while Dan Cammish is due a good weekend and the Honda he drives has traditionally gone well around Croft – so there should be plenty for the home crowd to get excited about.”

Tickets to the BTCC’s only north-eastern event of the year can be purchased on the gate, priced at just £15 for Saturday, 23 June (BTCC Qualifying), £30 for Sunday, 24 June (BTCC Race Day) or £38 for the full weekend. Accompanied children aged 15 and under are admitted free of charge.

More information on all of Croft’s driving experiences and racing events can be found at www.croftcircuit.co.uk

MotoFest Coventry ready to roar into life in city centre

Competitive motorsport is will return to the streets of the UK this weekend (June 2/3) as the Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry delivers a glittering array of star cars, bikes and competitors to Coventry City Centre.

Running for the fifth year in succession, the two day event is draw in a big crowds as it blends motorsport competition and demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry and transport together.

Carving a unique circuit out of Coventry’s ring road, a series of time trials will take place thanks to new legislation and a licence being granted by the Motor Sports Association (MSA).

The event will mark the first time that competitive motorsport has been hosted on a UK city centre circuit since the Birmingham Superprix in 1990, with organisers having worked closely with the MSA, Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) and Coventry City Council.

Made up of competitors from various British Automobile Racing Club championships, the sprint is set to garner substantial interest by those in attendance.

Elsewhere across the two days will also be a host of demonstrations and iconic machines on display, ensuring that the locals can get closer to the action than ever before.

As event sponsors, Power Maxed will have a major presence and will bring along their Vauxhall Astra’s that have enjoyed great success in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this season already, giving Josh Cook and Senna Proctor a win each. Both will be in attendance too to meet fans and hit the roads.

The Fueltopia Action Arena is not to be missed either as it stages the latest round of the Fueltopia Formula G Championship and lots of close-quarter action from Legends.

Around the venue live music and culture as well as hospitality is set to ensure that this years MotoFest Coventry event is the biggest and best yet.

TOCA support package ready to blast into life for 2018

Brands Hatch is set for an enthralling weekend (April 7/8) of wheel-to-wheel, edge-of-the-seat thrills as the TOCA support package blasts into life.

Following months of hype and anticipation, five championships will join the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at the Kent venue to kickstart their 2018 campaigns.

Serving as the perfect stepping stone for drivers to graduate into the BTCC down the years, the Renault UK Clio Cup boasts another bumper entry list for this year. With champion Mike Bushell moving on to the BTCC, the quest to find a new title holder begins around the Indy circuit and there are no shortage of contenders.

Multiple champion Paul Rivett will be one to watch, as will the ever-impressive Max Coates, who returns for another crack at clinching the coveted crown. Throw into the mix the likes of Lee Pattison, James Dorlin, Mike Epps, Jack McCarthy and James Colburn, to name a few, and you begin to see how competitive this years crop of contenders are.

Two races around the famed Brands Hatch layout will serve as the perfect starting place for what is set to be another enthralling year.

Serving as the first step on the motorsport ladder for aspiring racers, the Ginetta Junior Championship is set to provide plenty of excitement on the opening weekend of the season too.

Having had the likes of Lando Norris, Tom Ingram and many more cut their teeth in the championship down the years, this years crop of youngsters will be hoping to springboard onto great things too.

The 2018 intake of racers sees a blend of familiar and new faces line up on the grid. Ginetta Junior Winter Series champion Adam Smalley tops the entry list, returning for a shot at the outright title, however the likes of Fin Green, Luke Browning and Matt Luff lead the rest of the pack in trying to stop his charge – starting with this weekend’s two encounters.

Action from the Yorkshire brand will also come from the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, with immense quality running throughout the Pro and Am categories. Setting its stall out as one of the top proving grounds for young racers in the UK, the championship is back once again, with three races set to be run at the season-opener.

Notable names to keep an eye on include Jac Constable, Michael Crees, Jack Minshaw, Carl Boardley and Ginetta Junior graduate Harry King.

A new champion will be crowned in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this year, due to title holder Charlie Eastwood moving on to pastures new. With a new car, new points system and new faces; the battle for supremacy this year is set to provoke serious intrigue.

Runner-up last year, Dino Zamparelli enters the season as an early favourite however he will have a whole host of drivers keen to take the fight to him at the front. Junior Scholarship winner Daniel Harper, George Gamble, Rory Collingbourne, Lewis Plato and Tio Ellinas are just a handful of contenders.

To cap things off, there will also be single seater action from the British F4 Championship. Despite the departure of Carlin, another stacked entry list has been confirmed for the 2018 edition of the popular series.

Arden, Fortec Motorsports, JHR Developments and Sharp Motorsport lead the way to Brands Hatch with the likes of Jack Doohan, Sebastian Priaulx, Ayrton Simmons and Patrik Pasma ones to watch.

Mark Higgins victorious in second round of British Rallycross at Lydden Hill

Bank holiday Monday brought with it plenty of edge-of-the-seat, sideways thrills at Lydden Hill as the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship put on a show in front of a bumper crowd.

Following on from the season-opener at Silverstone last month, where five-time champion Julian Godfrey grabbed the early advantage in the points, the series descend on the spiritual home of the sport for round two.

With another strong entry list hitting the track, Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins proved to be the man to beat as he swept his way to make it two different winners from two rounds in 2018.

Kevin Proctor opened the day by charging to victory in Q1, leading the way ahead of Godfrey and fellow Ford driver Ollie O’Donovan.

The returning Liam Doran, at the wheel of a Citroen C4, then staked his claim in Q2 as he utilised his experience and home knowledge to edge out his opponents and score victory.

Showing consistency throughout each of the heats, Higgins imposed himself on the event in the third and final round of qualifying at the wheel of his Peugeot 208 RX Supercar. Going from fourth to first in Q3, Higgins made it back-to-back wins as he produced a dominant display in his semi-final.

With heavy rain battering the circuit for the final, the former British Rally champion made a perfect start, blasting into the lead. Surviving early pressure from Doran, who would later retire, Higgins controlled the final to take victory on just his second outing.

Elsewhere, Tom Constantine was the winner in the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship whilst Supernational honours went the way of Tristan Ovenden.

Bradley Durdin was the victor in the BMW Mini Rallycross Championship, narrowly pipping Leigh-Anne Sedgwick crossing the line.

Morgan Bailey and Roger Thomas took the spoils in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship and Retro Rallycross Championship respectively, with Chrissy Palmer rounding out the list of winners with an RX150 triumph.

For the full classification of results, click here.

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship is next in action at Croft on May 6.

Seven championships kickstart campaigns in Silverstone thriller

Seven championships from the British Automobile Racing Club kicked off their 2018 seasons this past weekend (March 24/25) at Silverstone.

Tackling the National layout of the popular venue, high sped edge-of-the-seat thrills were on order in contrasting conditions of rain and sun.

Battling the wet weather on Saturday, the Hyundai Coupe Cup roared into life with a record 24-car entry list. Now entering what is it’s third full season as a standalone series, the one-make tin top category produced a memorable two encounters around Northamptonshire venue.

Like he did on countless occasions last year, Steve Kite proved to be the man to beat as he stormed to a brace of victories, both by more than three seconds. Kite fended off Alex Cursley and Wayne Rockett in the opener before then leading Rockett and Neil Hurren in race two.

The theme of dominant doubles continued in the Michelin Clio Cup Series as Ben Palmer kickstarted his title defence in fine style. With the number one adorning his car for this year, Palmer underlined why he is the benchmark by romping to victory by more than 19 seconds in race one ahead of Simon Freeman and John Hamilton.

Both Hamilton and Freeman locked out the podium in race two but both could only watch on again as Palmer took the chequered flag, this time by just two seconds. In the Road class, Nic Harrison also enjoyed a strong start to the defence of his crown by picking up a pair of wins.

In the Renault UK Clio Cup Junior Championship, Nick Reeve had a dream debut as he took a clean sweep, claiming a pair of pole positions and then converting them into wins.

A five-car entry produced plenty of thrills ’n’ spills with Gus Burton winning on the road in race one after making a robust move on Reeve on the penultimate lap. Following a review, the positions were swapped by officials, giving Reeve the win.

The Specialized Motorsport driver proved to be in a league of his own in race two as he led Lorcan Hanafin and Burton to vault himself to the top of the championship standings.

Ben Kasperczak was in similar form in the Junior Saloon Car Championship, another one-make series that caters for drivers 14 to 17-years-old. At the wheel of his brightly coloured Citroen Saxo, Kasperczak stormed to a brace of victories to establish himself at the helm of the points.

Jemma Moore, Steven Chandler, Tony Rodriguez and Lewis Saunders all also picked up silverware across the two races too.

In the Mighty Minis Championship, Scott Kendall kicked off the defence of his title in style with an impressive victory in race one, taking the chequered flag ahead of Neven Kirkpatrick by four tenths of a second – a sizeable gap in Mini terms.

Race two proved to be a much tighter affair with a host of cars all dicing for top spot. In the end, Jo Polley made it a debut to remember as she took the win ahead of Greg Jenkins, Kendall and Kirkpatrick – a mere tenth of a second covering the four of them.

A diverse range of tin top thrills were also provided by the Classic Touring Car Racing club, which boasted more than 80 cars competing in a range of classes.

The amalgamated Classic, Historic Thunder Saloons & Blue Oval Saloon Series races brought outright victories the way of Dale Gent and Dave Cockell. The Pre 66 Classic Saloon & Historic Touring Cars saw Jonathan Lewis emerge victorious in both races at the wheel of his Mini Cooper S.

Rounding out the action at Silverstone was two races from the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Catering for fans of single seater machines from yesteryear, Mike Gardner and Benn Tilley were the drivers to beat as they shared the spoils, taking a win apiece.

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

Entries open for 2018 Race of Remembrance

Preparations for the 2018 Race of Remembrance event are already underway with forces charity Mission Motorsport confirming that entries are now open for teams and drivers.

Once again taking place at Anglesey on November 9/10/11, the momentous meeting will once again commemorate the sacrifices made by all service personnel and their families.

This year’s event will have further meaning too with it being the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day; marking the cessation of hostilities between the Allies of World War 1 and Germany.

A permanent fixture on the UK motorsport calendar, the 2018 edition of Race of Remembrance is set to be bigger and better than ever with a total of 50 teams set to battle it out in a 12-hour endurance race.

Alongside the racing, which will take place both during the and into the night, there will also be a Heroes Dinner and a special remembrance service, where the track will fall silent at 10:45 on the Sunday.

James Cameron, CEO of Mission Motorsport, said: “Race of Remembrance is always a special event and one that is eagerly anticipated by a growing number of people from across the charity, racing industry and further afield.

“This year will be especially poignant, falling as it does on the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, and we will be commemorating the sacrifices made by service men and women in a very special way.”