Author: Chris Ashby

Issue 1 of 2022 BARC Magazine hits members’ doorsteps

The latest issue – the first of 2022 – of the British Automobile Racing Club magazine has landed, exclusive to all members.

Alongside rounding up the latest news, checking in with our centres and Martin Hunt’s latest Marshal Matters blog, we have a number of must-read features too.

We recap what was a momentous BARC Awards Evening back in February, unearth what is set to be a new era for the ROKiT F4 British Championship and delve into the archives to look back on years gone by, plus much more.

To become a member of the BARC and to receive a copy of the magazine, head to https://www.barc.net/membership/.

BARC sends medical supplies to Ukraine

The British Automobile Racing Club is supporting the relief efforts in Ukraine by donating medical supplies to the country. The first shipment left the United Kingdom on Monday 21st March, bound for Poland where it was then transferred by Ukrainian medics to the city of Lviv. 

The items sent to Eastern Europe included IV fluids, trauma and burns dressings, torniquets and airway management equipment that had been donated by the club, its rescue units and marshals. A second delivery of medical supplies which will include stretchers, defibrillators and splints is due to be sent soon.

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive, said: “The outpouring of support for the Ukrainian struggle has been extraordinary. People all over the UK are looking at what they can do to support the country and it is only right that we as an organisation donate what we can to the cause. I’d like to thank Martin Hunt and his team for taking the lead in this and making it happen.” 

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Silverstone – March 26/27

The British Automobile Racing Club returns to Silverstone this weekend (March 26/27) for an action-packed two days of track action around the International circuit – and our cameras will be there to broadcast every race live online.

Following on from a hugely successful 2022 curtain-raiser which saw in excess of 100,000 views across Facebook and YouTube, we’re back for what should be another entertaining live stream spectacle.

Taking centre stage around the Home of British Motor Racing will be the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, Junior Saloon Car Championship, Caterham Graduates Championship, Kumho BMW Championship and Mini 7 Racing Club.

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

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 14:05 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 08:50 – Facebook | YouTube

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

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

Spectators welcome to Croft for pre-season BTCC test

Croft Circuit is set to permit fans to attend the upcoming Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship test day on April 6 in exchange for a donation to its chosen charity for 2022, Race Against Dementia.

As the UK’s premier motorsport series gears up for another season – one which will see the introduction of hybrid technology throughout the grid – Croft will play host to the first of three official test days where a majority of the grid will be in attendance.

Normally held behind closed doors, the North Yorkshire venue is opening its gates for fans to get a flavour of the action that is to come this year. Whilst there is no admittance charge, a minimum donation of £5.00 per person on the gate is requested, all of which will go to charity.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will return to Croft on June 25/26 for Rounds 13, 14 & 15. Tickets are available to purchase online.

Croft Nostalgia to return as part of Historic Sports Car Club event

After an absence of three years, one of the highlights of the local motorsporting scene is set to return with the announcement that the Croft Nostalgia Event will feature at the North Yorkshire race track on Sunday 4th September 2022.

This will be the tenth running of the popular event and promises to be another unforgettable event as the North East’s premier racing circuit pays homage to yesteryear once again as part of the Historic Sports Car Club race meeting over the weekend.

The event is acknowledged as one of the best events in the north of England, with an eclectic mix of exhilarating motorsport on track along with displays of military vehicles, classic cars and other interesting vehicles which are registered pre-1976. Most of these vehicles will be able to take part in track parades during the day.

There will also be live music, trade stands and fairground attractions for the crowds to enjoy and the friendly atmosphere at Croft Circuit allows everyone to get close to the race cars in the paddock area along with the display vehicles of all shapes and sizes which are a must for a photo opportunity.

Application forms to lodge an interest to display a vehicle are now available to be downloaded from the Croft Circuit website https://www.croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/nostalgia until Friday 5th August 2022 or until all space is allocated, whichever comes first.

Ticket prices start at just £15 for Saturday’s race action with the admission fee on the Sunday £25 per adult on the gate, but currently £20 in advance until Friday 26th August 2022.

Children aged 15 and under are admitted FREE, there is FREE car parking and FREE paddock access. For further information, please contact Croft Circuit on 01325 721815 or www.croftcircuit.co.uk.

BARC kicks off 2022 season in style at Silverstone

The British Automobile Racing Club kicked off its 2022 season in sensational style at Silverstone this past weekend (March 12/13) with the British Endurance Championship, Praga Cup and Britcar Trophy Championship all taking centre stage.

After months of excitement and anticipation, the Grand Prix layout of the Northamptonshire venue provided the backdrop for the first track action of the year for the Club, with TV cameras in attendance to broadcast every lap on Facebook and YouTube. 

Headlining the weekend was the new-for-2022 British Endurance Championship, the Motorsport UK-sanctioned iteration of what was formerly known as the Britcar Endurance Championship.

With revised regulations, and a modified class structure to guarantee competitiveness across a range of machines, the three-hour encounter served up a feast of entertainment for those watching both trackside and online.

Having qualified towards the lower end of the top ten, the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 pairing of Lucky Khera and Lee Frost produced a superlative performance during the race to clinch a dominant victory – lapping the entire field on their way to the top step of the podium. 

Following on from a groundbreaking 2021 where they featured alongside Britcar, the inaugural Praga Cup made its debut at the Home of British Motor Racing and it too didn’t disappoint. 

Two one-hour races had fans on the edge of their seats from start-to-finish, with just under two seconds separating the top three in the opening bout. Alex Connor and Tom Canning edged out the competition to win race one before Charlie Hall and Scott Mittell teamed up to prevail in race two. 

Capping off the endurance competition was a brace of contests from the Britcar Trophy Championship which saw Ginetta entrants SVG Motorsport and Motus One score a win apiece.

The Super Series by the British Superkart Racing Club saw three pulsating races play out, with the spoils being shared between Matt Robinson and Liam Morley; Robinson heading Morley to clinch a pair of wins.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action was a solitary race from the Uncle Lukes Snetterton Saloons with Z Cars Racing Championship, where Rhys Lloyd claimed a dominant victory in his Opel Astra TCR.

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

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

BARC signs Armed Forces Covenant

The British Automobile Racing Club last month signed the Armed Forces Covenant, committing the club and its venues to supporting serving personnel, service leavers, veterans and their families.

The BARC has always had close ties with the armed forces and this has developed in the past decade with its relationship with Mission Motorsport, the forces’ motorsport charity.

Further cementing its reputation as a Forces-friendly organisation, the covenant pledges to acknowledge and understand that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives.

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive, said: “We have a great history with the armed forces, not least because all three of our circuits are former RAF airfields. Thruxton is right in the heart of a huge military community in Hampshire, while Croft too has Catterick right on its doorstep. As a result we have always been very conscious of the military links in our areas.

“Signing the Covenant formalises this commitment and ensures that we will make even greater efforts to support the Service communities in our recruitment, our events and our staffing.”

To find out more information on the Armed Forces Covenant, head to https://www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/. 

Mission Motorsport celebrates 10th anniversary at Thruxton

At the start of this month, Mission Motorsport celebrated its 10th Anniversary at Thruxton Circuit, the very venue where it had launched exactly a decade before. 

Launched at the Hampshire venue on 1st March 2012, the pioneering charity has gone on to achieve extraordinary success, helping those affected by military operations by engaging them through motorsport. It was a great privilege to be able to host their return to Thruxton in commemoration of such a milestone. 

The charity has grown dramatically since those early days of track days, and now encompasses a wide range of support skills, training and employment opportunities, enabling Mission Motorsport to have helped over 2000 service veterans via their variety of programmes. 

One of the biggest and most notable achievements by the charity has been the establishment of ‘Race of Remembrance’ – which is now an annual fixture on the national motorsport calendar at Anglesey Circuit. Last year Thruxton held the first Karting of Remembrance event on the same date, which was a successful sell-out and will be repeated in 2022.

To find out more on Mission Motorsport’s journey over the past decade, please take the time to watch the following inspiring video with the Charity’s founder and CEO James Cameron: 

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive, said: “I’ve been a huge fan of Mission Motorsport’s work since the very early days and I was thrilled to find that BARC was already heavily connected with the charity when I arrived here. We have already hosted many events at Thruxton and Croft and we look forward to building on that and extending our support of the military community.”

Further information on Mission Motorsport and their initiatives can be found here: https://www.missionmotorsport.org/ourmission

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Silverstone – March 12/13

The British Automobile Racing Club lifts the curtain on the 2022 season this coming weekend (March 12/13) with an action-packed two days of competition at Silverstone – and our cameras will be there to broadcast every lap on Facebook and YouTube.

Viewers will be able to see the new-for-2022 British Endurance Championship, Britcar Trophy Championship, Praga Cup and British Superkart Racing Club over the course of both days around the Home of British Motor Racing. 

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

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 11:05 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 10:45 – Facebook | YouTube

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

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

BARC North West Centre gears up for 38th running of CNC Heads Championship

The BARC North Western Centre is very pleased to announce the 38th running of the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship in 2022.

The Championship is being sponsored by CNC Heads owned by competitor Ric Wood for the fifteenth successive season, we thank Ric for his continued support. Without this great support, in so many ways, there is no doubt the Championship would not be as strong as it currently is. Also this season we welcome back Graeme Laslett’s Car Service Packs Company as a valued partner.

The Championship continues the well-trodden path of recent years with very favourable entry fees and few technical changes. We visit the usual popular circuits in the North and Midlands. This season sees a return to our ‘second home’ of Anglesey for a triple header meeting in September. There is another triple meeting at the end of April at Cadwell Park, with double headers at Croft, Donington Park (with the trucks) and at the final round at Oulton Park. The season commences on the 2nd April with a single round at Oulton Park, there is a third Oulton Park visit for the Dave Simpson Memorial round at the end of May.

Registrations have been open for a few weeks and entries are already starting to come in for the opening rounds. Most of the regulars from the last few seasons have registered including six of the top seven in last year’s Championship, these include Champion Jamie Cryer in his Ginetta G20, Jon Woolfitt in his Spire GTR, the Mazda MX5 of Graeme Smith and the Citroen Xsara of Paul Rotheroe. Other returnees include Roddie Paterson (Caterham), Garry Wardle (Seat Leon and Porsche GT3), Ric Walker (BMW Mini) and Tim Foxlow (Escort RSR).

It is great to see the continued support of all the regulars but it is equally important to welcome new blood to the Championship. Newbies (though not necessarily new to the sport) include Richard Armiger (Vauxhall Tigra), Peter Smith (Class A Renault Megane) and Connor Harvey (Caterham 7) – welcome to all of you and those returning after a break from the Championship. Registered numbers are now approaching 50 drivers with 60 cars.

If you have a car and are interested but not sure if it is eligible then why not give Peter Gorrie, our Eligibility Scrutineer a call on 07813 848671 or email him at petergorrieracing@gmail.com  

For those of you thinking of joining the CNC Heads Championship family, details can be found on the CNC Heads page at barcnorthwestern.co.uk or if you have any questions then either mail John Leck at johnleck.racing@hotmail.co.uk or give John a ring on 07889 760872.

BARC confirms extensive live stream schedule for 2022 season

The British Automobile Racing Club is delighted to announce that it will continue its partnership with leading sports production company 247.TV for the 2022 season, with no fewer than 15 race meetings set to be streamed live and online.

Showcasing the exhilarating, edge-of-the-seat action that is produced by the BARC’s variety of championships and series, 2021 proved to be a landmark year as the Club launched its live stream schedule; with it instantly becoming a smash-hit.

Broadcast simultaneously on the Club’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel, 2021 saw race meetings exceed a combined total of 1.1 million views – putting championships in front of a new global audience. 

In addition, the BARC YouTube channel saw exponential growth over the course of the year as more than 19,000 people clicked the subscribe button to ensure they didn’t miss a single lap of the action.

For 2022, the Club’s coverage will renewed partnership with 247.TV will allow competitors, club members and fans to watch the best of national motorsport from the comfort of their own home, with enhanced commentary, graphics and full production values.

The British Endurance Championship, Britcar Trophy Championship, Praga Cup, British Truck Racing Championship and Classic Touring Car Racing Club are all confirmed to have their events streamed whilst a number of other categories will also feature during the course of the year. 

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive, said: “We had a huge response to live streaming of a majority of our events last year so it was a no-brainer to continue with it into the 2022 season. 

“Our championships really saw the benefit from the vast online audience they were racing in front of and it helped to lift the level of professionalism too. There are of course lots of things to improve on and that’s what we will do for this year – we’re really looking forward to it.”

BARC 2022 Live Stream Schedule

March 12/13 – Silverstone Grand Prix

March 26/27 – Silverstone International

April 2 – Oulton Park

April 16/17 – Brands Hatch 

May 7/8 – Pembrey 

May 14/15 – Snetterton 300

May 28 – Oulton Park

June 4/5 – Silverstone National 

July 9/10 – Thruxton

August 14 – Donington Park

August 20/21 – Donington Park

August 27/28 – Snetterton 200

September 17/18 – Snetterton 300

October 8/9 – Pembrey

October 22/23 – Donington Park

November 5/6 – Brands Hatch

Croft Circuit to raise funds for Race Against Dementia in 2022

Croft Circuit has announced its chosen charity for 2022 as Race Against Dementia, founded by Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, which raises and allocates funds to accelerate global research and development in the race to find a prevention or treatment for dementia.

For Sir Jackie Stewart the love of his life, Helen, with a razor-sharp mind that timed his laps to the millisecond with unfaltering accuracy is living with this devastating disease.

In 2014 Helen Stewart was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Today, Lady Stewart’s short-term memory is fading and dementia is taking hold of her mind and body.

This terrible condition is devastating the Stewart family, as it does for millions of families living with dementia around the world. Race Against Dementia is driven to raise money to fund breakthrough and innovative dementia research. Their vision is to aid a breakthrough in the prevention or treatment of dementia with the greatest of urgency.

“I’m so grateful that the team at Croft have selected Race Against Dementia as their charity for this year. Myself and the Stewart family have fond memories of attending Croft with Paul Stewart Racing and I am really grateful for their support in joining us to beat dementia.” commented Sir Jackie Stewart OBE.

More than 50 million people around the world have dementia. Unless a cure is found, one in three people born today will die with dementia. A new person develops dementia every three seconds.

This crisis cannot continue and Croft feels “very privileged” says Croft Circuit Manager Tracey Morley to support a charity so close to her heart. “As a family we suffered first hand too, as we watched my father’s condition deteriorate with this disease, we sadly lost him in 2020. I feel there is a great link here for Croft to support such a worthwhile charity”

Croft will take charitable donations this racing season for this cause. If you would like to help Croft raise funds for Race Against Dementia this year do get in touch with Tracey at the circuit.