Author: Chris Ashby

Titles decided during dramatic Brands Hatch TOCA support showdown

Alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch this past weekend (November 14/15), high drama ran throughout the TOCA support race championships as titles were decided and champions were crowned.

Bringing the curtain down on an unprecedented season which has consisted of nine events crammed into just three-and-a-half months, treacherous weather conditions added to the spectacle over the course of two blockbuster days at the Kent venue.

History was made in the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship as Tom Lebbon secured the title following a tense finale. Tallying a pair of second place finishes, the Elite Motorsport driver became the first Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner to win the overall crown at the first attempt.

Lebbon had been in the thick of a three-way title fight alongside Josh Rattican and Bailey Voisin for a majority of the season but came good at the end, triumphing in sensational style. Rattican and Josh Millar would claim the final race wins of the season.

In the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Will Burns was finally crowned champion after a superlative campaign. Having twice been a runner-up in the series, the Rob Boston Racing driver made no mistake this year as he paired raw speed with consistency to net the title.

Burns wrapped the championship up in the opening encounter as Adam Smalley and Gus Burton shared the remaining spoils of the 2020 season.

Having made their mark during their first year on the TOCA support bill, the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE signed off a stellar debut season with two enthralling bouts. As Max Bird and Lewis Brown took a win apiece, Excelr8 Motorsport’s Harrison held his nerve to deliver too formidable drives which would prove good enough for the title.

After clinching the title at Snetterton last month, Harry King put an exclamation point on his domination of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB with another stunning display. Sweeping the competition aside this year, the Porsche GB Scholarship winner racked up his 11th and 12th wins of the season to sign off the year as a worthy champion.

The final title to be decided around the Indy layout was the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with Luke Browning emerging as the victor in dramatic circumstances.

Zak O’Sullivan won the final round of the year however heavy rain hit the circuit and, on the grounds of safety with the entire field on slick tyres, the race was red-flagged. Half points were awarded and that swung the pendulum back to Browning, crowning him champion by four markers.

To view the full classification of results and championship points for each category, click here.

Ian Watson to retire as BARC General Manager at the end of 2020

The British Automobile Racing Club has announced that Ian Watson will retire from his position of General Manager at the end of this year. After spending the past two decades at the organisation, Ian will step down from his day-to-day post but will continue his association with the BARC as he takes up a consultancy role for 2021.

Joining the Club in 2000 as Business Development Manager, Ian subsequently assumed the post of General Manager and since then has played a pivotal role in the Club’s growth, overseeing the Competitions and Marshals Departments. He has had the key responsibility of organising the Club’s racing calendar and events each year, as well as a host of other important duties.

In addition, Ian has also brought a number of high-profile events to the Club’s expansive portfolio, including the Pure McLaren GT4 Series, FIA World Endurance Championship and FIA World Rallycross Championship. He also played a crucial part in seeing the Club accredited with the Achievement of Excellence rating in the FIA Institute’s Sustainability Programme in 2016.

“I’ve really enjoyed the past 20 years at the British Automobile Racing Club but I feel that it is the right time to take things a little easier and enjoy slowing down a bit,” said Ian on the subject of his impending retirement.

“Over the past two decades I have been privileged to work alongside some great people and they have all made my time at the Club unforgettable. I’ve been involved in motorsport pretty much all my life so to have had the career I’ve subsequently had has been brilliant. I’ll still be involved with the Club in terms of the BTCC and a number of other events so I won’t be disappearing completely.”

Alongside his new consultancy position within the BARC, Ian will remain Senior Clerk of the Course for the British Touring Car Championship and Clerk of the Course for a number of key events into 2021 and beyond.

BARC Club Chairman, Tony Scott-Andrews, said: “There are very few in the UK motorsport community with such a detailed knowledge of the sport and the way it operates as Ian. Not only has he organised the calendar of events over the years but he has run the events themselves as the Clerk of the Course, a Clerk par excellence as evidenced by his continuing involvement with the BTCC and other high profile events.

“He has done so much over the years to make BARC the club that it is today and he will be sorely missed. I thank him for all that he has done for the club and indeed for all that he has contributed to motorsport in general and to ensuring the safety of all those involved.”

BARC Chief Executive Ben Taylor added: “I have known Ian since before he was at the BARC, but I had not worked closely with him until I came to the club last year. I know that he has mentored so many people throughout the sport in recent years and his knowledge and experience has been a huge help to me as I settled into my role. I am delighted that Ian will continue to work with us in the future, not least in supporting his replacement in due course.”

The BARC are is now recruiting for Ian’s replacement. Full details can be found HERE.

Statement: Cancellation of this weekend’s British Truck meeting at Brands Hatch

This weekend’s concluding round of the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship has been cancelled. Although DCMS and Motorsport UK had designated the event as an Elite fixture, detailed discussions have been required with Kent County Council this week following the new lockdown decision.

Given the short timescales now available to competitors, officials and suppliers to make the necessary preparations at this late stage, BARC and MSV have decided to cancel the event in the best interests of the Club and its competitors.

All parties would like to make clear that this decision has no impact on next weekend’s BTCC championship finale at Brands Hatch.

Blockbuster BTRA headlines Thruxton weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club delivered two blockbuster days of thrilling track action at Thruxton this past weekend (October 31/November 1).

Taking centre stage around the fastest circuit in the UK were the heavyweight behemoths of the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship – and they certainly made their mark on the Hampshire venue over the course of both days.

Going wheel-to-wheel in challenging conditions, Division 1 saw reigning four-time champion put himself in the box seat to clinch a fifth consecutive title by storming to a sensational hat-trick of race wins. Martin Gibson would prove to be the only driver that could beat Smith, winning the remaining race.

In Division 2, Steven Powell demonstrated similar levels of dominance as he too moved himself to within touching distance of championship silverware as he scored an impressive trio of race wins too. Two-time champion Luke Garrett picked up the other victory behind the wheel of his MAN.

Despite the curtain having fallen on their season at Silverstone last month, the Classic Touring Car Racing Club jumped at the chance to run two non-championship races and they took those in attendance on a spirited trip down memory lane.

Showcasing tin top cars from years gone by, the CTCRC boasted a bumper entry list of desirable machines and it was to BMW E36 M3 of Bryan Bransom that reigned supreme in race one, winning by nearly 30 seconds.

The Ford Lotus Cortina of Bob Bullen then came to the form in the categories second race, taking an emphatic victory.

Back for the second successive weekend at Thruxton, the BARC’s Open Sports/Saloons races initiative proved to be a smash-hit once again as a variety of machines duked it out for overall honours.

Clive Wood would emerge as the benchmark driver in both contests, winning in his Mallock.

Single-seater thrills rounded off the weekend’s track action and they came in the shape of the Monoposto Reprise I.T. Tiedmen Trophy. Bryn Tootell powered his Van Diemen to victory in the opening encounter before Edward Falkingham did the same at the wheel of his Jedi in race two.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Thruxton, click here.

BTCC Season Finale at Brands Hatch to go ahead as planned

Series organisers, TOCA, have confirmed that the British Touring Car Championship season finale at Brands Hatch on November 14/15 will go ahead as originally planned.

This past Saturday (October 31) saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson address the nation and announce that England will enter into a four-week national lockdown from Thursday 5th November to Wednesday 2nd December at the earliest to combat the spread of coronavirus.

In light of the restrictions that are associated with this impending lockdown, the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed that elite sport will continue behind closed doors during this next lockdown period.

Since the resumption of racing on July 4th, the BTCC has been classified under the elite sport bracket and has operated behind closed doors, without spectators. The BTCC will therefore continue to race, bringing the curtain down on its 2020 campaign at Brands Hatch and crowning a champion.

Titles will also be decided on the TOCA support package as the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Quaife Mini Challenge take centre stage as well.

The BTCC has worked tirelessly to maintain the safety of its drivers, teams, staff and all personnel through its own strict protocols that actually exceed those of the government guidelines. TOCA will continue to ensure those protocols are strictly adhered to, so as to provide a very safe and secure environment for all participants at our final event.

Green light given to November 7/8 BARC race meeting at Brands Hatch

The British Automobile Racing Club is delighted to confirm that the green light has been given for this weekend’s (November 7/8) British Truck Championship race meeting at Brands Hatch to take place as originally planned.

Having consulted with the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for guidance, governing body Motorsport UK has confirmed that elite motorsport events will be able to continue over the coming weeks, which includes both this weekend’s British Truck Championship and next week’s British Touring Car Championship finale.

Brands Hatch will therefore host the final rounds of the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship on Saturday and Sunday, with three former champions – Ryan Smith, David Jenkins and Stuart Oliver – all in contention for the coveted 2020 Division 1 title.

BARC produces plenty of thrills during Halloween race day at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club made it a Halloween to remember at Oulton Park this past Saturday (October 31) as it served up a thrilling day of racing.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, four championships descended on the Cheshire venue to battle challenging weather conditions as they capped off their 2020 campaigns.

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Alex Solley prevented Lewis Saunders from wrapping up the title after he produced a virtuoso performance by taking two wins. Saunders will now have to wait until this coming weekend (November 7/8) at Brands Hatch before getting a chance to make history.

Coming off the back of a sensational double-winning drive at Silverstone, Solley took centre stage and subsequently had an answer for every question that was asked of him across both races to close the gap in the standings and set up an intriguing title showdown.

The CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship – the flagship series of the Club’s North West Centre – didn’t disappoint either as a mighty 36-car grid went wheel-to-wheel across two pulsating contests.

Former champion Paul Rose underlined his credentials in the multi-class series in the opening encounter as he powered his Saker RAPX S1-500 to victory by less than a second over Paul Woolfitt.

Woolfitt and his trusty Lotus Exige would then come to the fore in race two as he stretched his legs on the opposition to build up a 15-second margin at the chequered flag, as well as lapping all the way up to fifth place.

Mark Dicken was the driver to beat in the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup, dominating the categories only race at the picturesque track to beat Alex Cursley by more than ten seconds.

Rounding out the Saturday action were three breathtaking contests from the British Superkarts Championship. Liam Morley, Lee Harpham and Tom Rushforth reigned supreme over the course of the day to share the spoils.

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

Oulton Park set for BARC tricks and treats this Halloween

Oulton Park is set for an abundance of tricks and treats this coming Saturday (October 31) as the British Automobile Racing Club aims to make it a Halloween to remember.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting will see three of the Club’s championships take centre stage at the Cheshire venue for what will be a pivotal event on the 2020 schedule.

Titles will be decided in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the North West Centre’s flagship category, as they stage two contests around the challenging XX-mile Island layout.

Having raced at Cadwell Park, Donington Park and Oulton Park, the multi-class series which is home to an eclectic mixture of machinery of all shapes and sizes will put on one final show for those in attendance.

Leading the way in the overall standings is Jamie Cryer, who holds a 17-point advantage over the chasing duo of Guy Carter and Garry Wardle, both of whom are tied on points.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship has proven to be a smash-hit this year and Lewis Saunders finds himself in the box seat to become the first two-time champion in the series.

Entering the season as the hot favourite, the 2018 title winner underlined his superiority by winning the first ten races on the bounce, putting him within touching distance of the crown.

Bidding to ensure Saunders doesn’t wrap up the crown are a host of drivers, one of which is Alex Solley who ended Saunders’ winning streak last time out at Silverstone. Throw into the mix the likes of Charlie Hand, Benjamin Greenhill and Molly Dodd and you can see why the day’s two races will prove most intriguing.

Further tin top thrills and spills will come in the shape of the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup. The budget conscious, single-make series has boasted bumper grids this year and has seen some of the closest wheel-to-wheel action around.

Notable names to look out for include Wayne Rockett, Alex Cursley, Mark Dicken, Kevin Smiles and James Goodwin.

Alongside the cars, the British Superkarts Championship will be in action clocking frenetic speeds mere inches from the tarmac.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event, such as the timetable and entry list, click here.

Truck Titans revved up to headline BARC weekend at Thruxton

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for a second consecutive race meeting at Thruxton this coming weekend (October 31/November 1) and it’s set to be headlined by the heavyweight behemoths of the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship.

Originally scheduled to visit the Hampshire venue in June, the championship’s hopes of competing around the fastest track in the UK had looked to be all but over after being cancelled due to national lockdown and subsequent amendments to race calendars.

However, the BTRA’s annual visit to Pembrey Circuit that was scheduled for October 3/4 was cancelled due to the current Welsh Government regulations and rather than cancel the meeting altogether, a change of venue was confirmed to allow the category to stage its penultimate event of the campaign.

Never short of entertainment, a total of five races will play out around the flowing 2.36-mile layout over the course of the weekend and it is all to play for in both Division’s 1 & 2 as the title showdown looms ever-closer.

There is nothing separating Ryan Smith and David Jenkins at the summit of Division 1 as the former champions enter the weekend tied on points. Both will be keen to establish themselves as the sole leader however they will need to be wary of Stuart Oliver who sits a further three points back.

In Division 2, Steven Powell has proven to be the benchmark driver so far and his recent run of form sees him hold a slender ten-point advantage over Craig Reid. With the likes of John Powell and double champion Luke Garrett firmly in the mix as well, all bets are off when it comes to judging who could reign supreme.

Despite bringing the curtain down on their season at Silverstone earlier in the month, the Classic Touring Car Racing Club will make a fleeting appearance during the weekend for a pair of non-championship encounters.

Renowned for producing all-out action, some of the most iconic saloons spanning several decades will hit the track for a memorable trip down memory lane.

The BARC Open Sports/Saloon car races starred less than a week ago and they’re back again for more tin top thrills and spills. Open to competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in, providing they meet current Motorsport UK safety regulations, the new initiative has proven to be popular.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action will be two contests from the Tiedman Trophy. Forming part of the Monoposto Racing Club, the single-seater contingent was originally scheduled to race at Pembrey like the BTRA but will now make a rare appearance at the home of the BARC.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting, including the timetable and entry list, click here.

Tickets for the event are available to purchase online in advance via https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/trucks.

Sports Prototype Cup stars on Formula 1 support bill in Portugal

The Sports Prototype Cup thrilled a 25,000-strong crowd this past weekend (October 24/25) as it starred at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve before the Formula 1 Heineken Grande Prémio De Portugal.

In what has been a sensational sophomore year for the lightweight sports prototype series, a 17-car field took centre stage alongside the biggest motor racing category in the world to round out its season with two blockbuster races.

Exclusively for the Revolution A-One Trophy class, race one saw Michel Frey claim a commanding lights-to-flag victory at the second time of asking after a red flag halted proceedings at the end of the opening tour originally.

Converting his front row start into a lead that he never looked like losing, Frey produced a virtuoso performance to beat Morten Dons by little under a second whilst Jesse Menczer rounded out the podium in third for Excelr8 Motorsport.

Race two saw Alex Kapadia come to the fore as he powered his Mike Smith Motorsport/Breakell Racing Revolution to the chequered flag.

Taking over driving duties from Dons, Kapadia fended off the early challenge of James Abbott through the opening sequence of corners but soon settled into a groove and opened up a gap of more than a second to triumph, with Abbott and Richard Wells rounding out the rostrum.

Kapadia’s victory cemented his position as the top ranked Cup driver of the 2020 season as well.

Work has already begun on the 2021 calendar for the series, with a mix of national and international premium events set to make up the schedule.

Junior Saloon Car Championship announces 2021 Scholarship details

The Junior Saloon Car Championship will once again look to find the next teenage sensation behind the wheel and provide the opportunity of a lifetime as it stages its Scholarship programme for the 2021 season – with the search scheduled to take place at Croft Circuit on Saturday 20th February,

Drivers competing for the prize will take to the circuit, face the media, have a fitness test and also take part in an auto test. A judging panel made up of the championships organisers and partners will then whittle down the competition to select a winner.

The winner will receive a fully-funded season for the 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship along with team support, a season-long supply of Dunlop tyres and full days pre-season testing. The prize will be awarded at the close of the competition.

The Scholarship will be limited to 30 entrants, aged between 14-17 years old, and entrants do not need to have an ARDS license or any previous race experience. Entrants must ensure they are available for the competition date.

Entrants aged 14 and under may be considered if they are 14 at the start of the 2020 season, or if they wish to practice for a future scholarship entry.

Previous winners of the prize include Emily Glanvill, Harry Rice and most recently Deagan Fairclough; who has gone on to record a string of podium finishes this past season.

More information and registration for the 2020 Junior Saloon Car Championship Scholarship can be found at https://www.juniorsaloons.co.uk/scholarship.

Harry King clinches Porsche crown as remaining TOCA title battles intensify at Snetterton

Harry King became the first champion to be crowned on the TOCA support package this year at Snetterton over the course of last weekend (October 24/25), securing an unassailable lead in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB whilst title battles intensified elsewhere.

Joining the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at the Norfolk venue for the penultimate event of the season, the TOCA support package served up a sensational two days of racing where the main protagonists battled to stay in contention ahead of next month at Brands Hatch.

One title that has already been sewn up is Carrera Cup GB after King was provisionally crowned champion at Snetterton. Having been the class of the field since debuting at the start of the season, the Porsche GB Scholarship winner put himself out of reach of his main rival and team-mate Josh Webster.

As he has done for a majority of the campaign, King proved to be in a league of his own on-track as he claimed two commanding victories to seal the title with a race meeting to spare.

Will Burns put himself on the verge of clinching the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup crown after scoring a win and a second place during the penultimate event of the season.

Having been vice-champion twice, the Rob Boston Racing driver is now within touching distance of the title after another strong performance. Burns claimed a lights-to-flag victory in the opening encounter before Adam Smalley and Gus Burton went on to triumph later in the weekend.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship is delicately poised heading into the Brands Hatch finale with just 11 points separating Bailey Voisin and Tom Lebbon at the summit of the standings.

Scholarship winner Lebbon enjoyed a dream weekend around the challenging 2.97-mile track as he powered his way to a sensational hat-trick of race wins. The Elite Racing ace became the first driver in two years to complete the clean sweep, and he provisionally wrapped up the Rookie title as well.

It’s set to be a tense showdown in the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE JCW in November as Nathan Harrison bids to covert his now 27-point lead over Ant Whorton-Eales and Dan Zelos into championship silverware.

Harrison produced a stunning drive in the opening encounter to tally his third win of the season before Isaac Smith held off Max Coates to claim his maiden victory in the series in race two.

Elsewhere, Zak O’Sullivan and Luke Browning shared the spoils across three enthralling F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost races to set up a thrilling finale that will see the pair head to Brands Hatch level on points.

To view the full classification of results from all TOCA support championship sessions at Snetterton, click here.

Brands Hatch Indy will play host to the final event of the season for the TOCA package on November 14/15, with champions set to be crowned.