Author: Chris Ashby

C1 Challenge heads to Rockingham for second 24-hour race of the year

The Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge makes a triumphant return to Rockingham this weekend (August 31 – September 2) for one of the marquee events of the year as part of the British Automobile Racing Club’s latest visit to the Corby venue.

Making history in May by not only making its inaugural visit to Rockingham, but also by becoming the first series to stage a 24-hour race there, the one-make tin top category is back for another pulsating weekend of track action.

In what is set to be a fond farewell to Rockingham by the C1 contingent, due to the venue ceasing motorsport activity at the end of the 2018 season, a three-hour and 24-hour race is set to get pulses racing.

Providing drivers and teams with the opportunity to go endurance racing at a low cost, the C1 Challenge has proven to be a smash-hit since debuting in 2017, with more than 100 cars having been built in that time.

Events at Rockingham, Pembrey and Snetterton have underlined the popularity of the series already this year with bumper grids at each event. As was the case at the 2018 curtain-raiser at Rockingham, the level of interest to compete in the 24-hour race has prompted an additional three-hour encounter to be added to the race programme.

Such is the popularity of the series, this weekend’s three-hour race boasts 35-car grid whilst the longer 24-hour race currently has 38 cars set to take the start.

In the inaugural 24-hour race earlier in the year, Team C’est La Vie emerged as the winners – two laps ahead of their nearest challengers. Whether they can produce a repeat performance however remains to be seen as they go up against a bumper entry list which includes BTCC race winner Rob Austin and former touring car star Daniel Welch, amongst a host of others.

In addition to the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, two of the BARC South East Centre categories will also be in action. The BARC South East Modified Saloon Car Championship and BARC
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Paul Rivett crowned Renault UK Clio Cup champion following successful MSA appeal

Paul Rivett is now a four-time Renault UK Clio Cup champion after winning an appeal to over-turn a stewards’ decision to disqualify him from round 16 of the season at Silverstone in September.

More than a month on from Westbourne Motorsport’s James Dorlin provisionally winning the championship at Brands Hatch, the Motor Sport Association’s (MSA) National Court took place on November 6 where the matter was decided.

Having been originally disqualified from the final result of round 16 by the Clio Cup Clerk of the Course following an on-track incident with title rival Max Coates, Rivett appealed the disqualification at the circuit however the decision was upheld by the stewards.

Rivett and WDE Motorsport then chose to lodge a further appeal at the MSA’s National Court and after further evidence was heard, the Court ruled in Rivett’s favour.

Reinstated into third position in that Silverstone race, Rivett was handed back 20 championship points which was enough to take him to the top of the standings ahead of Dorlin and allow him to add to his 2002, 2004 & 2011 crowns.

“A fourth title is very special but I’d also say extra special because this is the one I’ve had to work the hardest for,” Rivett said. “This title shows just how much the WDE team has grown and improved since I first joined them in 2014.

“Looking back I’d say the pivotal moment in the season was Donington Park in April – we suffered a very heavy crash in race one and the crew only had three hours to get my car repaired for race two.

“The fact they managed it and it was still good enough to take fourth place was massive for us – it earned us 18 points without which we would not have won this title.

“To everyone in this team – the mechanics, technicians, team boss Wayne Eason, all my sponsors and my family – I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’.”

Click here for the amended and final Renault UK Clio Cup championship standings.

BARC championships gearing up for action-packed Anglesey weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club makes the long journey to North Wales this weekend (September 1/2) as Anglesey gets ready to play host to a handful of championships, all of which are heading towards enthralling title climaxes.

Organised and run by the Club’s North Western Centre, the weekend’s action will mark 20 years of the BARC running race meetings at the challenging picturesque venue.

Topping the billing will be the North Western Centre’s very own CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, which will compete on the International layout. Home to all manner of cars, the multi-class series has enjoyed another stellar season in 2018 with sizeable grids at every stop on the calendar thus far.

Paul Rose will arrive at Anglesey sitting at the summit of the standings, holding a slender eight—point lead over Oliver Thomas. At the wheel of his Sakar, former champion Rose has been the epitome of consistency, constantly running towards the sharp end of the grid.

Thomas however has equally been one to watch from behind the wheel of his Subaru Impreza and will be keen to close the gap to his title rival. Other drivers to look out for in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship include Clive Dix, James Cryer and Dave Harvey – to name but a few.

Ben Palmer will look continue his unstoppable march towards back-to-back Michelin Clio Cup Series titles at Anglesey, with three races set to be run. Off the back of being crowned champion last year Palmer has been in a league of his own this year, taking ten wins from ten races.

With a 50-point advantage over nearest challenger Ronan Pearson, Palmer will be hard to bet against adding another trio of victories to his impressive tally. In the Road Class, Nic Harrison will also be looking to continue his unbeaten run by adding t his silverware collection.

Like the Michelin Clio Cup Series, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has a habit of serving up door-to-door thrills and the latest crop of 14 to 17-year-old’s have delivered that in spades.

Entering the weekend, Lewis Saunders holds the lead in the points however the chasing pack of Joel Wren, Scott McIntyre, Steven Chandler and Jemma Moore are all set to ensure the teenager doesn’t have things his own way. Two races at the Welsh track will likely shake up the championship order even further.

The BARC Clubmans Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns returns to the track with leading contenders Clive Wood, Michelle Hayward and Pippa Tanner-Wood leading the long list of drivers that could potentially emerge victorious from the weekend’s three encounters.

Capping off the BARC action will be a raft of races from the APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship. Split into different classes based on engine capacity, the one-make series has enjoyed a blockbuster 2018 with grids continuing to grow and grow as each event passes.

Robin Webb, Robert Winrow, Declan Dolan, Mark Johnson and Jonathan Curry currently lead the way in their respective classes and should be at the forefront of the action.

Also adding the on-track entertainment over the course of the weekend will be the British Superkarts Championship.

Croft Circuit reveals blockbuster 2019 events calendar

Croft Circuit is preparing itself for a blockbuster season of racing in 2019 after unveiling a bumper calendar made up of 17 events.

Following on from an action-packed 2018 season which saw capacity crowds flock through the gates, the North Yorkshire venue is already gearing up for the new year with the likes of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship set to take centre stage.

The Darlington & District Motor Club’s Jack Frost Rally will kick off the new motorsport season on February 17 before attention switches to two wheels and the North East Motorcycle Racing Club in late March.

A variety of British Automobile Racing Club championships will descend on Croft in mid-April before Easter Monday play’s host to a special Spring Sprint event – the perfect tonic to cap off the Bank Holiday weekend.

The British Racing & Sports Car Club and the Darlington & District Motor Club will headline proceedings in May before the 750 Motor Club makes its one and only visit to the venue at the start of June.

Croft’s flagship event of the year will come on June 15/16 as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship makes its annual visit for three titanic races. Playing host to rounds 10, 11 & 12 of the season

Early July will see the British Racing & Sports Car Club return before the Ferrari Challenge UK makes its eagerly-anticipated first visit to the track.

As summer continues to unfold, the action show no signs of relenting at Croft as the Historic & Sports Car Club will take fans on a spirited trip down memory lane on August 3/4.

The Darlington & District Motor Club’s third and final visit to Croft will take place on August 17/18 before the edge-of-the-seat, sideways thrills from the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship will be showcased on September 8.

There is a return by the British Automobile Racing Club too in September before No Limits Bike Racing and the season finale of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship brings the curtain down on what should be a memorable year for Croft.

2019 Croft Circuit Calendar

February 17 – Jack Frost Rally

March 23/24 – North East Motorcycle Racing Club

April 13/14 – British Automobile Racing Club

April 22 – Easter Monday Spring Sprint Meeting

May 4/5 – British Racing & Sports Car Club

May 18/19 – Darlington & District Motor Club

June 1/2 – 750 Motor Club

June 15/16 – Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship

July 6/7 – British Racing & Sports Car Club

July 20/21 – Ferrari Challenge UK

August 3/4 – Historic & Sports Car Club

August 17/18 – Darlington & District Motor Club

September 8 – Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship

September 21/22 – British Automobile Racing Club

October 12/13 – No Limits Bike Racing

October 27 – Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship

Tickets for all events are set to go on sale in the coming weeks, with more information set to be found at croftcircuit.co.uk/racing.

You can also keep up-to-date with the latest ticket alerts by following Croft Circuit on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Mark Higgins returns to British Rallycross summit following Lydden Hill victory

Mark Higgins returned to the summit of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship standings on Bank Holiday Monday (August 27) after scoring victory at Lydden Hill.

Entering the seventh event of the season tied for second in the standings with Ollie O’Donovan, just a single point behind series leader Julian Godfrey, Higgins claimed his second win of the season after inheriting top spot following a time penalty for on the road victor O’Donovan.

As opposed to the last time the championship competed at Lydden Hill earlier in the year, dry conditions greeted teams and drivers with Albatec Racing’s Higgins setting the early pace as the led the way following the first block of qualifying races.

Five-time champion Godfrey came to the fore in the second block of races, piloting his Mitsubishi Mirage to a rapid time before Higgins underlined his speed by being fastest in the final round of qualifying encounters.

In the final, Higgins made his customary lightening start to lead into the first corner. Heading into the hairpin O’Donovan made his move, lunging down the inside of the Peugeot 208 driver and making contact with the side of Higgins’ machine.

Despite producing a spirited fightback, the triple British Rally champion charged back into second place but was unable to stop O’Donovan out front. After the chequered flag fell, O’Donovan was issued a two second time penalty for his part in the opening lap incident with Higgins, handing the latter victory.

Rounding out the podium behind Higgins and O’Donovan was the returning Oliver Bennett, who was back in the series making a one-off appearance.

Tristan Ovenden extended his advantage in the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship as he delivered a dominant display at his home circuit.

The MSA Junior Rallycross Championship had a Constantine feel to it as the trio of namesakes locked out the podium. Tom Constantine produced another storming performance to take victory ahead of Luke and James.

Morgan Bailey and David Bell were the winners in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship and BMW Mini Rallycross Championship respectively whilst British RX Supercar racer Steve Harris made his maiden competitive appearance in a restored Ford RS200 to win the Retro Rallycross Championship final.

Finally, the RX150 Championship served up an exciting days racing with Chrissy Palmer underlining his class with victory in the final. Palmer didn’t have things his own way however with guest driver Tom Onslow-Cole being constant thorn in his side throughout the day, ultimately finishing second.

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship heads back to Pembrey on September for the penultimate event of the 2018 season, with the title battle set to further intensify as it approaches an enthralling climax.

Series Elite garners rave reviews and plenty of interest on public debut

Series Elite and the striking Jaguar XE SV Project 8 made its public debut at Silverstone last week with a host of potential racers left impressed.

As preparations continue for the inaugural season in 2019, a total of 18 different drivers got behind the wheel to test the SVO built car at MotosportDays.LIVE.

With expert coaching and tuition being provided by Ray Grimes and Andy Schulz, those that took to the track got to grips with the monstrous machine around the International layout of the Northamptonshire venue – with the cars running faultlessly across both days.

Series Elite CEO, Graeme Glew, said: “We had a mixture of drivers, some with past race experience, some already racing in other series and quite a few complete novices so a good mix, so far we have nine confirmed orders so we are looking strong for a twenty-car grid in 2019.

“With several options in addition to outright purchase, drivers can get behind the wheel using an attractive finance package and even a rental option. Series Elite is becoming a very viable and exciting route for our potential customers.”

Series Elite’s Ian Fletcher added: “MotorsportDays.LIVE provided us with the perfect platform with which to launch the Series Elite Jaguar Project 8’s to the public for the first time.

“The feedback we received from guests was phenomenal and the car performed faultlessly. We have no doubt Series Elite is going to be a fantastic success.”

Further tests for potential drivers are available at Donington Park on Monday 19th November and at Silverstone on Saturday 1st December.

For more information on Series Elite and the Jaguar XE SV Project 8, head to serieselite.com, or contact Ian Fletcher on 07814 723204 or Graeme Glew on 07894 980911.

TOCA support championships make a splash in Scotland

The annual trip north of the border to Knockhill for four TOCA support championships proved to be a blockbuster one as treacherous conditions spiced up the on-track thrills even further this past weekend (August 25/26).

As the season heads towards an enthralling climax, every point that is on offer is becoming ever-more pivotal and that proved to be plain to see as the undulating Fife circuit marked the latest stop on the calendar.

Last in action at Snetterton, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB contingent were back with Dan Harper emerging as the driver many were talking about come the end of the weekend. Storming to pole position on Saturday, the Scholarship winner then splashed his way to a second win of the season in race one.

Harper wasn’t to have things his own way as he had to fight his way back into the lead after making a small mistake earlier in the race. The Northern Irishman capitalised on an error at the hairpin made by Lewis Plato to retake a lead he would ultimately not lose again.

Race two would see George Gamble score victory, producing a controlled lights-to-flag performance however Harper was once again making a name for himself after producing a mesmerising drive to finish second. In the standings, a quiet weekend for points leader Dino Zamparelli has seen his series lead cut to just four points with Tio Ellinas hot on his heels.

Louis Foster was in unstoppable form in the Ginetta Junior Championship as he stormed to a brace of race wins. Picking up where he left off at Rockingham, the rookie held off title rivals Luke Browning and Adam Smalley to bring himself further into play in the title battle, closing to within 44 points of the standings summit.

Shane Stoney replicated Foster’s feat in the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge as he bagged two wins in contrasting conditions. Basking in the Scottish sunshine, Stoney made his way from sixth on the grid into the lead to pip Max Bird by little under half a second.

Heavy rain welcomed the GT5 Challenge drivers on Sunday but that didn’t stop Stoney from once again starring. Holding a host of lurid slides around the 1.27 mile circuit, Stoney held his nerve to fend off the advances of James Kellett in a nail-biting finish to take a clean sweep at Knockhill.

Rounding out the TOCA support championship action was a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Johnathan Hoggard proved to be the driver to beat as he bagged a brace of pole positions and then a brace of race wins.

Title protagonist Ayrton Simmons maintained his championship charge as he triumphed in race two.

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

The penultimate event of the season for the Ginetta Junior Championship, Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Renault UK Clio Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost will take place at Silverstone on September 15/16.

Brits take centre stage as Jack Young triumphs in Clio Cup International Final

Renault UK Clio Cup drivers underlined their class at Paul Ricard this past weekend (November 3/4) as Jack Young led a British 1-2 in the Clio Cup International Final to win a brand new Renault Megane R.S.

Bringing together the top Clio Cup competitors from around the world, the coveted race saw drivers from Central European, Chinese, Spanish, French, British and Italian Clio Cups battle it out to bring the curtain down on a successful 2018 campaign in France.

Having showcased their supremacy in the Central European block of races, with Max Coates triumphing in race one before Young scored a win of his own in the second encounter, the British duo turned the wick on their competition in qualifying for the grand final.

Fighting for track position against 37 other Clio Cup cars in the 30-minute session, Young and Coates hit the top of the timesheets midway through qualifying and were then never bettered, with Young edging UK championship runner-up Coates by a mere 0.210.

Brett Lidsey, the third UK Clio Cup competitor competing at the event, hustled his MRM Racing machine to fifth place – further underlining the superiority of the British contingent.

Getting a clean start as the lights went out, Young converted his pole position into a lead that he would ultimately never lose, producing a superlative lights-to-flag performance.

With Coates and Benoßt Castagné hot on the heels of the 17-year-old Northern Irishman, the top three soon broke away from the chasing pack, as battles took place throughout the bumper field.

Lidsey would run as high as fourth at one stage but would soon tumble down the order before being involved in an incident with David Pouget, which put the Frenchman on his roof and ended Lidsey’s race on the spot.

Back at the front, last year’s Clio Cup Junior champion held his nerve to take the chequered flag and land the biggest prize of his relatively short career so far. Coates finished second whilst CastagnĂ© rounded out the rostrum in third place.

Commenting on his victory, Young said: “This is amazing! Honestly, I still don’t quite believe it looking at how strong the field was. Max pushed me all race long, like he did earlier in the weekend.

“Little by little, he closed the gap, but I managed to pull away after the safety car. From there, I just had to control until the chequered flag.

“This is great and unreal, but I hope I’ll be able to defend this title next year!”

TOCA support championships head north of the border to Knockhill

Four support championships on the TOCA package will make the annual pilgrimage to Scotland this weekend (August 25/26) with title battles set to further intensify as the 2018 season moves toward an exciting climax.

In what is one of the highlights of the year, the journey north of the border to the picturesque Fife circuit has been an entertaining one down the years – and that is set to be no different this weekend.

The Ginetta Junior Championship arrives at Knockhill with Adam Smalley still leading the points having extended his lead to 45 markers at Rockingham. Underlining his title credentials with an impressive run of results, the former Scholarship winner has been the driver to beat for much of the season and will look to bridge that gap between himself and his rivals even further on Scottish soil.

Behind Smalley are a host of challengers, with Louis Foster and Luke Browning leading the way. The pair emerged as the winners from Rockingham earlier in the month and will be hard to bet against being the leading protagonists this time round too.

James Hedley, Fin Green and Patrick Kibble will also be drivers to look out for as the battle for supremacy hots up.

Last competing on the TOCA support package at Thruxton in May, the Protyre Motorsport GT5 Challenge rejoins the fray for a pair of races that will likely keep fans on the edge of their seats.

James Kellett currently sits atop of the championship standings, holding a 39-point advantage over Shane Stoney. Kellett and Stoney look to be the drivers to put money on triumphing around the 1.2 mile circuit however the likes of Geri Nicosia, Max Bird and Alex Toth-Jones can’t be counted out either.

Missing the most recent event at Rockingham, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is also back in action this weekend with the championship battle delicately poised.

As it stands, four drivers realistically look set to do battle for the coveted title with Dino Zamparelli leading the way, The Redline Racing driver was hotly tipped as one to watch at the start of the year and has reinstated that fact with three wins, propelling him to the standings summit.

Tio Ellinas, Tom Wrigley and Lewis Plato are all in the mix once dropped scores have been applied and will be eager to close the gap to Zamparelli further too.

Capping off the weekend’s action at Knockhill will be a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. In what has been another stellar campaign for the single seater category, this weekend’s triple-header could play a pivotal role in the outcome of the title.

Kiern Jewiss makes the long trip north with the chasing pack all trying to catch up him. Ayrton Simmons, Dennis Hauger, Jack Doohan and Sebastian Prialulx, amongst others, meanwhile have all shown what they are capable during the year and will be looking to take the fight to Jewiss.

Mark Higgins wins British Rallycross Championship title at sensational Silverstone finale

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship went down to the wire at Silverstone on Sunday (November 4) with Mark Higgins emerging victorious from a three-way title tussle to be crowned champion.

Arriving at the Northamptonshire venue sitting third in the drivers standings, all eyes were on Higgins to see if he could overhaul Ollie O’Donovan and Julian Godfrey to lift the coveted title.

With a deficit of six points to make up to series leader O’Donovan, the Albatec Racing driver kicked his pursuit of championship glory off in emphatic style as he charged from sixth on the grid to take victory in the first round of qualifying heats, setting the fastest time along the way too.

Oliver Bennett was the benchmark driver in Q2 and Q3 but he saw his hopes of victory extinguished in the first semi-final when his Ford Fiesta caught fire. Former champion Dan Rooke, on his return to the championship since lifting the crown in 2016, claimed his place in the final by taking the win whilst Higgins led the way in the second semi-final.

Starting from pole position in the final race of the season, Higgins served up a flawless drive to pilot his Peugeot 208 to take a third win of the year and with it, the 2018 title – writing his name into the history books as the 20th British Rallycross champion.

“It’s been a highly emotional year with big highs, and very big lows but that’s motorsport as we know,” Higgins said. “We’ve been a strong team all season, and I’ve had great support from Albatec Racing. To have the support too from Eddie Stobart has been really important.

“Of course, working with the students from the University of Bolton has been a big challenge but they’ve all performed really well. It’s great to come away from a race that was clean and fair and to win that and the title, well, I’m over the moon.”

Elsewhere, Tom Constantine got the better of brother Luke to win the final round of the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship and with it, the title too.

Dave Bellerby proved to be the benchmark driver in the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship as he scored victory in daughter Paige’s Lotus Exige.

Rounding out the list of winners was Tom Llewellin, Martin Hawkes, Chrissy Palmer and Ray Morgan who took the spoils in the Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, RX150 Championship and Retro Rallycross Championship respectively.

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

Knockhill awaits for latest chapter of enthralling BTCC title fight

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is set to produce more twists and turns this weekend (August 25/26) as the series makes its annual trip north of the border to Knockhill for rounds 22, 23 and 24.

With nine races remaining and a total of 201 points up for grabs, the BTCC is set for an exciting climax to its 60th season and the landscape of the title picture could well change at the picturesque Fife venue.

Famed for producing plenty of two-wheeled, close-quarter action around its undulating 1.2 mile layout, Knockhill has traditionally played a pivotal role in the destiny of the championship and is firm favourite with drivers and fans alike.

Colin Turkington arrives in Scotland at the top of the standings however the double champion has found himself in a back-and-forth battle with Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram in recent rounds. Separated by just four points, the pair traded top spot on countless occasions at Snetterton and Rockingham, with Turkington currently edging out the incumbent Independent champion.

At a circuit which in the past has been well-suited to rear-wheel-drive machinery, the title pendulum could swing further between the pair as they enter the weekend ladened with success ballast.

Having been the epitome of consistency thus far, all eyes will be on the top two to see how their fortunes fair in the latest chapter of what is proving to be an enthralling 2018 campaign.

Hot on the heels of Turkington and Ingram and not to be counted out of contention is reigning champion Ashley Sutton, who sits third in the points. Four wins from the past nine races have ignited the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing drivers title defence and Sutton could propel himself further into the mix at Knockhill.

Were it not for two non-scoring finishes in race three at both Snetterton and Rockingham, Sutton could well be closer to the top two, but instead he has a 32-point deficit to make up.

Jack Goff and Matt Neal both endured tough weekends at Rockingham and the Honda duo will be keen to get back amongst the front runners to bring themselves the title fight further.

Adam Morgan’s third victory of the season in his Mercedes Benz A-Class last time out has brought him into play in sixth as he sits level on points with Motorbase Performance’s Tom Chilton. The Ford Focus RS driver has scored a handful of podiums however that first win is yet to fall his way.

Josh Cook, Andrew Jordan and Senna Proctor round out the top ten in the championship standings, and like those above them, will need a big points scoring performance to ensure they come further into play.

Dan Cammish, Sam Tordoff, Jason Plato and Rockingham race-winner Chris Smiley will all be ones to watch over the course of the weekend too.

Local fans will have a trio of stars to cheer on too in the shape of Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat and the AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing duo of Glynn Geddie and Rory Butcher, the latter whose father in in charge at the venue.

With 12 different drivers having topped the podium this season and the championship battle entering a crucial stage of the year, this weekend’s triple-header at Knockhill is set to be an unmissable event.

Qualifying for the eighth meeting of the year is scheduled to begin at 15:25 on Saturday whilst Sunday’s three races will begin at 11:50, 14:25 and 17:20.

British Truck Racing headlines Brands Hatch blockbuster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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