Author: Chris Ashby

Trio of BARC championships descend on Croft

The British Automobile Racing Club makes its first visit of the season to Croft Circuit this weekend (April 21/22) with a trio of championships set to entertain fans trackside.

Scorching weather is set to match the on-track action, which is made up of a diverse variety of categories and machines.

Making their first visit to North Yorkshire since 2007, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship returns to Croft for the second chapter of their season.

Former British Touring Car Championship racer Lea Wood leads the pack into weekend after scoring a dominant pair of victories at Brands Hatch at the start of the month. Defending champion Scott Bourne however is hot on his heels and will be keen to strike back

Add into the mix a host of wily veterans and fresh faces that make up this year’s grid and it is set to be a frenetic weekend of racing from the iconic line-up of trucks.

Iconic is a word that can be strongly linked to the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, with multiple classes and a raft of diverse cars set to take to the track during both days too.

Grids for Pre-93, Pre-96, Pre-03 and Pre-05 as well as the Pre-83, Thunder and BOSS make up the grid for this championship, ensuring that there is something for everyone no matter the age.

A total of eight races will be run over the course of both days with notable names such as Stephen Primett in his Ford Escort Mk1, Richard Askham in his Jaguar XJR and Dale Gent in his Subaru Impreza, to name just a few, to keep an eye on.

Rounding out the BARC flavour is the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres. In what is their third event of the 2018 campaign, the action from the 5/8 scale has once again produced edge-of-the-seat thrills up to now, and that theme is set to continue this weekend.

Five races and a grid in excess of 30 cars will do battle around the Darlington-based venue. Two wins at Brands Hatch, paired with his consistency so far, sees Miles Rudman lead the series however he has a host of contenders hot on his heels.

Multiple and reigning champion John Mickel, Ben Power, Steve Whitelegg and Jack Parker are just a few drivers that will be in contention for outright honours.

Darlington and District Motor Club’s capacity-entry Northern Sports and Saloon Car Championship will also feature at their local track with a majority of the grid made up of local drivers to Croft in a host of different cars, ranging from historic sports cars to modern-day Touring Cars.

Scotsman Andrew Morrison leads the series after Oulton Park in his Seat Leon TCR just ahead of former champion Mike Cutt from York in his rapid BMW M3.

Practice gets underway at 9.30 on Saturday with ten races starting at 12.10. Sunday’s action commences at 12.00 with another nine races to round off a bumper weekend of action.

Adult admission is just £11.00 on both days in advance or £15.00 on the day with accompanied children aged 15 and under admitted FREE on both days. A weekend ticket costs £15 in advance or £25 on the gate. There is also FREE car parking and FREE paddock access.

TOCA support package returns to full strength ahead of pivotal Silverstone weekend

The TOCA support package returns to full strength at Silverstone this weekend (September 15/16) with five championship gearing up for what will be the penultimate event of the 2018 season.

Taking on a starring role alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship throughout the year, the TOCA package has once again proved entertaining, with twists and turns coming around every corner almost.

Those twists and turns are likely set to continue in the Renault UK Clio Cup, which returns to action after missing the annual trip north of the border to Knockhill. With four races remaining, two of them around the National layout of Silverstone, it is still all to play for in the battle for supremacy.

Max Coates leads the way currently but his advantage is a slender one with just seven points separating himself and former champion Paul Rivett. Westbourne Motorsport’s James Dorlin is also still in contention, albeit 30 points behind, and can’t be discounted from pushing his bid for a maiden Clio Cup crown up a notch.

On top of the main protagonists, the likes of Daniel Rowbottom, Mike Epps, Bradley Burns and Jack McCarthy have all shown that they too can mix it at the front on a consistent basis.

Adam Smalley sits at the summit of the Ginetta Junior Championship with two events to run and the Elite Motorsport drivers looks good value for his lead. Despite having not won a race since Snetterton, the former Scholarship victor has been the epitome of consistency and will be keen to further extend his advantage at Silverstone.

Hot on the heels of Smalley is Louis Foster, the form driver in the series as it stands. Four wins from five races have vaulted him into second in the standings, whilst Luke Browning isn’t too far back either. All three drivers stand a mathematical chance of walking away with the title although the question still remains who it will be.

In the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Charlie Ladell will bid to take a step closer to championship glory with another solid points haul over the course of the weekend. Having led the standings since the opening round, Ladell has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the year.

Ladell’s chief title rival is Carl Boardley and fresh off the back of his foray into the BTCC, the series veteran will be eager to eat into the 20-point deficit that he has to make up on the Rob Boston Racing driver.

Dino Zamparelli meanwhile will be looking to put a bit more daylight between himself and Tio Ellinas in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. Just four points separate the top two as it stands and the Redline Racing entrant will be keen to bridge that gap as he bids to clinch the crown he narrowly missed out on in 2017.

The title fight remains wide open in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost with Kiern Jewiss leading the pack. The Double R Racing driver has been top of the tree since Oulton Park but his advantage has slowly been cut, with Ayrton Simmons giving chase.

Dennis Hauger, Jack Doohan and Patrik Pasma are just three more drivers that have made their presence known this year and all three could still stake their claim, starting this weekend in the three scheduled races that are set to be run.

With title aspirations set to further strengthen as well as some diminishing, the battle for supremacy around the home of British motorsport is set to be an enthralling one.

For all of the event information for Silverstone, including an event timetable and links to live timing, click here.

Max5’s and Classic Formula Ford primed for Mallory Park

The Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship and the Max5 Racing Championship are gearing up for a flat-out days racing at Mallory Park this Sunday (August 5), where title battles will resume.

Welcoming two British Automobile Racing Club championships to tackles its challenging layout, the Leicestershire venue is set to play a pivotal role in the outcome of both categories come the end of the season.

Boasting the biggest grid on the day, the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship will undoubtedly provide plenty of edge-of-the-seat thrills with two race set to be run.

Taking a spirited trip down memory lane to a bygone era of open-wheeled racing, the championship is split into two classes. Class A is open to those competing in cars built between 1st January 1974 and 31st December 1981 whilst Class B is for those competing cars built before 1st January 1974.

Five different drivers have scored wins in Class A so far but it is Mike Gardner who leads the way, holding a slender two-point advantage over Mark Armstrong. The pair have taken a win apiece but missed the last round at Donington, allowing Ben Tinkler to score a double of his own.

Throw into the mix the likes of Kevin Mansell, Adriano Medeiros, Scott Mansell, Jordan Harrison, Steve Pearce and a host of others and you begin to see why the championship is as competitive as it currently is.

In Class B, Benn Tilley is currently the man to beat as he holds a 16-point advantage virtue of his four victories so far. At the wheel of his Merlyn Mk20, Tilley has momentum on his side and he will be keen to stretch his legs ahead of Stuart Kestenbaum, Ian Jeary and Simon Hadfield in the race for the title.

The Max5 Racing Championship will head into the second of its season look to pick up where it left off at Donington Park last month, delivering high-octane entertainment.

Open to different marks of the popular Mazda MX5 machine, the championship has enjoyed a fruitful campaign to-date, with numbers remaining strong as each round has passed.

Despite not winning a race yet in Class A, Andrew Pretorius will be looking to extend his ten-point lead over Josh Malin in the day’s two races. Malin has been the form man, winning every race he has finished – with a single non-finish being his only downfall and the reason why he trails Pretorius.

Other names to keep an eye on in the top tier include Matthew Tidmarsh and Lee Hollin, both of whom are capable of winning on their day.

Richard Smith has underlined that consistency is key in Class B as he sits atop the standings, despite being another driver to have not won yet. Picking up solid points in every race, Smith has slowly chipped away whilst watching Jordan Johnson, Adrian Johnson, Bryan Bursey, Nicholas Bailey and Phil Little all pick up victories.

All eyes will arguably be on the scrapping pair in Class C, Paul Roddison and Jeremy Shipley. Both have been the benchmark drivers in the races this season, battling it out towards the front of the field, and the pair will resume their duel for honours around the challenging Mallory layout.

Also joining the action this weekend will be a pair of races from the Racing Ford Series.

BARC championships set for Thruxton Summer Truckfest scorcher

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for a scorching weekend (July 7/8) on and off the track at Thruxton as seven championships resume battle in Hampshire.

As the UK revels in World Cup fever and the summer heat, the fastest circuit in the country will play host to a diverse range of categories, all of which are ready to set pulses racing.

Headlining the weekend is the British Truck Racing Association Championship, in association with Truck & Driver. Back on UK soil after starring at the Nurburgring last weekend, the heavyweight series will likely provide unmissable viewing with eight races scheduled to be run.

In Division 1, defending champion Ryan Smith leads the way having won ten races thus far. Firmly focused on lifting the title for a third successive year, Smith will be one to watch, as will the chasing pack that will be keen to reel him in. David Jenkins, Stuart Oliver and Jamie Anderson are all firmly in the hunt and will be ones to watch.

Luke Garrett has established himself as the man to beat in Division 2 and he will also be looking to extend his championship lead at Thruxton. Four wins at Nurburgring underlined his credentials however John Powell, Steve Powell, Simon Cole, Brad Smith and many more can’t be discounted from closing the gap to Garrett.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship makes its annual visit to Thruxton with the title battle delicately poised. Lea Wood bagged the lions share of success early on in the season but a resurgent run of results from reigning champion Scott Bourne sees the pair enter the weekend split by a handful of points, with David O’Reagan and Michael Smith also on the fringe of entering the fray.

Two races from the Michelin Clio Cup Series will give tin top fans plenty to smile about, with one-make series undoubtedly set to dazzle. Home to the third generation Clio Cup car, the series has seen unrivalled dominance from defending champion Ben Palmer, winning every race staged thus far. With a long list of contenders all nipping at his heels, Palmer could either further extend his run or see it come to an end in Hampshire. Nic Harrison meanwhile will be looking to get back to winning ways in the road class.

Small in stature but packing plenty of power under the bonnet, the Mighty Minis Championship is never short of entertainment and that theme will likely continue at Thruxton. Sometimes at least four abreast on track, the Minis will be on top form, as will the leading contenders. Stuart Coombes and Lee Polman find themselves in a straight forward battle for the Mighty Mini class while Jo Polley currently leads the way in the Super Mighty Mini class.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship has served up plenty of memorable moments so far and this weekend should be no different. Split into five different classes depending on model, the series has continued to thrive this year, boasting bumper grids throughout. Graeme Smith, Robert Winrow, Jonathan Curry, Declan Dolan and Mark Johnson lead their respective classes into the weekend.

Elsewhere, the Kumho BMW Championship will showcase the very best of the German manufacturer with a great mix of models from down the years. The action has been fast and furious up to now and the flat-out thrills ’n’ spills show no signs of letting up as the series descend on Andover.

Rounding off the action will be the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, which brings the best models of iconic brand onto the sam tarmac to go wheel-to-wheel. Notable names to keep a watchful eye over include Jim Baynam, Martin Willis and Stephen McDermid.

Pembrey beckons for BARC categories

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Pembrey this weekend (June 9/10) with the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, BARC Saloons, Classic VW Cup and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge all looking to take centre stage.

Descending on the popular Welsh venue for a blockbuster two days, some of the best racing the Club has to offer is set to wow those in attendance.

Topping the bill will be more than eight hours of track action from the ever-growing Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge. Marking the second stop on the calendar for the low cost endurance series, the C1 Challenge heads to Pembrey looking to build on the success of its 2018 curtain-raiser, a first-ever 24hr race at Rockingham.

With more than 50 cars and 200 drivers competing at the event, the season-opener was a significant step forward from the 15 car entry that took to the track for its maiden meeting the year previous.

For this weekend, another bumper entry list has been confirmed and Saturday will see a bulk of the action take place. Kicking things off with a 60-minute qualifying session, a five hour endurance race will then round out the days track action.

Sunday will also see a feast of C1 competition too with a 50-minute shootout for pole position followed up by a shorter two hour race.

The Classic VW Cup has been another category to benefit from going from strength-to-strength this year, with a 20-car entry list competing last time out at Brands Hatch.

Bringing together some of the most iconic models of the Volkswagen brand onto one track, all manner of machines compete in the series – all of them proving to be highly competitive too.

With two events in the books already, the likes of Ken Lark, Daniel Rose, Brad Kaylor and Scott Fletcher are the notable drivers to keep a watchful eye on.

The BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge will also share a grid for the third time this year and will undoubtedly serve up plenty of high-octane thrills.

Open to drivers wanting to compete in the saloon car of their choice, BARC Saloons is the newest addition to the Club’s championship portfolio and it has been a smash-hit thus far. Boasting a diver range of cars that compete, Craig Rainer in his Ford Escort RS2000, Matt Ellis in his Citroen Saxo VTR and Paul Foreman in his Volkswagen Golf are just a handful of entrants to look out for.

Elsewhere in the VTEC Challenge, fans of the popular Japanese marque are in for a treat as some of the most iconic models from the brand go wheel-to-wheel. Double Brands Hatch race winner Ben Rushworth, as well as nearest challengers Robert Burkinshaw and Benjamin Griffiths have bene the benchmark drivers this year and could well shine once again, this time in South Wales.

In addition to the BARC action, a pair of races from the Welsh Racing Drivers Association is also set to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Porsche Carrera Cup GB stars at Monza

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB headed to Italy this past weekend (May 12/13) for rounds five and six of the season, with Dino Zamparelli and George Gamble sharing the spoils, taking a win apiece.

Taking to the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the 22-car field picked up where they left off at Donington Park late last month, producing a brace of breathtaking races.

Daniel Harper emerged as the man to beat in qualifying as he stormed to the top of the timesheets, ultimately never being beaten to score his maiden pole position.

Starting on the front row at the iconic venue, Harper was unable to convert his pole position into the lead as he dropped back to third at the start. Heading into the first gear chicane looking to regain second place, the Scholarship winner locked the wheels of his JTR machine and made contact with Lewis Plato.

With both cars strewn across the circuit, the incident inevitably triggered a multi-car pile-up, bringing out the safety car. Will Bratt and James Orton also found themselves in strife as they struggled to escarp the carnage.

Profiting from the first corner incident, Redline Racing’s Zamparelli resisted the challenges of Gamble and Tio Ellinas during the mid-point of the race. Beginning to stretch his advantage, Zamparelli was able to pull away from the chasing pack to become the first double winner of the 2018 campaign.

Further back, Ellinas finally broke Gamble’s resolute defence after the latter of the duo locked up heading into the final corner, handing the former second position on a plate. Tom Wrigley also benefited from Gamble’s mistake, securing the final step of the podium.

Despite missing out on the rostrum in race one, Gamble made no mistake in the second encounter of the weekend, taking a memorable victory.

In what was another enthralling battle for supremacy, the Team Parker Racing driver vaulted from third on the grid into the lead, ahead of team-mate Seb Perez and pole-sitter Esmee Hawkey.

Another early pile-up saw the safety car make another appearance but once the debris was clear, fans were treated to a frenetic spectacle.

Holding his lead over Perez at the restart, all eyes were on Ellinas and Zamparelli as they made their move on Hawkey, demoting her down the order. Zamparelli’s charge wasn’t done however as he soon slipped past Ellinas and Perez, moving into second place.

Being caught by the race one winner as the laps ticked by, Gamble ensured he hit his marks, making no mistakes, to go and clinch what was his second win of the season too.

For the full classification of results, click here.

Spring Truckfest awaits BARC categories at Pembrey

Pembrey Circuit is gearing up for a blockbuster two days April 21/22) of on-track action as the British Automobile Racing Club descends on South Wales.

In what is the first of several visits the Club and its championships will make to the venue over the course of the season, a bumper crowd is expected to witness a diverse range of machines battle it out in what is set be a scorching weekend.

Topping the bill is the BTRA Truck Racing Championship, which hits the track for the second time this year. Producing a memorable opening event at Brands Hatch at the start of the month, a bumper entry list in both Divisions 1 and 2 is set to

Division 1 sees a host of former champions all vying for early supremacy as they chase down reigning champion Ryan Smith. Submitting a late entry to the season-opener, Smith claimed a hat-trick of victories to springboard himself to the summit of the points and will be keen to build on that this weekend.

Stuart Oliver, David Jenkins and Mat Summerfield lead the charge to dethrone Smith and all are more than capable of doing so.

In Division 2, five podiums – three of them being victories, sees Luke Garrett as the early pace-setter however he too will have his work cut out as challenges come from all angles. John Powell, Steve Powell and Simon Cole are just a few of the drivers that be keen to topple Garrett from the summit.

Continuing to grow in stature year-on-year, the Hyundai Coupe Cup will looking to build on its burgeoning success as they also hit the track for the second time this season.

Billed as one of the cheapest and easiest ways to go motor racing, the saloon-based series once again boasts another bumper entry list this weekend with the likes of Steve Kite, Alex Cursley and Michael Evans as notable names to look out for.

The Max5 Racing Championship roars into life after a lengthy off-season. Split into three classes, the championship is once again is open to Mk1, Mk3 and Mk4 Mazda MX5’s and all at a cost effective price, making it easier than ever to go racing in the UK these days.

Mathew Tidmarsh, Josh Malin, Andrew Pretorius, Lee Hollin and Paul Roddison were just a few of the drivers that shined last year and are back to do it all over again this season to keep an eye on.

Fans will be able to also see racing from the Welsh Racing Drivers Association and Mini Se7en/Miglia Championship as well.

Tickets are available to purchase on the gate from £15 per day with children 14 and under going free when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information, head to www.pembreycircuit.co.uk or call 01554 891042.

Digitex TV announces Amazon Prime Video tie-up

Certain championships running under the British Automobile Racing Club umbrella will feature on Amazon Prime Video following the recent announcement that Digitex TV has launched a tie-up which will see content broadcasted on the platform.

Following the end of broadcasting with its previous broadcaster on September 30, Digitex TV moves to Amazon Prime Video to become one of the first motorsports series’ to grace the platform, sharing potential viewers with the likes of ‘The Grand Tour’.

The first programmes to feature on the platform include multiple episodes of the Pickup Truck Racing Championship and Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres. The British Truck Racing Association Championship will follow in the short future.

Barry Welch, Digitex TV owner, said: “These are exciting times for the industry and we have always been keen to embrace change in a positive way for our clients.

“The way we all watch visual content has changed greatly over the last few years. We recognised this a while back with the introduction of our free-to-view on-demand web based channel.

“It’s an exciting step therefore to extend this with Prime Video which enables easy access on a premium platform at any time via Smart TV.

“Prime Video have set extremely high standards for production and compliance which makes the move a prestigious one for us and our partners. It also offers a truly global window to our customers, their branding partners and of course our audience.”

Amazon Prime Video is currently estimated to reach over 100 million members worldwide and is available on a variety of platforms including Smart TV, Blu-Ray, DVD, Games consoles, Fire tablet, Fire TV, Fire stick, Android phone or tablet and a variety of streaming media players.

British Rallycross Championship confirms season finale date change

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship has confirmed that the final round of the 2018 season at Silverstone will move from Saturday 3rd November to Sunday 4th November.

Due to a change in the use of facilities at the Northamptonshire-based venue meaning the services necessary to run the event on the Saturday were no longer available, all competitors have agreed for the season finale to be moved back a day.

The move to Sunday also allows the event to be run from the Wing paddock at Silverstone, as it was for the 2018 sub-zero curtain-raiser back in March which was won by Sebastian Loeb.

Tim Whittington, BRX Championship Manager, said: “I thank competitors, suppliers, officials and all volunteers for their understanding and acceptance of the date change as I understand and appreciate that having to change plans is never easy.”

Before the series returns to Silverstone, the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship will descend on Pembrey Circuit on September 23rd for the penultimate event of the season.

Half-way marker approaches for TOCA support categories at Croft

There have been all manner of high-octane thrills from the TOCA support championships this season and the action is set to intensify in North Yorkshire this weekend (June 23/24), with four categories heading to Croft.

Like the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, the traditional summer break awaits the TOCA package following this weekend and it is all to play for in every series.

Yorkshire’s own James Dorlin and Max Coates will be keen to draw on what is expected to be plenty of home support in the Renault UK Clio Cup. In what is set to be a battle of North vs South, the Yorkshireman will go wheel-to-wheel for supremacy.

Westbourne Motorsport’s Dorlin arrives at Croft with a slender four-point advantage over the Pyro driver. Five wins on the bounce have been the foundations of the teenagers charge to the summit and he will be keen to continue his winning ways. Coates, who lives a stones throw from Croft, ended Dorlin’s winning run at Oulton Park and he too will be itching to taste victory.

Whilst the top two have been grabbing the headlines, a host of other drivers are firmly in the mix to, including proven race winners Paul Rivett, Lee Pattison and James Colburn. Also in contention is Dan Zelos, Mike Epps, Jack McCarthy, Daniel Rowbottom and Jade Edwards – who will look to bounce back from a big crash last time out.

The Ginetta Junior Championship is renowned for producing a feast of entertainment and that is expected to continue across the weekend’s three races. A proving ground for the next generation racers aged 14 to 17-years-old, the series will see a trio of races be played out on what is home soil for the manufacturer.

Heading into the fifth stop on the calendar, Adam Smalley leads the way in the points having paired consistency with three race wins. Smalley doesn’t have things his own way however as impressive rookie Louis Foster and four-time race winner Luke Browning are on the hunt and shouldn’t be discounted at all.

Charlie Ladell has been a tour-de-force in the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup up to now and it would be hard to bet against him further strengthening his position at the top of the standings. On the podium in every race thus far and taking five wins, the Rob Boston Racing driver has a healthy points lead, however he can’t rest on his laurels.

Hot on his heels are Carl Boardley, Harry King, Tom Roche and Carl Shield; a quartet of drivers that are all capable of triumphing on any given day. With three races lying in wait for the popular series, all eyes will be on Ladell to see if he remain being the man to beat.

Single seater thrills will be provided by the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with three races also on the billing. Following a memorable outing at Oulton Park, Kiern Jewiss now leads the way with Ayrton Simmons instead taking on the role of hunter.

The pair have been the standout performers to-date, dicing countless times already. Expected to renew their on-track rivalry this weekend, Jewiss and Simmons will be looked at as the favourites for victory however threats are coming from all angles.

Jack Doohan, Sebastian Priaulx, Johnathan Hoggard and Dennis Hauger have all topped the rostrum at one stage and there is no question why they can’t again.

Tickets will be available to purchase on the gate on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, priced at £15 for Saturday, £30 for Sunday and £38 for the full weekend. Children 15 and under go free when accompanied by an adult whilst gates open at 08:00 both days.

BTCC shootout set for Goodwood Festival of Speed as part of 60th Anniversary celebrations

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will continue its Diamond Jubilee celebrations at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, with a thrilling BTCC shootout set to be staged.

In-keeping with the series’ 60th Anniversary, the four-day event (July 12-15) will see some of the current stars of the championship duke it out for bragging rights on the infamous Hill.

A shootout was last held at Goodwood in 2016 with 2013 champion Andrew Jordan emerging victorious at the wheel of his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST.

Jordan will return to compete once again this year, however this time he will be at the wheel of his West Surrey Racing BMW 125i M-Sport.

Also returning to the Festival will be three-time champion Matt Neal, who will pilot his Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic Type R, and Adam Morgan, who will drive his race-winning Ciceley Motorsport with MAC Tools Mercedes Benz A-Class.

Power Maxed Racing will be in action too with their rapid Vauxhall Astra to be driven either by Josh Cook or Senna Proctor. There will also be Festival of Speed debuts for Tom Ingram and Rob Austin as they drive their respective machines in the shootout too.

Alongside the BTCC shootout will be a celebration of some of the most iconic saloon cars to grace the UK’s top venues down the years.

Those attending will be able to see the iconic Alfa Romeo 155, Mini Cooper S, Volvo 850 Estate and the car which took Jack Sears to championship glory in the series’ inaugural year in 1958, the Austin A105.

In addition to the BTCC shootout, this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed is set to mark its own Silver Jubilee – with a feast of all things automotive set to dazzle the bumper crowd that is expected to attend.

Matt Neal, Josh Cook & Adam Morgan triumph at sun-baked Thruxton

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship produced another memorable weekend (May 19/20) of racing as Matt Neal, Josh Cook and Adam Morgan stormed to victory at a sun-baked Thruxton.

Marking the third stop on the calendar for the series, following visits to Brands Hatch and Donington Park, the high-speed Hampshire venue proved to be a different challenge altogether for teams and drivers.

Qualifying proved to be a scorching affair as Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Neal stormed to his second pole position at the Hampshire venue in as many years, setting a new lap record along the way. Piloting his Honda Civic Type R to a best time of 1:15.612, the triple champion was joined at the top of the times by Colin Turkington, Brett Smith, Dan Cammish and Senna Proctor.

The wave of young taking it to the established names were hot on the heels of the former champions however with Brett Smith and Dan Cammish, both in Honda’s, locked out the second row of the grid.

With a bumper crowd soaking up the searing temperatures on race day, the opening 16-lap encounter proved to be a tense affair as Neal converted his pole position into a lights-to-flag victory. Launching off the front row, Neal held off the advances of Turkington as the field stream into the Complex for the first time.

Holding top spot, Neal began to get his head down and build up a gap to the chasing Turkington, who was unable to make any inroads into the 51-year-old’s lead. Further behind Cammish held off a charging Andrew Jordan, who ultimately succumbed to the chasing pack, with Sam Tordoff dispatching him.

Neal ultimately went on to clinch victory to become the sixth different winner of the season, with Turkington and Cammish rounding off the rostrum.

Race two proved to be all about Power Maxed Racing’s Cook, who produced a sensational drive to notch his second win of the year. Starting ninth and carrying minimal success ballast, the star of Donington Park showcased his talents once again as he scythed his way through the field.

Latching himself onto the back of the top five within a matter of laps, Cook’s march to the front continued as he threaded his way past Tordoff and Neal, pulling a bold move around the outside of the latter heading into the final chicane.

Soon hot on the heels of Turkington, Cook pulled off a near identical move on the BMW to take the lead, with raptures of applause breaking out on the bankings of his home circuit. Stretching his lead in the closing stages, the Vauxhall Astra driver held his nerve to score his second win in as many events, with Turkington and Neal finishing second and third.

For the reverse grid encounter, Adam Morgan was drawn onto pole position and the Mercedes Benz A-Class driver took full advantage on a circuit which has been a happy hunting ground for him in the past.

Blasting off the line, the Ciceley Motorsport racer commanded proceeding’s as he led from lights-to-flag, starving off an early challenge from Senna Proctor. As Morgan made his escape, the real mover to watch was WIX Racing with Eurotech’s Jack Goff. Starting eighth, the Honda driver had strong pace and wasted little time in fighting his way towards the front.

Despite not being able to do anything about the formidable Morgan, who made it back-to-back race three wins, Goff ended the day with a second place with Proctor gave Power Maxed Racing even more to celebrate in third.

Virtue of his second win of the year, Morgan has now moved to the championship summit, holding a slender one-point lead over Josh Cook, whilst Tom Ingram is a further ten back.

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

The 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship resumes on June 9/10, with rounds 10, 11 and 12 taking place at Oulton Park.