Author: Chris Ashby

Croft awaits C1 Challenge & Hyundai Coupe Cup

The British Automobile Racing Club pays its last visit of the 2018 season to Croft this weekend (September 22/23) with the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge and Hyundai Coupe Cup set to headline.

In what has been another bumper year for the North Yorkshire venue, the BARC’s third and final meeting is likely to be a memorable one.

Going from strength-to-strength over the past two years, the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge is set to write another chapter in its short history at Croft. Having gone from low numbers to more than 100 cars being built, the series has become on the most popular categories in UK club motorsport scene.

Staging two 24-hour races at Rockingham earlier in the year, the C1 Challenge will now dip into the arena of sprint races around the 2.1 mile circuit during the weekend – the latest element to be introduced to the ever-evolving category.

Saturday at Croft will see the series stage four 20-minute races, whittling the competition down along the way before a final is held later in the day. The customary longer endurance race will be then staged on Sunday with Croft providing the backdrop to what is expected to be an enthralling five-hour encounter.

The Hyundai Coupe Cup has enjoyed another vintage season with grid sizes continuing to grow. Steve Kite has been the man to beat however and despite championship points not being offered, the Misty Racing driver will end the season with the #1 after already notching the most amount of race wins.

Producing a run of stunning performances, Kite has been at the front at almost every turn in 2018 and will be keen to continue that rich vein of form over the weekend. Wayne Rockett and Alex Cursely, Kite’s chief protagonists during the season, will be focused on halting his run of victories.

Also on the billing during the weekend will be two races from the Northern Sports & Saloon Cars, a championship that is packed with a variety of different machines are a popular fixture at Croft.

To find out more information about this weekend’s event, click here.

BARC races into the sunset at Rockingham

The British Automobile Racing Club served up an exciting day of racing at Rockingham this past Saturday (August 4) with three championships racing into the sunset.

Marking the latest visit to the Corby circuit for the BARC, those in attendance ensured they got their monies worth as the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Hyundai Coupe Cup and BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in assoc. with King Henry’s Taverns hit the track.

Topping the bill was the Pickup Truck Racing Championship and they wrote the latest chapter in their 2018 campaign with a pair of 30-lap encounters on the infamous oval circuit.

Paul Tompkins emerged as the winner from race one, narrowly pipping Paul Turiccki and David Weaver to the chequered flag. David O’Regan, Mark Willis and Dale Gent all had their own individual spells of leading at some stage but Tompkins hit the front on the penultimate lap was ultimately never headed.

Reigning champion Scott Bourne underlined his title credentials in the second race of the day which took place as the sun set in the evening. Sitting in fifth place on the opening tour, Bourne enjoyed a steady climb through the field over the course of the race, biding his time in terms of when to strike and make a move.

At the front Turiccki was the man to beat as he led nearly every lap, with Tompkins overhauling him on one lap before being pushed back down the order. As the field entered the final lap it looked as if Turiccki was going to score victory but Bourne was to have none of it, making his move to go on to record his latest triumph in the series. Tompkins and O’Regan rounded off the rostrum.

Clive Wood was perfection personified in the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in assoc. with King Henry’s Taverns as he notched a pair of overall victories.

Peter Richings led the way in the early stages of race one but the Mallock MK23 2000 of Wood soon muscled his way to the front on lap five and was then never headed, powering his way to the chequered flag by more than 11 seconds.

Race two was a more dominant affair for Wood as he clinched an impressive lights-to-flag victory ahead of Steven Dickens, who was third in race one, and Peter Richings.

Steve Kite was at his brilliant best in the two Hyundai Coupe Cup races at Rockingham, adding another two race wins to his already impressive 2018 resume. Topping the timesheets in both practice and qualifying, Kite was unstoppable in the day’s pair of nine-lap races.

Scorching his way to lights-to-flag wins in both, the #72 machine headed Wayne Rockett and Alex Cursely in both, with the pair taking a second and third place finish apiece.

For the full classification of results from all championships that competed at Rockingham, click here.

Goodwood celebrates 25 years of Festival of Speed in style

Basking in the Sussex sunshine, hundreds of thousands of spectators descended on the Duke of Richmond’s grounds last week for another memorable Goodwood Festival of Speed event.

Showcasing hundreds of jaw-dropping cars and bikes from the automotive world, both from on the road and on the track, the four-day spectacle once again proved to be a fitting celebration of all things horsepower.

The event also celebrated its own personal milestone as it marked 25 years since the inaugural Festival of Speed was held back in 1993. Then a one-day event, Festival of Speed has since continued to grow in stature with each year that has passed, becoming the four-day extravaganza that it currently is.

As ever, visitors were greeted to this years event by an impressive central feature situated in front of Goodwood House. Commemorating Porsche’s 70th anniversary, the 52 metre tall structure showcased some of the German manufacturers most iconic machines – all of which looked impressive as the sun shined off them.

Back on the ground, vehicles from the past, present and the future were on display for fans to get up close and personal with, whilst many also tackled the infamous 1.16 mile hillclimb across all four days too.

Records tumbled on the hillclimb course during the event too with the eagerly anticipated shootout on Sunday seeing Pikes Peak conquering Volkswagen I.D.R winning the main event with a time of 43.86, a record for an electric car.

In a sign of the times, an electric car finished second too with the NextEV NIO EP9 setting a best time of 44.32 whilst Joerg Weidinger’s V8-powered BMW E36 M3 claimed third.

As major manufacturers and championships showcased themselves, a feast of stars turned out to tackle the hill and meet those that had flocked to the event. The likes of Jenson Button, Billy Monger, Valtteri Bottas, Sir Jackie Stewart and many more were all in attendance and ready to put on a show.

Once again delivering an event like no other in the world, the Goodwood Festival of Speed will live long in the memory and with 25 years already completed, the next 25 are set to be even more exciting.

Goodwood’s next event takes place on September 7/8/9 as the years get rolled back for three-days of classic racing.

For more content on this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, click here.

BARC categories take on starring role at Pembrey

The Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge took on a starring role at Pembrey this past weekend (June 9/10) as the British Automobile Racing Club visited South Wales.

Under glorious sunshine, the much-loved tin top category was joined by the BARC Saloon Series, Classic VW Cup, Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge and Welsh Racing Drivers Association – making it a weekend not to be missed.

Boasting a bumper entry list and more than eight hours of track action across both days, the C1 Challenge dazzled those in attendance with lap after lap entertainment.

In the longer five-hour endurance race on Saturday, the McAttack Racing pairing of Declan McDonnell and Joe Wiggin proved too much for their rivals as they triumphed ahead of Old Hat Motorsport by 24 seconds at the flag. The top three all took the chequered flag on the same lap, touring the picturesque Pembrey layout 197 times.

The shorter two-hour race may have had less entrants but no less entertainment as Old Hat Motorsport bounced back on Sunday to take victory. The duo of Callum Hutchings and Daniel Bruce clocked 80 laps to take the chequered flag 15 seconds ahead of their nearest challengers.

Ken Lark proved to be the dominant force in the Classic VW Cup as he took a lions share of the spoils during the weekend. At the wheel of his Volkswagen Corrado, Lark was in a league of his own in races one and two, taking the chequered flag in comfortable fashion.

Had it not been for a retirement in the third and final encounter, Lark may well have completed a sensational hat-trick around the challenging circuit. Instead, Nick Sanderson powered his SEAT Leon Supercopa to the chequered flag, pipping Alex Kite by a mere 0.660s.

It was a similar result in the amalgamated BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge races too as one driver bagged a pair of race wins. Leading the way in qualifying, Chris Sparks produced a mesmerising display in races one and two at the wheel of his Honda Civic.

James Tracey halted Sparks’ chances of taking a clean sweep in the third encounter as he prevailed from a tense battle with Andrew Mizzi to win.

Rounding off the weekend’s action was two races from the Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship, both won by the Westfield SE of Damian Longotano.

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

The next major event at Pembrey will take place on June 23/24 when the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship rolls into town for two days of thrills ’n’ spills. Discounted tickets are available to purchase online from as little as £12.00, click here for more information.
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Cook homing in on Thruxton glory as locals tipped to shine

Thruxton is preparing to welcome the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) on 19-20 May, with new race-winner Josh Cook primed as the local driver to watch at the forefront of what is being billed as a ‘changing of the guard’ in Britain’s top motor sport series.

In its 60th anniversary year, the BTCC’s Diamond Jubilee season is already shaping up to become one for the ages as the championship’s perennial favourites go into high-speed battle against the new wave of precocious talents enjoying success in Britain’s premier tin-top series.

It is a ‘revolution’ Cook from Bath finds himself at the heart of after claiming his maiden BTCC pole position and victory behind the wheel of his Power Maxed TAG Racing Vauxhall Astra last time out at Donington Park, in so doing lifting himself to third in the overall Drivers’ standings.

Buoyed by the prospect of following up his landmark weekend with another successful event at the Hampshire speedbowl, as Thruxton is affectionately known, Cook is convinced that local support has the power to carry him further on the crest of his current wave.

“It was fantastic to stand on top of the BTCC podium for the first time in my career and I cannot wait to experience that winning feeling again and again,” the 26-year-old commented. “Thruxton is an exhilarating circuit to race at and nothing would make me happier than to carry our momentum through to another great result. I will be giving it my all and I am sure the vocal home support for me and the team will be worth those extra tenths of a second.”

With the BTCC headlining an action-packed TOCA racing weekend, visitors will get their first proper look at the circuit’s brand new, industry-leading ÂŁ2 million hospitality facility – The Thruxton Centre – ahead of its official opening by Nigel Mansell and Murray Walker on Sunday, 3 June amid a weekend of 50th Anniversary celebrations.

“I am looking forward to exploring the state-of-the-art Thruxton Centre,” Cook continued. “It is a brilliant new centrepiece for the circuit and one that represents an exciting future for this legendary venue.”

Cook’s burgeoning BTCC success comes as part of an unmistakable ‘youthful charge’ among some of the series’ up-and-coming participants, one that currently sees the top eight drivers in the standings average little more than 25 years of age.

Even so, there remains arguably no substitute for experience and few in the BTCC come as seasoned as fellow local favourite Rob Collard, the Frimley man seeking more silverware at Thruxton after a triumphant performance in front of a bumper crowd at the hugely popular Andover venue 12 months ago.

Competing in his 19th season of BTCC competition, Collard in the factory-backed Team BMW 125i M Sport has demonstrated some of his best form in recent years, finishing in the top five overall in both 2016 and 2017. He will be seeking to replicate his popular 2017 victory this weekend.

Armed with its striking new Civic Type R, Swindon-based Honda UK’s works team, Halfords Yuasa Racing, has enjoyed significant success at Thruxton over the years and is targeting a landmark first win for the latest-generation model with its accomplished driver pairing, BTCC veteran Matt Neal and rookie sensation Dan Cammish.

Fan favourite DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing will also strive for the top step at Thruxton with its all-new Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The Swindon team has re-introduced the iconic Italian marque to the BTCC for its first Thruxton appearance in more than a decade, HMS Racing hoping to hark back to Alfa Romeo’s iconic glory days when the Italian factory squad famously swept to the 1994 BTCC title with Gabriele Tarquini.

The RAF Falcons are additionally confirmed to perform their incredible display during Thruxton’s BTCC race meeting on Sunday, 20 May at approximately 10:15. More information can be found here

Tickets for the BTCC’s visit on 19-20 May can be purchased on the gate, priced at £16 for Saturday (qualifying) and £33 for Sunday (race day). Saturday grandstand seats are an additional £5. Accompanied children aged 15 and under will be admitted free of charge.
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Donington Park next up for TOCA support package

The TOCA support package rolls into Donington Park this weekend (April 28/29) with five championships set to do battle and continue their 2018 campaigns.

In what proved to be a dramatic opening event of the year at Brands Hatch, each category served up plenty of high-octane entertainment alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Plenty of tin top thrills came from the Renault UK Clio Cup as Max Coates and Paul Rivett took a win apiece at the Kent venue. Establishing themselves as early title contenders both will have to be at their best to ensure they remain towards the summit of the standings following rounds three and four.

More than a dozen drivers are hot on the heels of Rivett and Coates with Lee Pattison and Mike Epps leading the charge. Daniel Rowbottom, Jack McCarthy, James Colburn, James Dorlin, Bradley Burns, Zak Fulk are all on the fringe of throwing themselves into contention too – making picking a winner for this weekend as difficult as ever.

The Ginetta Junior Championship will no doubt do its best to steal the show with its latest crop of teenage racers. Former Scholarship winner Adam Smalley heads the field entering the weekend after scoring a win and a second place at the curtain-raiser. No doubt looking to either replicate or better those results from Brands Hatch, the Elite Motorsport driver arrives at the Leicestershire venue as the man to beat.

Both Luke Browning and Ruben Del Sarte scored rostrum finishers last time out and are the closest challengers to Smalley as it stands. Throw into the mix the likes of Fin Green and Louis Foster and you begin to see why the one-make championship is renowned for producing stars of the future.

The Juniors won’t be the only Ginetta championship competing under the flightpath of East Midlands airport this weekend however as the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup continues. Charlie Ladell grabbed two wins at Brands Hatch and he will be looking to continue his fine start to the season with further silverware.

Holding a slender three-point advantage at the summit, Ladell will need to be on top form across all three races, especially with the likes of Carl Boardley, Harry King and Jac Constable all breathing down his neck.

Spoils were shared between Dino Zamparelli and George Gamble in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB last time out and the battle for supremacy is set to further intensify at Donington Park. In what is shaping up to be a wide-open title fight this year, just four points separate the top three heading into the weekend with Zamparelli in control.

After narrowly missing out on the crown last year, the Redline Racing driver is gunning for glory and will be one to watch across both races this weekend, as will Tio Ellinas, Gamble and the ever-improving Lewis Plato.

Rounding out the track action at Donington Park will be three races from the F4 British Championship. Viewed as a crucial step on the motorsport ladder for those aspiring to make it to Formula 1, the single seater category has produced plenty of stars already.

Ayrton Simmons walked away with a brace of wins last time out and the youngster will be looking to go one better this weekend and make it a hat-trick, which in turn will see him scoop a prize of ÂŁ10,000.

Sebastian Priaulx was the other race winner from the 2018 curtain-raiser and he will be keen to add further trophies to his collection in what is his maiden season in the category. Other drivers to keep a watch out for include the impressive Kiern Jewiss, Dennis Hauger and Jack Doohan.

Michelin Clio Cup Series to hold Donington Park taster day

The Michelin Clio Cup Series is to hold a taster day at Donington Park on Sunday November 4th as it begins to shift its attention towards the 2019 season.

Coming off the back of another pulsating year which saw Ben Palmer and Nic Harrison successfully defend their Race and Road class titles respectively, the one-make series is looking to build on its recent success by moving forwards once more.

Aimed at prospective new entries and interested parties, prospective Race entrants will need to hold a valid MSA Race Licence and will be accompanied on the day by Westbourne Motorsport’s experienced team of instructors.

For those looking to try their hand in the Road series machine, previous track day experience will be suitable enough.

Whilst teams and drivers will have the opportunity to sample cars and take to the track, the day will also provide people with the chance to hear from current and past entries on their time in the series.

James Dorlin, champion in 2016, one of many drivers that has used the Clio Cup Series as a perfect springboard having gone on to reign supreme in the Renault UK Clio Cup, winning the overall title this past season.

In addition, the championships promotional strategy for the future will be a topic of discussion for all attendees as well.

For those interested in booking a slot or attending the day, contact Michelin Clio Cup Series Championship Administrator Pauline Hillon via pauline.hillon@gmail.com or call 01332 391081.

British Rallycross speeds into Pembrey for pivotal race day

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship returns to Pembrey this Sunday (September 23) for the penultimate round of the 2018 season, one that will be pivotal in deciding the destiny of this years title.

In what has been another pulsating campaign for the series, just two rounds now remain – the first of which takes place in South Wales this weekend before moving onto Silverstone in early November.

Tackling the new rallycross layout at the Welsh venue in late June, a bumper crowd was treated to a feast of edge-of-the-seat-thrills, something that is customary when it comes to the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship.

Basking in the summer sun, Ollie O’Donovan underlined his superiority with a dominant display to win rounds four and five. Despite holding the record for the most victories this season, the Irishman still finds himself trailing series leader Mark Higgins in the standings.

Spearheading Albatec Racing’s challenge, Higgins has been a revelation in his maiden season and holds a slender three-point lead after picking up victory at Lydden Hill last time out. Proving to be the perennial pace-setter last time out at Pembrey, Higgins will be hoping he can showcase more front-running pace at the wheel of his Peugeot 208 Supercar.

O’Donovan holds second in the points with five-time champion Julian Godfrey a further five points adrift. Godfrey has been at the wheel of the Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage this season and has endured his own fair share of ups and downs.

Beyond the top three, Steve Hill has enjoyed a steady campaign whilst the likes of Roger Thomas, Mad Mark, Kevin Proctor and Steve Mundy have all been regular runners too.

Never short of entertainment, the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship is set to steal the show at Pembrey but that won’t be the only track action on show during the day.

Aside from the Supercar category includes a raft of support championships such as the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, MSA Supernational Championship, Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, Retro Rallycross and RX 150.

Tickets for the event will be available to purchase on the gate from ÂŁ15.00, with gates opening from 07:30. Track action is scheduled to begin at 09:30.

For more information, head to www.pembreycircuit.co.uk or www.rallycrossbrx.com

Ollie O’Donovan takes a clean sweep in British Rallycross double-header at Pembrey

Ollie O’Donovan produced a stellar performance in rounds four and five of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship this past weekend (June 23/24), sweeping his way to two wins at Pembrey Circuit.

Soaking up the Welsh sunshine on the brand-new rallycross circuit at the British Automobile Racing Club-operated venue, the high-octane championship delivered its usual mix of thrills and spills across both days. Having prevailed at Croft last time out, O’Donovan arrived at Pembrey as the form man and dually carried that momentum with him. Qualifying heats on day one saw five-time champion Julian Godfrey cement himself as the man to beat in the newly rebuilt Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage.

Topping the times across all three sessions, Godfrey entered the latter stages of the day in superlative form, however he was unable to convert that into victory – with a puncture halting both his and Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins in the final.

At the wheel of his Ford Focus, O’Donovan surged to victory, his second successive triumph in the championship whilst Steve Hill and Roger Thomas rounded off the podium in their respective machines too.

If Godfrey had been the king of the qualifying heats on day one, Higgins claimed that mantel on day two as he looked to be in irresistible form. Topping the times in every session that he took part in in the run up to the final, the Manxman looked like he would be hard to deny a second win of the season.

O’Donovan however had other ideas as he got the jump on the Peugeot driver during the second Supercar final of the weekend and despite Higgins’ best efforts, he was unable to find a way past the Irishman – who scored victory and with it strengthened his lead at the summit of the championship standings. Godfrey capped off his weekend with a third place finish.

Elsewhere, spoils were shared in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship as Simon Ovenden and Max Weatherley took a win apiece whilst Jack Thorne and Tristan Ovenden were victorious in the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship.

The MSA Junior Rallycross Championship proved to be a family affair as Tom Constantine and Luke Constantine prevailed. Rounding out the list of race winners were Kris Hudson and Drew Bellerby, both of whom scored victory in the BMW Mini Rallycross Championship.

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship resumes on July 29 as the series makes its second visit to Croft for round six.

Action aplenty from TOCA support package at Oulton Park

Oulton Park played a host to a blockbuster two days of TOCA support race action this past weekend (June 9/10) as familiar stars prevailed and a variety of new faces came to the fore.

On what proved to be a scorcher both on and off the track, all five championships were in action around the Cheshire venue to write the latest chapter in their respective 2018 campaigns.

Spoils were shared in the Ginetta Junior Championship around the 2.23 mile circuit as Adam Smalley and Luke Browning took a win apiece. Browning had looked to be an unstoppable force in the series for 14 to 17-year-old’s, winning a fraught race one – however that was only the start of the story.

Due to the differential of his Richardson Racing machine having an insufficient amount of oil, Browning was excluded which therefore gifted Smalley the win ahead of Fin Green and Louis Foster. The team have since appealed the decision meaning the results remains provisional.

Having lost victory on Saturday, Browning and Richardson Racing struck back on Sunday with a flawless performance in race two as he romped into the distance to triumph by more than 11 seconds ahead of Foster and Greg Johnston.

The Renault UK Clio Cup had a familiar feel to it as James Dorlin continued his recent domination. Entering the weekend as the championship leader having won four races in-a-row, the Westbourne Motorsport driver stormed to pair of pole positions and dually backed it up in race one.

Launching off the line, Dorlin propelled himself into a lead that he ultimately never lost as he controlled the pace at the front to comfortably take his fifth victory on the bounce, extending his points advantage at the same time. Paul Rivett and Max Coates filled the remaining podium positions.

Dorlin’s win streak came to an end in the second race of the weekend however as Coates made a triumphant return to the top step of the podium. Getting the jump on Dorlin off the line, the Pyro racer withstood race-long pressure from Rivett, Dorlin and Bradley Burns to seal a second win of the year – closing the gap to Dorlin in the points too.

There was a brand new winner in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB over the weekend as Tom Wrigley took a breakthrough victory in race one. In a league of his own in qualifying, the JTR driver controlled proceedings to take a lights-to-flag win ahead of Lewis Plato and Tio Ellinas.

Race two of the popular tin top category saw another first-win take place, this time for Daniel Harper. In another frenetic bout, the JTR youngster kept his cool to storm to the chequered flag, with Plato and Ellinas once again occupying the remaining podium spots.

Fans were treated to two races from the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup and neither didn’t disappoint. Charlie Ladell further established himself as the man to beat in the series in the opener as he bagged victory in race. Withstanding early pressure from Harry King, the Rob Boston Racing driver stretched his legs out front and took victory by more than four seconds ahead of Carl Boardley and Adam Shephard.

Ladell further extended his ever-growing championship lead in race two in the GT4 Supercup as he once again put on a dazzling display at the front of the field, beating Boardley and Shepherd to the chequered flag for the second time in succession.

There was the traditional blend of high drama and entertainment in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost over the course of the weekend too, with a trio of races keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

Dennis Hauger became the latest driver to enter the winners circle in race one, clinching his maiden win in the single seater category despite finishing behind Kiern Jewiss on the road. A three-second time penalty demoted Jewiss to second whilst Patrik Pasma rounded off the podium.

Ayrton Simmons underlined his title credentials in the second race of the weekend as he won a tense 20-minute battle ahead of Jack Doohan. Outright honours fell the way of Jewiss in the final race as he led home Pasma and Paavo Tonteri.

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

The Ginetta Junior Championship, Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Renault UK Clio Cup and F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost heads to Croft on June 23/24 for the latest chapter of the season.

Advance tickets for the fifth meeting of the year are available until June 14, priced at just ÂŁ11 for Saturday, ÂŁ24 for Sunday and ÂŁ33 for the full weekend. Head to the Croft Circuit website for more information.

Anglesey awaits trio of BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to the picturesque setting of Anglesey Circuit this weekend (May 26/27) with three championships geared up to compete.

On what is the first of several visits that will be made to the North Wales-based venue by the Club during the 2018 campaign, the action is set to be frenetic – with a bumper XX race programme in place.

Set to top the billing is the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, which hits the track for the the fourth time this year. Last in action at Croft, the much-loved 5/8 scale category heads to Anglesey having already delivered an abundance of thrills.

Defending champion John Mickel leads the way going into the weekend virtue of a near-perfect performance last time out. Holding a sizeable advantage ay the summit of points, Mickel is currently in the box seat – however as has been proved in years gone by, nothing is for certain in Legends racing.

Leading the chase of the multiple champion is Steve Whitelegg, who has two wins to his name already this year. Also in the mix and not to be discounted is Miles Rudman, Jack Parker and last year’s runner-up Ben Power, who rounds out the top five.

As has been the case in previous years, both the Scottish and Irish Legends will be competing over the weekend too; meaning there will be no less 13 races across the three categories.

One of the highlights of the weekend is set to be the standalone ‘Nations Cup’ on the Sunday afternoon where competitors from all three championships will battle it out for the coveted trophy.

Also in action will the BARC’s North Western Centre’s flagship category, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship. Having boasted bumper entry lists at all rounds thus far, another enthralling weekend of racing is set to unfold with a diverse variety of cars set to compete.

Of those to look out for, the Saker of Paul Rose will be a credible contender for victories whilst Jamie Cryer, Andrew Southcott, Dave Harvey and Luke Armiger lead a long list of challengers that will also all be keen to power themselves to the top of the rostrum.

Rounding off the BARC portion of the action will be a pair of 20-minute encounters from the Max5 Racing Championship. Open to those drivers wishing to compete in the well-known Mazda models, the series has enjoyed a stellar start to the new season, with events at Pembrey and Snetterton.

At the helm of proceedings has been Paul Roddison, who has won four out of four thus far. Whilst Roddison will be focused on adding to his impressive win tally, the likes of Matthew Tidmarsh, Jeremy Shipley, Andrew Pretorious and Lee Hollin will be keen to notch their first wins of the year respectively.

Also in action over the weekend is the Celtic Speed Scottish Mini Cooper Cup.

BTCC battle heads to Donington Park

The latest exhilarating chapter of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will be played out this weekend (April 28/29), with Donington Park providing the backdrop for rounds four, five and six.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the series kicked into life at Brands Hatch in blockbuster fashion at the start of the month and that level of excitement is set to continue under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Three breathtaking races around the Kent venue brought three different winners as Jack Goff, Senna Proctor and Tom Ingram all topped the rostrum. Such is the competitive nature of this years grid, nobody visited the podium more than once – meaning a total of nine different drivers picked up silverware.

Further proof of how open the BTCC is this year is that the top ten in the championship standings sees ten different marques operated by ten different teams filling those spots. At the helm of the points arriving at the second event of the year is Speedworks Motorsport’s Ingram.

Adding a race win to a pair of solid points finishes at the curtain-raiser, the Toyota Avensis driver holds a slender three-point buffer over fellow Brands Hatch winner Goff and will carry 75kgs of success ballast into qualifying and race one.

Scoring a win at Donington Park last year, the Independent champion will be keen to further cement himself as the man to beat in the early stages; however challenges are set to come from all angles.

At the wheel of his Honda Civic Type R, Goff showcased that he isn’t a man to count out this year and he will be sighting further silverware for WIX Racing with Eurotech.

Adam Morgan and Rob Austin both scored podiums at Brands Hatch and the pair will be looking for more of the same in their respective machines. Despite expecting a tough time, reigning champion Ashley Sutton underlined his quality at the opening event to descend on Donington Park firmly in the mix in fifth.

Double champion Colin Turkington is another top name that will be eyeing victory to further ignite his title battle. Power Maxed Racing’s Proctor achieved that feat in a race that will live long in the memory for years to come having charged from P27 on slick tyres and a drying track.

Ollie Jackson, Rory Butcher and Mike Bushell round out the names that will carry success ballast into the weekend, virtue of their respective positions in the championship.

In total, 25 out of the 32 drivers competing this year having already scored points – once again echoing the level of competitiveness that the BTCC boasts this year.

Beyond the top ten, a host of names will be looking to strike at Donington Park and thrust themselves into contention. The likes of Andrew Jordan, Matt Neal, Sam Tordoff, Tom Chilton, Rob Collard, Josh Cook, Dan Cammish and Jason Plato, to name a few, will be notable drivers to look out for.

The introduction of the Dunlop hard option tyre will also no doubt play its part over the course of what is set to be a thrilling weekend of tin top action from Britain’s premier motor racing series.