Author: Chris Ashby

Champions crowned in contrasting conditions at Silverstone

The British Automobile Racing Club brought the curtain down on a host of championships at Silverstone this past weekend (October 6/7) with titles being decided in contrasting conditions.

Tackling the International layout of the Northamptonshire venue, heavy rain battered the circuit on Saturday before dry conditions greeted teams and drivers on Sunday.

In the midst of the treacherous conditions was the Dunlop Endurance Championship which staged a pair of 50-minute races, the second being shortened down from two hours.

Race one saw the pairing of John Seale and Jamie Stanley pilot their JMH Automotive Ferrari 488 to victory before David Mason and Ross Wylie underlined their title credentials with an impressive performance in race two to triumph.

The latest exciting chapter in the Junior Saloon Car Championship was written at Silverstone as the one-make series continues its charge towards the title crescendo. With qualifying based on championship order, the weekend’s two encounters proved to be pulsating from start-to-finish.

Lewis Saunders narrowly pipped Joel Wren and Steven Chandler in race one before Ben Kasperczak made a welcome return to the top step of the podium to score victory in the second race of the day, his third of the season.

Titles had already been decided in the Michelin Clio Cup Series prior to the weekend but that didn’t stop Ben Palmer from putting the exclamation point on an otherwise year of dominance. The double champion continued his unbeaten run with victory in race one but was unable to make it a clean sweep with a non-finish in the final round of the year.

Ben Colburn ultimately picked up the honours as he scored his first win of the season on his way to securing second in the championship. In the Road class, Nic Harrison added a further two race wins to his tally to cap off a memorable season as champion.

Clive Wood and Steve Dickens were the standout performers in the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototypes Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns; Wood bagging himself a double whilst Dickens kicked off the weekend topping the rostrum.

Wood would have more to celebrate as he wrapped up the title in the CSP1 class whilst Michelle Hayward and Pippa Tanner-Wood did the same in the CSP2 and CSP3 classes respectively.

The Kumho BMW Championship finished with a flourish as Garrie Whittaker showcased his superiority with a pair of overall race wins at the wheel of his BMW E36 M3.

Elsewhere in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, spoils were shared between Martin Willis and Stuart Plotnek as they took a win apiece in two hotly-contested races.

For the full classification of results from each session at Silverstone, click here.

TOCA support championships instensify at Silverstone

Silverstone played host to a mesmerising two days of action from all five TOCA support championship’s this past weekend (September 15/16), with title battles further intensifying.

Louis Foster continued his march towards the summit of the Ginetta Junior Championship by adding to his impressive win tally. Having won four of the previous five races, Foster became the first driver this season to score a hat-trick of victories in a single weekend.

Following a red flag stoppage in race one for an accident which involved his title rival Adam Smalley, the Elite Motorsport driver maximised his opportunity to beat James Hedley and Luke Browning. Foster had to work even harder for his second win of the weekend as he withstood the challenge of Patrick Kibble and Browning – half a second covering the trio at the flag.

Foster underlined his recent dominance in the series with another stunning drive to beat Smalley and Kibble; and with it leave Northamptonshire as the new championship leader.

In the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Charlie Ladell took a big step towards wrapping up the title with a trio of impressive performances. Having been the epitome of consistency throughout the year, the Rob Boston Racing driver made a return to winning ways in race one as he stormed to victory ahead of Harry King and Tom Roche.

Ladell doubled up in race two as he once again led King to the chequered flag whilst Carl Boardley snatched the final spot on the rostrum from Angus Fender on the final lap. Boardley bounced back in race three later in the day as he kept his championship aspirations alive with a controlled victory.

The Renault UK Clio Cup saw another twist in the title battle whilst it also welcomed a new name to the winners circle. As Max Coates spun out of the opening race, Bradley Burns came to the fore to write his name into the history books as the youngest ever race winner in the series – aged at just 17. Delivering a measured driver after muscling his way to the front, Burns kept his cool to take the chequered flag ahead of Paul Rivett and Daniel Rowbottom.

Burns put the exclamation point on his weekend at Silverstone with another storming drive to make it a dominant double. Following an early battle with James Dorlin, Burns hit the front and was subsequently never challenged as Dorlin fended off Rivett.

There were plenty of edge-of-the-seat thrills in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, however nobody could stop Dino Zamparelli in the first 28-lap race. Starting from pole position, the Redline Racing driver left his rivals in his wake as he charged to a fourth victory of the year whilst Tio Ellinas and Tom Wrigley rounded off the podium.

Wrigley would better his race one performance in the second Carrera Cup encounter later in the day as he jumped George Gamble off the line to power away and notch his latest victory. Dan Harper and Lewis Plato bagged silverware whilst Ellinas clawed back some points over Zamparelli in fourth.

Capping off a pulsating weekend of TOCA support championship action at Silverstone was a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Johnathan Hoggard continued his impressive run of form in a frenetic opening encounter to notch his six win of the season, fending off the advances of series leader Kiern Jewiss and Jack Doohan along the way.

Doohan stormed to victory in race two ahead of Patrik Pasma and Ayrton Simmons before Hoggard capped off the day by narrowly triumphing in the third and final encounter of the weekend, adding to his already impressive win tally.

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

The TOCA support package will bring the curtain down on the 2018 season with what will likely be a dramatic final event of the season at Brands Hatch on September 29/30 – where titles will across the board will be decided.

TOCA support championship deliver non-stop entertainment at Croft

There was high-drama, championship warning shots being fired, first-time wins being claimed and local drivers coming to the fore on the TOCA support package at Croft this past weekend (June 23/24).

Marking the latest stop on the calendar and the last before the annual summer break, four championships were in action in front of a bumper Yorkshire crowd, all of which were basking in the searing sun.

Entering the weekend just a handful of points off of the standings summit, Max Coates enjoyed a dream weekend in the Renault UK Clio Cup. Living just a stones throw away from the circuit, the Pyro driver had home support on his side as he charged to pole position in both races.

Losing the lead in race one to Paul Rivett, Coates hounded the multiple champion in the opener but was ultimately unable to make his move, settling for second whilst Daniel Rowbottom finished third.

Coates wasn’t to be denied in race two however as he led Rivett from lights-to-flag, taking an emotional home victory and vaulting to the top of the points. James Dorlin, who had entered the weekend as the series leader, endured a nightmare two races – scoring a best finish of sixth.

Carl Boardley took a sizeable chunk out of Charlie Ladell’s lead in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup over the course of three races. Boardley stormed to victory in races one and two around the Yorkshire venue, issuing a severe warning shot to his title rival in the process.

Ladell had looked set to score a win of his own in the third race however tyre degradation proved to be his undoing. That therefore opened the door for Harry King to pounce on those ahead of him and power onto a win that was more than seven seconds come the chequered flag.

There was a double-winner in the Ginetta Junior Championship too, with Adam Smalley strengthening his position atop the points standings. The Elite Motorsport driver powered his distinctly coloured machine to wins in races one and two, leaving his chief title rivals in his wake.

Race three proved to be an action-packed encounter with Smalley losing out at the start to Luke Browning. His lead wasn’t to last long though as Fin Green slipped past Browning on the opening tour and from there wasn’t challenged – going on to score his maiden victory in the series.

The F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost was in fine form too as Kiern Jewiss starred once again, scoring his fifth victory of the season. Jewiss’ triumph further emphasised his status as one of the leading contenders for the single seater crown.

Jewiss bagged his latest victory in round 14, either side of wins for Dennis Hauger as he threw his hat into the mix for title glory too.

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

The TOCA support package returns to action on July 28/29 at Snetterton, with all five categories hitting the track to kickstart the second half of the 2018 season.

TOCA support package ready for party in the park at Oulton

The TOCA support package is back to full capacity this weekend (June 9/10) with five championships descending on Oulton Park for the latest event of the 2018 season.

With three categories only making the annual visit to Thruxton last time out, the hugely popular Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship supporting cast are back to full strength and ready to steal the show.

It has been a frenetic three events for the Renault UK Clio Cup and that is only set to continue at the Cheshire venue, with James Dorlin leading the way. The Westbourne Motorsport driver enters the weekend in control of the championship standings and with momentum on his side having won four races in-a-row.

Keen to extend that winning run, Dorlin will be one to watch although a host of front runners are all waiting in the wings, keen to score a win and end Dorlin’s victory streak. Max Coates, Paul Rivett and Daniel Rowbottom have all been firmly in the mix thus far, and along with a host of others, should be not be discounted at all.

The Ginetta Junior Championship is guaranteed to provide edge-of-the-seat entertainment wherever it goes and arriving at Oulton Park, Adam Smalley controls the standings after scoring a win and a second place at Thruxton.

Flying the flag for Elite Motorsport, Smalley has been one of many leading lights so far this season along with Louis Foster and Luke Browning, fellow race winners and the drivers that occupy second and third overall.

Having not raced at Thruxton, the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup returns to action this weekend with Charlie Ladell looking to pick up from where he left things as the dominant force. On the podium in every race thus far, as well as scoring three wins, the Rob Boston Racing driver has established himself as the early pace-setter, but his rein could come under a threat from a host of contenders.

Carl Boardley, Harry King, Tom Roche and Jac Constable are all firmly in the mix towards the front and none of them can be overlooked to take the fight to Ladell this weekend.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is back on British soil and back on the TOCA package too after racing at Monza shortly after Donington Park. Returning from its traditional trip overseas, the one-make category currently has Dino Zamparelli leading the way after a string of impressive performances.

Spearheading the Redline Racing charge, Zamparelli has lived up to the mantel of title favourite so far but pressure from the likes of Lewis Plato and George Gamble will test him further.

Rounding out the track action from the TOCA support paddock this weekend will be three high-octane single seater encounters from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost.

With nine races in the books already, Ayrton Simmons remains the man to beat at the top of the standings have notched seven podium finishes already. Consistency has been key for the JHR Developments driver but the pack is chasing him and leading it is multiple race-winner Kiern Jewiss – a youngster who is getting better as each round passes.

Also in the mix for outright honours this weekend will likely be the Red Bull duo of Jack Doohan and Dennis Hauger, as well as Fortec Motorsports’ Johnathan Hoggard.

FIA World RX descends on Silverstone for inaugural event

The FIA World Rallycross Championship heads to British shores this weekend (May 25/26/27) for the highly-anticipated Speedmachine Festival, held at Silverstone.

Moving from its spiritual home of Lydden Hill to the Northamptonshire venue, the British Automobile Racing Club will once again play a role in the organisation and administration for the fourth event of the season for the series this year.

In what is an eagerly-anticipated event, on-track action is just the beginning of what those attending can expect.

Live music, street food and drink, drifting, track demos and display’s and manufacturer test drives are just a flavour of the off-track entertainment whilst there will be full-throttle thrills ’n’ spills on-track.

Situated in the shadow of the Silverstone Wing on the Stowe circuit, the new-for-2018 rallycross layout at the home of British motorsport has already had rave reviews after operating for the first time in March at the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship curtain-raiser.

Reigning champion Johan Kristoffersson enters the weekend as the man to beat, sitting atop of the drivers’ standings. Winning the opening two events, the Volkswagen racer has been in irresistible form, as has his team-mate Petter Solberg, making them both ones to keep a keen eye on.

Sebastian Loeb is hot on Kristoffersson’s heels however after notching victory in Belgium. The nine-time World Rally champion arrives at Silverstone having already tasting success around the new venue, emerging as the winner at the British round only a couple of months ago.

Throw into the mix the EKS duo of Andreas Bakkerud and Mattias Ekstrom and picking a winner for outright glory will prove to be difficult.

Fans will have plenty of home heroes to cheer on as well with 2013 BTCC champion Andrew Jordan heading up the entry list. Reverting to his roots for the first of three rounds with MJP Racing Team Austria in a Ford Fiesta, Jordan is set to take on a starring role.

Ollie O’Donovan, Oliver Bennett, Andy Scott and Mark Higgins will all also fly the British flag on home soil over the weekend, each looking to make their mark along the way.

Away from the FIA World Rallycross Championship there will also be plenty of edge-of-the-seat thrills from the RX2 and European Rallycross categories.

New Series Elite Championship launches

A new one-make series has today (April 24) launched aimed towards mature budding race drivers with a lower-age restriction of 50 years, titled Series Elite.

Running under the British Automobile Racing Club umbrella, the championship will see drivers compete in identical Jaguar F-TYPE GT4 machines – starting at Brands Hatch in late October before embarking on a full 12-race season in 2019.

Targeting high net worth individuals and offering a turnkey racing opportunity, Series Elite is designed to appeal to both amateurs and more experienced racers.

Drivers will be provided with all the relevant training, testing and race experience needed to compete in the new series, with their cars stored and prepared at a centralised team facility.

Series Director, Graeme Glew, said: “Currently there is no series that caters specifically for older drivers who want to compete at a high level with like-minded racers. We’re filling this gap with Series Elite supported by Jaguar’s race car expertise.

“Our competitors will own their own cars, but all the other aspects of going racing – preparing the cars, transporting them, arranging hospitality, travel and accommodation – will be arranged for them. With time at a premium it will allow drivers to fulfil their desire to go racing with minimal effort and fit into their busy lifestyle.

“Our offering will also extend off-track too, with high-class hospitality and exclusive lifestyle events outside of race weekends to expand the race experience into new areas, such as ice-driving.”

Greg Clark, Director Vehicle Personalisation at Jaguar Land Rover adds, “The Jaguar F-TYPE GT4 was developed last year for Invictus Games Racing and following this we were approached to develop the car for Series Elite.

“The concept and series profile is an obvious fit for Jaguar and it is an appropriate next step for us to expand production of the GT4 car, with a controlled environment and build schedule for this year.

“We are looking forward to seeing the first grid of cars at Brands Hatch before the full season with a 20-car field in 2019.”

The series’ inaugural weekend takes place at Brands Hatch on October 27/28 as part of a bumper two days of BARC racing. Series Elite is set to visit Silverstone, Donington Park, Rockingham, Brands Hatch and a yet to be decided international venue next year.

For more information, head to www.serieselite.com

Porsche Carrera Cup GB unveils championship evolution for 2019

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is set to continue evolving in 2019 after unveiling a raft of refinements to the changes implemented for this year.

Currently in the midst of an enthralling season, the 2018 campaign saw the introduction of the most significant changes to the championship since it began in 2003.

Leading those changes was the introduction of reverse grids, and that procedure will remain for next year. A driver’s fastest qualifying time will determine the starting grid for the opening race of the weekend before race two will be determine by the finishing order of that first race.

However, any driver that fails to complete race one in 2019 will now start race two behind the last race finisher of their category. All other classified finishes will be allocated starting positions in accordance with their finishing position in race one.

The winner of the first race will continue to select a number at random between four and six to denote how many cars will be reversed.

Championship points will remain across all categories with two additional points distributed to the driver in the Pro category that sets the fastest lap in qualifying. Those drivers in the remaining classes will be awarded an additional point if they walk aways with the fastest lap in each race.

Prize money throughout the one-make series will remain as it is however the provisional calendar for 2019 will once again encompass an international flavour. Continuing on the TOCA support package, the Carrera Cup GB will travel the length and breadth of the UK whilst also competing at either Spa Francorchamps or Monza.

Provisional 2019 Calendar

Brands Hatch Indy – April 6/7

Spa or Monza – TBC

Croft – June 15/16

Oulton Park – June 29/30

Snetterton – August 3/4

Knockhill – September 14/15

Silverstone – September 28/29

Brands Hatch GP – October 12/13

Capping off the list of changes that the Carrera Cup GB has implemented is to continue working hard with the relevant governing bodies and organisers to ensure that participants in the championship are able to compete in a safe and controlled environment.

These changes have often gone above and beyond what is required, most recently facilitating award-winning research into concussion in motorsport, research that would go on to win the FIA’s 2018 Watkins Scholarship.

For 2019, the championship will introduce a Porsche e-learning tool, developed through the Porsche one-make series network to improve and test competitors knowledge of the sporting regulations.

All drivers and team managers will be required to pass an online test prior to the start of the season, the aim of which is to ensure all competitors full understand on-track procedures. At each round drivers will be selected at random following the briefing to complete another short online test.

In addition, five drivers will be selected at random on the morning of each championship week dot take part in a breathalyser test where a zero-tolerance rule will be in effect.

Carburetor class to be added to Mighty Minis Championship in 2019

The Mighty Minis Championship is set to introduce a standalone class for the 1275 Carburetor Mini for the 2019 season and beyond.

Set to be titled ‘Class C’, the new category will join the existing Super Mighty and Mighty classes that currently compete in the series.

Aiming towards continuing to provide an affordable form of motorsport, the championship is set to continue to build on its 23-year history with the introduction of this new class.

The new class will mirror that of Class A, the only changes being that cars will have a carburetor and distributor, rather than an injection system and ECU.

For more information on the regulations and more, visit the Mighty Minis website here.

BARC serves up scorching weekend at Thruxton Summer Truckfest

The British Automobile Racing Club served up a scorching weekend (July 7/8) both on and off the track at Thruxton, with seven championships tackling the fastest circuit in the country.

Amidst the heatwave the UK is currently revelling in, a bumper crowd turned out in force across both days to watch a variety of categories write the latest chapter in their 2018 campaigns.

Stealing the show was the British Truck Racing Association Championship, which staged a total of eight fraught races. Division 1 saw reigning champion Ryan Smith produce an emphatic display as he kicked off the weekend from storming to pole position. From there, the event belonged to Smith as he surged to four wins from four races, extending his championship lead in doing so too.

Whilst Smith topped the podium, a host of other drivers including Stuart Oliver, Luke Taylor, David Jenkins, Jamie Anderson and Simon Reid all scored rostrum finishes.

In Division 2 there were to be three different winners from four races, with Steve Powell emerging as the man to triumph twice. Powering his way to pole position, Powell took a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the opener before then replicating that performance in the combined Division 1 & 2 race at the end of the weekend.

Brad Smith and Luke Garrett were the other victors from the class with Smith’s victory proving to be a popular one as he broke his 2018 winless duck.

In the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, reigning champion Scott Bourne closed the gap to points leader Lea Wood with a dominant double. In two frenetic encounters, Bourne prevailed from both races narrowly pipping Wood, with just a tenth of a second covering the pair at the chequered flag each time. Mark Willis rounded out the podium in both races too.

Ben Palmer emerged as another double winner from the weekend as he continued his unbeaten run in the Michelin Clio Cup Series. Despite missing out on pole position, the defending champion produced two stellar performances to strengthen his advantage at the summit of the standings. Nic Harrison did the same in the road class of the series, sweeping his way to a pair of wins.

Spoils were shared in the Mighty Minis Championship as Greg Jenkins and David Kirkpatrick took a win apiece. Dicing for the lead in both races, Jenkins bested Kirkpatrick and Alex Comis in race one before the roles were reversed in race two, with Ian Slark rounding off the podium.

Dean Sullivan and Simon Kendrick emerged victorious from the weekend’s two Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship races. Sullivan narrowly pipped Kendrick to the chequered flag in race one before the latter then produced a devastating display to win by more than 11 seconds. Stuart Philps was unable to stop the squabbling duo and instead had to settle for third place in both races.

The Kumho BMW Championship races had a familiar feel to them as Colin Wells took a pair of win. Wells was the dominant force from the outset and despite the best efforts of James Card, Piers Reid and Darren Fielding, the experienced racer wasn’t to be denied.

Rounding off the weekend’s action was a host of races from the APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship. In the amalgamated Sigmax/ Sigmax VCT duels, Samuel Wilson and Oliver Gibson scored a win apiece whilst Jamie Ellwood, Jonathan Curry and Steve McMaster each took podiums.

The weekend’s Mega, Sigma & Classic races had Declan Dolan take honours in race one before Simon Griffiths struck to score a win of his in the second bout. Ben Winrow and Andy Skinner also picked up silverware too.

For the full classification of results from all of the weekend’s action, click here.

BTCC heads to Oulton Park for latest chapter of 2018 season

Oulton Park awaits the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend (June 9/10) with rounds 10, 11 and 12 set to write the latest chapter in what is becoming a fascinating battle for the biggest prize in UK motorsport.

With nine races down so far, there has been a changing of the guard in the BTCC this year with the next generation of youngsters taking the fight to the established names and so far prevailing.

Arriving at what is his and Ciceley Motorsport’s home event, Adam Morgan arrives at the Cheshire venue topping the championship standings for the first time in his career.

Two victories, the second coming last time out at Thruxton, sees Morgan hold a slender two point lead over fellow double race-winner Josh Cook – a revelation of sorts with Power Maxed Racing in the Vauxhall Astra.

Oulton Park is also home turf for Speedworks Motorsport and Tom Ingram, who together have made another lightening start to the season. Two wins and big points saw Ingram as the man to beat heading into Thruxton but an electrical issue left him to fight back on race day.

In the past both Ingram and Morgan have endured rocky rounds around the sweeping curves of Oulton Park, both will be hoping to turn their fortunes around this time.

Beyond the top three Jack Goff has been impressive in the WIX Racing with Eurotech Honda Civic Type R whilst many will be looking to see what Colin Turkington can achieve. Sitting fifth in the points, the West Surrey Racing driver was back on song at Thruxton and has an impressive record at Oulton Park.

Matt Neal and Senna Proctor have each scored a race win this season too and the pair will likely be in the mix towards the sharp end of the grid. Dan Cammish, reigning champion Ashley Sutton and Chris Smiley round out the top ten and will be keen to top the rostrum for the first time this year.

Last year Oulton Park marked the start of Sutton’s title assault and the aim will be to replicate that during this year’s trip to the picturesque circuit, both for himself and Adrian Flux Subaru Racing.

Beyond the top ten is a whole host of race-winning drivers that could easily be in the mix for victory this weekend. Fighting fit Andrew Jordan, his BMW team-mate Rob Collard, Motorbase Performance duo Tom Chilton and Sam Tordoff, as well as Aiden Moffat and Rob Austin lead the charge for the top ten and are more importantly free of success ballast heading into qualifying and race one.

BARC championships battle contrasting conditions at Brands Hatch

Contrasting conditions welcomed the British Automobile Racing Club to Brands Hatch this past weekend (May 12/13) as a host of championships continued their 2018 campaigns around the Indy layout.

Persistent rain on Saturday was swapped for bright sunshine on Sunday at the Kent venue, adding further spice to what already was proving to be a memorable event.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series had a distinctly familiar feel to it as reigning champion Ben Palmer further asserted his dominance at the top of the standings. Entering the weekend with an unbeaten record, Palmer clinched his fifth and sixth wins of the season, extending his points lead in the process.

In the race class, Nic Harrison’s run of wins came to an end, not before he could score a fifth victory of the season however. The defending champion romped to the chequered flag in race one but could do nothing to stop James Colburn in the second.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship produced its third double-winner of the season around the Indy circuit as Frankie Taylor vaulted himself into title contention. On what was a truncated weekend for the 14 to 17-year-old’s, Taylor held his nerve in two tense but entertaining encounters to score victory.

Podium finishes went the way of Lewis Saunders, Scott McIntyre and Steven Chandler too across both races.

Roaring into life for the first time this season, the BARC Clubmans Sport Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns delivered three nail-biting races. Steven Dickens won the opener before Mark Charteris picked up wins in races two and three.

In the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship, Nick Crispin stormed to a brace of victories in two frenetic races that saw a host of twists and turns along the way.

The BARC South East Tin Tops Championship kicked off the weekend for the Club’s trio of South East Centre categories with Danny Brooker taking victory in race one. At the wheel of his Vauxhall Astra VXR, Brooker narrowly pipped Rikki Taylor whilst Robert Hosier was third. Race two honours went the way of Ford Fiesta driver Taylor.

Malcolm Blackman was in irresistible form once again in the BARC South East Scrapco Avon Intermarque Championship, taking his record to a perfect four wins from four races at Brands Hatch.

Spoils were shared in the BARC South East Quaife Modified Saloon Car Championship, with veteran racer Rod Birley winning the opener at the wheel of his Ford Escort WRC. Birley was unable to replicate his performance later in the day however as Malcolm Wise powered his Ford Escort Cosworth to the top step of the podium.

Rounding out the action was the BARC Saloon Series, Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge and the Classic VW Cup, all of which amalgamated their grids.

Brad Kaylor and Ken Lark took a win apiece in the Classic VW Cup, however a notable performer was Daniel Rose in race two, charging from ninth on the grid to the front within the first lap. Ben Rushworth was the final race winner of the weekend, sweeping to both victories at the wheel of his Honda Integra in the BARC Saloon Series/VTEC Challenge races.

BARC delivers memorable two days at Croft

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a memorable two days at Croft this past weekend (April 28/29) as a trio of championships continued their campaigns.

Searing temperatures coupled with rain showers only added to the spectacle as the fans were treated to an abundance of bumper-to-bumper thrills.

Making their first visit to the North Yorkshire venue since 2007, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship returned to Croft for the second chapter of what has already been an enthralling 2018 campaign to-date.

Reigning champion Scott Bourne opened his silverware account in race one as he stormed to victory, narrowly pipping David O’Reagan and Mark Willis, with just under three seconds covering the rostrum finishers.

O’Reagan climbed to the top step in race two however as he emerged as the victor following a frenetic race-long battle with Lea Wood, crossing the line 0.051 ahead of the double Brands Hatch winner.

Wood wasn’t to be denied in the final race of the weekend though, cementing himself as the man to beat at this stage in the championship by scoring his third win of the season. Having failed to finish earlier in the day, Bourne bagged second place behind the former BTCC star whilst O’Reagan scored a hat-trick of podiums.

In the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, John Mickel underlined his status as a multiple and defending champion with a scintillating showing.

Boasting another bumper grid of the 5/8 scale machines, Mickel started the weekend hot on the heels of Steve Whitelegg who took the win in the first of six races. From there on however the event belonged to Mickel as he produced a string of mesmerising performances to win the next five races.

Other notable performances included Miles Rudman, Jack Parker, Paul Simmons and Sean Smith.

There were no less than eight races from the Classic Touring Car Championship, with many classes amalgamating. The Pre 66 Classic Saloon & Historic Touring Cars saw Philip House pilot his Ford Lotus Cortina to a brace of wins as Alan Greenhalgh and Roger Stanford rounded off the remaining podium positions, each taking a second and third place finish each.

Stephen Primett and Jim Mcloughlin shared the spoils in Pre 83 Group 1 Touring Cars whilst Dale Gent and his Subaru Impreza proved to be too much for the competition in both Classic & Historic Thunder Saloons & Blue Oval Saloon Series both races.

Outright wins also went the way of Ian Bower and Steven Barden in the combined Pre 93 Touring Cars, Pre 2003 Touring Cars & Pre 05 Production Saloon Cars races around the 2.1 mile layout.

Rounding out the action over the course of the weekend was two races from the DDMC Northern Saloon & Sports Car Championship, which boasted an entry list of more than 30 cars. Jeff Wilson piloted his Lotus Elise to both victories.

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