Category: Barc

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 ÂŁ15 for Saturday, ÂŁ30 for Sunday and ÂŁ38 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.

TOCA unveils state-of-the-art Safety Truck

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Series Organisers, TOCA, have revealed its all-new ‘TOCA Safety Truck’ that will be used during the 2018 season.

Imported from the USA solely for TOCA events, the state-of-the-art Ford F250 is the only one of its type in Europe and is equipped with the very latest and best in rescue and cutting equipment.

Undergoing a host of tests in recent weeks, the vehicle made its operational debut at the BTCC Season Launch at Donington Park on March 27 and will be a permanent fixture of the paddock and pit lane across all ten race weekends this year.

The truck will be deployed to any incident where needed, not only in the BTCC but also across all support championships that feature on the TOCA package.

Manning the truck will be a dedicated and fully trained TOCA safety team and paramedic, with Safety Team Crew Chief Martin Hunt and TOCA Medical Director Dr Paul Trafford overseeing all operations.

In a ground-breaking deal with TOCA, Holmatro is supplying their latest state-of-the-art rescue set, including the Inclined Cutter, which is a unique design to Holmatro. The set will be continually updated as further new tool innovations and technologies are developed.

Holmatro is the world leader in producing advanced rescue equipment, including the hydraulic Cutters and other tools in widespread use across top-level motorsport including the INDYCAR Series in the United States.

Elsewhere, MacTools and its sister company DeWalt, global leaders in their own fields, are also providing a full range of battery-powered equipment and other essential tools.

BTCC Series Director, Alan Gow, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the new ‘TOCA Safety Team’ truck. It represents an investment of nearly £200,000 by TOCA and its partners, underlining our real and ongoing commitment to the very highest level of safety, rescue and recovery.in UK motorsport.

“This state-of-the-art rescue vehicle carries the very latest in cutting and rescue equipment and, most importantly, will be manned by the same dedicated crew at all events. Our team have worked with the BTCC for many years and I consider them to be the ‘best of the best’.

“This introduction provides the BTCC and its supporting series’ with the very latest equipment and expertise available anywhere in the world for when dealing with serious incidents.”

TOCA Medical Director, Dr Paul Trafford, added: “TOCA has always supported the safety initiatives we have made over the years and the ‘TOCA Safety Team’ rescue truck is going to make a huge difference to our ability to respond to any serious incidents in the British Touring Car Championship and its support series’.

“It really is state-of-the-art equipment from Holmatro, MacTools and DeWalt. This will be complimented by the latest medical monitoring equipment supplied by Remote Diagnostic Technologies (RDT), operated by a dedicated crew, making the vehicle very special indeed.”

500 not out for Pickup Truck Racing Championship

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship reached a significant milestone at Snetterton this past weekend (September 8/9) as it staged its 500th race.

Launched in 1997, the series has become a popular fixture in the UK’s national motorsport landscape and a permanent fixture within the British Automobile Racing Club banner of championships.

Going from strength-to-strength each year, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship has won the hearts of racers and fans alike. Travelling the length and breadth of the country and even Europe, the series has made a name for itself on both traditional tracks and ovals.

With the championship currently enjoying a period of rude health, this past weekend’s milestone race only further underlined the popularity of the series as reigning champion Scott Bourne charged to victory.

Commenting on the milestone, Championship Co-ordinator Sonny Howard said: “The second race at Snetterton last weekend marked a milestone in Pickup Truck Racing history as the Championship achieving its 500th race.

“Over this period the Pickups have raced at every circuit in the UK and as importantly a large number in Europe as well. The Championship over the years has had the support of drivers from a cross section of motorsport disciplines but also the Pickup Trucks have a core of drivers who have supported the Championship for many years.

“In addition, the entertainment value it offers and the venues it visits as Pickup Truck Racing is very gladiatorial and the drivers are real characters.  Add to this billboard element that the vehicles offer in graphic design, it comes across as brash and flash but why not!

“Most importantly, this is not just about the drivers nor has it ever been. Pickup Truck Racing is about the teams and it is a team sport something the management encourage and embrace at all levels within the Championship.

“As we pass this milestone we now have our sights set on new highs, more goals and more boxes to tick.  Nothing will ever hold back the Pickup Trucks. They will never rest on their laurels either because they have a vision, a plan for the future.”

Three BARC championships ready to race into the evening at Rockingham

The British Automobile Racing Club is set to race into the night at Rockingham this Saturday (August 4) with the Pickup Truck Racing Championship set to take on a starring role.

Making its latest trip to the Corby venue, the BARC will see three championships take to the track and tackle a somewhat revised format, with action not starting until midday.

Topping the bill will be the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, which takes to the oval layout of Rockingham for two adrenaline-fuelled 30-minute encounters.

Coming off the back of pulsating weekend at Donington Park last time out, the title battle in the series is set to further intensify as Lea Wood and reigning champion Scott Bourne renew their fight for the prestigious crown.

A mere 23 points separate the pair at the summit of the standings and both will be looking to gain the upper hand around the fast banking’s this weekend. Also in the mix and not to be discounted is David O’Reagen, Michael Smith and Paul Tompkins – all of whom have been running towards the sharp end of the field this year.

The Hyundai Coupe Cup brings its annual mid-season break to an end too with a bumper entry list set to serve up a feast of entertainment.

Renowned for putting the fun into racing, the Coupe Cup has gone from strength-to-strength this year with entries continuing to grow. As it stands, all eyes are set to be focused on the Steve Kite, Alex Cursley and Wayne Rockett – all of whom have been at the sharp end of the grid at almost every turn.

While those three will be ones to watch, the likes of Dan Fletcher, Kevin Smiles, Simon Miles, Darren Holmes and many more will also be keen to thrust themselves into the podium conversation.

Rounding off the day’s racing will be action from the BARC Clubmans Sport Prototype Championship in assoc. with King Henry’s Taverns.

Split into a variety of classes depending on the specification of cars, Clubmans have been wowing crowds since 1965 and that is set to continue at the Corby venue on Saturday.

Events at Brands Hatch and Donington Park produced mesmerising racing earlier in the season, setting the scene for what should be a tense duo of 20-minute bouts.

Clive Wood has been the man to beat in class CSP1 so far this season but series veteran Peter Richings is hot on his heels and will be looking to close the gap at Rockingham. Yet to win so far, Richings will be highly motivated to overhaul

Elsewhere in CSP2, Michelle Hayward has been perfection personified so far with eight wins from nine races. Morris Hart is the one to have prevented Hayward from taking a clean sweep thus far and Hart will need to be on top form once again to prevent the #87 from extending her points lead.

Pippa Tanner-Wood is the pace-setter in CSP3 with John Lambert bidding to close the gap too.

Brentwood School A win British Schools Karting Championship for third consecutive year

The British Schools Karting Championship final had a familiar feel to it at Whilton Mill this past weekend (June 30) as Brentwood School A once again triumphed to clinch a third title in as many years.

Having seen the competition whittled down through a raft of local and regional finals, 26 schools/colleges descended on the Northamptonshire venue for ten blockbuster races.

Remaining with the same driver line-up that guided them to the crown in 2017 of Callum Brooks, Ethan Brooks and Iaroslav Kovalev, Brentwood School A proved that consistency was key during the final, notching just one victory and a string of front-running performances.

Basking in the searing sun, the action kicked off with a victory apiece for BRA A and Peter Symonds A before Brooklands College came to the fore.

Winning races three, four and five, the Surrey-based college asserted themselves as the team to beat however the reigning champions ensured that that wasn’t to be the case for long.

Sidcot and Woodmill High School brought Brooklands College’s winning streak to an end in races six and seven before Brentwood School finally struck. Dominating proceedings in race eight, the champion trio bagged vital points in the remaining two races, won by Sidcot and SHSB A, to clinch the title by four points.

Triumphing for the third year in-a-row, Brentwood School A retained their crown whilst Brooklands College and Peter Symonds A were left to round out the remaining podium positions.

As a reward for their victory, Brentwood School A will be given a Heritage Tour of the Williams Grand Prix Collection, which is home to a multi-million pound Grand Prix Collection that has more than 40 Williams Formula One cars on display.

There was a further prize for Ethan Brooks too as he was the recipient of a spot on the Ginetta Junior Scholarship. Set to battle against a host of other 14 to 17-year-old’s, if Brooks is successful at the Scholarship then he will be given a free entry into 2019 Ginetta Junior Championship.

Barnet & Southgate College’s Taylor Norton rounded out the list of winners as he set the fastest lap of the day. Norton was presented with tickets to a British GT meeting for setting a blistering pace.

Information on how your school or college can get involved in the 2019 British Schools Karting Championship can be found by visiting the BSKC website.

BARC championships dazzle at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club produced two days of memorising racing this past weekend (June 2/3) at Donington Park, with six championships in action.

On what was a scorching event both on and off the track, the Leicestershire-based venue proved to be a fitting backdrop for the latest chapter of championship action across all categories.

In the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns, three high-octane encounters served up a feast of thrills ’n’ spills. At the wheel of his Mallock MK23, Clive Wood proved to be the driver to beat as he charged to a trio of victories – all by more than ten seconds.

As Wood emerged as the yardstick for those behind to beat, a host of contenders all picked up rostrum finishes. Ian Crombie, Monika Arvidsson, Peter Richings and Michael Mallock all secured silverware over the course of the weekend too.

Boasting an entry list of more than 20 iconic German machines, the Kumho BMW Championship delivered two action-packed races. In the opening encounter, James Card piloted his BMW M3 E46 to victory, a mere two seconds ahead of Piers Reid.

Missing out on top spot in race one, Reid made no mistake in the second bout of the weekend as he too drove his M3 to win, narrowly pipping Garrie Whittaker.

Dave Rees was perfection personified in the Mighty Minis Championship, bagging a brace of victories whilst Paul Roddison did the same in the Max5 Racing Championship. Roddison’s double further underlined his dominance in the one-make Mazda series as he extended his win tally to seven victories from eight races.

Fans of single seater racing were treated over the course of the weekend too virtue of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship.

Winding the clock back to a bygone era of open-wheeled racing, both races delivered exhilarating entertainment and ultimately saw Benn Tilley steer his Merlyn Mk20 to victory in both races. Ben Tinkler and Nigel Lingwood could only watch on and occupy the remaining podium positions as Tilley added to his impressive record in 2018.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship rounded off the action from the Club, bringing together some of the most iconic models from the much-loved marques.

Spoils were to be shared come the end of the weekend with Martin Willis in his MG F and Steve Darbey in his MG ZR taking a win apiece.

In addition to the BARC championship action, MSA British Superkarts also duked it out around the sweeping curves under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Ten championships head to Brands Hatch for BARC bonanza

The British Automobile Racing Club is set for a blockbuster weekend (May 12/13) of racing at Brands Hatch as a total of ten different championships write the latest chapter in their 2018 campaigns.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series hits the track for the third time this season with reigning champion Ben Palmer firmly in control of the standings. Perfection personified so far, Palmer has won all four races and has shown no signs of letting up in the Race class. Simon Freeman and Ben Colburn are the champion’s nearest challengers and both will be looking to bring his winning run to an end.

In the Road category, Nic Harrison has enjoyed a similar level of dominance and he is also bidding to retain the title he won last year. Four wins from four races leaves James Joannou and Darren Geeraerts needing to fightback in Kent.

Providing a cost effective first step on the motorsport level for drivers aged between 14 to 17-years-old, the Junior Saloon Car Championship is set to dazzle those in attendance over the weekend. Already visiting Silverstone and Rockingham, the one-make tin top category sees Joel Wren leading the way after scoring a dominant double last time out, however Ben Kasperczak, who also netted a pair of wins at the curtain-raiser, is hot on his heels.

Peter Sparrows will look to extend his slender lead in the 2CV Parts.com Championship as the much-loved category heads to Brands Hatch. Emerging as the man to beat at Cadwell Park, Sparrows will look to further cement his status as the early pace setter, with reigning champion Lien Davies and Tom Perry in close proximity.

The BARC Clubmans Sport Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns will kick off a five-event season this weekend, with a healthy grid of cars. Front-engined sports racing cars that originated in Britain in 1965, the championship has become a stable of the BARC and this year’s crop of racers are set to put on a memorable show. Notable names to keep an eye on include Barry Webb, Peter Richings and Ben Mallock.

All three of the BARC South Eastern Centre championships will be in action over both days too, with it all to play for after their Easter season-opener. The BARC Modified Saloon Car Championship sees Adrian Bradley and Steve Rothery tied on points at the top of the standings whilst Rikki Taylor holds a slender advantage over Daniel Fisher in the BARC South East Tin Tops Championship. Expect fireworks from both categories as some of the most much-loved saloon cars do battle.

Elsewhere, Malcolm Blackman will be looking to continue his strong start to the year in the Scrapco Metal/Avon Tyres Intermarque Championship. Blackman swept his way to a pair of wins at Brands Hatch last month and is shaping up to be a formidable force at this early stage in the year.

Rounding off the bumper programme of racing around the Indy layout will be the BARC Saloon Series, Honda VTEC Challenge and Classic VW Cup. Amalgamating grids between themselves, this trio of categories have enjoyed a strong start to the 2018 campaign with bumper grids and a diverse range of cars competing.; all of which is set to continue here.

Rockingham serves up BARC weekend to remember

It was all-out action at Rockingham this past weekend (April 14/15) as the British Automobile Racing Club produced a blockbuster two days of racing, with a host of championships coming to the fore.

On what was the first of what are set to be many visits that the Club will make to the Corby circuit over the course of the 2018 campaign, wheel-to-wheel edge-of-the-seat thrills were on order from the get-go.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship roared into life for a new season with another jaw-dropping array of cars and drivers making up the entry list. In the shorter 50-minute sprint race, Richard Neary powered his Mercedes AMG GT GT3 to victory ahead of the Ferrari 458 GT3 pairing of David Mason and Ross Wylie.

Neary notched a second sprint race win later in the day as the longer two-hour endurance race began to unfold. Following a total of 79 laps being completed, Andreas Demetriou and Luke Williams of Black Mamba Racing stormed to take the chequered flag, a mere three seconds ahead of the KTM X-Bow duo of Mike McCollum and Sean Cooper.

Ben Palmer continued his dominance of the Michelin Clio Cup Series, making it four wins from four races with another double at Rockingham. Living up the mantel of defending champion, Palmer once again swept his way to the top step of the podium in both races, further strengthening his position at the top of the points. The road class saw Nic Harrison win twice too.

The Renault UK Clio Cup Junior Championship saw similar levels of dominance with Gus Burton propelling himself to the top of the point’s standings after notching two wins.

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Joel Wren staked his claim as a credible title contender with a double of his own. In what turned out to be another frenetic weekend for the Citroen Saxo category, Wren made a lightening start in race one to take a commanding lights-to-flag victory.

Despite finishing second on the road in race two, Wren was declared the winner following a post-race exclusion for Ben Kasperczak, making it a dream weekend for him. Kasperczak picked up a rostrum finisher in the opener with Steven Chandler. Frankie Taylor and Charlotte Birch meanwhile scored silverware in race two.

Scott Kendall and Nevan Kirkpatrick shared the spoils in the Mighty Minis Championship whilst the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw two wins go the way of Lee Sullivan in his MG ZR.

The curtain lifted on a new season for the Classic VW Cup with a variety of different models from the German brand doing battle. In what proved to be two thrilling encounters, Daniel Rose and Ken Lark proved to be in a league of their own, with Rose narrowly getting the better of Lark in his Golf to take both wins.

Rounding out the action at Rockingham was the new-for-2018 BARC Saloon Series, which also encompassed the Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge. Open to all manner of saloon cars, the latest series to align itself with the Club enjoyed a strong first showing.

Robert Burkinshaw claimed race honours both in the overall and the VTEC Challenge classifications whilst Alistair Lindsey and Jacob Carter took a win apiece in the BARC Saloons classification.

For the full race results from every championship, click here.

Alan Gow hails 2018 BTCC season as one of the ‘truly great years’

Alan Gow has hailed the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season as going down as one of the ‘truly great years’ in the series’ 60-year history following the Brands Hatch finale this past weekend (September 29/30).

Celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, the BTCC served up a record-breaking campaign which ultimately culminated in Team BMW’s Colin Turkington being crowned champion for a third time.

Boasting another capacity entry list, a total of 17 different drivers tasted victory at some stage through the 30-race campaign as the series travelled the length and breadth of the UK.

Handing the coveted trophy to Turkington on Sunday evening, the BTCC Series Director admitted was full of praise for the newly crowned three-time champion and the championship as a whole.

“This year has certainly lived up to all expectations, how it could it not!” Gow said. “Having 17 different race winners, the championship go down to the wire and a host of incredible races underlines why it will go down as one of the truly great years.

“There has never been an underserving champion and Colin is testament to that. He has shown he is championship material all year and to do it with one win speaks volumes of his consistency and ability to constantly rack up the points.

“It has arguably been the most competitive season in the BTCC; we’ve a record number of winners and the cars are so evenly matched. Cream always rises to the top and Colin is a class act.”

As the dust settles on the 2018 campaign, the focus towards 2019 will soon be on the horizon however Gow admits he isn’t thinking about that just yet.

He explained: “It is hard to see how we can top this year in 2019 but somehow we always seem to do so. I’m sure we will have another fantastic year next season but for now I am going to sit back and think about how well this year has gone.”