Category: Barc

Caterham Motorsport headlines action-packed weekend at Snetterton

Caterham Motorsport headlined an entertaining two days of track action as the British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Snetterton this past weekend (August 19/20).

Basked in bright sunshine, the Norfolk venue – which is set to host more BARC wheel-to-wheel thrills in just a few days time – provided the backdrop to no less than 22 races in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Having produced edge-of-the-seat entertainment wherever they have been so far this season, it came as no surprise that Caterham’s quintet of championships topped the billing in spectacular style on the near three-mile 300 layout. 

Ahead of their appearance on the British Touring Car Championship support package next month, the Avon Tyres Caterham Seven UK Championship served up a trio of pulsating contests that were won by Stephen Lyall, Aaron Head and Lewis Thompson.

The Adrian Flux Insurance Caterham Academy produced four equally frenetic encounters with Jonathan Emery and Nick Highton scoring a win apiece in the Green Group whilst Istvan Demes and Matthew Kirtland did the same in the White Group.

Ben Timmons was perfection personified in the Vertex Caterham Roadsport Championship as he claimed a brace of narrow victories, the first of which was clinched by the slender margin of just 0.158 seconds over Toby Ballard. 

In the Mission Motorsport Caterham Seven 270R Championship, Charlie Lower maintained his title charge with an impressive double win however he was denied a hat-trick by the ever-impressive Duncan Mallard.

Rounding out the flurry of Caterham thrills were three races from the Motul Caterham Seven 310R Championship, all of which won by the superlative Jack Sales. 

The MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport also featured over the course of the weekend and it provided arguably one of the standout performances as Charlie Newton-Darby romped to a hat-trick of race wins in commanding fashion.

Elsewhere, Tommy Grout triumphed in the Uncle Luke’s Snetterton Saloons whilst Lee Harpham and Tom Rushforth shared the spoils in The Super Series by British Superkart Racing Club’s three contests.

To view the full classification of results from Snetterton, CLICK HERE. 

North Western Centre set for anniversary celebrations at Oulton Park in October

The BARC’s North Western Centre is set to mark the 40th Anniversary on its own Sports/Saloon Championship later this year with a celebrate as its Oulton Park race meeting on Saturday 14th October.

It was at Oulton Park on the 31st March 1984 that the championship, then a Special GT Challenge, held its first round with a small grid of 10 cars starting the race and Bob Trotter cruising to victory in his Ford Escort RS2000.

The Challenge became a Championship the following year and within a few years the average grid had increased to over 30 cars. Over the 40 years of friendly but competitive racing, the Centre has run over 460 races, in which over 700 drivers have competed.

Chris Maries currently holds the record for starting the most races at 222 in no less than 25 or so different cars. Ric Wood, owner of CNC Heads – the championship’s current sponsor – has across a staggering 35 years of the category.

The strength of the championship has been built on stability of the regulations, firm but fair application of the regulations and cost effective, non-contact competition.

There is no registration fee, entry fees are kept as low as possible, which has resulted in increased grids that allow for the low level of fees. In addition competitors only pay for their time on track as refunds are given for sessions missed for valid reasons.

These principles plus the family atmosphere in the Paddock should allow for the continued health of the championship.

The North Western Centre thanks all of its current sponsors, CNC Heads and CSP Car Service Packs, for their continued support. 

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend – August 19/20

The British Automobile Racing Club sets course for Norfolk this weekend (August 19/20) for the first of two race meetings at Snetterton this month.

Taking centre stage around the 300 layout across Saturday and Sunday, Caterham Motorsport will headline proceedings with all five of their championships continuing their respective 2023 campaigns.

Joining them will be the runners and riders from the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport, Snetterton Saloons and the British Superkarts Racing Club.

Below is all the information you’ll need to know to keep up-to-date with all the action that is being broadcast live:

SNETTERTON

Saturday 19th August // 12:45 – WATCH HERE

Sunday 20th August // 08:45 – WATCH HERE

To find out more information about this weekend’s race meeting, CLICK HERE.

Connor Mills crowned inaugural Legends Cars Elite Cup champion in dramatic fashion

Connor Mills wrote himself into the history books at Knockhill this past weekend (August 12/13) as he was crowned the inaugural Champion of the Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM. 

On what proved to be a breathtaking finale north of the border, Mills overturned an 80-point deficit in the final race of the series to clinch the coveted crown ahead of Robert Barrable and Jack Parker. 

Mills had begun the 5/8 scale series – which was supporting the British Touring Car Championship across three events this year – having barrel rolled into the Paddock Hill Bend gravel trap at Brands Hatch back in May but he bounced back in supreme style.

Notable performances at Croft brought him back into contention arriving at Knockhill, where just about everything happened amidst atrocious weather conditions at times. 

The Team HARD supported driver blasted his way to victory in Saturday’s final by a mere 0.005 seconds; which set him up for a Sunday that will undoubtedly live long in the memory. 

Picking up pivotal points in the opening contest, Mills went on to withstand a barrage of attacks in heat two to triumph and crucially keep him within striking distance of then category leader Barrable. 

With both drivers starting the near the back of the 31-car field, the race to be champion was on. Slicing their way up the order, Barrable unfortunately found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time as he was caught up in a multi-car accident at the hairpin.

Mills meanwhile managed to make his way through the melee untroubled, moving into the top ten in the process, and from there he climbed up to seventh to take the title by just 20 points.

“I didn’t know where I’d finished [in the final race],” said Mills. “I tried to take two cars at the last corner, I’ve never gone so hard on the brakes in my life! The car is bits and bones, I’ve never ragged a car like that in my life. 

“There is a lot of hard work that goes into this, it’s a real team effort. At the start of the year we barrel rolled into Paddock Hill Bend [at Brands Hatch] and now we’ve won the title! 

“Big thanks to everyone, Team HARD and especially my Mum and Dad. It’s good to get another title as a Dad and lad operation!”

Following the conclusion of the Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM, next on the schedule for the drivers and teams will be the resumption of the Legends Cars Championship with allgrowth Ltd – which takes place at Snetterton on October 7/8.

Convoy in the Park serves up spectacular weekend of action at Donington Park

Donington Park played host to a spectacular two days of track action this past weekend (August 12/13) as the British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage for the 2023 edition of Convoy in the Park. 

On what proved to be a race meeting that will live long in the memory for the thousands of spectators that flocked to the world-famous Leicestershire venue; a total of six championships and one all-new guest category put on an unmissable on-track show. 

Headlining the action on the 1.64-mile National layout were five blockbusters contests from the British Truck Racing Championship, where there was entertainment aplenty across both Division 1 and Division 2. 

In Division 1, Ryan Smith’s pursuit of an unprecedented eighth consecutive title remained on course as he swept his way to a hat-trick of race wins. Simon Reid prevented the Daimler Freightliner driver from a clean sweep as he bagged a brace of his own in the remaining races.

Over in Division 2, Paul Rivett enjoyed one of the strongest weekend’s of his BTRC career to-date as he thrust himself firmly in title contention with a near wheel-perfect performance. The NAPA Racing UK scored a stunning four wins and had it not been for a retirement in race one, it could have been five. Instead, John Powell clinched an important victory. 

That wasn’t to be the only truck racing that took place though as the brand-new International Truck Prix – which boasted an entry list packed with high-profile names including Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness MBE – made its long-awaited debut.

Former BTRC race winner turned FIA European Truck Racing competitor Jamie Anderson underlined his credentials with a masterful performance as he scooped three of the four race wins that were on offer over the course of the weekend.

Anderson came oh-so close to completing a clean sweep in the fourth contest however a sensational defensive drive from Mark Taylor ensured that a new face stood on the top step of the podium. 

Standing on top of the rostrum became a familiar feeling for Matt Simpson who got his title challenge back on-track with a hat-trick of wins in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship. 

The former BTCC race winner was at times in a league of his own as he blitzed the opposition to claim pole position in qualifying and from there he didn’t put a wheel wrong as he tallied of trio of victories in commanding fashion.

Dale Gent also picked up a win as the series squeezed in an additional contest which was carried over from Thruxton; having originally not taken place at the high-speed Hampshire venue due to timetable delays. 

The battle for supremacy in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw further twists and turns play out as both Scott Bugner and Steve McDermid scored a win apiece whilst spoils were also shared between Steve Harris and Andrew Southcott in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship.

Bryan Bransom was in imperious form in the Kumho BMW Championship as he swept his way to a brace of race wins. At the wheel of his BMW E46 M3, Bransom narrowly edged out James Card on two occasions to add to his already remarkable silverware collection. 

Concluding the weekend’s track action at Donington Park were two races from the Avon Tyres/Wheel Images Intermarque Silhouette Series, both of which were won by the formidable Lewis Smith.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Donington Park, CLICK HERE.

Classic Touring Cars headline tin top festival at Croft

The British Automobile Racing Club packed in an abundance of wheel-to-wheel entertainment across two days at Croft this past weekend (August 12/13) as the Classic Touring Car Racing Club took centre stage in North Yorkshire. 

Two weeks on from the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s annual visit to the 2.10-mile circuit, tin tops from a variety of eras had those in attendance on the edge of their seats as they wrote the latest chapter of what has already been an action-packed season.

Headlining proceedings were two races from the amalgamated Laser Tools Super Tourers, Burty Haulage Pre ’03 Touring Cars and Laser Tools Pre ’93 Touring Cars; which showcased machines that are often revered fondly amongst BTCC folklore.

Stewart Whyte piloted his ex-Tom Kristensen 2000 Honda Accord to victory ahead of Jason Hughes in the weekend’s opening contest and the experienced racer then doubled his account on Sunday, heading Ian Bower in race two.

The Poultec Pre ’66 Touring Cars and Orange Aero Pre ’83 Touring Cars saw William Davison take a clean sweep of wins whilst Bower and Nick Vaughan triumphed in the Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder and Burton Power Blue Oval Saloon Series bouts.

Concluding the Classic Touring Car Racing Club action were two races from the Berkshire Jag Components Jaguar Challenge, which were won by Colin Philpott.

Elsewhere, the Junior Saloon Car Championship maintained the theme of high-speed thrills and spills with two blockbuster races that will undoubtedly play a critical role in deciding who is crowned champion come the end of the season. 

Arriving at Croft in the pound seat at the top of the standings, Daire Flock was wheel-perfect in race one as he converted pole position into a comfortable lights-to-flag victory ahead of Jack James and Jonathan Moore.

Race two for the 14 to 17-year-old one-make series saw a carbon copy result as Flock once again resisted the race-long advances of James to claim victory and crucially, take a massive step towards being crowned champion.

Concluding the weekend’s on-track entertainment were no less than six pulsating races from the Morphmy Caterham Graduates Championship. 

Ben Wheatley and Richard Groom enjoyed a share of the spoils in the trio of Sigma 135 contests whilst Will Stilwell blasted his way to an impressive hat-trick of race wins in the combined Sigma 150 and Sigmax bouts.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Croft, CLICK HERE.

TOCA support championships make an entertaining splash at Knockhill

Blockbuster entertainment ran throughout the TOCA support package this past weekend (August 12/13) as four championships put on an unmissable on-track show at Knockhill.

Making the annual trip north of the border along with the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, a capacity crowd were treated to an abundance of thrills and spills in remarkable and ever-changing weather conditions.

Connor Mills wrote his name into the history books at Knockhill last weekend as he became the first-ever champion of the Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM. 

On what – as always – was an entertaining showing from the 5/8 scale series during its last appearance of the season on the BTCC support bill, Mills held his nerve to clinch the coveted crown ahead of Robert Barrable and Jack Parker.

Arriving at the Scottish venue holding a slender advantage in the standings, the former Formula Ford driver blasted his way to victory in the Round 5 Final and second heat of Round 6 to secure an unassailable lead in the fan-favourite category. 

Barrable had bolstered his own title chances with victory in the opening encounter but it wasn’t ultimately to be enough as Mills got the job done. Home hero Ryan McLeish chalked up an impressive brace of wins whilst Marcus Pett also triumphed in the remaining races.

Will Macintyre increased his lead in the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA after claiming his second win of the year. Macintyre had originally been demoted to second in race one following a track limits penalty however the decision was ultimately reversed.

The single-seater series – which has served as a launchpad for a number of drivers including current Formula 1 stars Lando Norris and Oscar Pastry – also saw Deagen Fairclough and Dion Gowda walk away enjoying a share of the remaining spoils that were on offer.

Dan Zelos extended his lead in the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE JCW as he charged to an impressive brace of wins. On the weekend that saw him become experienced driver on the grid in terms of race starts, the EXCELR8 Motorsport was at times wheel-perfect on his march to glory.

Hybrid Tune’s Will Orton denied Joe Tanner a famous home win in the opening encounter before Zelos came to the fore in races two and three, producing a pair of commanding performances to strengthen his chances of clinching a second title. 

Rounding out the weekend’s breathtaking kerb-hopping were two races from the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain. JTR’s Gus Burton served up an imperious lights-to-flag victory in the opener before James Kellett chalked up his third win of the season in race two. 

To view the full classification of results from all TOCA support sessions at Knockhill, CLICK HERE.

The British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support categories continue their campaigns in less than two weeks’ time, returning to Donington Park to tackle the Grand Prix layout on August 26/27.

Jake Hill and Ashley Sutton blast to BTCC wins at wet and wild Knockhill

Jake Hill and Ashley Sutton blasted their way to victory at a wet and wild Knockhill this past weekend (August 12/13) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship delivered its most thrilling event of the season to-date.

Approaching the business end of the 2023 campaign, the annual trip north of the border had everyone on the edge of their seats as the country’s best tin-top drivers went wheel-to-wheel in remarkable weather conditions – with Hill and Sutton ultimately coming out on top.

As expected, Saturday’s qualifying session around the undulating 1.27-mile proved to be an ultra-competitive affair with more than half the grid covered by less than a second. At the top of the times, Sutton emerged as the driver to beat as he charged to pole position in style.

Despite encountering a few troubles in practice, the NAPA Racing UK driver progressed into  the Top Ten Showdown and then punched in a superlative lap to pip One Motorsport with Starline Racing’s Josh Cook to top spot by just 0.006s.

The session – which saw conditions improve from wet to dry – saw Hill bounce back from an earlier off to clinch third whilst home hero Rory Butcher and reigning champion Tom Ingram completed the top five.

Race one will undoubtedly go down as a modern day BTCC classic as Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Hill inherited victory. Sutton had looked on course for a comfortable win after Cook had crashed out but the tide – and the weather – soon changed. 

Heavy rain battered the circuit and within a minutes drivers began heading for the pit lane for wet tyres. Despite conditions continuing to worse, Sutton remained on slicks, showcasing sensational car control but it proved unsustainable and he too pitted after a brief safety car period.

Ingram had been one of the first front runners to dive into the pit lane and when the tyre change shuffle was complete, he emerged out front and cruised to victory ahead of Hill and team-mate Tom Chilton.

Unfortunately, Ingram’s joy soon turned to despair in parc ferme as both he and Chilton failed post-race ride height checks and were disqualified from the result. That gave Hill the win whilst Andrew Watson and Ricky Collard were promoted to complete the podium. 

Hill doubled up in a breathtaking race two as the BMW ace held off the charging Ford Focus of Sutton to clinch his fourth victory of the season.

Held in much drier conditions, Hill quickly established a commanding lead out front but all eyes were on Sutton as he carved his way up the order from sixth, moving into second and then setting off after the race one victor.

Closing down a two-second lead in a matter of laps, Sutton spectacularly launched his car all over the famous Knockhill kerbs but Hill’s defence was resolute throughout and they remained in position all the way to the chequered flag. Stephen Jelley completed the podium in third.

The weekend’s third and final race then belonged to three-time champion Sutton as he obliterated the field to clinch his eighth win of the season in appalling wet weather conditions.

Starting sixth, Sutton scythed his up to second with relative ease and then made a pass for the lead on home hero Ronan Pearson at mid-distance. From there, the championship lead splashed off into the distance to triumph by more than nine seconds.

Cook completed a remarkable turnaround to finish second having finished race one in the tyre wall. The Honda Civic ace emerged as one of the fastest on the grid all weekend as he battled back to salvage some silverware.

Completing the podium in race three was Ingram, who like Cook fought his way back from despair to maintain his championship hopes. Ingram had had to pass team-mate Pearson on the final lap, denying the young Scotsman a maiden BTCC podium. 

Heading back down south, Sutton now leads Ingram by 37 points in the Drivers’ Championship with BMW and NAPA Racing UK topping the Manufacturer-Constructor and Teams’ categories respectively after seven events. 

Josh Cook and One Motorsport with Starline Racing continue to close in on retaining their Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ crowns, whilst Mikey Doble is the current pace-setter in the Jack Sears Trophy. 

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Knockhill, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues in less than two weeks’ time when the series travels returns to Donington Park – albeit this time on the famous Grand Prix circuit for the first time in almost two decades – on August 26/27.

BARC’ing Mad Podcast: Episode 5 – August 11th 2023

Episode 5 of the British Automobile Racing Club’s new-for-2023 podcast, BARC’ing Mad, is now live and available to listen to.

In partnership with BP Fleet Solutions UK, the fortnightly podcast – which is hosted by Alan Hyde and Ian Waterhouse – is packed with full-throttle news, reviews and unmissable interviews.

The series’ fourth episode sees the hosts discuss the latest news and results from around the BARC with Event Manager David Wheadon before then speaking to Rennat Design’s Joe Tanner, who has become the go-to person for helmet painting and design by some of motorsport’s leading lights.

BARC’ing Mad is available to listen to across all popular podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Legends Cars Elite Cup ready to crown inaugural champion at Knockhill

History will be made north of the border this weekend (August 12/13) as the Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM gets set to crown its inaugural champion at Knockhill.

Debuting this year on the support bill of the British Touring Car Championship, the six-round series has proven to be a smash-hit and it concludes this weekend at what promises to be a captivating six-race finale.

Connor Mills heads to the undulating Fife venue in the pound seat after moving to the standings summit at Croft, where he claimed a maiden victory of the campaign in commanding style.

Ireland’s Robert Barrable has paired consistency and pace together to position himself second in the points, and with two wins to his name already he’ll be one to watch as the fight for title honours gets set to go down to the wire.

Jack Parker and Will Gibson have been in the mix since the opening rounds however misfortune last time out at Croft has seen them to drop to third and fourth respectively. Boasting a wealth of experience, both drivers are not to be discounted just yet.

Completing the top six in the standings is last year’s Legends Cars Rookie champion Ben Higgins and Marcus Pett. Just 40 points separate Gibson, Higgins and Pett and, with 200 points available for a victory, it’s clear just how tight the points battle is.

The top ten in the title race also features Andy Bird, Chris Needham, Oli Schlup and Nathan Anthony. Over in the battle for Rookie honours, Tyler Read holders a slender 30-point advantage over Andrew Rogerson.

Phil Cooper, Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM owner, said: “What a weekend we’re in for at Knockhill. It’s a rare visit to Scotland for us, so we’re looking forward to being there and especially as part of the BTCC event. 

“We’ve won a lot of new fans, and generated a lot of interest from new drivers as well, through the first two Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM events. I’m sure this weekend’s action at Knockhill will prove no different!

“Obviously the title battle took a turn at Croft, with both Jack Parker and Will Gibson encountering some misfortune and Connor Mills and Robert Barrable in a position to take advantage. 

“Plus, there are still 1,200 points to be won over the six Knockhill races so a lot can still change. It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens before we crown our first Elite Cup Champion on Sunday.”

To view the full event timetable for the Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM event at Knockhill, CLICK HERE.

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend – August 12/13

It’s poised to be another full-throttle couple of days for the British Automobile Racing Club this weekend (august 12/13) with events taking place at Knockhill and Donington Park – and they’re both available to watch live online.

Below is all the information you’ll need to know to keep up-to-date with all the action that is being broadcast live:

KNOCKHILL

The battle for supremacy in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is set to ramp up this weekend as the UK’s premier motorsport series travels north of the border to Knockhill.

Three headline BTCC races will be complimented by a bumper support bill which includes the Legends Cars Elite Cup with JLM, ROKiT F4 British Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE JCW.

Saturday 12th August // 15:00 – WATCH HERE

Sunday 13th August // 11:15 – 18:15 – WATCH HERE

DONINGTON PARK

At Donington Park, the British Truck Racing Championship hits the halfway point in the season at headlines Convoy in the Park; one of the biggest truck festivals that is held in the UK every year.

Staging five colossal contests, the BTRC will be joined by the International Truck Prix, Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Kumho BMW Championship, CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship and Lancaster Insurance MGOC Championship.

Saturday 12th August // 12:20 – WATCH HERE

Sunday 13th August // 09:50 – WATCH HERE

To find out more information about this weekend’s race meetings, CLICK HERE.

Goodwood announces dates for 81st Members’ Meeting

Goodwood has announced that it will kick off its 2024 motorsport season next year in style with the 81st Goodwood Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport confirmed to be taking place on the 13/14 April.

Renowned as being one of the standout events on the UK racing calendar every Spring, the two-day event will see members of the Goodwood Road & Racing Club reconvene for what promises to be a weekend to remember.

Packed with racing, demonstrations, festivities and fireworks, next edition will mark ten years since the Goodwood Members’ Meeting returned.

Tickets for the 81st Members’ Meeting will go on sale later this month. GRRC Members will have an exclusive purchase window that opens on Monday 21st August before GRRC Fellows can purchase on Thursday 31st August.