Category: Barc

Silverstone Grand Prix circuit features on final 2023 ROKiT British F4 calendar

The ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA will make a first ever visit to the full Silverstone Grand Prix circuit next year after revealing its final 2023 calendar.

Continuing to support the British Touring Car Championship at nine of the ten scheduled events next season, the championship will break new ground as the first ever FIA-certified Formula 4 series to hold a race meeting around the full, 3.6-mile Grand Prix layout, held in support of the British Endurance Championship on 23-25 June 2023.

The championship’s usual format – two practice sessions, qualifying and three 20-minute races – will be adhered to, ensuring competitors retain the same 30-race schedule, with plenty of track time to aid their driver development.

Hugh Chambers, Chief Executive Officer of Motorsport UK, said: “It’s another excellent step forward for ROKiT British F4 to visit the full Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone as part of the 2023 calendar.

“With additional trips to Donington and Brands Hatch’s Grand Prix circuits, as well as the other premier circuits in the UK, the calendar will serve as an excellent learning platform for young drivers.

“We have always placed a great deal of importance on listening and engaging with the paddock, and we know all the teams will be excited by the make-up of the series for next year.”

Caterham Seven Championship UK to support BTCC at Silverstone in 2023

Caterham has announced that its top-tier racing series, the Caterham Seven Championship UK, will join the British Touring Car Championship support bill at Silverstone on September 23/24 next year. 

Having already announced that it will race with the British Automobile Racing Club in 2023, Caterham will write the latest chapter in the illustrious motorsport history by competing on the TOCA package for the first-ever time. 

In what is poised to be the championship finale for the one-make series next year, a highly skilled grid of Caterham competitors will have the opportunity to showcase their talents not only in front of a bumper trackside audience but also live on ITV4.

Simon Lambert, Caterham’s Chief Motorsport & Technical Officer, said: “To be able to associate ourselves with one of the most prestigious racing series on the planet is an historic landmark moment for our brand.

“Our racers will not only get the opportunity to race at Silverstone, they’ll also be competing on mainstream television and in front of the fantastic crowds that attend BTCC events.”

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, added: “It’s a great opportunity for the Caterham Seven Championship UK to join the TOCA package for our event at Silverstone next season. 

“I’m sure they will enjoy the great atmosphere and exposure that the BTCC brings with it, whilst our loyal fanbase will enjoy the fantastic entertainment that Caterham racing so often delivers!”

Champions crowned in contrasting conditions at Donington Park

Champions were crowned in contrasting conditions this past weekend (October 22/23) as the British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Donington Park. 

On what proved to be an action-packed title decider under the flightpath of East Midlands airport, five championships put on a feast of entertainment for those in attendance in both wet and dry conditions. 

The British Endurance Championship concluded its inaugural season in dramatic fashion, with the destiny of the title being decided in the final few laps of what was a captivating two-hour contest.

After a frenetic start – which saw the safety car make three appearances in the opening 15 minutes – the finale of what has been a year to remember soon settled down, with a number of different teams hitting the front. 

Heading into the final half hour, title contenders Wayne Marrs and Tom Jackson put their Rob Boston Racing Mercedes GT3 to within touching distance of the crown as they assumed a lead they would ultimately never lose.

Needing to overturn a slender two-point deficit, Marrs and Jackson did all they could do up front and behind, things were soon set to fall their way to ensure they wrote their name in the history books as not only race winners but champions. 

On course for victory in Class C and the overall title, a small mistake by the RNR Performance Ferrari 458 Challenge – driven by Chris Goddard, Charlie Hollings and Jamie Stanley – in the closing stages ensured victory for the Mercedes pair.

Team BRIT wrote the latest feel-good chapter in their ever-growing story by clinching the overall title in the Britcar Trophy. Heading into the final round of the year holding a narrow advantage in the points, Chris Overend and James Whitley did enough to guide their BMW M240i to championship glory.

Whilst many eyes were transfixed on the battle for title supremacy, Rob Boston Racing took a clean sweep of endurance wins over the course of the weekend. William Stacey piloted the stunning Lotus Elise to a brace of wins in significantly different conditions, with the first coming in torrential rain and the second just as the sun set on a dry track. 

Jimmy Broadbent and Gordie Mutch wrapped up the Praga Cup title in emphatic fashion, claiming two commanding victories. Arriving at the Leicestershire track firmly in control at the summit of the standings, the Fanatec Team 87 pairing laid down their marker to the rest of the field with a superlative lap in qualifying to clinch pole position. 

From there, Broadbent and Mutch reigned supreme – and in some style too – as they charged to victory in race one, giving them an unassailable lead in the series. With the championship sorted, Sunday’s second bout saw them put the explanation point on a dominant campaign by scoring yet another race win. 

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club produced an abundance of edge-of-the-seat entertainment as expected, with no less than eight races of nostalgic saloon car action playing out around Donington’s Grand Prix layout.

Barry Sime and James Ibbotson scored a win apiece in the Poultec Classic Race Engines Pre-66 Touring Cars contests whilst Colin Philpott and newly crowned Jaguar champion Tom Robinson did the same in the amalgamated Shell Oils Pre 83 Touring Cars and Berkshire Jags Jaguar Challenge races.

Elsewhere, spoils were shared between Andrew Wilson and Kirk Armitage in the Classic & Historic Thunder Saloons/Blue Oval Saloons Series races. Rounding out the tin top fun were two bouts from the combined Laser Tools Pre 93 & Super Tourers and Burty Haulage Pre 03 Touring Cars, where Jason Hughes and Stewart Whyte ran out as the overall winners. 

Matt Hammond ensured that the title fight in the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy will go down to the wire at Brands Hatch next month after scoring two impressive wins. 

On a weekend that could have seen Nelson King secure an unassailable lead in the standings, the reigning champion dug deep to keep the championship battle rolling on and maintain his faint hopes of securing back-to-back crowns. 

Hammond tip-toed his way round a sodden track to score victory in race one before then adding to his silverware collection in a frenetic finale. In-between those victories, Joe Wiggin came to the fore to score victory in race two.

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

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Donington Park – October 22/23

Champions will be crowned at Donington Park this weekend (October 22/23) as the British Automobile Racing Club takes centre stage at the Leicestershire venue for an action-packed two days.

On what promises to be a title deciding spectacle under the flightpath of East Midlands airport, the gloves are set to come off as the battle for supremacy further intensifies.

The British Endurance Championship will conclude its inaugural season with a two-hour contest whilst both the Britcar Trophy Championship and Praga Cup will also look to sign off their campaigns in style.

Thrills and spills will undoubtedly be served up by the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, with the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy also joining the bill for the penultimate event of their season.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 13:00 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 09:30 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Donington Park including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

Goodwood reveal 2023 dates for Festival of Speed & Revival events

Goodwood has announced its dates for the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by MasterCard and 2023 Goodwood Revival meetings.

With the dust having now settled on another successful year in West Sussex, Goodwood has completed its calendar for 2023, having previously confirmed that the 80th Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport will take place on 

Following the season opening in April, attention will turn to the Festival of Speed on July 13-16 before concluding with the Revival meeting, which retains its annual mid-September slot, taking place on September 8-10.

It’s set to be a milestone year for all 2023 will see the famous venue commemorate 75 years of motorsport at Goodwood. It will also signify 30 years of the Festival of Speed, 25 years of the Revival and 25 years of the Goodwood Road Racing Club.

Commenting on the announcement of next year’s events, The Duke of Richmond, said: “Following a spectacular season at Goodwood, we’re delighted to announce the dates of our 2023 motorsport events, as we start preparing for an exhilarating year both on and off the track.

“Twenty twenty-three is already set to be very special as we celebrate 75 years of motorsport at Goodwood, encompassing 25 years of the Goodwood Road Racing Club, 30 years of the Festival of Speed and 25 years of Revival – it’s certainly going to be an unmissable year.”

BARC North West Centre concludes season in style at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club’s North West Centre concluded its 2022 season this past Saturday (October 15) with an action-packed one-day meeting at Oulton Park.

Basking in the autumnal sunshine at the Cheshire venue, three of the Club’s championships took centre stage to bring the curtain down on their own campaigns and serve up plenty of edge-of-the-seat entertainment to those that had flocked trackside.

Headlining the action was four blockbuster encounters from the Caterham Graduates Championship. After a season of big grids and close-quarter racing, the single-make series capped off a year to remember with yet more thrills and spills around the International layout.

In the amalgamated Sigmax and Sigma 135 races, nobody could stop Harry Senior. Having wrapped up the Sigmax crown prior to the finale, you could be forgiven in thinking that Senior might have taken his foot off the throttle but that wasn’t to be the case at all.

Storming to pole position in qualifying, Senior led home Stephen Arnell and Jamie Winrow by more than seven seconds in the opening contest before edging out Max Haynes and Andy Molsom by the larger margin of 35 seconds in race two.

The Sigma 150 races had everyone captivated too as Ben Winrow and Stephen Clark put on a show. They could hardly be separated in a pulsating first bout, where Winrow triumphed by a little over three tenths of a second. Clark would then strike back in race two as he scored a victory of his own, this time from Jamie Ellwood and Harry Cramer. 

Spoils were shared in the North West Centre’s flagship category, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, which boasted an impressive entry list of more than 30 cars. 

Jon Woolfitt – who has been one of the leading lights in the championship this year – guided his Spire GTR to victory lane in race one before Roddie Paterson scored a memorable win at the wheel of his Caterham C400 in the day’s second and final contest.

The Kumho BMW Championship also saw two different drivers stand on the top step of the podium over the course of their finale. Russell Dack reigned supreme ahead of Bryan Bransom and James Card in the day’s opening race before Jason West led home Card and Dack in race two. 

Rounding out the track action around the picturesque 2.692-mile circuit was three full-throttle races from The Super Series by the British Superkart Racing Club. Andy Gulliford, Matt Robinson and Paul Platt claimed top honours, chalking up a win apiece. 

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

Porsche Sprint Challenge GB to race exclusively with TOCA in 2023

Porsche Motorsport GB has confirmed that the Porsche Visit Cayman Islands Sprint Challenge GB is poised for a series of exciting evolutions in 2023 – one of which includes the championship racing exclusively alongside the British Touring Car Championship.

Entering its fourth season and retaining the use of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, the one-make series will continue to offer drivers two competitive classes to compete in; Pro and Am. 

Starting in 2023 as part of a three-year agreement, the category will enjoy a larger presence than ever before as it features on the TOCA package across six weekends in support of the BTCC, four of those being alongside the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. 

Furthermore, the series will expand its calendar from 15 to 18 races next year, with each weekend comprising of three races.

James MacNaughton, Porsche GB Motorsport Manager, said: “Porsche Sprint Challenge GB enters its fourth and biggest season yet in 2023. As it has since its inception in 2020, the championship will continue to represent an important level of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid with the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. However, we are excited we’re taking it one step further by growing its presence on the UK motorsport scene year on year.

“TOCA weekends have always formed an essential part of the Sprint Challenge GB calendar and, from 2023, Porsche Cars Great Britain is delighted that the championship will amplify its profile by appearing exclusively on the TOCA package. As part of a larger presence at every TOCA meeting for Porsche, four weekends will see the championship operate alongside Carrera Cup GB, underlining the development available to both competitors and teams.

“Porsche Carrera Cup GB’s traditional position as part of the TOCA package – running in support of the British Touring Car Championship – has taught us that the combination of live terrestrial television coverage and a paddock packed with motorsport enthusiasts provides drivers and teams with an unrivalled platform. For Porsche, the opportunity to expand Sprint Challenge GB’s relationship with TOCA was unmissable.”

Tom Ingram: “This is a lifelong dream come true”

Tom Ingram admitted that clinching a maiden Kwik British Touring Car Championship title at Brands Hatch last weekend (October 8/9) as a ‘lifelong dream come true’.

Having previously missed out on the coveted crown on a number of occasions, the Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com driver produced a flawless performance at the Kent to come out on top of a thrilling four-way battle for outright honours.

Ingram went into the final weekend of the season sitting third in the points but pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session put him in the pound seat for race day in front of a packed trackside crowd. 

Converting pole into a brace of lights-to-flag victories in the opening two races, the 29-year-old went into last race with an 11-point advantage where a fine drive to fifth place was enough see him crowned champion.

Commenting on his title success, Ingram said: “I can’t believe it – this is a lifelong dream come true. I’ve been thinking about this moment for literally my entire life. The BTCC is what I always wanted to do. It’s what I always wanted to win. I’ve had a few years of coming into the finale with a chance and it not quite working out, so I honestly can’t put into words what this means and what an incredible feeling it is.

“I felt so relaxed going into the weekend, really chilled and actually more excited than anything else. I also knew I would need to attack – this was not the time to be ‘pointsy’ – and in all my years of driving around in circles, I’ve maybe only once before had a car as good as the Hyundai was at Brands Hatch.

“I said at the start of the weekend that after coming so close on so many occasions, I really didn’t want to be the bridesmaid anymore and it’s insane to think we’ve finally done it. I’ve got an absolutely fantastic team around me at Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com – they’ve worked tirelessly all year to make this happen, and this title is as much theirs as it is mine.

“I honestly cannot thank every single person who has helped me along this journey enough. I fell in love with the BTCC when I was just five-years-old, and when you’ve devoted your whole life to something, as my family and I have done… I simply don’t have the words. This isn’t going to sink in for quite some time.”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns in 2023, with Donington Park providing the backdrop for the season-opener on April 22/23.

Thruxton launches Hendy Performance Coffee Run

Thruxton Circuit has announced that its first Hendy Performance Coffee Run will take place on Sunday 23rd October, with future Coffee Run events then scheduled to take place on every third Sunday of the month.

The event – which aims to be the biggest cars and coffee meet-up throughout the winter in the south of the UK – will allow enthusiasts to park their pride and joy and mix with like-minded people, all within the surroundings of the fastest circuit in the country.

Boasting plenty of tarmac paddock space, there won’t be dedicated club areas but if you arrive together, you can park together. Families, children and well-behaved dogs (on a short lead) are all welcome.

Former Formula 1 driver and Top Gear presenter Tiff Needell will also be in attendance along with his new BMW M2, which he uses to give high-speed, sideways rides on driving experience days at the Hampshire venue. 

In addition, the Thruxton Centre will be open for refreshments and a bite to eat, so the event isn’t weather-dependent!

The event is free to attend and will start at 09:30. To register your attendance, please visit https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/coffee-run 

Tom Ingram crowned BTCC champion at Brands Hatch finale

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship brought the curtain down on its 2022 season at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 8/9) with Bristol Street Motors with TradePriceCars.com’s Tom Ingram being crowned champion for the first time ever. 

On what proved to be one of the most thrilling finales in the series’ illustrious history, the Hyundai i30N driver produced a flawless performance in front of a bumper crowd to overturn a seven-point deficit and write his name into the history books.

After being in contention for six successive seasons, the 29-year-old finally secured the most coveted prize in UK motorsport with pole position, two victories and a fifth place around the world-famous Grand Prix layout of the Kent circuit. 

Outgoing champion Ashley Sutton settled for runners-up laurels whilst Jake Hill, Colin Turkington and Rory Butcher rounded out the top five in the standings. 

NAPA Racing UK clinched the Teams’ Championship whilst BMW wrapped up the Manufacturer-Constructor Championship for a record-extending seventh consecutive year. 

Josh Cook claimed the Independent Drivers’ Championship for the first time whilst also helping Rich Energy BTC Racing do the same in the Independent Teams’ Championship. Bobby Thompson was the final champion to be crowned after he edged out George Gamble to lift the Jack Sears Trophy. 

Ingram’s pursuit of the title began during Saturday’s final qualifying session of the season where he obliterated the lap record to take pole position ahead of Butcher and Sutton. 

Lining up on the front row for the first of Sunday’s three bouts, the front-wheel-drive ace made a perfect getaway and despite having to deal with two safety car restarts, he didn’t put a wheel wrong to clinch a pivotal win which vaulted him to the standings summit.

Behind, Butcher held firm in second whilst Hill came out on top of an almighty battle for third which saw Sutton – who was suffering from a turbo failure – and Turkington firmly in the thick of the action. 

Race two saw Ingram extend his lead in the points and with it, take a giant leap towards what would be maiden crown, as he made it two out of two. Despite having to contend with immense pressure from Hill, the front-wheel-drive ace was perfection personified in his way to his fifth win of the season.

That result set up a three-way showdown heading into the final race of the season, with Ingram leading Hill by 11 points and Sutton a further three in arrears. 

Starting from tenth virtue of the reverse grid draw – which was made by Jason Plato on what was his final BTCC appearance – Ingram achieved what had been a lifelong dream as he claimed the crown with a superlative drive in the finale.

At the front, Daniel Lloyd ended a rollercoaster season with victory ahead of Cook and Butcher however it was the battle for fourth that had everyone’s attention. Sutton, Hill and Ingram ran nose-to-tail in the closing stages and following a last lap pass on Hill at Paddock Hill Bend, Ingram shadowed Sutton across the line to wrap up an emotional title victory.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Brands Hatch, as well as the final championship standings, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will return in 2023, with the start of brand-new season poised to start at Donington Park on April 22/23.

Thrills, spills and everything in-between for BARC at Pembrey

The British Truck Racing Championship took centre stage at Pembrey Circuit this past weekend (October 8/9) to headline what was an action-packed British Automobile Racing Club race meeting.

Entering the home stretch of the 2022 season, the weekend’s return to the picturesque Welsh venue not only saw some title battles intensify but also saw several champions crowned as well. 

The fight for supremacy in Division 1 of the British Truck Racing Championship is poised to go down to the wire with Ryan Smith leading a number of contenders for the coveted crown into Brands Hatch finale next month.

Serving up a blockbuster bonanza, the heavyweight behemoths made their mark with five thrilling races around the 1.45-mile National layout. Ryan Smith, Stuart Oliver, Simon Reid and John Newell all scored victory over the course of the weekend in autumnal conditions.

Division 2 saw its fair share of drama too with five different drivers standing on the top step of the rostrum across both days. Jock Borthwick kicked off proceedings before John Powell, Adam Bint, Brad Smith and points leader Luke Garrett all starred.

Thrills and spills were around almost every corner of the Junior Saloon Car Championship’s three races, which saw Maximus Hall record pole position and a commanding hat-trick of race wins.

Entering the weekend keen to make in-roads into Harry Hickton’s championship advantage, the Westbourne Motorsport produced a flawless performance behind the wheel of his Citroen Saxo to chalk up three lights-to-flag triumphs.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship signed off its season in style with three pulsating contests as Steve McDermid successfully retained his overall title.

Lee Sullivan got the better of McDermid in race one however it wasn’t long before the MG ZR driver was back on top, claiming outright honours in the remaining two contests later in the weekend. 

Adam Jones and Wayne Rockett proved to be the standout performers in the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires. A pole-to-flag victory initially gave Jones the upper hand early on however series veteran Rockett soon bounced back, clinching a brace of wins. 

Rounding out the weekend’s track action were two races from the always entertaining Welsh Sports/Saloon Car Championship. Boasting a bumper entry list that was packed with variety, Damian Longotano proved too much for the opposition as he claimed a dominant double.

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

Titles decided on blockbuster Brands Hatch weekend for TOCA supports

Champions weren’t just crowned in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 8/9), as titles were also decided across all five championships that make up the TOCA support bill. 

On what was an action-packed finale around the famous Grand Prix circuit, the bumper crowd in attendance were treated to a feast of wheel-to-wheel thrills as the battle for supremacy across each of the one-make categories reached an exciting crescendo. 

Kiern Jewiss clinched outright honours in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB with a virtuoso performance. Off the back of a dominant double at Silverstone, the Team Parker Racing driver arrived at the Kent venue with a commanding lead in the points and he did what was required of him to turn it into title glory. 

After qualifying on pole position, the former British F4 champion charged to victory in the opening encounter to secure an unassailable leader over his nearest challenger Will Martin, who suffered a scary accident at Paddock Hill Bend. Pro-Am champion Charles Rainford capped off the season with a sensational maiden overall win.

Ginetta’s final appearance on the TOCA package threw up plenty of edge-of-the-seat entertainment as both the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship and Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup titles were settled. 

Ahead of their full-time switch to SRO next year, the Yorkshire manufacturer said a fine farewell with six blockbuster races that will undoubtedly live long in the memory.

With confirmation that the GT4 Supercup would cease to exist at the end of the year, James Kellett capped off a sensational season by writing his name into the history books as the last-ever champion of the series. 

Having shattered multiple records on course to his coronation, the Century Motorsport driver brought the curtain down on the championship with a superlative display, chalking up a hat-trick of second place finishes.

Tom Emson – who entered the event as the only driver that could stop Kellett from being crowned – cemented his place as vice-champion by notching an impressive pair of race wins. DTO Motorsport’s Aston Miller then went on to clinch the series’ final win in a frenetic third bout.

Elsewhere, Josh Rowledge wrapped up the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship. Hot on the heels of clinching the Ginetta Junior Winter Series crown last year, the R Racing driver followed in the footsteps of many leading lights by capturing the prestigious junior crown.

After narrowly missing out on sealing the championship last time out at Silverstone, Rowledge stormed to second place in the opening contest to put himself out of reach of nearest rival Will Macintyre.

Fox Motorsport’s Liam McNeilly closed out his final season in the one-make category with a superb double win before Macintyre triumphed in Sunday’s final bout.

Sam Weller came out on top of a five-way battle to be crowned Quaife MINI CHALLENGE JCW champion. Fourth place in the opening race was good enough for the Hybrid Tune driver to secure an unassailable advantage at the top of the leaderboard. 

Saturday belonged to one of the form drivers from the latter half of the season, Alex Denning. Storming to pole position in qualifying, the Graves Motorsport ace converted it into a commanding victory in race one before repeating the feat later in the day. The weekend’s third and final contest saw Sam Smith score victory.

The ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA crowned Alex Dunne as its new champion; despite the Hitech GP driver electing to miss the season finale to focus on maintaining his title challenge in the Italian F4 series. 

In what had been a dominant year, which included no less than 11 victories, the Irishman clinched the crown without turning a wheel. Carlin’s Oliver Gray – who was the only remaining driver that held a mathematical chance of stopping Dunne – was unable to score the required points needed across the weekend’s trio of races.

Joseph Loake and Eduardo Coseteng shared the spoils for the final time this season, capping off what has been a superb year for the series’ new era. 

To view the full classification of results from all TOCA support championships, as well as the final standings for each, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support package will return in 2023, with the new season scheduled to get underway at Donington Park on April 22/23.