Barc – Page 45 – Welcome to the BARC

Luke Armiger announced as 2020 CNC Heads Driver of the Year

Regular competitor, Luke Armiger, was announced as the 2020 David Gledhill Driver of the Year in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship.

Luke has been a regular competitor in the championship since 2014, competing in over 65 races in his very rapid Class B Vauxhall Tigra. Over these years Luke together with the rest of his family have put in considerable amount of mileage supporting the championship as they reside in Essex! Luke has won his class three times and in 2017 Team Armiger was presented with the Spirit of the Championship award. ‘Team Armiger’ is one of many families that support the championship and help give the championship its friendly and family image.

The usual method of determining the recipient of the prestigious award is for the marshals to vote at each meeting for their Driver of the Day with the total votes being totted up over the season to come up with an overall Driver of the Year. 2020 was different, as with Covid restrictions it was difficult to administer in the usual way so the Championship Committee decided to make the award based on performances over the season.

Although there were several worthy contenders it was unanimously agreed that for 2020 the award would go the Luke as he had competed in all the rounds, won his class at six of the eight rounds and is always fast, competitive and spectacular.

Luke and his Team were unable to be at the first meeting of the year at Oulton Park and it is hoped that the presentation will actually take place at the meeting at Oulton Park on the 12^th June.

Silverstone plays host to weekend to remember for Britcar and Classic Touring Cars

The British Automobile Racing Club delivered a spectacular two days of track action around the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this past weekend (April 24/25) which was headlined by the Britcar Endurance Championship and Classic Touring Car Racing Club.

Watched online by more than 140,000 people on the Club’s YouTube channel and by an additional 45,000 on the Club’s official Facebook page, the meeting proved to be one to remember.

The Britcar Endurance Championship delivered plenty of unmissable moments over the course of both days, especially in the Endurance class. On a weekend which saw the Praga category make its bow and make its presence known towards the sharp end of the field, nothing could stop the Lamborghini Huracan pairing of John Seale and Jamie Stanley from winning both encounters.

On Sunday, Britcar’s Trophy category took centre stage with a record entry to kick off its sophomore season. Whilst wheel-to-wheel action took place throughout the field, Woodrow Motorsport dominated proceedings out front as the BMW 1 Series duo of Simon Baker and Kevin Clarke powered their way to victory in both 50-minute races.

Variety was the spice of life in the Classic Touring Car Racing Club as the biggest grid in their 45-year history took to the Northamptonshire venue, providing plenty of thrills and spills along the way.

Richard Wood showcased that Aussie power couldn’t be matched as he drove his Holden Commodore to two wins in the combined Edmundson Electrical Classic/Historic Thunder Saloons and Blue Oval Saloon Series races whilst AJ Owen did the same in the Laser Tools Racing Pre ’03 Touring Cars and Simply Serviced Pre ’03 Touring Cars.

Elsewhere, Peter Smith piloted his Ford Lotus Cortina to an impressive double in the Poultec Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars. Tom Robinson rounded out the list of winners by clinching victory in both Shell Oils Pre ’83 Touring Cars & JEC Saloon & GT bouts.

The Mini 7 Racing Club undoubtedly had plenty of people on the edge of their seats as they watched at home as they served up a feast of entertainment across both the Miglia and Se7en classes.

In the Miglia category, Endaf Owens survived a last corner move from Andrew Jordan to emerge victorious after an eight-car race-long battle for the lead. Race two would see a similar story however this time it would be Nick Padmore that managed to hold off former BTCC champion Jordan to win.

Things were just as close throughout the field in the Se7en class however Joe Thompson was the driver that reigned supreme, claiming a brace of race wins.

Rounding off the weekend’s track action were a pair of pulsating races from the Maximum Networks Volkswagen Racing Cup incorporating Goodyear Touring Car Trophy and TCR UK.

Max Hart claimed the plaudits in race one as he drove his Hyundai i30 N TCR to victory by more than two seconds, setting his stall out as credible contender for the rest of the season. Lewis Kent would strike back in race two as he opened his account for the year with a measured drive to pip Hart.

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

Watch all of the action that was streamed live across both days on the BARC’s official YouTube HERE.

Blockbuster BARC action at Cadwell Park as six more championships blast into life

Six championships lifted the curtain on their 2021 seasons in spectacular fashion at Cadwell Park this past weekend (April 24/25) on what proved to be a memorable few days for the British Automobile Racing Club.

Basking in bright sunshine across both days, the Lincolnshire venue provided a fitting backdrop for each category to begin the new campaign, with edge-of-the-seat entertainment served up around almost every corner.

Boasting a bumper 32-car grid and with six races being played out over the course of the weekend, the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres emerged as one of the headlines acts.

Former champion Miles Rudman kicked off proceedings with a superlative win in the opening encounter before Jack Parker and Steve Whitelegg took a win apiece to round out day one.

Rudman would repeat his race-winning heroics on Sunday as he tallied his second victory before former champion John Mickel opened his account for the year. The categories’ sixth and final heat would see a first for the Legends as Nick Bridgeman wrote his name into the history books as the latest race winner to cap off a meeting that will live long in the memory.

The next generation of motorsport stars showcased what they could do as the Junior Saloon Car Championship delivered a pair of blockbuster races. Providing drivers aged 14 to 17 with the opportunity to take the first steps in their car racing careers, this years entry list was largely made up of rookie competitors, with a few second-year contenders thrown into the mix as well.

Experience ultimately came to the fore as Harvey Caton and Charlie Hand scored a win apiece to kick-start their campaigns off on the right foot.

Peter Sparrow produced a masterful performance in the 2CVParts.com Championship, scoring a brace of wins to establish an early lead in the standings. Bidding to regain the title he lost last year, Sparrow powered his way to pole position for both races and duly converted them into commanding, albeit narrow, victories.

The Max5 Racing Championship saw similar levels of dominance as Paul Roddison laid down a marker to his rivals for the forthcoming season by bagging a pair of wins. One of the series’ most successful drivers, Roddison fended off the charging Andrew Pretorious on both occasions whilst Jeremy Shipley rounded out the podium positions.

There was nothing to separate Alex Cursley and Alistair Dendy in the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires as the pair shared the spoils. Cursley got the better of Dendy in the season-opener before the roles were reversed and Dendy exacted his revenge with a win of his own, leaving the pair level on achievements heading into the next event.

Rounding off the action during the weekend was a pair of full-throttle encounters from the Mighty Minis Championship. Renowned for produced close-quarter wheel-to-wheel action, the one-make series had a familiar feel to it in the Super Mighty Mini class as last years protagonists reignited their battle for supremacy.

Neven Kirkpatrick and reigning champion Ian Slark underlined their credentials as the drivers to beat as they each scored a win apiece. Elsewhere in the Mighty Mini category, Dan Heywood impressed with a brace of wins.

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

BTCC officially lifts the curtain on 2021 season at Silverstone

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is primed and ready for another memorable year after officially launching its 2021 season at Silverstone today (April 22), announcing a capacity 29-car entry list.

After an unprecedented yet entertaining 2020 campaign, which ended with Ashley Sutton clinching the Drivers’ crown for a second time, Britain’s premier motorsport series is set to return with a bumper grid and to its traditional ten round, 30-race format.

Kicking the season off behind closed doors at Thruxton next month, the series will then head to Snetterton, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Knockhill before making a second visit to Thruxton. Visits to Croft, Silverstone and Donington Park will follow before the traditional finale at back at Brands Hatch in late October.

Donning the mantel of defending champion and running the famed number one on his Infiniti Q50, Sutton sticks with Laser Tools Racing for the new season as he bids to retain his titles in both the overall championship and Independents’. Aiden Moffat and Carl Boardley will partner Sutton at the rear-wheel-drive squad.

West Surrey Racing and Team BMW proved to be the closest challengers to Sutton last year and the reigning Teams’ & Manufacturer champions have swelled to three cars once again with Colin Turkington, Tom Oliphant and Stephen Jelley tasked with piloting the 330i M Sport to glory.

It is an all-new line-up at Halfords Racing with Cataclean however with Dan Cammish returning to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Matt Neal taking a step back from driving duties. Whilst one three-time champion steps back, another returns in the shape of Gordon Shedden as the Scotsman rejoins Team Dynamics to partner Daniel Rowbottom.

Another driver to make a popular return to this grid after a year on the sidelines is Jason Plato. Electing to sit out 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the double champion is back at Power Maxed Car Care Racing in the Vauxhall Astra and gunning to tally his 100th victory in the series. Daniel Lloyd, a race-winner in the BTCC, gets a full-time drive to partner Plato.

Toyota Gazoo Racing UK steps up its BTCC programme this year as it expands to two cars. Rory Butcher fills the void left by Tom Ingram in the Speedworks Motorsport-run Corolla and he is joined by Sam Smelt, who last competed in the series in 2018.

Ingram’s departure from Toyota sparked a frenzy during the off-season and the former Independents’ champion has found a new home at Excelr8 Trade Price Cars. Armed with the Hyundai i30N, Ingram has his tail in the air and is hungry for success. He’s joined at the four-strong squad by Chris Smiley, Jack Butel and former British GT champion Rick Parfitt Jnr.

Elsewhere, Ciceley Motorsport have acquired the services of Tom Chilton to partner Adam Morgan and they have parted ways with the Mercedes Benz A-Class. In its place are a pair of West Surrey Racing-built BMW 330i M Sport’s and hopes are high for the Car Gods-backed outfit.

BTC Racing are another to have high hopes for the season ahead and with good reason as Josh Cook has remained with the team to drive their Honda Civic Type R. Michael Crees, Jack sears Trophy champion last year, has also inked a new deal to stay whilst Jade Edwards will get a full-season after debuting at Silverstone in 2020.

Motorbase Performance and MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square are another two teams to have joined forces over the winter to field a quartet of Ford Focus’, and they will run as Manufacturer/Construtors entrants. Sam Osborne and Andy Neate will run out of the Motorbase side of the garage whilst Jake Hill and Ollie Jackson will do the same for MB Motorsport.

Rounding off this years grid is Team HARD. Racing, which is bringing four brand-new Cupra Leon’s to the grid. In what has been a busy few months for the Tony Gilham’s team, there is plenty of excitement about what can be achieved. Jack Goff, Aron Taylor-Smith, Glynn Geddie and Nicolas Hamilton will take on driving duties.

2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Entry List

Car No.	Driver	Team	Car	Team/Driver Status
1	Ashley Sutton	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	Independent
2	Colin Turkington	Team BMW	BMW 330i M Sport	Manufacturer
3	Tom Chilton	Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330i M Sport	Independent
4	Sam Osborne	Racing with Wera & Photon Group	Ford Focus ST	Manufacturer/Constructor/JST
6	Rory Butcher	Toyota Gazoo Racing UK	Toyota Corolla	Manufacturer
11	Jason Plato	Power Maxed Car Care Racing	Vauxhall Astra	Independent
12	Stephen Jelley	Team BMW	BMW 330i M Sport	Manufacturer
15	Tom Oliphant	Team BMW	BMW 330i M Sport	Manufacturer
16	Aiden Moffat	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	Independent
22	Chris Smiley	Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30N	Independent
23	Sam Smelt	Toyota Gazoo Racing UK	Toyota Corolla	Manufacturer/JST
24	Jake Hill	MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square	Ford Focus ST	Manufacturer/Constructor
28	Nicolas Hamilton	ROKIT Racing with iQuoto Online Trading	Cupra Leon	Independent/JST
31	Jack Goff	Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct	Cupra Leon	Independent
32	Daniel Rowbottom	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	Independent/JST
33	Adam Morgan	Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330i M Sport	Independent
40	Aron Taylor-Smith	Team HARD. with HUB Financial Solutions	Cupra Leon	Independent
41	Carl Boardley	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	Independent/JST
44	Andy Neate	Racing with Wera & Photon Group	Ford Focus ST	Manufacturer/Constructor/JST
48	Ollie Jackson	MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square	Ford Focus ST	Manufacturer/Constructor
52	Gordon Shedden	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	Independent
62	Rick Parfitt Jnr	EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30N	Independent/JST
66	Josh Cook	BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	Independent
80	Tom Ingram	Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30N	Independent
88	Glynn Geddie	Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct	Cupra Leon	Independent/JST
96	Jack Butel	EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30N	Independent/JST
99	Jade Edwards	PHSC with BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	Independent/JST
123	Daniel Lloyd	Power Maxed Car Care Racing	Vauxhall Astra	Independent
777	Michael Crees	BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	Independent

The 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is scheduled to begin on May 8/9 at Thruxton Circuit. Due to current government guidelines, this event will take place behind closed doors and without spectators.

Cadwell Park awaits multiple championships ahead of spectacular weekend

More championships are set to begin their 2021 race seasons this weekend (April 24/25) as the British Automobile Racing Club heads to Lincolnshire to take on the picturesque challenges of Cadwell Park.

Renowned for producing close-quarter wheel-to-wheel action, the undulating 2.19-mile venue is a fitting backdrop for a host of full-throttle categories to begin on the road to title glory in the forthcoming months.

In what is being tipped as one of the most hotly anticipated campaigns in the series’ illustrious 27-year history, the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres has a sensational 32-car grid set to face six blockbuster races.

Defending champion Daniel Clark heads the bumper entry list but with the likes of former title winners John Mickel and Miles Rudman, as well as Jack Parker, Sean Smith, Will Gibson and Steve Whitelegg all vying for top spot – it’s set to be another memorable year for the ‘pocket rockets’.

Fresh off the back of their exploits on BBC One’s Top Gear, the Junior Saloon Car Championship is set to embark on another season with a stacked grid of aspiring 14 to 17-year-old’s aiming to kick-start their careers.

With double title-winner Lewis Saunders moving onto pastures new, the battle to crown a new champion is up for grabs and there is a long list of contenders who are keen to set their stalls out as the early pace-setter. Charlie Hand, Harry Rice, Ruben Hage, Deagan Fairclough and Scholarship winner Chloe Grant are just a few notable entries to keep an eye on.

The 2CVParts.com Championship will begin another short, sharp season at the weekend with a healthy grid of the iconic machines primed and ready to blast into life.

Two 20-minute encounters are scheduled to take place around the flowing layout of Cadwell Park with a number of familiar names eyeing the too step of the podium including reigning champion Alec Graham, Pete Sparrow and Lien Davies.

Further nostalgic action is set to be produced by the much-loved Mighty Minis Championship. Based on the iconic Mini, the one-make series has forged a reputation for producing bumper-to-bumper action and this year looks to be no different with a competitive grid all set to do battle.

Split into the Mighty Mini and Super Mighty Mini classes, stalwarts Neven Kirkpatrick, Paul Ogborn, Ian Slark, Greg Jenkins and Stuart Coombs will all be in the mix for silverware.

Another category that will lift the curtain on its 2021 season is the Max5 Racing Championship. Run on the principle of exciting racing at an affordable price, the Max5 Racing category has yet another ultra-competitive entry list which is headed by series stalwarts Paul Roddison and Jon Halliwell.

Rounding out the weekend’s action will be a pair of races from the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires. Billed as a budget conscious, single-make series, the Coupe Cup has served up a feast of entertainment down the years and the twists and turns of Cadwell look set to throw up even more with a healthy grid confirmed for the curtain-raiser.

To find out more information on this weekend’s Cadwell Park race meeting – including links to live timing, timetable and final instructions – click here.

Please note that this event is being run in accordance with government guidelines and will therefore take place behind closed doors, without spectators being permitted.

Britcar & Classic Touring Cars set to take centre stage at Silverstone

The British Automobile Racing Club descends on Silverstone this weekend (April 24/25) for the first of four visits to the Home of British Motor Racing over the course of 2021, with both the Britcar Endurance Championship and Classic Touring Car Racing Club set to take centre stage.

Marking the start of the new season for both categories, edge-of-the-seat entertainment around the International layout of the Northamptonshire venue is all-but guaranteed – and a moment won’t be missed as it will be streamed live online via the Club’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

Capacity grids feature in both the Endurance and Trophy championships of Britcar this year, with welcome returnees being joined by a host of new competitors at the wheel of some exciting machines.

The title-winning Praga marque gets its own category this year as it competes within the Endurance races for a discrete championship and it boasts the 2020 joint title winners. Jem Hepworth is back behind the wheel of a Praga whilst co-champion Danny Harrison has switched to a Nissan GT3. With a joint grid of dozen Pragas and eclectic mix of GT3, GT4, Cup, Challenge and TCR machinery, a spectacular show awaits.

Despite being launched in the midst of COVID restrictions last year, the Trophy category proved to be an unmitigated success and 2021 promises to be even better with many new entries pushing the envelope of grid capacity as former exponents of sprint-style one-make and tin-top series adapt to the challenge of the endurance format.

Elsewhere, the Classic Touring Car Racing Club is poised to set a new record as it fields the biggest entry in its illustrious 45-year history. Home to some of the most iconic saloon cars across countless decades, variety is the spice of life when it comes to the CTCRC where there is something for everyone.

Taking fans on a spirited trip down memory lane is the Poultec – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, Shell Oil Pre 83′ Touring Car Championship, Laser Tools Pre-93 Touring Cars Championship, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars Championship, Burton Power Products Blue Oval Saloon Series and Edmundson Electrical Classic & Historic Thunder Saloons Championship.

In addition to all that nostalgia, one new series that is joining the CTCRC ranks is the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club Saloon & GT Championship; showcasing the best of models from the iconic manufacturer.

The Mini 7 Racing Club has become a popular guest series to feature during BARC race meetings down the years and for good reason too with wheel-to-wheel thrills and spills normally taking place around every corner. Small in stature but packing a real punch under the bonnet, the Miglia and Se7en encounters will likely produce some of the closest finishes you will end up seeing all weekend.

Notable names to keep an eye on include former BTCC champion Andrew Jordan, Nick Padmore, James Colburn, Aaron Smith and Scott Kendall, amongst a host of others.

Capping off the weekend’s action will be a pair of races from the Goodyear Touring Car Trophy. Giving driver’s the opportunity to drive outdated BTCC machinery at an affordable price, the series has gone from strength to strength in recent years and 2021 looks to be no different.

You can watch all of the action across both days at Silverstone via our live streams on both YouTube and Facebook.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Silverstone – including links to live timing, timetable and final instructions – click here.

F1 support race return announced for Sports Prototype Cup at Monza

The Sports Prototype Cup and Revolution Trophy will make a return to the Formula 1 paddock on September 10/11/12 as an official support race for the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA at Monza.

Following on from a hugely successful debut at the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN GRANDE PRÉMIO DE PORTUGAL last year, the popular one-make series will once again take on a starring role as it tackles the infamous high-speed Italian venue.

With the Revolution A-One having turned plenty of heads already, it is believed that Monza’s combination of fast, flowing corners and challenging chicanes will perfectly demonstrate the high downforce and exquisite design of the car, which complies with the latest FIA safety regulations.

James Bailey, Sports Prototype Cup Promoter, said: “We’re thrilled to confirm a return to the Formula 1 paddock for Sports Prototype Cup and the Revolution Trophy. Our debut Formula 1 support race last year was a resounding success and brought the Revolution A-One to new audiences.

“Adding Monza to the calendar provides our customers with a rare opportunity to race on one of the most famous Grand Prix tracks in the world, in front of the ‘Tifosi’ on a Formula 1 weekend.”

Phil Abbott, Revolution Race Cars Founder & Managing Director, added: “Our 2021 car moves the Revolution A-One to a new performance level with 530hp/tonne, enhanced aerodynamics and the highest safety levels in its class with the innovative full carbon construction and double-halo head protection. It will be perfectly suited to the fast and flowing Monza track.”

The two scheduled Monza races are now open for Sports Prototype Cup teams and drivers to enter. The 2021 season for the category is scheduled to begin on May 29 at Silverstone.

Oulton Park provides backdrop to blockbuster BARC curtain-raiser

The British Automobile Racing Club kicked off its 2021 season in sensational style at Oulton Park this past Saturday (April 17) with the Caterham Graduates Championship, CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, BARC Red and British Superkart Racing Club all starring.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting saw the picturesque Cheshire venue basking in bright sunshine, albeit without spectators in attendance due to current government guidelines.

Boasting a bumper entry list, the Caterham Graduates Championship served up a feast of edge-of-the-seat entertainment as they kick-started a new year with a handful of pulsating encounters.

New CGRC member Simon Shaw enjoyed a dream debut as he stormed to victory in the opening Sigma race before James McCall race two where the top three were covered by little over a tenth of a second.

Harry Senior and Ben Winrow were tipped as drivers to watch prior to the meeting and the duo reinforced that fact as they took a win apiece in the Sigmax class. Elsewhere, Jamie Ellwood was perfection personified as he bagged a brace of race wins in the Sigma 150 category.

In the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, former title winner Paul Rose enjoyed a perfect start to the new season as he produced a dominant drive to claim victory and set his stall out as the driver to beat.

At the wheel of his Saker RAPX S1-500, Rose converted pole position into a lead that he never looked like relinquishing as he powered his way into the distance to take the chequered flag by nearly 30-seconds, lapping all but Jon Woolfitt and Paul Dobson who finished second and third respectively.

Having enjoyed a memorable debut in 2020, BARC Red kicked off its sophomore season with a pair of frenetic encounters. Open to competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in, the series garnered a healthy entry for the start of the new campaign.

Jasver Supra – who has made a name in the Kumho BMW Championship in recent years – piloted his BMW E46 to victory in race one before Anthony Bennett claimed race two honours at the wheel of his Caterham R300.

Rounding off the day’s action were a trio of races from the British Superkarts Racing Club where Lee Harpham, Sam Moss and Paul Platt shared the spoils.

To view the full classification of results from all of Saturday’s sessions, click here.

BARC set to kick off 2021 season at Oulton Park

After months of excitement and anticipation, the British Automobile Racing Club is set to lift the curtain on its 2021 season this coming Saturday (April 17) with what will undoubtedly be a blockbuster race day at Oulton Park.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting at the Cheshire venue will mark the start of a busy year for the BARC, with events scheduled to run all the way through until the middle of November.

The CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the North West Centre’s flagship category, boasts a healthy grid for the new campaign where variety is very much the spice of life. Playing host to a number of different machines, the multi-class category has proven a smash-hit down the years and 2021 looks to be no different.

Notable names to keep an eye across both races include reigning champion Jamie Cryer, Danny Bird, Paul Rose, Paul Woolfitt and Guy Carter, amongst many others.

Despite not crowning any champions last year, the Caterham Graduates Championship proved to be one of the star attractions in 2020 and the much-loved single-make category is aiming to pick up where it left off at Oulton Park.

Like the CNC Heads, the Caterham contingent has an ultra-competitive grid primed for action and with the class structure condensed down to just three – Sigma 135, Sigma 150 and Sigmax – edge-of-the-seat entertainment is all-but guaranteed.

Robin Webb, Adam Harrison, Jamie Ellwood, Jonathan Curry, Oliver Gibson, Harry Senior and Ben Winrow are just some of the drivers that will undoubtedly be in the mix for the top step of the podium.

After breaking new ground in 2020, BARC Red returns for its sophomore season. Open to competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in and providing they met current Motorsport UK safety regulations, the series of races garnered plenty of attention from the outset last year and duly delivered.

Now back for a second year, BARC Red looks set to grow in stature with a variety of cars set to battle it out for overall honours around the challenging 2.26-mile layout.

Rounding out the days action will be a number of races from the full-throttle British Superkart Racing Club. Renowned for producing jaw-dropping wheel-to-wheel entertainment whilst sitting mere millimetres from the tarmac, the Superkarts will be keen to kick off the new campaign in fine style.

Saturday’s race meeting will include the national minute of silence in honour of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

To find out more information on this Saturday’s Oulton Park curtain-raiser – including links to live timing, timetable and final instructions – click here.

Please note that this event is being run in accordance with government guidelines and will therefore take place behind closed doors, without spectators being permitted.

Chloe Grant crowned 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship Scholarship winner

Chloe Grant has been crowned this year’s winner of the Junior Saloon Car Championship Scholarship, winning a fully-funded season in the popular one-make category for 2021.

In what proved to be a closely fought competition from start-to-finish at the Stafford Driving Centre, Grant beat no less than 24 other aspiring teenagers to win the career-starting prize worth more than £30,000.

Over the course of the day, the 2020 Junior Rotax Rowrah Club Champion emerged as one of the leading lights from the series of fitness, media and driving tests that were put on by the championship – eventually being selected as the victor by organisers.

Following in the footsteps of former Scholarship winners Scott McIntyre, Harry Rice and Deagan Fairclough, the British Women Racing Drivers Club Gold Medal recipient will now embark on her first full season of car racing having showcased plenty of talent in karting.

Grant will take her place on the grid for the opening rounds of the 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship on the weekend of April 24/25 at Cadwell Park.

Classic Touring Car Racing Club set to field biggest grid in 45-year history

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club is set to field the biggest grid in its illustrious 45-year history when it kicks off its 2021 season at Silverstone on April 24/25.

Following on from a memorable 2020 campaign, the category has continued to grow in stature over the off-season and is now set for a year to remember.

Boasting a bumper online live TV schedule and introducing prize money for the top three in each championship, no less than 60 new members have registered with the CTCRC across its variety of championships.

One of the biggest classes to take to the track this year will be in Pre ‘66, which is home to iconic machines such as Morris Minor’s and Austin A40’s. Heading to the Home of British Motor Racing for the annual curtain-raiser, a total of 38 cars are set to battle for supremacy – with even more expected to be confirmed in due course as well.

Elsewhere, the Pre ‘03 grid has seen numbers swell from just five entries in 2020 to more than 20 registered competitors this year, all of which will be going wheel-to-wheel in the most modern machinery that competes under the CTCRC banner.

One new addition to the club this year is the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, which showcases a wide range of cars all the way from the late 1960’s up until the early millennium.

With a total of seven race meetings and 14 races scheduled to play out at venues across the length and breadth of the UK, 2021 is shaping up to be one of the biggest and best years in the Classic Touring Car Racing Club.

To find out more information on the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, head to https://classictouringcars.com.

Britcar Endurance excitement ramps up ahead of new season

The 2021 Britcar season will not just be a good year – in deference to our newly-rebadged major partner Goodyear – but a great year, with capacity grids for both our Britcar Endurance and Britcar Trophy Championships.

The successful Praga marque get their own discrete championship this year, run within the Britcar Endurance races, and reigning co-champion Jem Hepworth is likely to return, as are ex-servicemen Martin Compton and Warren McKinlay, while a healthy mix of established drivers and novices, interspersed with a number of high-profile driver coaches andguesting celebrities from the sporting and high-achievement world will ensure some great racing from these stunning machines.

Danny Harrison, reigning co-champion with Hepworth, moves to a beefy Nissan GT3, and will be a major contender for the Endurance title again, partnering Richard Wheeler, head of long-time sponsor Fox Transport, though Will Powell has signaledtitle aspirations in the Motus One McLaren 650S he will share with Dave Scaramanga, and for race wins, veteran campaigner John Seale, assisted by Jamie Stanley in a Lamborghini Huracan, cannot be discounted.

A good string of results from a car in the classes below could bag the crown, however, and in Classes 2 and 3 we will see representation from Ferrari, Porsche, BMW and Ginetta. Mike Moss’s BMW 1M has overall race-winning credentials, and last season’s Class 3 champions, Marcus Fothergill and Dave Benett, will be up against stiffer competition in their Porsche 991 now that the class system has been re-jigged. That stiffer competition will no doubt include the Digiplat and CRH BMWs, further Porsches from SG Racing, Valluga and Team Hard, and an FF Corse Ferrari 458 Challenge.

Class 4 now caters exclusively for GT4 and TCR machines, with last year’s title-winning Reflex Racing Ligier JS2-R returning, as is, with renewed vigor, the Newbarn Racing Jaguar F-Type, while the Woodman/Byford SEAT Cupra will be taking the fight to the RWD cars, which will feature Peter Erceg’s Cayman and the Team Brit Aston Martin Vantage.

The Britcar Trophy Championship has enjoyed enormous pre-season interest, with record registrations ensuring full grids for all rounds in this coming season, including a shed-load of new faces. Multiple entries from J W Bird and their VW Sciroccos, and the BMWs of Simon Green Motorsport in Class T1 will be up against some specially-constructed BMWs – the Team BRIT M240, and Simon Baker’s 1-series Coupe, built by Woodrow Motorsport, who claim to have a potential class winner.Potential, maybe, though with a number of returnees – the Smith/Campbell Peugeot, the MacG Racing Mazda RX8, Rob Baker’s Smart 4/4, and the infamous “Kester Fiesta”, they will have their work cut out. Class T2 is no less competitive either; the “two Amigos” Richard Bernard and Anthony Hutchins are joined in the Porsche Boxster brigade by old hands Leigh Smart/Kevin Hancock, while the Ginetta G40 contingent will be led by returnees Peter Spano/Andrew Bentley and Charlotte Birch/Adriano Medeiros, and Saxon Motorsport return with a brace of SEATs, plus the Woodard Mini too. Class T4 features an eclectic mix of Alfa, Honda, Mazda, and the diminutive Ginetta G20, with father and son duo Steve and Edward Cook looking to repeat their 2020 class success in their Civic, against Team BRIT’s Luke Pound and Paralympian Nerys Pearce’s BMW 118, while the standalone Clio class sees multiple support once again from the prolific Westbourne Motors stable, and a concerted effort to succeed from Darren Geeraerts, now under the auspices of Anton Spires.

In the face of COVID adversity, the Britcar championships have never looked healthier as they enter their sixth season under the current management. The opening rounds will be onSilverstone’s International circuit on April 24th/25th.

WORDS: Steve Wood