Category: Barc

C1 Racing Club stars as the BARC basks in the Silverstone sun

The British Automobile Racing Club basked in the bright sunshine at Silverstone this past weekend (May 28/29/30) as the C1 Racing Club took centre stage around the legendary Grand Prix circuit for its hugely-popular 24-hour race.

In what proved to be another pulsating spectacle for the budget-conscious category, a bumper 58-car grid would hit the track however nobody ultimately could stop Hybrid Tune – Full Circle Racing from triumphing in emphatic fashion.

Hitting the front in the fourth hour after qualifying eighth, the four-man driver line-up of Stephen James, Sam Weller, David Meenan and Mark James would remain a constant presence towards the front of the field throughout before grabbing the initiative in the closing stages.

Completing a total of 431 laps and setting the fastest lap along the way, the quartet finished just under 50 seconds ahead of AB Motorsport’s Oliver Allwood, Brian Trott and Stuart Symonds.

Rounding off the podium, albeit two laps down on the leaders, was Fake-Shake n Bake-with Team Gaz Shocks. Behind the wheel of the #312 machine and in contention until the latter hours was Tommy Field, Max Maxted and Graham Coomes.

Before the C1 Racing Club embarked on its epic day-long contest, a number of other championships wrote the latest chapter in their 2021 campaigns around the 3.67-mile layout of the Northamptonshire venue.

Boasting a highly competitive entry list, the Caterham Graduates Racing Club was always going to serve up edge-of-the-seat entertainment and did just that with four races that will undoubtedly live long in the memory for many.

The Sigma 135 and Sigmax categories amalgamated together to create a mammoth 53-car grid, with wheel-to-wheel battles running throughout. At the front of the field, Harry Senior narrowly edged Ben Winrow, Stephen Clark and Simon Griffiths in race one to triumph before producing a repeat performance in race two.

In the Sigma 150 class, a slightly smaller entry of 33 cars took to the track but the battle for supremacy proved to be just as close. Jamie Ellwood and Jason McCormack proved to be the class of the field as they netted a win apiece.

The Max5 Racing Championship possessed a competitive entry list too but nobody was able to stop Paul Roddison from continuing his strong start to the new season. Running alongside the Sigma 150 class of the Caterham Graduates Racing Club, the one-make category delivered a memorable showing.

Starting at the back of the grid in race one, Roddison served up an overtaking masterclass as he scythed his way up the order to narrowly claim victory ahead of Jon Halliwell. The series stalwart then doubled his tally for the weekend with a superlative performance in the second encounter to extend his winning streak to four straight races.

Rounding out the weekend’s on-track entertainment were two races from the Sports Prototype Cup. Showcasing the very best of UK prototype racing, the ‘Silverstone Open’ saw a variety of machines go against each other around the Home of British Motor Racing. 

Whilst the likes of Sir Chris Hoy, Bradley Ellis and James Abbott all featured,  Bonamy Grimes underlined his class behind the wheel as he powered his Duqueine LMP3 to a brace of victories.

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

If you missed any of the action over the course of the weekend then you can watch it back on our YouTube channel HERE.

Where to watch BARC LIVE from Donington Park this Bank Holiday Monday

The British Automobile Racing Club is set to serve up a blockbuster Bank Holiday Monday of thrills ‘n’ spill from Donington Park on May 31 and whilst fans can now watch trackside, they will also be able to watch the action unfold live on our dedicated Facebook and YouTube pages.

Taking centre stage over the course of the day from the Leicestershire venue will be races from both the Classic Touring Car Racing Club and Kumho BMW Championship.

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

Qualifying Show – Starting from 09:00 – Facebook | YouTube

Race Show – Starting from 13:30 – Facebook | YouTube

As always, Dave Goddard will be on commentary to provide the soundtrack to this latest chapter of what is already proving to be a sensational 2021 season.

To find out more information on this Monday’s race meeting, including links to the official entry list and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Make sure you don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

BARC revved up for bank holiday tin top thriller at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for a bank holiday race day that should set pulses racing this coming Monday (May 31) as a trio of championships head to Donington Park.

In what is set to be the first of several visits to the Leicestershire venue over the course of the 2021 season by the Club, Monday’s meeting will not only see spectators make a welcome return but will also see TV cameras in attendance for our latest live stream spectacle.

Headlining the day will be no less than eight races from the Classic Touring Car Racing Club. Serving up a feast of entertainment at Silverstone last month, the tin tops from yesteryear will write the latest chapter in their campaign as they showcase some of the most iconic saloons from past decades.

Taking centre stage under the flightpath of East Midlands airport will be from the Pre ’66 Classic Saloon & Historic Touring Cars, Shell Oils Pre ’83 Touring Cars, Laser Tools Pre ’93 Touring Cars, Simply Serviced Pre ’03 Touring Cars, Blue Oval Saloon Series, Edmundson Electrical Classic/Historic Thunder Saloons and Jaguar Enthusiasts Club Saloon & GT Championship.

Notable names to look over the course of the day include Peter Smith, Richard Wood, AJ Owen, Ashley Shelswell, Ray West, Tom Robinson and David Howard, to name but a few.

The Mighty Minis Championship is renowned for producing blockbuster wheel-to-wheel entertainment and Monday should be no different as the pocket rockets continue their season.

Kicking their season off at Cadwell Park last month with two pulsating encounters, the Super Mighty Mini class saw old foes Neven Kirkpatrick and reigning champion Ian Slark renew their battle for supremacy as they each tallied a win apiece.

Both Kirkpatrick and Slark will undoubtedly be favourites to be in the mix for supremacy however they won’t be the only drivers to keep an eye on. David Kirkpatrick, Steve Rideout, Stuart Coombs, Greg Jenkins and Alex Comis are just a number of contenders that have experience of running at the sharp end of the grid and none of them can be discounted from making their mark.

Elsewhere, the opener of the Mighty Mini class at Cadwell Park saw Dan Heywood turn heads as he notched an impressive brace of race wins. Having set his stall out as the driver to beat, Heywood will undoubtedly be one to watch although the competition at the top is set to be fierce.

Rounding out the track action will be a pair of races from the Kumho BMW Championship. Home to all manner of machinery that carries the iconic BMW badge, the single-manufacturer series lifts the curtain on a brand new season boasting a bumper multi-class grid.

Having seen a closely-fought 2020 campaign unfold, this year looks to have the makings of another great tussle with regular front runners James Card, Jas Sapra and Darren Morgan-Owen taking on a number of very quick newcomers, including Brad Sheehan, Mike Pensavalle and Bryan Bransom in the fight to be crowned champions.

To find out more information on this Monday’s race meeting, including links to the entry list and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Make sure you don’t miss a single lap of the action by subscribing to the BARC’s official YouTube channel and watching live, CLICK HERE.

Where to watch BARC LIVE from Silverstone this weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club takes to the legendary Silverstone Grand Prix circuit this weekend (May 28/29/30) for one of the most eagerly-anticipated events on the UK motorsport calendar – the Citroen C1 24-hour race.

Taking centre stage at the Home of British Motor Racing, more than 50 teams are poised to battle it out around the iconic 3.64-mile layout over the course of a full day.

Before the lights turn green on the C1’s 24-hour contest though, unmissable entertainment is guaranteed to be produced by the Caterham Graduates Racing Club and Sports Prototype Cup – both of which will be in action during Saturday afternoon.

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

Saturday Qualifying Show – Starting from 09:25 – Facebook | YouTube

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 13:20 – Facebook | YouTube

C1 24-Hour Race – Starting from 17:15 on May 29 – Facebook Pt 1 | Facebook Pt 2 | YouTube

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

Make sure you don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

Citroen C1 24-hour race set to take centre stage around Silverstone Grand Prix circuit

Silverstone’s legendary Grand Prix circuit will provide the backdrop for the British Automobile Racing Club’s latest race meeting this weekend (May 28/29/30) which will be headlined by the C1 Racing Club’s annual 24-hour race.

In what is now billed as one of the most highly-anticipated events on the UK national motorsport calendar, the one-make series will see a bumper grid tackle the Home of British Motor Racing in front of a trackside audience and thousands online.

Before the C1’s take centre stage however there will be action from the Caterham Graduates Racing Club, Sports Prototype Cup and Max5 Racing Championship.

The last time the C1 contingent competed at Silverstone – in 2019 – they re-wrote the record books by fielding the biggest grid in UK motorsport history. Boasting a mammoth 99-car grid, the category eclipsed the previous record of 75 cars which was held by the Britcar Endurance Championship.

To top things off the race saw one of the greatest comebacks in recent memory too as McAttack Racing came from the back of the grid to win the entire race. This year will undoubtedly see similar levels of drama as a grid of more than 50 cars get set to tackle the challenging 3.67-mile layout.

Notable team names to look out for during the race include Mellow Yellow Motorsport, JW Bird Motorsport, Preptech UK with CEX, Amigo Motorsport with Gala Performance, Silverlake Racing and SVG Motorsport, amongst many more.

Elsewhere, the weekend is also set to showcase the very best of UK prototype racing, as the inaugural ‘Silverstone Open’ takes place. Featuring the Sports Prototype Cup’s centrepiece category, the Revolution A-One Trophy, the format will see a bumper grid of prototype machines from a variety of categories battle it out across two 30-minute encounters.

Boasting an ultra-competitive entry list for this weekend’s first event of 2021, more than 20 drivers representing manufacturers such as Duqueine, Ligier, Radical, Gunn, MCR, CTR, as well as the Revolution A-One Trophy, will battle for outright honours.

Sir Chris Hoy, Bradley Ellis, Johnny Mowlem, Bonamy Grimes, Steven Lake and Martin Verrity are just a few of the names that will be in contention towards the sharp end of the field.

Coming off the back of two blockbuster events at Oulton Park and Snetterton, the Caterham Graduates Racing Club is back in action and with another capacity entry list.

Renowned for serving up frenetic wheel-to-wheel entertainment, the category has underlined why it has proven to be so popular this year with a host of unmissable races from its Sigmax, Sigma 135 and Sigma 150 classes.

Jamie Ellwood, Jamie Winrow, Harry Senior, Simon Grffiths, David Read and James McCall are just a handful of competitors that have enjoyed strong starts to the season, and each of them will be keen to keep the momentum going.

Capping off the weekend’s schedule at Silverstone will be an appearance from the Max5 Racing Championship, which will run on the back of one of the Caterham grids.

Around the challenging twists and turns of Cadwell last month the Max5 contingent delivered a feast of action which culminated in series stalwart Paul Roddison tallying a brace of victories ahead of Andrew Pretorius.

Roddison and Pretorius are set to renew their on-track battle this weekend and they won’t be the only drivers hoping to be in contention for the spoils on offer. Jeremy Shipley, Lee Hollin and Kimberley Nolan were all in the mix last time out and there should be no reason why they won’t be again.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event at Silverstone, such as entry lists and the timetable, CLICK HERE.

Make sure you don’t miss a single lap of the action by subscribing to the BARC’s official YouTube channel and watching live, CLICK HERE.

Pembrey confirms British Truck Racing Championship event cancellation

Pembrey Circuit regrets to announce that the two race meetings scheduled for June – the British Truck Racing Championship and the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club – have had to be cancelled as a result of the on-going restrictions imposed by the Welsh Government.

The current regulations place a limit of just 50 people on organised outdoor activities, even those that take place on a 200-acre site such as Pembrey Circuit and which have already been designated as Covid-secure.

The circuit has been working closely with the Local Authority to try to understand what is possible, but despite the assistance of Carmarthenshire County Council, it is clear that there is no sign of movement from the Welsh Government at this point. This left no option but to abandon these two meetings in order to provide people as much notice as possible to alter their plans.

The British Truck Racing Championship is set to race at Pembrey later this year on the weekend of October 9/10 and we very much hope that spectators will be able to attend. More information on this, and the remaining events due to be held in 2021, will be communicated in due course.

We share in the frustrations of our customers and supporters, and very much appreciate the inconvenience and disruption that this will cause to existing plans, but we are grateful for everyone’s continued understanding at this challenging time.

Thruxton thanks volunteers with Driving Experience days

Thruxton Circuit has been showing its thanks to dedicated volunteers helping with the COVID Helpline and Vaccination Clinics in the local area by offering a driving experience day for a select few from Unity.

Unity’s loyal and hard-working team of volunteers have worked tirelessly at the Vaccination Clinics in Andover and Romsey, sometimes seven days a week, as well as helping residents with prescriptions, shopping and other essential errands.

The Unity team handpicked four volunteers – Julian Pease, Tim Edmonds, Sally Baker and Steve Langdon – all of whom had gone above and beyond.

Becoming familiar with the fastest circuit in the UK with a race instructor, each volunteer turned their first laps of the Hampshire venue behind the wheel of a Porsche Cayman before then having the option to choose which car to drive next: either the Ford Mustang, Jaguar F-TYPE SVR or a Ferrari 458 Spider.

Following that, the adrenaline rush continued as they each drove a single-seater race car before one lucky volunteer received the ultimate surprise; three high-speed, sideways laps with former F1 driver and Top Gear presenter Tiff Needell in a brand new BMW M4.

Do you know a key worker, volunteer or organisation who has made a difference throughout the pandemic? Thruxton is dedicating a number of spaces on our driving experience days to help say thank you. Get in contact and tell us who and why you think deserves an extra special treat.

BARC highlights show ‘Full Throttle’ set to debut on Freesports

The British Automobile Racing Club can announce that its brand new TV highlights show – Full Throttle – is set to debut this coming Sunday (May 16) on Freesports.

As part of the Club’s live stream partnership with 247.TV, which has already proven to be an overwhelming success, the weekly highlights show will showcase the best of national motorsport on the only free-to-air sports channel in the UK.

Airing the best bits from each race meeting, Episode 1 and 2 will feature the Britcar Endurance Championship’s season-opener at Silverstone from late April whilst Episode 3 will see the all-action Mini 7 Racing Club take centre stage.

Episode 1 – Sunday 16th May – 16:45

Episode 2 – Tuesday 18th May – 17:00

Episode 3 – Sunday 30th May – 17:00

Shows will be repeated following their first transmission date; view TV listings for the full schedule.

Viewers can watch FreeSports on Freeview/BT/TalkTalk channel 64, Sky channel 422 and Virgin Media channel 553.

After each episode is aired, viewers will be able to watch the action on the BARC’s YouTube channel whenever they like at the click the button. To subscribe to the Club’s YouTube channel, CLICK HERE.

BARC championships star on wet ‘n’ wild weekend at Snetterton

The British Automobile Racing Club faced heavy rain, high winds and then dry conditions at Snetterton this past weekend (May 8/9) as a number of championships continued their 2021 campaigns.

With the new season gathering momentum, the first of several visits to the Norfolk venue this year produced a fascinating two days of track action as competitors navigated the challenging, ever-changing weather conditions.

Taking centre stage was the Britcar Endurance Championship, with two races for its Endurance class and a further two for its Trophy contingent. In the Endurance category, Scott Sport duo John Dhillon and Phil Quaife piloted their Ferrari 488 to victory in race one before John Seale and Jamie Stanley did the same in race two for JMH Automotive.

Woodrow Motorsport proved to be the cream of the crop amongst the Trophy contenders as Simon Baker and Ollie Reubens teamed up to twice score victory in their BMW 1 Series.

Charlie Hand established himself as the driver to beat in the Junior Saloon Car Championship as he extended his advantage at the summit of the standings by scoring an impressive pair of wins.

Having triumphed at Cadwell Park last time out, the 2020 runner-up mastered the 2.99-mile circuit from the get-go, not making any mistake to further ignite his challenge for the coveted title.

The Caterham Graduates Championship was at its brilliant best with a quartet of scintillating bouts. In the Sigma 150 races, two drivers showcased their talents behind the wheel as they shared the spoils. Jamie Winrow and Jamie Ellwood claimed a win apiece, picking up from where they left off last month.

Harry Senior meanwhile was in inspired form as he stood on the top step of the podium in both amalgamated Sigma 135/Sigmax races.

The Carbon8 Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires took centre stage on Saturday afternoon for a single 30-minute contest and it didn’t disappoint. Boasting a bumper entry list, Shane Stoney converted pole position into a commanding victory ahead of Wayne Rockett and Alistair Dendy.

Elsewhere, former BTCC champion Andrew Jordan enjoyed a perfect weekend in the Mini Miglia Championship as he scored two wins whilst Jeff Smith did the same in the Mini Se7en Championship.

Rounding out the weekend’s action were several races from the British Superkarts Racing Club. As he has done on previous occasions, Liam Morley emerged as the driver to beat as he powered his way to a sensational hat-trick of race wins.

Watch all of the action from weekend at the click of the button by heading to our YouTube channel.

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

Action aplenty as TOCA support package roars into life at Thruxton

There was no shortage of entertainment on the TOCA support package this past weekend (May 8/9) at Thruxton as a number of championships lifted the curtain on their 2021 campaigns.

On what proved to be an action-packed two days around the high-speed Hampshire venue – headlined by the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – the journey to crown a champion in each category began in exciting fashion.

Boasting its biggest ever entry list for a season opener, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship underlined why it is the place to be for aspiring drivers graduating from karting. Staging two pulsating encounters around the 2.36-mile circuit, the one-make series showed that it looks set to be another ultra-competitive year.

Tom Edgar struck first as he powered his way to victory in race one ahead of Seb Hopkins and Josh Miller before Callum Voisin came to the fore, capping off his car racing debut with a superlative victory in the second contest.

The Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge made its customary appearance on the TOCA support bill and it too didn’t disappoint as a bumper grid went wheel-to-wheel over the course of both days. John Bennett and Josh Steed shared the spoils in the end, taking a win apiece.

In the Porsche Visit Cayman Islands Sprint Challenge GB, Theo Edgerton proved to be in a league of his own. Despite missing out on pole position in qualifying, the TCR driver made no mistake in either race to kick his season off on the right foot by netting a brace of race wins.

There were plenty of edge-of-the-seat moments from the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy as three different drivers stood on the top step of the podium. Matt Hammond picked up where left off from Snetterton a few weeks ago to notch his third win on the bounce before defending champion Harry Nunn ignited his title challenge with victory in race two.

Former Junior Saloon Car Championship front runner Alex Solley then closed out the show with a superlative display to score his first win the in the single make series.

Rounding off the weekend’s action were a trio of races from the F4 British championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. After claiming a trio of race wins last year, James Hedley continued his inspired form around Thruxton by adding a further two wins to his resume before Joseph Loake triumphed in the finale.

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

Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton share BTCC spoils at Thruxton thriller

Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton claimed victory at Thruxton this past weekend (May 8/9) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship lifted the curtain on its 2021 season in blockbuster fashion.

In what proved to be a pulsating day of action around the high-speed Hampshire venue, Britain’s premier Motorsport series took centre stage with a trio of action-packed encounters that undoubtedly had fans on the edge of their seats watching at home.

BTC Racing’s Cook powered his Honda Civic Type R to a brace of race wins before reigning champion Sutton came to the fore in race three, winning an exciting wet-dry-wet contest. However, three podiums from three races means that Jake Hill left the 2.36-mile circuit at the summit of the championship standings.

Coming off the back of a exciting wet-dry qualifying on Saturday which saw Laser Tools Racing’s Sutton power to pole position in the final moments, drama ensued immediately as the lights went out on the new campaign on Sunday with a number of lead contenders in strife.

After launching off the line and into the lead, Sutton was tipped into a spin by the BMW of Colin Turkington at the Complex and dropped to the rear of the field. Further back, Gordon Shedden and Chris Smiley had come together around one of the fastest parts of the circuit and hit the barriers, whilst there was also to be a spin for Tom Oliphant on the run up Woodham Hill.

When the dust had settled, Cook found himself in the pound seat and after soaking up early pressure from Tom Ingram, he managed to pull clear to claim victory. Hill withstood race-long pressure from Turkington to round out the podium, whilst Sutton managed to recover to ninth having been as low as 27th at one stage.

Race two saw would see Cook double his tally for the day as he led a BTC Racing 1-2 with Dan Cammish following in second and the ever-impressive MB Motorsport Ford Focus of Hill completing the rostrum once again.

The start of the race saw a scary accident which involved Andy Neate, Glynn Geddie and Jade Edwards as the field streamed through Allard. All three cars made heavy contact with the Team HARD. Cupra of Geddie being sent into a roll. Thankfully all drivers walked away unharmed however a red flag halted proceedings.

At the restart, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Rory Butcher lost control of his Corolla and hit the tyre stack at Noble bringing out the safety car. When the race finally settled down it was Cook that controlled proceedings as he hustled his ballast ladened Civic Type R to a second win of the day.

Race three finally saw Sutton taste victory after completing two comeback drives earlier in the day. In what was a frenetic wet-dry-wet bout, the double champion made the most of the challenging conditions to claim a deserved win.

Hill was arguably one of the stars of the show as he scored his third podium of the day whilst scrambling on slick tyres. It would have been second had it not been for Jason Plato pipping him on the run to the flag.

Leaving Thruxton, Hill holds a slender one point advantage over Cook in the BTCC Drivers’ Championship. Motorbase Performance/Ford head the way in the BTCC Manufacturer/Constructors Champiionship whilst BTC Racing and Cook lead the way in the Teams’ and Independent Drivers’ categories.

Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing control the Independent Teams’ standings, with Sam Osborne the early pace-setter in the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from this past weekend’s BTCC opener, CLICK HERE.

Where to watch BARC LIVE from Snetterton this weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club speeds into Snetterton this weekend (May 8/9) and fans will be able to watch all of the action as both days will be streamed live on our dedicated Facebook and YouTube pages.

Following on from a hugely successful first live event of the year at Silverstone last month, broadcast partners 247.TV are set to deliver another blockbuster two days of coverage, with Dave Goddard on commentary duties.

Taking centre stage at the Norfolk venue over the course of the weekend will be the Britcar Endurance Championship, Junior Saloon Car Championship, Caterham Graduates Championship, Carbon8 Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires, Mini 7 Racing Club and British Superkarts Racing Club.

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

Saturday Qualifying Show – Starting at 08:50 – Facebook | YouTube

Saturday Race Show – Starting at 13:30 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting at 08:45 – Facebook | YouTube

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

Make sure you don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.