Category: Barc

Junior Saloon Car Championship stars on Top Gear

The Junior Saloon Car Championship took on a starring role in the latest episode of Top Gear this past Sunday (April 4) as a number of drivers went head-to-head with presenters Paddy McGuiness, Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris.

Bringing Series 30 of the hit television show to a close on BBC1, past and present drivers from the popular one-make category showcased what they and the championship is all about as they went wheel-to-wheel with the presenting trio at Castle Combe.

Tasked with selecting a ‘second-hand, mid-life crisis/opportunity car’ for £8,000 before embarking on a number of different challenges, Freddie, Chris and Paddy diced with the next generation of motorsport stars in varying vehicles.

Freddie’s choice saw him get behind the wheel of a TVR Chimaera whilst Chris opted for a Vauxhall Monaro. Paddy meanwhile chose a distinctive Ferrari F355/Toyota MR2 kit car.

Heading to the Wiltshire venue for their challenge, each presenter would complete a handful of laps around the 1.85-mile circuit with the aim of being overtaken by the least amount of JSCC competitors.

Whilst we won’t give any spoilers away, former two-time champion Lewis Saunders, Harry Rice, Alex Solley, Charlie Hand, Olivia Martin, Ben Kasperczak, Matthew Cripps and James Black were just some of the drivers that raced Freddie, Chris and Paddy.

Speaking on the experience of being part of Too Gear, Saunders said: “I was really excited about the day and that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that will never come round again. I was proud to be representing the JSCC.”

Former Scholarship winner Rice added: “It was a very enjoyable experience being part of the filming process, seeing everything behind the scenes and how they organise such a high class show. But, the most enjoyable part was when we got to race the presenters and show them what young drivers can do.”

Black concluded: “Filming with Top Gear was such a surreal experience! After watching it on TV for so many years it was great to be a part of the show and it gave great exposure to JSCC and all the young, upcoming drivers in the UK.”

To watch the episode on demand, head to https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000ty91/top-gear-series-30-episode-4.

C1 Racing Club partners with Silverlake Automotive Recycling for 2021 season

The C1 Racing Club have confirmed that it has partnered with Silverlake Automotive Recycling for 2021, becoming headline sponsors of the Silverlake C1 Racing Series.

Part of the sponsorship agreement will see club members supported with the provision of quality-graded and cost effective recycled car parts, sourced from end of life Citroen C1s via engineers at the company’s 10-acre vehicle recycling and authorised treatment facility in Southampton.

In addition, Silverlake engineers will also be on hand to share their expertise and insights with competitors on a dedicated social media page.

Silverlake is no stranger to the popular one-make series having fielding two cars over the past two seasons, and in 2021 it will expand its line-up to include a third entrant.

Allen Prebble, Silverlake Automotive Recycling Managing Director, said: “We are extremely proud to be supporting the C1 Racing Club which makes motor racing affordable and accessible, creating so much enjoyment and a true sense of community for all its members and their families and friends who follow the events.  At Silverlake, we too give people choice and affordability when it comes to vehicle maintenance and repair. 

“By providing access to quality graded, recycled automotive parts we enable people to cost effectively maintain and repair their vehicles, keeping them running safely on the roads. We saw a natural fit between the Club values and those of our company, and having been members for the last two years we jumped at the opportunity to become headline sponsor for the 2021 race series. We can’t wait for the 2021 Silverlake C1 Racing Series to commence.” 

Robin Welsh, newly appointed to lead the C1 Racing Club moving forward, added: “I’ve actually been using Silverlake since I was a nine year old searching for parts for my autocross Mini, and they have been a valuable resource to me and my business activities for many years. It’s a great feeling to be able to further develop this relationship with Silverlake for the C1 Racing Club.”

Members of the C1 Racing Club will be able to purchase branded racewear on the series’ official website in due course.

The 2021 Silverlake C1 Racing Series is scheduled roar into life around Silverstone’s Grand Prix circuit on May 28/29/30 with its coveted 24-hour race.

Revised dates confirmed for expanded BARC live stream schedule

With the countdown to the start of the 2021 season in full swing, the British Automobile Racing Club can confirm its bumper live stream schedule for the forthcoming campaign.

Due to recent changes to a number of events in light of the governments easing of lockdown restrictions, no less than 18 race meetings will be streamed over the course of the year – bringing the full-throttle action from our championships to the heart of spectators homes.

As previously confirmed, all events will be broadcast live on the Club’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel, complete with commentary, graphics and full production values.

In addition, a BARC highlights show titled ‘Full Throttle’ will air on FreeSports, the only free-to-air sports channel in the UK. In what will be a first for UK club motor racing, the channel is aiming to broadcast live footage from a number of events over the course of the season, as their programming schedule permits.

BARC 2021 Live Stream Schedule

April 24/25 – Silverstone National

May 8/9 – Snetterton

May 31 – Donington Park

June 5/6 – Brands Hatch

June 12 – Oulton Park

June 19/20 – Pembrey

July 3/4 – Silverstone Grand Prix

July 3/4 – Thruxton

July 31/August 1 – Brands Hatch

August 21/22 – Donington Park

August 21/22 – Silverstone

August 27/28/29 – Snetterton

August 30 – Cadwell Park

September 18/19 – Snetterton

October 9/10 – Pembrey

October 17 – Mallory Park

October 23/24 – Donington Park

November 6/7 – Brands Hatch

November 13/14 – Brands Hatch

Note: All dates are provisional and subject to change in accordance with the latest government advice and restrictions regarding COVID-19.

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

Subscribe to the British Automobile Racing Club’s official YouTube channel HERE.

British Truck Racing Championship event at Pembrey rescheduled for June

The first round of the British Truck Racing Championship, scheduled to take place at Pembrey Circuit in May, has been pushed back to the later date of June 19/20.

As the Welsh Government has yet to give any indication of when events may be able to restart, this decision has been taken to allow maximum opportunity for the championship to enjoy a full complement of race meetings this year.

However, it is considered highly unlikely that spectators will be allowed to attend, even on this new date. As a result, the decision has reluctantly been taken to postpone the planned truck show, Convoy Cymru, until 2022.

This exciting new truck festival has already gathered huge support this year. The stunt arena, static displays, demonstrations and a truck driving experience will be among the activities that will now have to be enjoyed next year.

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive: “This has been a difficult decision to take, but it seems sensible to make the call at this point so that we can reschedule the race meeting for June. We are gutted to have to push Convoy Cymru back to next year after the amazing response it has generated, but the story is the same for all the major events across Wales this year. It will be spectacular next year.”

Alongside the British Truck Racing Championship, the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship, Kumho BMW Championship and Welsh Sports/Saloon Car Championship are all scheduled to race on the new race date in June.

Customers that have already bought entry tickets for this event will receive a full refund in due course. We appreciate the inconvenience and disruption that this will cause to existing plans, but we are grateful for everyone’s understanding at this challenging time.

Thruxton to host Müller 2021 Wheelchair Marathon

British Athletics have confirmed that Thruxton Circuit will play host to the Müller 2021 Wheelchair Marathon on Sunday 28th March.

Due to the limited amount of competition opportunities for wheelchair marathon athletes over the past year and upcoming months, this event at the fastest circuit in the UK is set to serve as a key preparation for a number of athletes based around the country.

With entries for the World Para Athletes approved event by invitation only, the competition opportunity at the Hampshire venue will see some athletes race shorter distances than the scheduled 26.2-miles.

Entries for the marathon so far include Paralympic medallist Shelly Woods, who will be targeting a third Games later this summer. Elsewhere, the men’s entry list includes 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist JohnBoy Smith and bronze medallist Simon Lawson.

Paula Dunn, British Athletics Para Head Coach, said: “This is a great competition opportunity for several of our wheelchair racers who have had limited chances to race over the last year or so. A lot of hard work has gone into finding a suitable COVID-19 secure venue to host this event, so thanks to all the stakeholders involved who have made this possible.”

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive, added: “We are thrilled to be able to host this prestigious event for UK Athletics and it will be a first for the UK’s fastest circuit. The event reflects the efforts we have made to ensure that Thruxton is COVID-secure for a variety of purposes and, like many venues, our facilities have sat empty for far too long. It will be great to have competitive sport back on our track; it’s just a shame that we can’t have the spectators back too.”

Races are scheduled to get underway from midday. Please note, this event isn’t open to the public.

Citroen named as title sponsors of 2CV 24-hour race at Snetterton

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship have confirmed that Citroen have been named as title sponsors for the 31st running of its annual 24-hour race at Snetterton.

Billed as one of the biggest events on the UK national motorsport calendar every year, the 2CV 24-hour race sees competitors from all over Europe descend on the Norfolk venue for a race meeting that is renowned for producing blockbuster entertainment from start-to-finish.

Replacing Liqui Moly as title sponsors of the coveted season finale, Citroen’s presence at the event will see it stretch to a ‘Citroen Classics Gathering’ that will take place on the infield of the circuit.

Organised by Classic 2CV Racing Club in partnership with Citroen UK, 2CVGB, Citroen Car Club, Club Peugeot and others, the gathering is set to be one of the biggest of Citroen machinery with classic and contemporary cars welcomed.

For those that are interested in being part of the gathering and wanting further information, contact gathering@2CVracing.org.uk.

The 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship kicks off its 2021 season at Cadwell Park on April 24/25.

New venue and date for JSCC Scholarship

The Junior Saloon Car Championship has confirmed that its 2021 Scholarship will now take place at Pembrey Circuit on Tuesday 13th April.

Originally scheduled to take place at Croft Circuit on Monday 5th April, the home of Welsh motorsport will play host to the competition that will see one aspiring racer win a fully-funded season in the 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship, amongst other prizes, for the very first time.

In what is undoubtedly the opportunity of a lifetime for one lucky youngster, the ever-growing list of Scholarship participants are set to be in for a challenging day made up of a variety of tests.

Over the course of the day, drivers will face the media, partake in a fitness test and then showcase their attributes behind the wheel on-track. A judging panel made up of championship’s organisers and partners will then whittle down the competition before selecting a winner.

Previous winners of the coveted accolade include 2019 overall champion Scott McIntyre, Harry Rice and last year’s victor Deagan Fairclough.

To find out more information on the Junior Saloon Car Championship, it’s Scholarship programme and the full list of prizes on offer, head to https://www.juniorsaloons.co.uk/.

Legends Cars entry list surpasses 30 cars as preparations ramp up for new season

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres is preparing for one of the biggest seasons in its illustrious history this year after confirming that the entry list for the forthcoming campaign has already surpassed 30 cars.

Despite there being little over a month until the 2021 season-opener at Cadwell Park, the much-loved series has a total of 31 registered competitors – and more are possibly on the horizon.

With reigning champion Daniel Clark having already announced that he will return to defend his crown, fellow former champions Miles Rudman and John Mickel are two drivers that will undoubtedly be in the mix for the title whilst regular front-runner Jack Parker is also back as he bids for supremacy.

Robin Fountain, Paul Simmons, Connor Hughes, Neil Shenton and Chris Needham are just a handful of the other drivers to be named in the latest batch of entrants by the championship.

Phil Cooper, Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres owner, said: “We really are absolutely delighted to have passed 30 registered drivers for the new season, and with five weeks still to go until the opening rounds at Cadwell Park that number could yet increase further.

“While the likes of Jack Parker, John Mickel, Paul Simmons and Robin Fountain bring fantastic experience, relative Legends newcomers like Connor Hughes and Chris Dewey bring some fresh impetus once again this year. I genuinely think this year’s grid is going to be one of the absolute best we’ve ever enjoyed as we head into our 27th season of Legends Cars racing in the UK.”

Cadwell Park will provide the backdrop for the categories 2021 season-opener, with a total of six races scheduled to play out around the challenging Lincolnshire venue on April 24/25.

Knockhill event on May 29/30 cancelled

The British Automobile Racing Club can confirm that, due to the date changes of other events and the knock-on impact that has had to the scheduled calendars of key BARC championships, its race meeting at Knockhill on May 29/30 has been cancelled.

Working closely with Knockhill – who have been exemplary in their handling of the situation – the Club has found time at other race meetings at the picturesque Scottish venue for three of the categories that were originally due to race in May.

Both the Junior Saloon Car Championship and the Pickup Truck Racing Championship will now visit Knockhill on June 19/20, benefitting from one of Knockhill Motor Sports Club’s trademark events that will see drivers race on the circuit in both directions.

The CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship meanwhile will visit the challenging Fife track on September 18/19, also at a Knockhill Motor Sports Club event that uses the dual direction format.

Mark Turner, BARC Sporting Manager, said: “The domino effects of changes to the early part of the race season meant that several of our Championships wanted to look at rescheduling the Knockhill event. Knockhill have been incredibly understanding about the situation and we are delighted to have found time at other events for those Championships that wanted to make the trip to Scotland.”

Stuart Gray of Knockhill added: “We have been working with BARC for sometime to have their own standalone meeting and we were all eagerly looking forward to the great championships they were sending north.

“We totally understood the domino effect on all championships and we are delighted still to be hosting three championships within our KMSC Super Lap Scotland events. With things hopefully returning to normal during the summer, we can all begin to plan with some certainty and hope to see a full BARC meeting in 2022.”

This decision has been carefully considered, taking into consideration the easing of lockdown restrictions and the subsequent ongoing changes that are being made to the Club’s 2021 race calendar.

We appreciate the inconvenience and disruption that this will cause to existing plans, but we are grateful for everyone’s understanding at this challenging time.

All systems go as C1 Racing Club begins new chapter

As the start of the 2021 season draws ever-closer, the C1 Racing Club has been making preparations to ensure it enjoys another campaign that is bigger and better than the one that went before it.

Renowned for producing big grids and exciting endurance racing at a low cost, the one-make series is primed for another sensational year with a bumper bill of events scheduled to play out across the length and breadth of the UK.

Whilst teams and drivers are readying themselves for the opening meeting of the season, plenty of work has gone on behind the scenes in reorganising management personnel.

Following the sad passing of Meyrick Cox prior to Christmas, the C1 Racing Club has announced that RAW Motorsport Limited and their Managing Director Robin Welsh will take over the running of the Club. The Club’s name, features and processes that competitors have become familiar with will all remain the same.

Welsh vast experience in running a large motorsport club, along with his technical environment in the BMW Compact Series made him a logical choice for the role. Welsh helped to develop the C1 regulations in 2017 and has been a constant guide in technical matters since.

Due to the governments latest announcement on the easing of lockdown restrictions, the C1 Racing Club’s visit to Croft, scheduled to take place on April 10 has been postponed till a later date. Instead, the categories season-opener will be its much-loved 24-hour event at Silverstone in May.

Croft issues revised 2021 events calendar

Croft Circuit have confirmed a number of revisions to its 2021 events calendar as a result of the government issuing its roadmap for the easing of lockdown restrictions.

As the country continues to gradually open up in a safe manner, Croft will begin to welcome fans in limited numbers from May 17, with tickets for all race meetings after this date only available to be purchased online.

The British Racing & Sports Car Club will kick off the new motorsport season at the North Yorkshire venue on May 15/16, albeit behind closed doors and without spectators being permitted to attend.

Gates will be open for the 750 Motor Club, which will make its annual visit to Croft on May 29/30 before the No Limits Racing on June 12/13 and the Ferrari Owners Club of Great Britain taking centre stage on June 26/27.

Despite having a race meeting in April already cancelled, the British Automobile Racing Club will showcase a raft of its championships on August 7/8 before the Darlington & District Motor Club hit the track on August 21/22. The British Racing & Sports Car Club makes its second appearance on September 4/5.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is undoubtedly set to be one of the headline events of the year and this year, Britain’s premier motorsport series speeds into Croft on September 18/19.

Three blockbuster encounters will headline a pivotal weekend in the 2021 campaign whilst there will also be the usual thrills and spills from the TOCA support package.

Rounding out Croft’s condensed calendar of events will is the Classic Motorcycle Racing Club on October 2/3, which will see a bygone era of two-wheel machinery battling against each other for outright honours.

Tickets for all events after May 17 are available to purchase from http://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing now.

Croft Circuit 2021 Calendar

May 15/16 – British Racing & Sports Car Club

May 29/30 – 750 Motor Club

June 12/13 – No Limits Racing

June 26/27 – Ferrari Owners Club of Great Britain

August 7/8 – British Automobile Racing Club

August 21/22 – Darlington & District Motor Club

September 4/5 – British Racing & Sports Car Club

September 18/19 – Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship

October 2/3 – Classic Racing Motorcycle Club

To find out more information on how Croft are keeping our customers safe in the battle again COVID-19, head to http://croftcircuit.co.uk/covid-19-information.

One Litre Racing Club joins BARC ranks

The British Automobile Racing Club is delighted to announce that the new-for-2021 One Litre Racing Club has joined its ranks for the forthcoming season.

Formed by three motorsport enthusiasts that have experience throughout a variety of disciplines, the category is aiming to provide a platform for affordable racing in low-cost cars, with the emphasis on fun and competitiveness.

Focusing on opening the door for fellow enthusiasts to go endurance racing, the One Litre Racing Club is open to existing 1-litre or under, normally aspirated road cars and track day goers.

With support on offer throughout the ARDS process, as well as additional help for first-timers, hopes are high for the future.

Paul Rowland, One Litre Racing Club Organiser, said: “Thanks to the BARC, this dream of three motorsport enthusiasts is now becoming a reality.

“The aspirations of the Club are to have a full grid for our inaugural race at Snetterton on August 28. We are confident that demand will outstrip the permitted race numbers as racing returns to some normality after the pandemic.

“We’re currently speaking to the BARC about potentially staging a second race later in the year as well and we plan to hold a full championship campaign in 2022. We’re keeping things simple and that is why membership will be free for this year too!”

The One Litre Racing Club’s maiden race meeting is currently scheduled to take place at Snetterton in late August.

Those with an interest to find out more information and take part should contact racing@onelitreracing.co.uk.