Category: Barc

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.

BTCC ready to blast into life at Thruxton

After months of driver announcements and many miles of pre-season testing, the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship finally roars back into life this weekend (May 8/9) around the fastest circuit in UK, Thruxton, and the stage is set for what promises to be another sensational season.

Boasting a 29-car entry list made up of proven contenders, young challengers and returning champions, the battle for supremacy in Britain’s premier motorsport series is shaping up to be a mouth-watering affair over the course of ten rounds and 30 races.

Kicking the season off at Thruxton for the first time since 2010, current government guidelines means that the event will take place behind closed doors but all is not lost as fans will be able to witness the BTCC in action around the Hampshire venue when the series makes its second visit in late August.

Headlining this year’s stellar line-up is reigning champion Ashley Sutton. Coming off the back of a mesmerising 2020 campaign with Laser Tools Racing, the now double champion is back behind the wheel of the Infiniti Q50 once again with his sights set on clinching a third championship – and you’d be hard-pressed to bet against him.

Whilst Sutton enters the year with the coveted number one adorning the side of his rear-wheel-drive machine, competition for his crown is set to come from all angles.

Team BMW’s Colin Turkington narrowly missed out on clinching a record-breaking fifth title last year and the Northern Irishman will be hungry to make it happen this year. Elsewhere, former champions Jason Plato and Gordon Shedden are back on the grid and aiming high as they represent Power Maxed Car Care Racing and Halfords Racing with Cataclean respectively.

Other notable contenders that will be keen to make their mark include Rory Butcher, who spearheads Toyota Gazoo Racing’s expanded programme and Tom Ingram, who is now behind the wheel of a Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com Hyundai i30N.

Throw into the mix race winners such as Dan Cammish (for one weekend only), Josh Cook, Tom Oliphant, Stephen Jelley, Adam Morgan, Tom Chilton, Jake Hill, Jack Goff, Aron Taylor-Smith, Daniel Lloyd, Ollie Jackson and Aiden Moffat and you begin to see why the battle for the big prize is wide open.

Other notable names to look out for over the course of the weekend and the season include the Honda duo of Dan Rowbottom and Jade Edwards, as well as former British GT champion Rick Parfitt Jnr.

With three races set to play out around the ultra-fast 2.36-mile track, it will be a case of don’t blink or you’ll miss the action as the BTCC kicks off what will undoubtedly be another vintage year.

To find out more information on this weekend’s BTCC opener, including the official entry list and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Check out the official Digital Programme for the event HERE.

You can watch all the action live on ITV4 from 10:50 on Sunday, with qualifying broadcast on itv.com/btcc on Saturday.

TOCA support package aims to take centre stage at Thruxton opener

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that lifts the curtain on its 2021 season at Thruxton this weekend (May 8/9) as the TOCA support package turns a wheel for the first time.

Marking the start of what is set to be another frenetic season of racing, five categories will descend on the Hampshire venue to tackle what is the fastest circuit on the calendar – and it is not to be missed.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship bursts into life with a mammoth grid of 27 teenage talents – the largest entry list for a season opener in the series’ history – aiming to take centre stage.

With a number of seasoned racers being joined by a raft of rookies, the battle for supremacy this year looks set to be as competitive as ever; especially as reigning champion Tom Lebbon has stepped up to BRDC British F3.

Returning drivers Tom Edgar, Freddie Tomlinson, Will Jenkins, Aston Millar, Josh Millar and Seb Hopkins will hope to utilise their previous experience however the frenetic nature of the championship could see anyone stake their claim to the crown early on over the course of the weekend’s two races.

The Juniors won’t be the only Ginetta representatives at Thruxton either as the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge kicks off its tenth season. The championship is renowned for producing some of the closest and most exciting one-make racing in the UK, and that’s sure to continue this year as the series embarks on a new four-class format after merging grids with the Ginetta G40 Cup.

Notable names to look out for include Josh Steed, Conner Garlick, Connor Grady, Magnus Kriklywi and Owen Hizzey, amongst many more.

Coming off the back of hugely successful maiden season last year, the Porsche Visit Cayman Islands Sprint Challenge GB will also be in attendance as it kick starts its 2021 campaign.

Home to the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, the series looks set to grow in stature this year as it fields a grid of second and first year drivers. Some names to cast a watchful eye over include Theo Edgerton, Ethan Hawkey, Jack Bartholomew, Marcus Armstrong and Ambrogio Perfetti.

The Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy heads for Thruxton for the second round of the season this weekend, with action aplenty expected from a packed grid of Cooper class cars.

Matt Hammond grabbed the early initiative at Snetterton two weeks ago and he will be keen to continue his strong start to the year across the weekend’s three races. The chasing pack of Dominic Wheatley, Lee Pearce and defending champion Harry Nunn will undoubtedly be keen to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Rounding out the weekend’s action will be a trio of contests from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Home to the next generation of single seater stars, the series has garnered a reputation for spring-boarding the careers of many, the most popular being current F1 driver Lando Norris.

Boasting an entry list that encompasses drivers from right around the globe, this weekend looks to be closely fought with the likes of James Hedley, Abbi Pulling, Matias Zagazeta and Roman Bilinski all in the mix for outright honours.

To find out more information on this weekend’s BTCC opener, including the official entry list and timetable, CLICK HERE. Check out the official Digital Programme for the event HERE. You can watch all the action live on ITV4 from 10:50 on Sunday.

Snetterton awaits quartet of BARC championships

As the 2021 season begins to gather momentum, the British Automobile Racing Club descends on Snetterton this weekend (May 8/9) for a blockbuster two days of track action that isn’t to be missed.

Despite current government guidelines meaning that spectators won’t be permitted to watch trackside, our Facebook and YouTube pages will be live streaming every lap to ensure that nobody misses a second of the enthralling entertainment that will undoubtedly be produced.

Having been one of the stars of the show at Silverstone last month, the Britcar Endurance Championship continues its season with two races apiece for its Endurance and Trophy classes.

Showcasing a wide variety of machinery, each category saw bumper entry lists as it lifted the curtain at the Home of British Motor Racing and that theme is set to continue in Norfolk. Cars from Lamborghini, Ferrari, Praga, Aston Martin and Porsche will all be in action, with stars such as Abbie Eaton, Jem Hepworth and YouTube ace Jimmy Broadbent being just a few of the names that are competing.

The Caterham Graduates Championship currently boasts one of the biggest grids in UK motorsport, underlining that the appetite to going racing has never been greater as it stands. Coming off the back of a sensational opener at Oulton Park, the one-make series will look to take centre stage with its four timetabled races.

Notable front-running contenders to look out for over the course of both days include Simon Shaw, Harry Senior, Jamie Ellwood, James McCall and Ben Winrow, to name but a few.

Another series that is renowned for producing full-throttle thrills is the Junior Saloon Car Championship. Home to the next generation of motorsport stars, the tin top series has been the ultimate proving ground for those starting out and this years grid looks to be as close as ever.

Charlie Hand came close to the title last year and he has made a flying start this time around to lead the points at this early stage. However, the competition is fierce and the likes of Aaron Walker, Ruben Hage and Deagan Fairclough, amongst many more, will be keen to close the gap during the weekend’s two races.

The Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires enjoyed a memorable start to the year at Cadwell Park and it looks set to serve up more thrills and spills around the challenging 2.99-mile 300 layout.

Providing a low-cost method of going motor racing, the one-make series has proven to be a smash-hit over recent seasons and 2021 looks to be no different. Alex Cursely and Alistair Dendy shared the spoils last time out and both will be keen to stand on the top step come the end of the single 30-minute encounter that is scheduled to play out.

Also on the billing during the weekend will be contests from the Mini 7 Racing Club and British Superkarts Racing Club.

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

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

BARC championships take centre stage at Mallory Park

Mallory Park played host to a memorable race day this past Saturday (May 1) as two more British Automobile Racing Club championships kicked off their 2021 campaigns.

On what was the first of several scheduled visits to the Leicestershire venue over the course of the year, those competing took on a starring role during a full-throttle day of track action.

Headlining Saturday’s billing were two races from the Pickup Truck Racing Championship on the challenging one-mile Oval layout. Having not raced in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event marked the first time the series had competed since November 2019 – and it certainly made up for its absence.

Delivering two pulsating contests, Reece Jones set his stall out as a credible title contender as he bagged victory in each race. Reigning champion George Turiccki tallied a brace of podiums whilst there were also rostrum finishes for Dean Tompkins and Michael Smith.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship also raised the curtain on a brand new season at the picturesque track and it too didn’t disappoint as it served up a trio of enthralling contests.

Boasting a bumper 17-car grid, the multi-class category showcased a range of iconic models from the popular manufacturer, and one driver proved to be a class above the rest. Despite narrowly missing out on pole position in qualifying, Steve McDermid took centre stage to claim a sensational hat-trick of wins in his MG ZR 170.

Elsewhere, single seater thrills and spills were provided by the Avon Tyres Northern & Super Classic Formula Ford Championship. Joey Foster proved to be the dominant force as he topped the podium twice.

Rounding off the days action were two races from the Northern Saloon & Sports Car Championship. Having powered his Spire GTR to pole position for both encounters, Jon Woolfitt made no mistake in either race to claim a brace of commanding victories.

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

Best of BARC Audio: April 2021

The 2021 motorsport is up and running for the British Automobile Racing Club and with our audio partners Cre8media, we’re determined to bring you the latest news and reports from all of our championships.

Check out some of the best interviews from the past month below:-

John Leck – CNC Heads Sports/Saloons Car Championship: Oulton Park provided the backdrop for the opening round of the CNC Heads Sports/saloons Car Championship and the multi-class category delivered plenty of enthralling entertainment. John provides a round-up of the action as well as the latest stories from the popular series.

Robin Welsh – C1 Racing Club: It’s the dawn of a new era at the C1 Racing Club as Robin Welsh takes to the helm of the single-make series. Speaking about what his new role entails, Robin also provided a preview to the upcoming 24-hour race, which is scheduled to take place at Silverstone on May 28/29/30.

Alan Gow – Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship: The BTCC lifted the curtain on its 2021 season at their official launch at Silverstone recently and Chief Executive Alan Gow has spoken ahead of the first event, which takes place at Thruxton on May 8/9.

Claire Hedley – Britcar Endurance Championship: The Britcar Endurance Championship kicked off its 2021 season at Silverstone on April 24/25 with bumper grids for both its Endurance and Trophy classes. Championship Coordinator Claire Hedley spoke to us about what proved to be a meeting to remember and much more.

Stuart Caie – Classic Touring Car Racing Club: The Classic Touring Car Racing Club was another to feature at Silverstone in late April and it didn’t disappoint. Boasting one of the biggest entry lists in its illustrious history, the CTCRC took centre stage at the Home of British Motor Racing and Stuart Caie recaps a memorable weekend.

Jon Winter – Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires: At Cadwell Park, the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires began a brand new season of tin top thrills and spills. Series organiser Jon Winter talks us through the opener and what fans can expect for the rest of the year.

To listen to more interview from the BARC, head to https://barcaudio.net/

Pickup Truck Racing’s track return headlines Mallory Park race day

The highly anticipated return of the Pickup Truck Racing Championship headlines this Saturday’s (May 1) race day at Mallory Park as the series hits the track for the first time since November 2019.

Making the difficult decision to press pause on its plans for the 2020 campaign and not run any events due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the championship sat on the sidelines last year and instead focused on this season.

Keen to make up for the adrenaline-filled entertainment that was unable to take place last year, the championship boasts a bumper entry list that is headed by 2019 title winner George Turiccki. After being unable to defend his crown last year, Turiccki technically enters the season as the reigning champion and he will be focused on securing back-to-back crowns.

Leading the chase for Turiccki are perennial contenders Michael Smith, Dale Gent, Mark Willis, Reece Jones, David O’Regan, Daniel Petters and former BTCC race winner Matt Simpson, amongst many others including a number of rookies.

Another category that will lift the curtain on – brand new season is the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship. Home to some of the most iconic MG models to have gone into production, there is something for everyone when watching this championship take centre stage.

Offering a cost effective route into motorsport, the series operates a multi-class system with the ethos that car must remain as per the production specification with only limited performance modifications permitted to ensure competitive motorsport at affordable costs.

Notable names to look out for include Jim Baynam, Mark Baker, Fergus Campbell, David Amphlett and Stuart Plotnek; all of whom were firmly in the mix for outright and class honours over the course of 2020.

Additional track action will take place over the course of the day courtesy of the Avon Tyres Northern & Super Classic Formula Ford Championship and Darlington & District Motor Club.

To find out more information on this Saturday’s race meeting at Mallory Park, including links to live timing, event timetable and final instructions, CLICK HERE.

Caterham Graduates membership continues to swell

Caterham Graduates Update

As we embed ourselves in the 2021 motor racing season, we are excited to see a number of changes for the Caterham Graduates Racing Club (CGRC). Despite saying goodbye to the long-standing Classics Class ahead of 2021, the CGRC’s membership numbers are well and truly flourishing.

The Club has enjoyed a strong growth in recent seasons, however this year has gone with a bang, in a good way of course. With a current total of 115 members (and rapidly rising), it’s great to see this expansion of the CGRC.

Amongst the rise in membership numbers is an influx of new members, which is always encouraging. Many have come to the Club from other disciplines or other Caterham championships, but we also have a number of fresh-faced racers embarking on their very first racing experience. It’s always flattering to welcome an abundance of new faces to the CGRC, but to think we are the starting off point for a driver’s motor racing journey is something very rewarding indeed.

We are already one round down of our 2021 season, with our first round taking place at the superb Oulton Park in April. With an invasion of new members, we also welcomed capacity grids at Oulton Park, which was something of a spectacle, and something we expect to see more of as the season progresses.

Although a great deal of hard work has been invested into the growth of the CGRC, we also like to think the values of the Club have had an effective reaction in appealing to racing drivers of all skill levels and abilities.

Introduced in 2020, our FIRST policy (Fun, Inclusive, Respectful, Safe and CosT Effective) represents the CGRC perfectly, and is something that we encompass with each activity, ensuring we are always FIRST for fun.

The CGRC is an environment that is run by drivers, for drivers. As racing drivers ourselves we recognise what works for racing drivers and what doesn’t, whether that’s on circuit or in the paddock. We also appreciate just how busy life can be, particularly in the current climate, and so we like to ensure a certain level of flexibility. With different membership options available, we endeavour to make sure the CGRC can be squeezed into your busy schedule comfortably.

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 12th 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.