Category: Barc

Ginetta Juniors look to take centre stage at Brands Hatch opener

The next generation of UK motorsport talent is set to take centre stage at Brands Hatch this weekend (April 6/7) as the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship roars back into life with a bumper 24-car entry list.

Never short of entertainment on the TOCA support package and open to drivers aged between 14 and 17, the one-make tin-top category has become the ideal environment for youngsters to transition from karting into cars, and reap the benefits that come with it.

With the likes of current McLaren F1 star Lando Norris and BTCC runner-up Tom Ingram products of the Ginetta Junior programme, this years crop of aspiring superstars will be keen to make their mark and follow in their footsteps.

Of the 24 cars taking to the grid for the opening two rounds, just nine of them have experience in the series. Winter Series champion James Hedley will be one to watch in his Elite Motorsport G40, as will Lorcan Hanafan and Gus Burton – two drivers that ran Hedley close last November.

The remaining second-season competitors include former Scholarship winner James Taylor, Will Martin, Harry Dyson, Tom Emson, Ethan Hawkey and Ben O’Hare – and all will be looking to make experience count, especially in the early running.

Several drivers will take their first tentative steps into the world of car racing around the iconic Kent circuit however none of them should be written off, with many of them holding credible backgrounds in karting and other disciplines.

Casper Stevenson, Freddie Tomlinson and Will Rochford and just three of several first-time racers that will be keen to make their mark.

Frankie Taylor meanwhile will step across from the Junior Saloon Car Championship and bid to build on his encouraging pre-season pace.

The same can also be said for Ethan Brooks who is on the grid virtue of winning the Ginetta Junior Scholarship. Brooks is no stranger to the British Automobile Racing Club either after being a standout performer in the British Schools Karting Championship in 2017 and 2018, winning the title with Brentwood School on both occasions.

For more information on the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship’s opening event, including links to timetable and live timing, click here.

Renault UK Clio Cup poised for memorable final season

The Renault UK Clio Cup is set to begin its final season at Brands Hatch this weekend (April 6/7) with an ultra-competitive entry list aiming to write their name into the history books.

Coinciding with the end of its current three-year contract with TOCA and the last year of the fourth generation Clio car, Renault UK confirmed at the end of last year that the 2019 campaign would be the last for the championship.

Since its inception in 1991 the one-make category has enjoyed unrivalled success, especially in the 19 years it has supported the British Touring Car Championship, and has become the ideal proving ground for drivers to elevate themselves further up the UK motorsport ladder.

With a pulsating 18-round calendar kicking off at the Kent venue this weekend, the race to be crowned the last Renault UK Clio Cup champion is set to be captivating.

Team HARD heads the entry list with a three-pronged challenge for the title, led by Max Coates. Having narrowly missed out on the overall crown last year, Coates returns for his fourth season in the season with his sights firmly set on lifting the championship trophy.

Joining Coates is former Junior Saloon Car Champion race winner Ethan Hammerton and fan favourite Jade Edwards. Hammerton will embark on his inaugural season in the senior Clio category whilst Edwards is bidding to score a breakthrough podium and race win after a turbulent 2018 campaign.

Westbourne Motorsport will field a four-car attack with Ben Colburn keen to build on the few rounds that he competed in at the end of last year. Joining Colburn is Finlay Robinson, who steps up from the Michelin Clio Cup Series, Aaron Thompson and the returning Anton Spires – also a product of the Clio Cup Series.

MRM Racing’s charge this year after coming off the back of a superlative performance in the Renault UK Clio Cup International event, winning overall. After triumphing in the Renault UK Clio Cup Junior, the Northern Irishman became a potent threat towards the front of the field in 2018 and will be keen to build on his momentum.

In addition, Young emerged as the man to beat at the 2019 Media Day as he dipped under the official Clio Cup lap record around Silverstone National. Brett Lidsey and Ben Davis join Young at MRM.

Rounding out the grid for this season is Luke Warr, who will also be looking to pose a threat at the sharp end of the field.

With two pulsating encounters around the Indy circuit set to have fans on the edge of their seats this weekend, the Renault UK Clio Cup is set to begin its farewell tour in typical unpredictable style at Brands Hatch.

For more information on this weekend’s event, click here.

All to play for as Porsche Carrera Cup GB gets set to lift the covers for 2019

Another frenetic and entertaining Porsche Carrera Cup GB campaign lies in wait for 2019, with Brands Hatch set to play host to the opening two rounds of the year this weekend (April 6/7).

A firm fixture on the TOCA package for a number of years, the Carrera Cup is the most successful single marque GT championship in the country and has once again welcomed a bumper entry list

With last years champion Tio Ellinas moving on, the mantel is set to fall on a new star to come to the fore and look to be the benchmark driver in the series.

Multiple champions Redline Racing enter the opening event of the season tipped as one of the favourites with Seb Perez, George Gamble and Jack McCarthy behind the wheel. Both Perez and Gamble will be keen to build on the experience they have in the series whilst McCarthy will be keen to make a solid start to life in the Carrera Cup after switching from the Renault UK Clio Cup.

Leading BTCC outfit Motorbase Performance will be keen to roll back the years and clinch championship silverware as they field Dan Vaughan and Lewis Plato in the Pro class.

Carrera Cup GB Scholar Dan Harper and Tom Roche, of JTR and Rob Boston Racing respectively, will also be ones to watch in the top category – further reinforcing the strength in depth across the field.

Off the back of clinching a spot on the coveted W Series grid, Esmee Hawkey will duke it out once more for Pro-Am honours with the aforementioned McCarthy, Karl Leonard and Jamie Orton.

Rounding out the entry list for the Brands Hatch curtain-raiser is Peter Mangion, Richard Hawken, Adam Knight, John Ferguson and Peter Kyle-Henney – all of whom will be battling for the Am title.

Two 34-lap encounters around the 1.2 mile Brands Hatch circuit kick off proceedings this weekend and if the Carrera Cup GB has taught anything in the past it will be to expect the unexpected.

For more information on the event including links to timetable and live timing, click here.

Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup gearing up to make their mark

The Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup will crown new champions in both the Pro and Am classes this year, and the journey to doing just is set to begin this weekend (April 6/7) at Brands Hatch.

Captivating at almost every turn in 2018, Ginetta’s flagship championship has become a proving ground for some of the UK’s top motorsport talent, and the class of 2019 are primed and ready to make their mark.

With Charlie Ladell not returning to defend his title, Rob Boston Racing have turned to 2016 runner-up Will Burns to spearhead their line-up alongside former Britcar Endurance front-runner Simon Rudd.

There is a Britcar connection over at Team HARD too as Tom Barley steps into the GT4 category after partnering Rudd last year. Barley will be joined in the Team HARD stable by former BTCC and Renault UK Clio Cup competitor Mike Epps, who is making his debut in Ginetta machinery.

Harry King and Elite Motorsport proved to be a tour-de-force last year and King could yet be a threat once more along with rookie Fin Green, three-time winner Tom Hibbert and Carl Shield.

Having triumphed in the Am category with Michael Crees last year, Century Motorsport are bidding to make it back-to-back titles starting this weekend and boast a strong driver line-up.

Jack Oliphant, brother of former champion and now BTCC racer Tom Oliphant, has stepped up whilst 2017 British Rallycross title winner Nathan Heathcote has elected to swap dirt for tarmac and tackle circuit racing.

Dan Kirby, Lee Frost, Lucky Khera, James Kell, Paul Taylor, Darron Lewis and Carl Garnett round out the impressive list of Am competitors for this weekend’s opening event, and all can’t be discounted from prevailing come Sunday evening.

This weekend will see a total of two 24-lap duels take place. For more information on the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup’s opening event of the 2019 season, including links to timetable and live timing, click here.

Sportscars, saloons and single-seaters top the bill at Thruxton Motorsport Celebration

A mouth-watering array of sensational sportscars, flame-spitting saloons and evocative single-seaters will thrill the crowds at this year’s Thruxton Motorsport Celebration (1/2 June), with no fewer than 15 races on the bill as the past comes back to life at the fastest circuit in the country.

Following the resounding success of last summer’s 50th Anniversary Celebration weekend, the decision was taken to make the popular, family-friendly event an annual affair. In addition to the myriad of yet-to-be-announced off-track attractions and high-speed demos, nine series have been confirmed to take to the circuit at the retro-themed Hampshire festival.

The action will rev into life with the Historic Touring Car Challenge (HTCC) with Tony Dron Trophy, for models that competed in the British and European Touring Car Championships between 1966 and 1990 – including larger-engined turbocharged cars like the legendary Ford Sierra RS500. The Tony Dron Trophy – named in honour of the 1970s touring car and Le Mans ace – is a standalone series for Group 1 Touring Cars from 1970 to 1982.

Going even further back through the gears, the U2TC for pre-66 under two-litre Touring Cars and HRDC ‘Coys Trophy’ for Touring Cars 1958-1966 feature cars that first raced in their prime more than half-a-century ago.

In the same vein, the HRDC ‘Allstars’ for pre-66 Sports, GT and Touring Cars – which evokes the spirit of the Club Members Meetings of the 1950s and ‘60s – recreates the ‘Allcomers’ Club races with the greatest variety of pre-’66 historic competition cars to be found on a single grid, from super-quick Ashley GTs to powerful TVRs and Cobras, not to mention the rare Daimler Dart and Austin Healey Jamaican.

The HRDC ‘Alfa Challenge’ for Alfa Romeo Sports, GT and Touring Cars is sure to appeal to all ‘Alfisti’, with fans of the much-loved Italian marque set to be spoiled by a grid-full of seldom-seen models from the early 1950s through to the late 1970s – Giuliettas in both Spyder and Berlina form, Giulia Supers and GTs and the later Alfetta GTVs and Berlinas amongst others.

The RAC Woodcote Trophy/Stirling Moss Trophy is widely acknowledged as the pre-eminent series for late-1950s sportscar racing, with all cars running in genuine period specification to ensure an authentic experience true to the era, while the Sports 2000 Championship reunites a field of two-seat, mid-engined, open-cockpit, full-bodied sports prototypes.

The FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ FJ Championship, meanwhile, boasts two grids at the Thruxton Motorsport Celebration – one for front and one for rear-engined machinery. Launched in 1958, Formula Junior was intended to provide an entry-level open-wheel formula in which drivers could use inexpensive mechanical components from everyday cars.

“Although initially conceived as a one-off to mark half-a-century of motorsport at Thruxton, last year’s event was so phenomenally well-received that we couldn’t not continue it,” explained Thruxton Operations Manager, Pat Blakeney. “We’re delighted to unveil such a glorious grid for this summer’s festival, with a tremendous variety of iconic sportscars, saloons and single-seaters spanning several of the sport’s most memorable decades.

“In addition to what is sure to be some fantastic racing on-track, off-track there will be just as much to keep spectators entertained, which we are looking forward to revealing over the coming weeks. It promises to be another action-packed, fun-fuelled weekend celebrating everything to be enjoyed about this spectacular sport.”

Advance tickets for the Thruxton Motorsport Celebration on 1/2 June are available from just £12 for Saturday entry and £20 for Sunday – or £28 for both days. Sunday grandstand seats are an additional £5. Accompanied children aged 15 and under will be admitted free of charge.

For further information or to buy tickets, see thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/celebration or call 01264 882222.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit: www.thruxtonracing.co.uk

BARC serves up six-tastic Silverstone spectacle

The home of British motorsport, Silverstone, played host to a memorable two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (March 30/31) as six more championships launched their 2019 campaigns.

In what is a traditional fixture on the Club’s early-season calendar, the International configuration of the Northamptonshire venue once again showcased a raft of wheel-to-wheel battles across all categories.

Headlining Saturday’s action was a pair of races from the Dunlop Endurance Championship, which boasted a record 36-car entry list. With a pair of one-hour encounters setting pulses racing, Tim Gray proved to be the man to beat in race one at the wheel of his VR Motorsport Praga R1T.

Gray took on the Lamborghini pairing of John Seale and Marcus Clutton, prevailing to narrowly take the chequered flag by little under two seconds. Seale and Clutton ensured they savoured victory too by dominating race two, lapping the entire field in their striking Huracan.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series saw the spoils shared as Luke Pinder and Simon Freeman took a win apiece. The pair were inseparable for a majority of the weekend as they vied for top spot in the Race Class with Ronan Pearson and Paul Bell rounding off the podium in each race respectively.

James Colburn bagged a brace of victories in the new-for-2019 Sport Class, whilst double Road Class champion Nic Harrison also enjoyed a double-winning performance as well.

Having reigned supreme in the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship last year, Pete Sparrow began the defence of his title in fine style as he romped his way to a pair of victories – setting his stall out as the man to beat once more.

Rick Morris also enjoyed a stellar weekend as he too scored a pair of wins, this time in the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Heading what was a stellar entry list of experienced single seater racers, Morris was a tour-de-force in the opening encounter to fend off Mark Armstrong and John Village.

In race two, Morris then prevailed from a nail-biting 17-lap affair ahead of 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey – who was making a popular return to the series – whilst Armstrong picked up another rostrum finish.

Spoils were shared in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship races as William Sharpe and Steve Darbey won overall. Never short of entertainment, the multi-class series is home to some of the most iconic machines from the MG brand however it was to be the MG ZR that reigned supreme – a car that Sharpe and Darbey both piloted.

Capping off the weekend’s action in Northamptonshire was a raft of races from the Caterham Graduates Championship. Another category which has forged a name for itself in recent years, amalgamated grids ensured there was plenty of action throughout each class.

The combined Mega/Classic/135/125 races came down to Luke Tzourou and Kevin Barrett, with the pair nip-and-tuck with each other and ultimately taking a win apiece. Elsewhere Samuel Wilson emerged as the man to beat in the Sigmax and 150 races as he romped to a brace of wins ahead of Jamie Ellwood.

To view the full classification of results across all championships from Silverstone, click here.

Silverstone beckons for six action-packed BARC championships

Silverstone awaits the arrival of the British Automobile Racing Club this weekend (March 30/31) with six championships kicking off their 2019 campaigns.

As the new season begins to gather momentum, the BARC descends on the home of British motorsport once more to tackle the International layout, with enthralling entertainment expected to keep fans on the edge of their seats throughout both days.

Topping the bill for the weekend is the Dunlop Endurance Championship which has attracted a record entry for the second year running. Boasting a grid of 36 jaw-dropping machines, Britcar is enjoying a period of rude health and that is only set to continue with tweaks having been made to the race format.

This weekend’s opening event sees the introduction of two one-hour races instead of the previous 50-minute and two-hour encounters, thus further enticing more iconic machinery to the grid. In addition the class structure has also been altered however that won’t wave from the likes of Ferrari, BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, Mercedes and more going wheel-to-wheel.

Nostalgia single seater thrills will come in the shape of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship this weekend with two races scheduled to take place. Harking back to the days when the category was a feeder series to Formula 1, the racing remains the same

Experienced racers such as Stuart Kestnbaum, Mark Armstrong and Rick Morris are amongst the favourites to shine whilst attention will also be paid to former BTCC champion turned presenter Tim Harvey, who is back behind the wheel of a Van Dieman.

It’s a new chapter for the Michelin Clio Cup Series this year too as they introduce the fourth generation car into the newly formed ‘Sport Class’. Having been a haven for tin top thrills down the years, the Clio Cup Series is set to scale new heights with as it looks to the future.

Both the Race and Road Class categories boast bumper grids too, with a new champion set to be crowned in 2019 following Ben Palmer moving onto new pastures. Nic Harrison meanwhile remains the man to beat in the Road Class as he bids to become a three-time title winner.

The Caterham Graduates Championship has become synonymous for close-quarter action down the years and that theme is set to continue this weekend. Four classes will duke it out in amalgamated grids with more than 40 cars confirmed to kick off the season in style.

Jamie Ellwood, Robin Webb, Mark Carter, Ben Winrow and Jon Curry are just a few of the drivers that have flourished in the past and could be potent threats over the course of both days.

Small in stature but never short of entertainment, the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship is back for another year and with another healthy entry list. Following on from a frenetic 2018 campaign which saw Pete Sparrow clinch the title, the series is back for another year – kicking off the season this weekend before a raft of events between now and August.

Capping off the weekend’s BARC action are a pair of races from the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship. Showcasing some of the most iconic machines from the iconic manufacturer, all eras of MG are fielded in this multi-class category, with battles raging throughout the grid.

Jim Baynam, Steve McDermid and Simon Kendrick are just three drivers to look out for as they all bid to kick their campaigns off on the right foot.

To find out more information regarding this weekend’s event at Silverstone, click here.

BARC appoints Ben Taylor as Group CEO

The British Automobile Racing Club is pleased to announce the creation of a new post, Group CEO; with Ben Taylor taking up the role to lead the Club’s operations and multiple business units.

The appointment follows a restructure of the organisation and the creation of a new Group Board designed to assist the future development of the company and to deliver a stronger and more effective group strategy to the various operations that make up the second biggest group of motorsport venues in the UK. 

Taylor’s motorsport career dates back more than twenty years, involving positions in F1, BTCC and the UK governing body, the Motor Sports Association, now Motorsport UK.

Most recently he was Managing Director of the Major Events subsidiary International Motor Sports with responsibility for Wales Rally GB, the British Grand Prix and the British Rally Championship.

Prior to that, he was MSA Director of Development and Communications, leading the company’s promotional, grass roots and marketing activities.  

Commenting on his new role at the BARC, Taylor said: “It is an exciting and pivotal time to be joining the BARC as the company lays its foundations for the future.

“It is a big challenge, but I am looking forward to meeting the people involved, understanding the many different aspects of the business and working together to build on the existing structure.”

Tony Scott-Andrews, BARC Chairman, added: “This is the start of a new phase in the history of the BARC. We have ambitious plans to grow the company and create a solid and sustainable motorsport business for the next 50 years.

“We are thrilled that Ben has agreed to join us; his knowledge and experience make him the perfect fit to take up this new challenge and we look forward to getting started next month.”

Britcar boom continues as Silverstone opener gets record entry

Once again the Silverstone International circuit has proved to be popular with competitors in the Dunlop Britcar Endurance Championship, attracting a record entry for the second year running.

But it’s not just the attraction of racing on an iconic circuit, it’s as much as – or more  – to do with the innovative tweaking of the race format and category structure by the Britcar management that has drawn in some serious race machinery, in what looks to be an ultra-competitive season ahead.

Gone are the Sprint and Endurance categories, and gone are the split 50-minute and two-hour races, all competitors are now in the same pair of one-hour races. This reflects the appetite for racing specialised racing machines over a slightly shorter distance, to which Britcar has reacted, whilst broadly retaining the five-class structure, with some adjustments to the top and bottom ends of Classes 1, 2 and 3, ensuring fairer equalisation.

This new format has changed the complexion of the entry somewhat, too. The Ginetta G55s, mainstay of Class 3 over the last few years and a serious overall title contender, are missing, at least from this opening round, and in their place will be a phalanx of Porsches, whilst previously thin-on-the-ground Classes 1 and 2 are now awash with array of 13 Supercars, with BMW,  Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Praga, Saker and Taranis represented.

But it’s not all about the Supercars – the competition is just as intense amongst the lower-powered contingent; indeed last year’s overall champions, Sarah Moore and Matt Greenwood, in a Tockwith Motorsport Ginetta G50, came out of Class 4. Seventeen year-old Matt has moved on for 2019, and this year Sarah will coach and nurture the precocious teenage talent of Moh Ritson.

A raft of hot hatches and Touring Cars make up Classes 4 and 5, many to the internationally recognised Touring car regulations, with the Team Brit Aston Martin being an interloper, enabling the driving and engineering squad of disabled former UK servicemen and women to realise their dream of eventually taking on the Le Mans 24hrs.

So, Britcar has moved with the current flavour of the market, as reflected by the unprecedented 36-car entry for this opening round, and there’s no make-weights here; experienced amateurs complemented by seasoned professionals, all in superbly prepared cars.

This is going to be so competitive, and is promising to be potentially Britcar’s best-ever season.

Alan Gow delighted to present unrivalled 2019 BTCC campaign

British Touring Car Championship Chief Executive Alan Gow has shared his excitement surrounding what lies ahead for the series in 2019, with a capacity entry list topping the headlines leading into the opening round at Brands Hatch.

Once again underlining its status as the UK’s premier motor sport championship, the BTCC will once again stage ten events and 30 races across the length and breadth of the country, with a car 30-car grid primed and ready to duke it out for supremacy.

Whilst the action is set to keep fans captivated on-track, those who can’t make it trackside will benefit from unrivalled television coverage via ITV4, whilst Kwik Fit join the fray as title sponsor.

 “We are delighted to present our full field of drivers, manufacturers, teams and cars for the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, as we head into yet another thrillingly unpredictable campaign in the UK’s biggest and best motorsport series,” Gow said.

“We have a potent line-up of champions, race-winners and emerging young talent, with a wide variety of cars and body styles represented on the grid. The two newest models – the BMW 3 Series and Toyota Corolla – are sure to cause quite a stir, and the commitment demonstrated by those two manufacturers in introducing new cars is testament to the championship’s rude health and enduring appeal.

“That is further endorsed by the confirmation that the BTCC is the only major motorsport series to benefit from extensive live, free-to-air UK coverage in 2019, which means fans unable to follow trackside won’t have to miss a moment of the thrilling doorhandle-to-doorhandle action.

“We have a new title partner in Kwik Fit, who are already looking to maximise their involvement in the greatest show in British motorsport.

“That is just one fascinating thread of what looks sure to be another captivating, drama-fuelled campaign – so whether you are following on television, online or soaking in the smells, sights and sounds at close quarters, strap yourself in and get ready to enjoy the ride.”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks off the new season at Brands Hatch on April 6/7. For more information, click here.

BTCC launches 2019 season with capacity entry list confirmed

Britain’s biggest motor sport series, the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, is primed and ready for another memorable year with series organiser TOCA announcing a capacity 30-car entry list for 2019 at its Season Launch.

Following on from a record-breaking 60th Anniversary campaign last year, the BTCC is set to scale new heights as the best tin-top drivers in the country battle it out for the most coveted prize in UK motor sport.

Topping the entry this year are five manufacturer-backed teams with a host of Independent entries further adding to the strength-in-depth the championship consistently has year-on-year.

BMW and West Surrey Racing will bid to retain their three titles from last year by introducing the brand new 330i M Sport to the series, with reigning champion Colin Turkington, Tom Oliphant and Andrew Jordan all behind the wheel and hungry for silverware.

After several decades away, Toyota makes a long-awaited return to the championship as a fully-fledged manufacturer entrant by teaming up with Speedworks Motorsport. After narrowly missing out on the crown last year, Speedworks and Tom Ingram will bid to go one better in the all-new Toyota Corolla.

Power Maxed Racing have put their faith in experience this year with Jason Plato and Rob Collard teaming together to spearhead Vauxhall’s championship charge whilst Adrian Flux Subaru Racing retain 2017 champion Ashley Sutton and gained Senna Proctor.

Following a maiden year with the new Honda Civic Type R, Halfords Yuasa Racing are expected to issue an all-out challenge for the title with Matt Neal and Dan Cammish remaining at the championship-winning squad.

Whilst it is set to be all to play for in the manufacturers, championship campaigns are set to come from the Independent ranks too. Tom Chilton and Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher came close to the crown last year and will be keen to better their performance. Motorbase Performance have added Ollie Jackson and Nicolas Hamilton to their ranks too.

A trio of Mercedes Benz A-Class’ will be on-track once more with Aiden Moffat, Adam Morgan and Daniel Rowbottom all bidding for glory. Elsewhere AMD Tuning have continued to develop over the off-season and will aid Trade Price Cars Racing in running Mark Blundell and Jake Hill in the Audi S3’s, whilst also running Sam Tordoff and Rory Butcher in Honda Civic Type Rs.

First-time race winners last year, Chris Smiley, Josh Cook and Matt Simpson will all be eyeing more success too as they hit the track in Honda Civic Type R’s – Smiley and Cook in brand new FK8’s for BTC Racing.

Team HARD meanwhile will run four Volkswagen CC’s once more with Jack Goff joining Bobby Thompson, Michael Crees and Carl Boardley after securing a last-minute deal to remain on the grid.

MG machinery has changed hands over the winter with new team Excelr8 Motorsport taking on the running of the cars. Series newcomers Sam Osborne and Rob Smith will take to the wheel as they bid to find their feet in the series.

Capping off the bumper entry list is Team Parker Racing, who have retained Stephen Jelley for a third successive season as they bid to move further up the grid with their BMW 125i M Sport.

With tweaks to the rules such as success ballast, an unprecedented 18 race winners, five champions and five rookies, as well as much more, the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is set for another vintage year of competition.

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Entry List

Car No. Driver Team Car Team / Driver Status
1 Colin Turkington Team BMW BMW 330i M Sport Manufacturer
3 Tom Chilton Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher Ford Focus RS Independent
4 Sam Osborne Excelr8 Motorsport MG6 Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
6 Rory Butcher Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Honda Civic Type R Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
8 Mark Blundell TradePriceCars.com Audi S3 Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
9 Rob Collard Stirling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra Manufacturer
11 Jason Plato Stirling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra Manufacturer
12 Stephen Jelley Team Parker Racing BMW 125i M Sport Independent
15 Tom Oliphant Team BMW BMW 330i M Sport Manufacturer
16 Aiden Moffat Laser Tools Racing Mercedes Benz A-Class Independent
18 Senna Proctor Adrian Flux Subaru Racing Subaru Levorg Manufacturer
19 Bobby Thompson GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct Volkswagen CC Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
22 Chris Smiley BTC Racing Honda Civic Type R Independent
24 Jake Hill TradePriceCars.com Audi S3 Independent
25 Matt Neal Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic Type R Manufacturer
27 Dan Cammish Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic Type R Manufacturer
28 Nicolas Hamilton ROKiT Racing with Motorbase Ford Focus RS Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
31 Jack Goff RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport Volkswagen CC Independent
32 Daniel Rowbottom Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes Benz A-Class Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
33 Adam Morgan MAC Tools Mercedes Benz A-Class Independent
37 Rob Smith Excelr8 Motorsport MG6 Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
41 Carl Boardley Team HARD. Brisky Racing Volkswagen CC Independent / Jack Sears Trophy
48 Ollie Jackson Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher Ford Focus RS Independent
66 Josh Cook BTC Racing Honda Civic Type R Independent
77 Andrew Jordan BMW Pirtek Racing BMW 330i M Sport Manufacturer
80 Tom Ingram Team Toyota GB with Ginsters Toyota Corolla Manufacturer
116 Ashley Sutton Adrian Flux Subaru Racing Subaru Levorg Manufacturer
303 Matt Simpson Simpson Racing Honda Civic Type R Independent
600 Sam Tordoff Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Honda Civic Type R Independent
777 Michael Crees GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct Volkswagen CC Independent / Jack Sears Trophy

The opening round of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship takes place around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit on April 6/7. For more information, click here.

Blockbuster BARC race day served up at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club delivered a scintillating race day at Oulton Park this past Saturday (March 23) as four championships kick-started their 2019 campaigns in blockbuster style.

Following a busy off-season which has seen meticulous car preparation from teams and drivers, the picturesque Cheshire venue provided the perfect backdrop to lift the curtain on the new season.

 Home to the next generation of motorsport talent, the Junior Saloon Car Championship provided two pulsating races with a bumper grid of 14 to 17-year-old racers, with the spoils shared between reigning champion Lewis Saunders and 2018 Scholarship winner Scott McIntyre.

Bidding to become the first back-to-back JSCC champion, Saunders ignited his title defence in emphatic fashion as he scored a lights-to-flag victory in the opening round after leapfrogging pole sitter McIntyre. Thomas Ward would also get the better of McIntyre over the course of the race and it would be that order that the top three finished in.

Roles were reversed in race two as McIntyre got the better of Saunders and raced on to take the chequered by little under a second. Ward once again underlined his credentials and consistency by notching another podium finish, albeit this time third place.

The Club’s North West Centre’s flagship series, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, raced just once during the day but it proved to be an eventful six-lap encounter which culminated in Jon Woolfitt piloting his MK Indy to the chequered flag.

David Harvey and Danny Bird proved to be the closest challengers to Woolfitt in the end however the pair had to settle for second and third respectively.

Garrie Whittaker proved to be in irresistible force in the Kumho BMW Championship too as he romped his way to a brace of victories. Once again behind the wheel of his BMW E36 M3, Whittaker made an emphatic statement in race one, beating Lucky Khera by more than 45 seconds.

Whittaker followed up his first victory with a second one shortly after, this time heading Jason West by a somewhat smaller margin – 26 seconds this time.

Capping off the day’s action at Oulton Park were a raft of races from the Classic Touring Car Championship, each of them mixing classes together.

AJ Owen emerged as the benchmark in the amalgamated Pre 93, Pre 03 and Pre 05 encounters as he scored a pair of wins at the wheel of his Honda Civic Type R. Leading Ross Craig and Graham Myers in race one, Owen made a further statement as one to watch by heading Ian Bower and Craig in the second race.

Mark Osborne and his Triumph Dolomite Sprint were in fine form in the combined Pre 66 and Pre 83 eight-lap races, claiming outright honours in both.

Elsewhere Andrew Wilson and Richard Wood ensured that they left Oulton Park with a win apiece after each triumphing in the day’s two Blue Oval Saloon and Thunder Saloon races.

For the full classification of results from Saturday, click here.