Tag: BARC

Championship protagonists ready for BTCC title showdown

The 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship title is set to go down to the wire at Brands Hatch this weekend (September 29/30) with Colin Turkington, Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton left in the running battle it out for the biggest prize in British motorsport.

Celebrating its 60 Anniversary this year, the BTCC has served up a record-breaking season which has been headlined by 16 different drivers winning a race. Now, three races and a maximum of 67 points remain before the curtain falls and it is still all to play for.

With the title pendulum having swung back and forth, Team BMW’s Turkington heads to Brands Hatch as the man to beat, holding a 34-point advantage over Speedworks Motorsport’s Ingram.

Despite only scoring a solitary victory at Oulton Park, the double champion has been consistent throughout, picking up a further nine podiums along the way. Admitting that the pressure is on his main title rival, the BMW 125i M-Sport driver is looking forward to the prospect of what is to come.

“I’m really looking forward to Brands Hatch,” Turkington said. “It has been a happy hunting ground for us in the past and I’m confident that we will have a strong car going there. We were in the thick of the battle at Silverstone last time out so it was pleasing to come away from there with a podium.

“I don’t see myself as the one who is under pressure. I much prefer to be in the position that I am in because I’ve got the points in the bag. Last year the pressure was on straightaway because I was the driver chasing and trying to claw back points wherever I could.

“I’ve already got the points and that won’t change, I go into Brands Hatch ready to do my own thing. I have a lot of reasons why I want to win this title and I’m hungrier than ever to clinch a third BTCC championship.”

Continuing to go from strength-to-strength as each year has passed, Ingram finds himself in the hunt for a maiden BTCC title for the first time. At the wheel of his Toyota Avensis, the reigning Independent champion has been a force to be reckoned with all season and is up for the challenge of overhauling a 34-point deficit.

Ingram stated: “With the lead that he has, the pressure is on Colin because the title is his to lose. I’m going into Brands Hatch with no pressure and I’ll be on maximum attack; we’re the hunters and Colin is the hunted.

“We need to beat Colin every single time we go out on track to stand a race of winning and I’ll be bringing the fight to him. Everyone at Speedworks has done a mega job this season and we are going to be in good shape around the Grand Prix circuit, the Toyota should work well around there.

“Yes 34 points is a big ask but it isn’t impossible; I don’t think it’s been won from that far back….yet!”

Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher’s Chilton is the third driver that finds himself in mathematical contention for the championship, albeit 64 points off the summit. Realistic of his chances, Chilton has his own aspirations heading to Motorbase Performance’s home circuit.

“Although mathematically we are still in contention, realistically the overall title is out of reach for me,” Chilton said. “My championship is focused on Ingram to try to overhaul him for second in the standings and win the Independents title.

“Myself and Motorbase have clawed our way up the during the year and we’re not done yet!”

With one final race day left to play out in the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, Brands Hatch looks set to once again play host to another pulsating and thrilling season finale – with further twists and turns set to come.

All event information such as links to live timing, commentary and timetable can be found by clicking here.

Champions crowned at Oulton Park as the curtain falls on further BARC categories

The British Automobile Racing Club crowned more champions this past Saturday (October 20) as Oulton Park played host to a pulsating final day of the 2018 season for six championships.

As the sun shone over the Cheshire venue, those in attendance were treated to a feast of edge-of-the-seat thrills.

Lewis Saunders held his nerve in the Junior Saloon Car Championship to convert his points lead into title glory, narrowly pipping Joel Wren and Steven Chandler. Entering the event with an 11-point advantage, Saunders scored a fourth and a third place finish respectively to lift the coveted crown.

The 14 to 17-year-old series welcomed a new winner too as Scholarship winner Scott McIntyre capped off his maiden season with a pole position and first race win.

Ben Kasperczak then rounded out the year as the final victor of 2018 in the JSCC ranks, however it came following a red flag where a mere two laps were completed.

In the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, Paul Rose was at his brilliant best to wrap up the title at the wheel of his Saker. Having been a tour-de-force throughout the year, Rose arrived at Oulton Park with a slender lead in the multi-class series over Jamie Cryer.

Notching two lights-to-flag wins, Rose put himself out of touch to be crowned champion once again.

There were celebrations in the Mighty Minis Championship too as a pair of champions were decided in both the Mighty Mini and Super Mighty Mini classes. Whilst former BTCC driver Jeff Smith stormed to overall victory in both races, all eyes were on the main title protagonists.

Despite Lee Poolman’s best efforts as he scored two wins in the Mighty Mini class, Stuart Coombs emerged as champion of the category – albeit by a single point. Elsewhere in the Super Mighty Mini category, Connor O’Brien produced a measured drive to be crowned champion.

The Classic VW Cup also brought the curtain down on their season with Ken Lark once again underlining his credentials as the man to beat by sealing two wins in his Volkswagen Corrado.

Rounding out the action at Oulton Park were a pair of races from the BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge. Alexander Owen and Ben Rushworth were ultimately too much for the competition in their Honda Civic Type R and Honda Integra machines, taking two wins apiece.

For the full classification of results from all sessions, click here.

Brands Hatch braced for unmissable BTCC finale

After nine events and 27 races, the destiny of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will be decided around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit this weekend (September 29/30) – and the fight is still very much on.

Since roaring into life at the Kent venue in early April the BTCC’s Diamond Jubilee year has been one to remember, with records tumbling on a consistent basis. Boasting an impressive 16 different race winners, the series has hit new heights and that is set to continue as the final chapter of the current campaign is written.

Colin Turkington heads to Brands Hatch as the man to beat holding a 34-point advantage over Tom Ingram at the top of the standings. Chasing a third BTCC crown, the Team BMW driver has once again underlined his class with a consistent season to-date.

A single victory, taken at Oulton Park, has been backed up by an additional nine podiums to leave the Northern Irishman with a clear road to the biggest prize in British motorsport.

Standing in the way of Turkington however is reigning Independents champion Ingram, who at the wheel of his Speedworks Toyota Avensis has pieced together a mesmerising championship challenge thus far.

Producing standout performance after standout performance, Ingram descends on Brands Hatch as the hunter and focused on overhauling the 34-point deficit he has to make up over the double champion. Renowned for his overtaking prowess and ability to rise to the occasion, the 25-year-old is expected to be on maximum attack from the get-go.

Tom Chilton also enters the final weekend of the year in mathematical contention for the title but with a gap of 64 markers to make up over Turkington, the Motorbase Performance driver’s chance of overall glory looks to be an unrealistic one.

Whilst the battle for the title will take centre stage, several other drivers will be keen to sign off their season’s in style. Having seen his aspirations of his retaining crown slip away, outgoing champion Ashley Sutton will be on the march for silverware and bidding to finish in the top three.

In addition, the likes of Andrew Jordan, Jack Goff, Adam Morgan, Josh Cook, Matt Neal, Aiden Moffat and Sam Tordoff, to name just a few, are also likely to be in the mix for silverware over the course of the weekend too.

Dan Cammish’s quest for a breakthrough BTCC victory will continue however the Halfords Yuasa Racing driver won’t need to worry about the Jack Sears Trophy after building up an unassailable lead at Silverstone last time out.

The remaining championships see Ingram and Chilton as well as Speedworks and Motorbase locked in a battle for both Independent titles whilst Team BMW will look to successfully retain their BTCC Manufacturer/Constructor and BTCC Teams Championship crowns too.

With a maximum 67 points up for grabs and three high-octane BTCC encounters set to take place around the 2.43 mile circuit, the final chapter of the Britain’s premier race series’ Diamond Jubilee is set to be an enthralling one – and it is not to be missed.

The all-important final qualifying session of the season will take place on Saturday at 15:20 before rounds 28, 29 & 30 take place on Sunday at 11:35, 14:25 & 17:15 respectively.

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

BARC descends on Donington Park

It’s crunch time for three championships this Saturday (September 29) as the British Automobile Racing Club makes its final visit of 2018 to Donington Park.

As the motorsport season heads towards the business end of the year, every lap and point is set to count in the race for title supremacy with a total of 12 races scheduled to take place under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Open to drivers aged 14 to 17, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has once again underlined why it is a hotbed for the next generation of UK racers. In what has been another vintage season for the Citroen Saxo category, the title battle remains wide open with six races still to be run.

Lewis Saunders enters rounds 13 and 14 as the teenager to beat, albeit holding a slender seven-point advantage at the summit of the standings. Joel Wren, a six-time race winner in 2018, remains Saunders closest challenger as it stands and he will be keen to continue his momentum having won the past three races in a row.

With the likes of Steven Chandler, Scott McIntyre, Frankie Taylor also in the mix, Saturday’s double-header is set add further twists and turns to the JSCC plot.

Saloon cars from all eras will duke it out around Donington Park in the Classic Touring Car Championship, with six races being staged in total. With everything from Pre ’66 tin tops right the way through to modern machinery, there is something for everyone in the CTCRC and that will be on display across the day’s amalgamated races.

Notable names to look out for include Steve Barden, Stephen Primett, Mark Osbourne, Luc Wilson and Ian Bower – to name but a few.

Capping off the BARC action will be a pair of races from the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship. Enjoying what has been another stellar year of competition in the series with bumper grids throughout, variety has always been the spice of life in the CNC Heads – with all manner of cars competing.

Following on from an impressive hat-trick at Anglesey last time out, Paul Rose will bid to further extend his championship lead at the wheel of his Saker, edging him closer to what will another championship crown. The quartet of Jamie Cryer, Oliver Thomas, Dave Harvey and Clive Dix will be out to ensure that doesn’t happen however.

Joining the BARC’s three categories will be a pair of 15-minute encounters from the Track Attack Racing Club.

UK Sports Prototype Cup to launch in 2019

A brand new series is set to launch in 2019 titled the UK Sports Prototype Cup, aimed at providing a multi-marque racing environment for lightweight sports prototype cars to race in a premium race weekend package.

In partnership with the British Automobile Racing Club, Dunlop and Sunoco, the UK Sports Prototype Cup is set to break new ground next year with James Bailey of Pitbox 91 heading up the project.

The inaugural calendar for the Cup is still to be announced however events alongside the Britcar-promoted Dunlop Endurance Championships at UK circuit’s such as Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Silverstone are all being formulated.

A visit to mainland Europe on the support package of the European Le Mans Series at the Autudromo International Algarve is also set to feature on the provisional calendar.

Sprint races of an estimated 25 minutes will be blended with longer endurance style encounters, featuring a compulsory pit-stop and billed to be between 45 minutes and one hour, is set to formulate the race format of the Cup.

One of the leading lights to come from the UK Sports Prototype Cup will be the exciting new V6-powered Revolution, which is set to be unveiled at Motorsport Days Live on November 2nd.

Having been under development for over a year, the Revolution is set to be one of the cornerstones of the Cup as the LMP inspired, carbon tubbed, high downforce prototype will have its own dedicated class following a multi-year agreement being confirmed.

“We believe the 440bhp per tonne performance coupled with the quality, design and technology of the Revolution will quickly establish it as one of the leading premium prototype cars on the market,” Bailey explained.

“It’s important for drivers and teams investing in the Revolution to know that they have strong race events to compete in together. We are delighted to promote the Revolution UK Trophy as a feature category with a commitment until at least 2023.”

In addition to the Revolution UK Trophy, the UK Sports Prototype Cup will also feature of a promoted category for the one of the world’s best-selling race cars, the Radical SR3.

Bailey added: “When we started planning the UK Sports Prototype Cup, we had considerable interest from teams and drivers who own Radical SR3 cars. They told us that the service level of Dunlop’s experienced Le Mans technical team and the welcoming ‘family atmosphere’ we aim to create were attractive selling points for them.”

There will be further emphasis for those competing in the 2019 season of the series too as the Cup will also be a qualifying event for the Sunoco 240 Challenge.

Drivers meeting the Sunoco 240 Challenge criteria and that enter for the full season will have the opportunity to compete for a place in a GT4 car in 240-minute endurance race which takes place the Friday before the coveted Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Further information is set to be announced at the upcoming Motorsport Days Live event, held at Silverstone on November 2/3.

For more information on the UK Sports Prototype Cup, head to their website https://www.sportsprototypecup.com/.

Ginetta Junior trio set for championship crescendo

The destiny of the Ginetta Junior Championship will be decided at Brands Hatch this weekend (September 29/30) with three drivers set to duke it out across what is expected to be a trio of high-octane races.

This year’s crop of youngsters aged 14 to 17 have served up a feast of entertainment so far, with 23 races of blockbuster action already in the books.

Heading south to tackle the Grand Prix layout of the popular Kent venue, the trio of Louis Foster, Adam Smalley and Luke Browning look set to continue their season-long fight for supremacy.

Once penalty points are applied, Elite Motorsport’s Foster heads into the title showdown holding a 21-point advantage. On the cusp of writing his name into the history books by the winning the series at the first attempt, Foster will be keen to continue the impressive run of results that has seen him move to the top of the standings.

Having enjoyed a consistent first half of the year, six victories from the past seven races has seen the teenage sensation topple his rivals and take the lead of the championship with just three races to spare.

Former Ginetta Scholarship winner Smalley is Foster’s main protagonist in the title battle as it stands and he had been leading the standings for a majority of the season before Silverstone.

With a total of 15 podiums to his name, including six wins, Smalley has been a revelation in his second season in the championship and the Elite Motorsport driver could yet walk away as champion.

Richardson Racing’s Browning sits third on the leaderboard, albeit 48 points off the summit. Seven victories have been the peak of his season however a handful of low scoring rounds is the reason why the #11 machine will enter the weekend needing to do the most if he is to steal the title from under the noses of Foster and Smalley.

Whilst all eyes will be focused on the top three in the standings as they duke it out for the championship crown, several other drivers will be keen to end their 2018 campaigns on a high.

Patrick Kibble, James Taylor, Ruben Del Sarte, James Hedley and Greg Johnson are just a handful of drivers that have been in the mix for podium finishes this year and all of them, plus a host of others, could play a pivotal role in the outcome of the title if they throw themselves into the mix at the sharp end of the grid over the course of the weekend.

Qualifying for the Ginetta Junior Championship takes place on Saturday at 10:30 before races one and two at 14:45 and 17:45 later that day. The final round of the season takes place on Sunday at 12:55.

Oulton Park to stage fitting finale for handful of BARC championships

Oulton Park will play host to the British Automobile Racing Club for the final time this season on Saturday (October 20) with six championships bringing the curtain down on their 2018 campaigns.

As the motorsport season reaches the business end of the year, the picturesque Cheshire venue will provide a fitting backdrop for champions to be crowned.

Topping the bill is what will likely be an enthralling three-way title showdown in the Junior Saloon Car Championship. In what has been another memorable year for the 14 to 17-year-old category, the JSCC crown will be settled over two pulsating 20-minute encounters.

Lewis Saunders, Joel Wren and Steven Chandler enter the series finale in mathematical contention for the title however it is likely set to be Saunders and Wren that will battle it out, as they have done for a majority of the season – the pair currently separated by a mere 11 points.

Things are similarly close in the Mighty Minis Championship, especially in the Mighty Mini class. Just five points is the difference between Stuart Combes and Lee Poolman and with two races to be run, edge-of-the-seat thrills are to be expected from the much-loved series as the top two duke it out for supremacy.

Elsewhere in the Super Mighty category, Connor O’Brien finds himself on the cusp of title glory although Jo Polley may yet still have something to say about that on-track. Nevan Kirkpatrick and Alex Comes also remain in contention however both will need to be in superlative form to halt O’Brien’s quest for glory.

Paul Rose is another driver that sits within touching distance of a title having enjoyed a stellar year in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship. At the wheel of his Sakar, Rose has been one of the stand out drivers in the multi-class championship however he will still need to be at the top of his game to lift the coveted title.

James Cryer trails Rose by a mere four points and could yet overhaul the series leader to walk away as champion.

The Classic VW Cup will also brings its season to a close with after flourishing on its own. Having broken off to run by itself in 2018, all manner of models of the German marque have competed this season and delivered breathtaking action along the way.

Rounding off the day’s BARC action will be a pair of races from the BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge, both of whom share grids.

Showcasing some of the best saloon cars from a variety of manufacturers, both series have produced plenty of scintillating racing during the course of the year and that is only set to continue at Oulton Park.

For all of the important event information for Saturday’s Oulton Park meeting, click here.

Four-way Renault UK Clio Cup title showdown beckons at Brands Hatch

The Renault UK Clio Cup is set for an enthralling climax to its 2018 season at Brands Hatch this weekend (September 29/30) as four drivers go head-to-head for championship glory.

In what has been another vintage year for the one-make series on the TOCA support package, the quartet of Max Coates, Paul Rivett, James Dorlin and Daniel Rowbottom all arrive at the Kent circuit in mathematical contention.

Tackling the iconic Grand Prix layout, a maximum of 56 points will be on offer over the course of the weekend and further twists and turns are set to keep fans on the edge-of-their-seats in the two races that are set to be run.

Pyro Motorsport’s Coates heads into the season finale in the pound seat, leading the standings but by only a slender six points. Tipped as one of the favourites for the title in pre-season, Coates has underlined his title credentials with an impressive charge to the summit of the points.

Scoring four wins, one of which a popular home victory at Croft, the Yorkshireman will arrive at Brands Hatch keen to repeat the victory he scored at the 2018 curtain-raiser.

Leading the chase for Coates is WDE Motorsport’s Rivett, hungrier than ever to add his already impressive championship tally. Notching two wins and a further seven podiums, Rivett has been a constant thorn in the side of Coates and could yet walk away as champion.

A disqualification at Silverstone last time out for Rivett for an on-track incident however have had a bearing on the points as it stands. With the WDE Motorsport outfit having lodged an appeal against the decision – which will be heard by the MSA National Court at a later date – Rivett’s challenge for the title could yet be decided away from the track.

Trailing Rivett by a single point in third place is Westbourne Motorsport’s Dorlin. In just his second Clio Cup season, the BRDC Superstar has put his stamp on the series and a run of five wins in the early stages of the year have proven to be the cornerstone of his championship charge.

Whilst the top three are covered by a mere seven points, DRM’s Rowbottom sits as the outsider in the title battle, 49 markers behind Coates. A resurgent run of results has vaulted Rowbottom into the picture and the two-time race winner can’t be discounted from contention either.

As the top four get set to duke it out for the title, several other drivers will be looking to sign off their campaigns in style. Bradley Burns, Mike Epps, Lee Pattison, Jack McCarthy and Dan Zelos, amongst many others, will be ones to watch as the weekend unfolds.

Qualifying for the Renault UK Clio Cup weekend of the season is scheduled to take place at 10:55 on Saturday before race one beginning at 16:00 later that day. The final round of the season will be screened live on ITV4 on Sunday, with lights out set for 13:30.
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Dino Zamparelli leads Porsche Carrera Cup GB into season finale

Dino Zamparelli heads into the final weekend of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch this weekend (September 29/30) looking to avenge the heartache he suffered at the Kent circuit one year ago.

The Redline Racing driver scored the exact same amount of points as eventual champion Charlie Eastwood at the 2017 season finale but lost the title due to scoring one less win than the Northern Irishman over the course of the campaign.

Fast forward 12 months and Zamparelli descends on Brands Hatch sitting at the summit of the standings, holding an eight-point LEAD over his nearest challenger Tio Ellinas once dropped scores and penalties have been applied.

Having been tipped by many to be amongst the championship protagonists come the end of the season, the Nationwide-backed driver has been at the fore of the series since the opening round. Four victories, one of which was scored around the iconic Monza, have proven to be the cornerstone of Zamparelli’s challenge up to now.

Triumphing at Silverstone last time out, last year’s runner-up will need to be at the top of his game around the Grand Prix circuit this weekend to hold off the charging Ellinas however.

Spearheading the Slidesports Engineering squad, Ellinas has been the epitome of consistency in 2018 and is good value for where he sits in the championship standings. Despite his only race win coming in round three at Donington Park, the Cypriot has been a regular fixture on the rostrum – scoring a further ten podiums in total.

Needing to make up more than eight points on Zamparelli across both 17-lap encounters, Ellinas will be one to watch from the get-go.

Whilst many will be focused on the top two in the title battle, Tom Wrigley can’t be discounted from proceedings either. Sitting third in the points, the JTR driver is only 19 points off the summit once all dropped scores and penalties are taken into consideration.

Riding a crest of momentum having won last time out at Silverstone, the former Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup could yet add another TOCA title to his impressive racing CV if the top two encounter trouble.

Such has been the high level of competition in the Carrera Cup GB this season that the top three won’t be the only drivers challenging for victory at Brands Hatch. Scholarship winner Daniel Harper has been a tour-de-force at times in his maiden season whilst Lewis Plato and George Gamble have also taken on starring roles throughout the year too.

In the Pro-Am category, Seb Perez and Dan Vaughan are set to take their battle for title honours down to the wire with Peter Mangion and Peter Kyle-Henney doing the same in the Am class.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB’s final qualifying session of the season takes place on Saturday at 13:35 before rounds 15 & 16 take place on Sunday at 10:40 and 16:20 respectively.

BARC championships battle Storm Callum on memorable Pembrey weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club faced rain, wind and bright sunshine at Pembrey this past weekend (October 13/14) as Storm Callum made its presence felt at the venue’s Autumn Truckfest meeting.

On what is one of the standout events for the Welsh venue, not even torrential rain and high speed winds on Saturday could stop a hearty crowd from flocking trackside to witness a flat-out two days of track action.

Circuit staff, officials and marshals met be credited b their determination and hard work at the start of the weekend as they battled the treacherous conditions to ensure racing could go ahead, albeit later than originally scheduled.

When the action did get underway the British Truck Racing Association Championship lived up to its billing by taking centre stage. With the battle for supremacy in Division 1 and Division 2 approaching an exciting climax, the penultimate event of the season served up a feast of entertainment.

Reigning champion Ryan Smith proved to be the benchmark driver in Division 1 once again as he scored a pair of victories however the MAN driver didn’t have things all his own way. Chief title rival David Jenkins scored a win of his own in the premier class whilst Simon Reid also added his name to the winners list in the final race of the weekend.

In Division 2, spoils were shared between three drivers as the title battle heated up. Series leader Luke Garrett kicked off the weekend with victory but that was to be as good as it got for the multiple race-winner as he endured a rough ride from then on.

John Powell notched his first win since the season-opener at Brands Hatch and swiftly followed it up with a second victory not long after. Former champion Adam Bint meanwhile rounded off the Division 2 victors as he produced a defensive masterclass to score his maiden win of 2018.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship is set to go down to the wire following an enthralling triple-header at Pembrey, with Lea Wood vaulting himself into title contention.

Bidding to chase down reigning champion Scott Bourne, former BTCC ace Wood did his championship charge no harm at all as he scored a pair of impressive victories around the 1.49 mile circuit.

Having triumphed twice, Wood capped off his weekend with a third place finish in race three as Dale Gent showcased what he has become known for in the Classic Touring Car Championship by clinching a narrow victory ahead of Bourne.

In the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, four drivers scored victory across the weekend as the series delivered a wealth of twists and turns. On Saturday, Sy Harraway wrote his name into the history books with a maiden win before Jack Parker and John Mickel each topped the rostrum too.

Harraway and Mickel would score a win apiece on Sunday too before Steve Whitelegg brought the curtain down on proceedings by taking the chequered flag in race six.

Joining the three BARC championships at Pembrey was also the Welsh Racing Drivers Association and the MSA Superkarts Championship.

For the full classification of results from all sessions and races, click here.

Charlie Ladell on the cusp of title glory as Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup heads to Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch will provide the backdrop to the final three rounds of the 2018 Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup this weekend (September 29/30), with Charlie Ladell sitting on the cusp of being crowned champion.

In what has been another competitive season in the TOCA support series, the battle for supremacy will be decided with Ladell and Carl Boardley set to go head-to-head around the iconic 2.43 mile Grand Prix layout.

Returning to the scene of the 2018 curtain-raiser, Ladell has proven to be the benchmark driver in the GT4 Supercup this year – leading the championship standings throughout.

At the wheel of his Rob Boston Racing machine, the 22-year-old has been the epitome of consistency, scoring eight wins, six second place finishes and a further four third place finishes along the way.

Underlining his title credentials throughout, Ladell descends on Brands Hatch with a 42-point lead, a comfortable gap but one that he can’t let slip across the weekend’s three races if he is to follow in the footsteps of Callum Pointon, Tom Wrigley and Tom Oliphant by lifting the coveted championship trophy.

Series veteran Boardley remains the only man to stop Ladell from clinching the title and he’ll be using all of his experience to overhaul the series leader. Remaining hot on the heels of Ladell since the opening weekend of the season, Boardley’s focus is likely to add to the six wins he has already notched in 2018 if he is to stand any chance of topping the points come Sunday evening.

Harry King and Tom Roche may yet have their say on the outcome of the title too depending on how their weekend’s play out. The pair have been regular front runners throughout the season and have showcased that they can dice with Ladell and Boardley on multiple occasions.

The trio of Jac Constable, Angus Fender and Reece Somerfield will also be drivers to keep a keen eye on too as the weekend progresses.

In the Amateur class, Michael Crees will bid to convert his charge to the summit of the points into championship celebrations, however Jack Minshaw and Colin White can still stop the popular racer.

Qualifying for the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup kicks off the weekend’s track action at 09:00 on Saturday before races one and two follow later that day at 14:15 and 17:10 respectively. The third and final encounter is scheduled to begin at 15:05 on Sunday, screened live on ITV4.

British Truck Racing Association Championship confirms 2019 calendar

The British Truck Racing Association Championship in association with Truck & Driver has unveiled its provisional calendar for 2019, boasting a bumper eight event schedule.

As the series heads onto the home stretch of the current campaign, plans are already afoot to build on what has been a successful 2018 season.

Brands Hatch will once again play host to the annual curtain-raiser around the Indy circuit, albeit at the later Easter weekend date of April 20/21.

From there the BTRAC will descend on South Wales for the first of two visits to Pembrey on May 11/12 before embarking on a seven-week break.

When the action resumes, the fastest circuit in the country, Thruxton, marks the third stop on the calendar before the heavyweight behemoths make the annual pilgrimage into mainland Europe to tackle the iconic Nurburgring.

Back on British soil, the ever-growing and much-loved Convoy in the Park will make it a summer to remember at Donington Park before the championship ventures to Norfolk to tackle the challenging Snetterton layout.

The road to the title will begin in earnest on October 5/6 as Pembrey stages the penultimate event of the season before Brands Hatch takes up its customary position, bookending the year by staging the season finale on November 2/3.

2019 Provisional Calendar

Brands Hatch – April 20/21

Pembrey – May 11/12

Thruxton – June 29/30

Nurburgring – July 19/20/21

Donington Park – August 10/11

Snetterton – September 7/8

Pembrey – October 5/6

Brands Hatch – November 2/3