Tag: British Truck Racing Association Championship

Pembrey’s Spring Truckfest proves to be a smash-hit

Pembrey Circuit played host to memorable two day of racing this past weekend (April 21/22) as the British Automobile Racing Club descended on South Wales for Spring Truckfest.

In front of a bumper crowd, a trio of championships from the Club joined a host of other categories to entertain those who turned out in force in searing heat and the occasional rain shower.

Headlining the weekend was the BTRA Truck Racing Championship, which was competing for the second time this season after a frenetic curtain-raiser at Brands Hatch. Arriving as the early point’s leader, reigning champion Ryan Smith produced a mesmerising display in Division 1 to further cement his status as the man to beat.

Having won three races at Brands Hatch, the double title winner was a man on a mission at Pembrey winning four out of the five races, all in commanding fashion. The Smith juggernaut came to an end when David Jenkins notched his second race win of the season, doing so under intense pressure from Smith right the way up the chequered flag.

In Division 2, spoils were shared between a trio of drivers. Luke Garrett and Steve Powell charged their way to a brace of victories each whilst Craig Reid notched what proved to be a popular maiden win in the championship.

Elsewhere, the Hyundai Coupe Cup arguably stole the show as it ran three high-octane races; all of them jam-packed with plenty of bumper-to-bumper moments. Steve Kite continued his impressive run of victories in the opening encounter, narrowly pipping Wayne Rockett.

Kite and Rockett emerged as the drivers to watch throughout the weekend as they scrapped for top spot across all three races. Having missed out in race one, Rockett got the better of Kite in the second to score his maiden victory in the series and then backed it up with another in the reverse grid race.

The Max5 Racing Championship kicked into life at Pembrey following a lengthy off-season and there was plenty for Paul Roddison to smile about. Having topped the times in both practice and qualifying, Roddison took a dominant double ahead of Jeremy Shipley and Lee Malin in both races.

There were plenty of jaw-dropping moments in the Dunlop Mini Miglia Championship and Dunlop Mini Se7en Championship too. Aaron Smith scored two wins in the Miglia races whilst Darren Thomas and Max Hunter took a win apiece in the Mini Se7en encounters.

Track Attack Racing Club boasted a bumper and diverse entry list with William Di Claudio piloting his Peugeot 106 GTI to a brace of wins.

Rounding off the action was the Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship which saw Chris Everill and Damian Longotano take the top step of the podium each.

For the full classification of results, click here.

BARC serves up scorching weekend at Thruxton Summer Truckfest

The British Automobile Racing Club served up a scorching weekend (July 7/8) both on and off the track at Thruxton, with seven championships tackling the fastest circuit in the country.

Amidst the heatwave the UK is currently revelling in, a bumper crowd turned out in force across both days to watch a variety of categories write the latest chapter in their 2018 campaigns.

Stealing the show was the British Truck Racing Association Championship, which staged a total of eight fraught races. Division 1 saw reigning champion Ryan Smith produce an emphatic display as he kicked off the weekend from storming to pole position. From there, the event belonged to Smith as he surged to four wins from four races, extending his championship lead in doing so too.

Whilst Smith topped the podium, a host of other drivers including Stuart Oliver, Luke Taylor, David Jenkins, Jamie Anderson and Simon Reid all scored rostrum finishes.

In Division 2 there were to be three different winners from four races, with Steve Powell emerging as the man to triumph twice. Powering his way to pole position, Powell took a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the opener before then replicating that performance in the combined Division 1 & 2 race at the end of the weekend.

Brad Smith and Luke Garrett were the other victors from the class with Smith’s victory proving to be a popular one as he broke his 2018 winless duck.

In the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, reigning champion Scott Bourne closed the gap to points leader Lea Wood with a dominant double. In two frenetic encounters, Bourne prevailed from both races narrowly pipping Wood, with just a tenth of a second covering the pair at the chequered flag each time. Mark Willis rounded out the podium in both races too.

Ben Palmer emerged as another double winner from the weekend as he continued his unbeaten run in the Michelin Clio Cup Series. Despite missing out on pole position, the defending champion produced two stellar performances to strengthen his advantage at the summit of the standings. Nic Harrison did the same in the road class of the series, sweeping his way to a pair of wins.

Spoils were shared in the Mighty Minis Championship as Greg Jenkins and David Kirkpatrick took a win apiece. Dicing for the lead in both races, Jenkins bested Kirkpatrick and Alex Comis in race one before the roles were reversed in race two, with Ian Slark rounding off the podium.

Dean Sullivan and Simon Kendrick emerged victorious from the weekend’s two Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship races. Sullivan narrowly pipped Kendrick to the chequered flag in race one before the latter then produced a devastating display to win by more than 11 seconds. Stuart Philps was unable to stop the squabbling duo and instead had to settle for third place in both races.

The Kumho BMW Championship races had a familiar feel to them as Colin Wells took a pair of win. Wells was the dominant force from the outset and despite the best efforts of James Card, Piers Reid and Darren Fielding, the experienced racer wasn’t to be denied.

Rounding off the weekend’s action was a host of races from the APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship. In the amalgamated Sigmax/ Sigmax VCT duels, Samuel Wilson and Oliver Gibson scored a win apiece whilst Jamie Ellwood, Jonathan Curry and Steve McMaster each took podiums.

The weekend’s Mega, Sigma & Classic races had Declan Dolan take honours in race one before Simon Griffiths struck to score a win of his in the second bout. Ben Winrow and Andy Skinner also picked up silverware too.

For the full classification of results from all of the weekend’s action, click here.

BARC championships set for Thruxton Summer Truckfest scorcher

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for a scorching weekend (July 7/8) on and off the track at Thruxton as seven championships resume battle in Hampshire.

As the UK revels in World Cup fever and the summer heat, the fastest circuit in the country will play host to a diverse range of categories, all of which are ready to set pulses racing.

Headlining the weekend is the British Truck Racing Association Championship, in association with Truck & Driver. Back on UK soil after starring at the Nurburgring last weekend, the heavyweight series will likely provide unmissable viewing with eight races scheduled to be run.

In Division 1, defending champion Ryan Smith leads the way having won ten races thus far. Firmly focused on lifting the title for a third successive year, Smith will be one to watch, as will the chasing pack that will be keen to reel him in. David Jenkins, Stuart Oliver and Jamie Anderson are all firmly in the hunt and will be ones to watch.

Luke Garrett has established himself as the man to beat in Division 2 and he will also be looking to extend his championship lead at Thruxton. Four wins at Nurburgring underlined his credentials however John Powell, Steve Powell, Simon Cole, Brad Smith and many more can’t be discounted from closing the gap to Garrett.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship makes its annual visit to Thruxton with the title battle delicately poised. Lea Wood bagged the lions share of success early on in the season but a resurgent run of results from reigning champion Scott Bourne sees the pair enter the weekend split by a handful of points, with David O’Reagan and Michael Smith also on the fringe of entering the fray.

Two races from the Michelin Clio Cup Series will give tin top fans plenty to smile about, with one-make series undoubtedly set to dazzle. Home to the third generation Clio Cup car, the series has seen unrivalled dominance from defending champion Ben Palmer, winning every race staged thus far. With a long list of contenders all nipping at his heels, Palmer could either further extend his run or see it come to an end in Hampshire. Nic Harrison meanwhile will be looking to get back to winning ways in the road class.

Small in stature but packing plenty of power under the bonnet, the Mighty Minis Championship is never short of entertainment and that theme will likely continue at Thruxton. Sometimes at least four abreast on track, the Minis will be on top form, as will the leading contenders. Stuart Coombes and Lee Polman find themselves in a straight forward battle for the Mighty Mini class while Jo Polley currently leads the way in the Super Mighty Mini class.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship has served up plenty of memorable moments so far and this weekend should be no different. Split into five different classes depending on model, the series has continued to thrive this year, boasting bumper grids throughout. Graeme Smith, Robert Winrow, Jonathan Curry, Declan Dolan and Mark Johnson lead their respective classes into the weekend.

Elsewhere, the Kumho BMW Championship will showcase the very best of the German manufacturer with a great mix of models from down the years. The action has been fast and furious up to now and the flat-out thrills ’n’ spills show no signs of letting up as the series descend on Andover.

Rounding off the action will be the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, which brings the best models of iconic brand onto the sam tarmac to go wheel-to-wheel. Notable names to keep a watchful eye over include Jim Baynam, Martin Willis and Stephen McDermid.

Spring Truckfest awaits BARC categories at Pembrey

Pembrey Circuit is gearing up for a blockbuster two days April 21/22) of on-track action as the British Automobile Racing Club descends on South Wales.

In what is the first of several visits the Club and its championships will make to the venue over the course of the season, a bumper crowd is expected to witness a diverse range of machines battle it out in what is set be a scorching weekend.

Topping the bill is the BTRA Truck Racing Championship, which hits the track for the second time this year. Producing a memorable opening event at Brands Hatch at the start of the month, a bumper entry list in both Divisions 1 and 2 is set to

Division 1 sees a host of former champions all vying for early supremacy as they chase down reigning champion Ryan Smith. Submitting a late entry to the season-opener, Smith claimed a hat-trick of victories to springboard himself to the summit of the points and will be keen to build on that this weekend.

Stuart Oliver, David Jenkins and Mat Summerfield lead the charge to dethrone Smith and all are more than capable of doing so.

In Division 2, five podiums – three of them being victories, sees Luke Garrett as the early pace-setter however he too will have his work cut out as challenges come from all angles. John Powell, Steve Powell and Simon Cole are just a few of the drivers that be keen to topple Garrett from the summit.

Continuing to grow in stature year-on-year, the Hyundai Coupe Cup will looking to build on its burgeoning success as they also hit the track for the second time this season.

Billed as one of the cheapest and easiest ways to go motor racing, the saloon-based series once again boasts another bumper entry list this weekend with the likes of Steve Kite, Alex Cursley and Michael Evans as notable names to look out for.

The Max5 Racing Championship roars into life after a lengthy off-season. Split into three classes, the championship is once again is open to Mk1, Mk3 and Mk4 Mazda MX5’s and all at a cost effective price, making it easier than ever to go racing in the UK these days.

Mathew Tidmarsh, Josh Malin, Andrew Pretorius, Lee Hollin and Paul Roddison were just a few of the drivers that shined last year and are back to do it all over again this season to keep an eye on.

Fans will be able to also see racing from the Welsh Racing Drivers Association and Mini Se7en/Miglia Championship as well.

Tickets are available to purchase on the gate from £15 per day with children 14 and under going free when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information, head to www.pembreycircuit.co.uk or call 01554 891042.

British Truck Racing Association Championship joins forces with Truck & Driver

The British Truck Racing Association Championship will now be brought to followers of high-speed HGV motorsport in association with the best-selling truck magazine in the UK – Truck & Driver – following the agreement of a partnership between T&D publisher DVV Media International (DVV) and the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC).

Following two early rounds the championship is about to hit top gear with racing meetings at Germany’s famous Nurburgring (30 June to 1 July) followed by ‘the fastest circuit in the UK’ at Thruxton in Hampshire (July 7/8) and the ultimate festival of all things trucks and trucking – Truck & Driver’s Convoy in the Park – which takes place at Donington Park on July 21/22.

Championship Director, Glen Horncastle, said: “It is fantastic news that the Championship will be working with such a long standing publishing group as DVV, and knowing how much support and exposure Truck & Driver will bring through its editorial and social media channels is exciting for all concerned.”

DVV Sales Director, Vic Bunby, added: “We’re delighted to be entering this partnership, especially as we build towards the festivities at Convoy in the Park. This is a unique opportunity to bring truck racing and truck racing sponsors to a wider audience who love their trucks.”

DVV will also be responsible for sponsorship sales for the championship and has a variety of packages to get the best results for your brand.

Truck & Driver, Truckanddriver.co.uk and its sister publication Commercial Motor will bring you all the action, as well as taking you behind the scenes with interviews and profiles of the drivers, teams, trucks and circuits – bringing the British Truck Racing Association Championship to life.

You can also follow all the action on Twitter @TrucknDriver and the Truck and Driver homepage on Facebook – and the stars of DVV’s You Tube phenomenon A Week in Trucks will be filming at both Thruxton and Convoy in the Park to bring you their unique take on the truck racing experience.

The race season continues to Snetterton, Norfolk, on September 8/9, Pembrey in West Wales on October 13/14 before culminating at the Bonfire Night extravaganza at Brands Hatch in Kent on November 3/4.

Copies of Truck & Driver will be available to pick up in the paddock areas at all race meetings.

British Truck Racing Association Championship stars on memorable BARC weekend at Snetterton

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a memorable final visit to Snetterton for the 2018 season this past weekend (September 8/9) as five championships continued their campaigns.

Headlining the action were seven races from the British Truck Racing Association Championship. Having been out of action since late July, the heavyweight behemoths of the BTRA returned with title battles further intensifying.

Division 1 had looked like it would take on a familiar feel as reigning champion Ryan Smith set his stall out as the man to beat in qualifying, storming to pole position. Converting his front row start into a superlative victory in race one however that was to be his only triumph as others came to the fore.

Simon Reid, Terry Gibbon and David Jenkins, who triumphed when both Division 1 and Division 2 were combined, shared the spoils to round off the seventh event of the season.

Luke Garrett took another step closer to Division 2 glory as he bagged a brace of wins whilst Steve Powell and Brad Smith also picked up a victory apiece as well.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship enjoyed a milestone moment at the Norfolk venue too as it staged its 500th race in the second encounter of the weekend. David O’Regan emerged victorious from race one, heading Dale Gent and Reece Jones.

Reigning champion Scott Bourne wrote his name into the history books later in the day as he triumphed in the series’ marque race. In a league of his own, Bourne headed O’Regan and Gent to keep his title aspirations firmly alive.

Connor O’Brien was perfection personified in the pair of Mighty Minis Championship races as he surged to a pair of victories. A dominant drive in race one saw O’Brien take the chequered flag by more than 17 seconds ahead of David Kirpatrick and Alex Comis.

The Super Mighty Minis hotshot then headed Nevan Kirkpatrick and championship protagonist Jo Polley to make it a weekend to remember.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres saw two contrasting days at Snetterton as the title battle took another pivotal swing. On Saturday, Stephen Whitelegg affirmed his status as one to watch as he produced a scintillating hat-trick of wins.

Day two during the weekend saw Miles Rudman, Marcus Pett and Matthew Pape each take a win

Rounding off the weekend were a brace of races from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. Laurent de Meeus and Jamie Stanley dominated in the Sprint category as they piloted their FF Corse Ferrair 488 Challenge machine to victory in the shorter 50-minute duels.

The longer two-hour race was won by the KTM X-Bow pairing of Mike McCollum and Sean Cooper in their Track Focused – Oakfields Advisors Ltd-backed car.

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

British Truck Racing Association Championship headlines bumper BARC event at Snetterton

The British Truck Racing Association Championship returns to action this weekend (September 8/9), headlining what is set to be a bumper two days of track action around the long straights and demanding curves of Snetterton.

As the 2018 campaign moves towards the business end of the season, title battles are set to further intensify around the Norfolk circuit with five categories primed and ready to duke it out.

Having not competed since late July at Donington Park, the British Truck Racing Association Championship will pick up where it left off with a scheduled eight races set to be run and a 23-driver entry list confirmed.

In Division 1, reigning champion Ryan Smith has been a one-man juggernaut at times and has built up a sizeable advantage at the summit of the standings. On course to retain his crown, Smith could well put himself in an even stronger position this weekend if he adds to his impressive win tally.

Smith’s nearest challengers as it stands is former champion David Jenkins and multiple race winner Jamie Anderson, both of whom are not to be discounted. Other drivers to keep an eye on include ten-time champion Stuart Oliver, Luke Taylor and Richard Collett.

Luke Garrett finds himself in a similarly comfortable position at the top of Division 2 and the MAN driver will be keen to replicate the clean sweep he recorded at Donington Park. With 15 victories to his name thus far, Garrett will have his sights set on the top step of the podium.

Bidding to reel Garrett back in is Brad Smith, Steve Powell, John Powell, John Bowler and Simon Cole, amongst others.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship will bring a jaw-dropping array of GT machinery to Snetterton for a 50-minute sprint race and a longer two-hour encounter as well.

Matt Greenwood and Sarah Moore currently hold top spot in the Endurance rankings whilst Michael Igoe and Adam Wilcox lead the way in the Sprint category. With another bumper entry list confirmed, which includes Renault UK Clio Cup series leader Max Coates, this weekend is set to be an enthralling one for Britcar.

Lea Wood and Scott Bourne will resume their battle in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship with a pair of races set to write the latest chapter in what has been a memorable season. As it stands, there is nothing to separate the pair at the top of the points.

Whilst Wood is gunning for his maiden championship in the popular series, Bourne is bidding to make it back-to-back triumphs and a slip up for either of them could prove costly in the remainder of the season.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres campaign will resume at Snetterton too with John Mickel aiming to retain his title. In what has been a frenetic season for the Legends contingent, wheel-to-wheel thrills and spills are all but guaranteed at Snetterton as 25 cars get ready to battle it out across six races.

Behind Mickel; Steve Whitelegg, Miles Rudman, Jack Parker, Sean Smith and Paul Simmons are all firmly in title contention and could make their own impact.

Rounding off the action at Snetterton will be a set of races from the Mighty Minis Championship. Despite being small in size, Mighty Minis pack a big punch and fans can expect to witness cars four abreast on countless occasions. Jo Polley has been a revelation of sorts this year and enters the weekend as the form driver.

BTRA headlines blockbuster Brands Hatch bank holiday weekend meeting

The BTRA Truck Racing Championship headlined what proved to be a bumper bank holiday weekend at Brands Hatch (April 1/2) for the British Automobile Racing Club, with a total of seven championships in action.

Tackling the infamous Indy layout of the Kent venue in mixed conditions across both days, a bumper crowd was treated to a feast of wheel-to-wheel battles.

In the heavyweight Truck encounters, Division 1 served up a host of storming races with Stuart Oliver kicking off proceedings with victory in race one, narrowly pipping David Jenkins. Roles were reversed in race two however as Jenkins got the better of Oliver to clinch his maiden win of the season.

Despite joining Mat Summerfield as a late entry reigning champion Ryan Smith showed his class on day two as he romped to a host of victories.

In Division 2, Luke Garrett was in similar form as he set his stall out as an early title contender, triumphing on three occasions. John and Steve Powell were the other victors in the more production-based category.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres was back in action too for their second event of the year and six races being run. Day one saw Miles Rudman notch his first win of the season before 2017 runner-up Ben Power scored wins in race two and the grand final.

Defending champion John Mickel hit the front on day two with a win in race one before Rudman once again underlined his speed with a second triumph of the weekend. Following a high speed crash earlier in the day on the pit straight, Will Gibson bounced back to finish the day on the top step of the podium.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship saw Lea Wood exert his dominance with a near perfect weekend as he romped to a brace of wins. The former BTCC racer scythed his way through the field in the opener before stamping his authority as a serial title contender in race two with an equally impressive performance.

Dominance was the norm in the Kumho BMW Championship and Scrapco/Avon Tyres Intermarque Championship too as Colin Wells and Malcolm Blackman clinched double wins respectively.

Rounding the list of race winners was Rod Birley, who was back on track in his rebuilt Ford Escort RS, and Adrian Bradley – both of whom took to the top step of the podium in the amalgamated BARC Modified Saloon Car Championship and BARC South East Tin Tops Championship races.

For the full classification of results, click here.

Brands Hatch set for BARC Easter extravaganza

Brands Hatch is primed for a bank holiday weekend of blockbuster proportions on Sunday and Monday as the British Truck Racing Association Championship roars into life for another season.

Headlining what is a bumper programme of track action around the Indy layout, a mammoth crowd is set to descend on the Kent venue for an Easter extravaganza of thrills ’n’ spills.

Weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing more than 1000bhp each, nothing quite compares to British Truck Racing. This weekend’s opening event will see a total of seven races run across both Divisions, however the landscape of both has changed.

In the top tier, double and reigning champion Ryan Smith has elected not to return, meaning his title is very much up for grabs. Leading the list of contenders that fans will be looking out for is multiple champion Stuart Oliver, prolific front runner Dave Jenkins and Luke Taylor, amongst others.

Division 2 champion Mika Makinen will also missing from the grid this year, opening the floodgates in the more production-based category. Former title holder Adam Bint will be keen to get back to winning ways whilst the likes of Simon Cole, John Powell and Luke Garrett lead the long list of fellow contenders.

Elsewhere, one man that will be defending his title this year starting at Brands Hatch is Scott Bourne. Climbing to the top of the Pickup Truck Racing Championship mountain in 2017, Bourne is back with a new livery and the coveted number one adorning his truck.

In what has been a strong off-season for the championship as a whole, with an influx of entries being submitted, the popular category is set for another memorable year. Usual protagonists Lea Wood, David O’Reagan, Michael Smith and Mark Willis are all joined by a host of familiar and new faces – making the opening two races impossible to call.

Following on from a memorable opening weekend in mid-March at Oulton Park, the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres are back in action. Making the first of three visits to Brands Hatch this year, a bumper grid of the 5/8 scale machines are set to put on a show across the six races that are set to be run.

Jack Parker’s opening round consistency has placed him at the top of the standings however he has a host of race winners nipping at his heels. Will Gibson and Steve Whitelegg both took wins at Oulton Park and sit second and third in the points, with reigning champion John Mickel not far behind either.

Fans of all things BMW will be drawn to the Kumho BMW Championship, which gets underway this weekend too. Open to all models of the German manufacturer, the championship will once again run a multi-class system depending on specification.

Notable names to look out for during the season-opener include Russell Dack, Giuseppe Callari, James Card and Gareth Montgomery.

Rounding out the weekend’s jam-packed race programme will be the three categories from the BARC’s South East Centre; the BARC Modified Saloon Car Championship, BARC South East Tin Top Championship and Scrapco Metal/Avon Tyres Intermarque Championship.

All bringing together a diverse range of machines to their individual grids, a wealth of local talent is set to shine through over the course of the two days.

One of the big stories will lie in the Modified Saloon Car races as Rod barley bids to get back on track following his high speed crash at the same venue last November, injuring him and causing substantial damage to his Ford Escort RS.