Tag: CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship

Mixed weather adds to BARC spectacle at Croft

Mixed weather conditions only added to the spectacle at Croft this past weekend (August 7/8) as the British Automobile Racing Club served up a motorsport bonanza in North Yorkshire.

In what is always a popular trip to the north of England, five championships continued their campaigns in front of an enthusiastic trackside crowd.

Miles Rudman maintained his position at the top of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres standings after producing an impressive performance around the 2.12-mile circuit.

Chalking up two wins, the former champion was one of the leading lights over the course of the weekend whilst there were also victories for John Mickel, Will Gibson and a brace of Jack Parker.

The Caterham Graduates Championship produced its fair share of thrills and spills with no less than four races taking centre stage too. Wheel-to-wheel action ran throughout the entire Sigma 135 class as James McCall and David Read each scored victory.

Elsewhere, the amalgamated Sigma 150 / Sigmax bouts also saw a different driver stand on the top step of the podium in each encounter. Harry Senior – one of the in-form drivers heading into the event – starred in race one as he powered to victory before Ben Winrow came to the fore in race two.

There was unmissable action in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship. Jon Woolfitt powered his Spire GTR to top spot in race one before Paul Rose bounced back from a retirement to end the weekend on a high, winning race two.

It proved to be an emotional weekend for the Silverlake C1 Racing Series as the Club paid tribute to the late Angela Lucas, who tragically passed away at an event at Snetterton last month.

Following a poignant tribute lap, the 31-car grid embarked on an action-packed three-hour race which saw Team Davies ultimately prevail. The team of John Davies and Matthew Davies delivered a commanding drive to claim the chequered flag by more than 30 seconds.

Capping off the weekend’s track action were two contests from the ever-entertaining MINI CHALLENGE Trophy. Boasting a near 30-car field, Joe Wiggin and Nicky Taylor enjoyed a share of the spoils as they claimed a win apiece.

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

Croft Circuit ready to welcome BARC for full-throttle weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club heads north to Croft Circuit this coming weekend (August 7/8) for two days of full-throttle action from no less than five championships.

In what is always a popular visit to the North Yorkshire venue – which is owned and operated by the BARC – Croft’s 2.12-mile layout of sweeping curves and precise braking points make it real challenge and a firm favourite for those behind the wheel.

One of the headline acts for the anticipated bumper trackside crowd will be the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres. Renowned for producing edge-of-the-seat wheel-to-wheel moments, the pocket rockets will duke it out in six contests over the course of the weekend.

Former champion Miles Rudman finds himself in the box seat as the driver to beat currently however the likes of Will Gibson, John Mickel, Sean Smith, Jack Parker and Nick Bridgeman are all hot on his heels.

The Caterham Graduates Championship has arguably enjoyed one of its best years to date so far and it looks set to continue at the home of motorsport in the north of England. With near capacity entry lists for its Sigma 135, Sigma 150 and Sigmax classes, the series has gone from strength-to-strength in 2021.

With the business end of the season now rapidly approaching, every point will be critical in deciding who will end the year crowned champion. Notable names to look out for across both days includes Harry Senior, Jamie Ellwood, Ben Winrow, James McCall and Harry Cramer, amongst many more.

Fans will see plenty of variety courtesy of the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship too. Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the multi-class category has been a smash-hit for more than three decades now.

Also boasting a bumper grid, some names that will be worth casting a watchful eye over during the weekend’s two scheduled races include Paul Dobson, Jamie Cryer and Graeme Smith.

The Silverlake C1 Racing Series is poised for an emotional return to the track at Croft this weekend as it prepares to pay tribute to the late Angela Lucas.

Whilst competing in the series’ four-hour race at Snetterton last month, Lucas sadly lost her life following an accident in the final hour of the contest at the Norfolk venue. A popular figure amongst the C1 Racing Club members and well-known throughout the motorsport community, Lucas’ tragic passing has seen the sport unite in recent weeks.

The one-make category will take centre stage on Sunday for a three-hour bout and it is expected to boast an ultra-competitive entry as well. Before that however, a parade lap will take place with the entire grid in honour of Lucas.

Rounding out the weekend’s action will be a pair of races from the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy. Matt Hammond currently leads the way however a sizeable accident at Oulton Park recently has left him in doubt to compete; if he doesn’t then the likes of Dominic Wheately, Harry Nunn and Charlie Mann will all be aiming to close the gap to the standings summit.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event, including links to live timing and the entry list, CLICK HERE.

Further information in regards to tickets and what time gates open can be found HERE.

Paul Rose wins prestigious Dave Simpson Trophy

At the Oulton Park meeting on the 12th June competitors in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship competed for the prestigious Dave Simpson Memorial Trophy. This must be one of the most sought after trophies in club motorsport and is eagerly competed for each year.

The trophy was presented to the Centre by Margaret Simpson in honour of her husband Dave. Back in the early days of the series, as it was then, Dave was instrumental with Ken Mitchell and myself in setting up the championship. With grids of perhaps 10/12 cars back then it did not look too good for the success of the Championship. However with Dave’s encouragement and enthusiasm the Championship grew from strength to strength and within a few years we saw grids of over 30 regularly. Unfortunately Dave has not seen how strong the Championship has become in recent years. There cannot be many Championships this strong in their 38th season. 

The Trophy was decided by the driver who wins his or her class and has the greatest speed differential to the driver coming second. This basically translates to the driver who is most dominant in their class. The only proviso is that there must be at least three starters (and of course at least two finishers!).

This year the outcome was incredibly close, perhaps the closest ever! Unfortunately for four of the classes the battles at the head of the classes was very close so they were not in the running for the award. Paul Rose in his Saker often wins his class by a country mile but this time he was pegged back by a slightly tardy start and it was several laps before he took the lead. Graeme Smith in his scrapyard engined Mazda MX5, helped perhaps by the retirement of David Bird took class F by a tidy margin. These two were in the running for the award, when the results were scrutinised it was found that Paul Rose took the award by the tiniest of margins.

Margaret Simpson was on hand to present the trophy to Paul who was very pleased to receive it for the second time.

North West Centre delivers memorable Oulton Park race day

The British Automobile Racing Club’s North West Centre staged an unmissable day of track action at Oulton Park this past Saturday (June 12) as a trio of championships continued their 2021 campaigns.

Basked in glorious sunshine, the one-day meeting saw the Britcar Endurance Championship, Mighty Minis Championship and CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship take on a starring role around the picturesque Cheshire venue in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Edge-of-the-seat entertainment was served up by the Britcar Endurance Championship, who held the latest two rounds of what is shaping up to be an ultra-competitive Endurance season.

Coming off the back of a rapid qualifying session which saw the top of the timesheets dominated by the Praga Class, each one-hour race had its fair share of drama and safety car periods however that didn’t stop the team of Praga Race Academy from dominating proceedings.

The duo of Angus Fender and Jay Morton had missed out on pole position for both bouts but as soon as the lights went out, they marched their way to the front to comfortably win both races.

Paul Rose reigned supreme in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, claiming the spoils in what was the only race for North West Centre’s flagship category. Boasting a bumper 34-car grid, the multi-class series put on a show for those in attendance, with Rose leading the way.

Starting third, the Sakar RAPX S1-500 driver found his way to the front early on and from there on he didn’t look back as he romped to victory by more than ten seconds ahead of Jon Woolfitt and Danny Bird.

In addition to his race win, the former CNC Heads champion also was awarded the Dave Simpson Trophy – which is bestowed upon the class winner who wins their class by the greatest speed differential.

Bumper-to-bumper entertainment was the order of the day in the Mighty Minis Championship, which served up a pair of mesmerising races. David Kirkpatrick triumphed in what proved to be a breathless opening bout, beating defending champion Ian Slark to victory by little over a tenth of a second.

Slark was not to be denied in the second Mini race however as he charged from fifth to claim victory ahead of Greg Jenkins and Kirkpatrick, further strengthening his position at the summit of the Super Mighty Minis standings.

Alongside the trio of BARC championships was a guest appearance from the Radical Summer Cup, which staged a two pulsating encounters. Elliott Goodman won a frenetic opening contest which ended early after a number of incidents in the latter stages.

Having seen victory slip away in race one after a mechanical issue dropped him out of the lead, Michael Clark emerged as the driver to beat in race two, taking the chequered a little under five seconds ahead of Goodman.

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

If you missed any of the day’s action then watch all of it back on our YouTube channel, HERE.

Where to watch BARC LIVE from Oulton Park this Saturday

The British Automobile Racing Club makes its second trip of the season to Oulton Park this Saturday (June 12) and we’re in for quite the show.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, this one-day race meeting will undoubtedly set pulses racing as a trio of championships battle it out around the picturesque Cheshire venue, and our cameras will be there to broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube.

Those that have opted in for TV coverage and will feature on the broadcast over the course of the weekend include the Britcar Endurance Championship, CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship and the Radical Summer Cup.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 11:20 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Oulton Park, including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Make sure you don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

Britcar, Mighty Minis & CNC Heads set to headline Oulton Park race day

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Oulton Park this coming Saturday (June 12) for an action-packed race day which is set to be headlined by a trio of championships.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting marks the second visit to the Cheshire venue by the BARC this year – the first having lifted the curtain on the 2021 season back in April.

With the current campaign continuing to gather momentum and summer now in full force, the return of spectators is set to provide even more excitement and atmosphere too, whilst our live TV cameras will be in attendance as well.

Having starred at Silverstone and Snetterton in varying weather conditions, the Britcar Endurance Championship arrives at Oulton Park ready to take centre stage with a pair of one-hour races from its Endurance category.

So far it has been a blockbuster campaign for the series with a number of standout performances, no less from current points leaders Jamie Stanley and John Seale in the JMH Lamborghini Huracan. Keen to extend their advantage this weekend, the pairing enter the event as the favourites however the competition is set to be fierce.

Elsewhere, the Praga class has proven to be a smash-hit so far and it too will continue on Saturday with the likes of Richard Morris, Abbie Eaton, Gordie Mutch, Charlie Martin, Jem Hepworth and Jimmy Broadbent all in the mix towards the front of the field.

The CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the North West Centre’s flagship category, kicked off its season at Oulton Park a few months ago and it proved that the appetite to go racing is greater than ever.

Boasting an ultra-competitive entry list, the multi-class series returns this weekend for a single content. Notable names to keep a close eye on include former champion Paul Rose, current title holder Jamie Cryer and the likes of Paul Woolfitt, Paul Dobson, Ric Wood, Graeme Smith and Gary Warburton.

Renowned for serving up enthralling wheel-to-wheel entertainment, the Mighty Minis Championship are back in action – with its two classes revved up for a pair of pulsating encounters.

In the Super Mighty Minis category, variety has been the spice of life at the sharp end of the field with three different winners from four races. Neven Kirkpatrick, Stuart Coombs and Ian Slark have all stood on the top step of the podium, the latter twice, and all three will be keen to do so once again here.

With the smallest of margins more often than not deciding the podiums positions, the aforementioned trio will need to be on top form as there are a host of contenders all hot on their heels and itching to claim silverware of their own.

Elsewhere, the less powerful Mighty Mini class has been equally as frenetic so far this year. Growing in number as each round passes, the category has delivered plenty of head-turning performances already – not least from Dan Heywood who is unbeaten so far.

Rounding out the day’s track action and not to be upstaged will be a pair of races from the hugely popular Radical Summer Cup.

To find out more information on this Saturday’s event at Oulton Park, including links to live timing and entry list, CLICK HERE.

Make sure you don’t miss a single lap of the action by subscribing to the BARC’s official YouTube channel and watching live, CLICK HERE.

Best of BARC Audio: April 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Luke Armiger announced as 2020 CNC Heads Driver of the Year

Regular competitor, Luke Armiger, was announced as the 2020 David Gledhill Driver of the Year in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship.

Luke has been a regular competitor in the championship since 2014, competing in over 65 races in his very rapid Class B Vauxhall Tigra. Over these years Luke together with the rest of his family have put in considerable amount of mileage supporting the championship as they reside in Essex!  Luke has won his class three times and in 2017 Team Armiger was presented with the Spirit of the Championship award. ‘Team Armiger’ is one of many families that support the championship and help give the championship its friendly and family image.

The usual method of determining the recipient of the prestigious award is for the marshals to vote at each meeting for their Driver of the Day with the total votes being totted up over the season to come up with an overall Driver of the Year. 2020 was different, as with Covid restrictions it was difficult to administer in the usual way so the Championship Committee decided to make the award based on performances over the season.   

Although there were several worthy contenders it was unanimously agreed that for 2020 the award would go the Luke as he had competed in all the rounds, won his class at six of the eight rounds and is always fast, competitive and spectacular.

Luke and his Team were unable to be at the first meeting of the year at Oulton Park and it is hoped that the presentation will actually take place at the meeting at Oulton Park on the 12th June.

Oulton Park provides backdrop to blockbuster BARC curtain-raiser

The British Automobile Racing Club kicked off its 2021 season in sensational style at Oulton Park this past Saturday (April 17) with the Caterham Graduates Championship, CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, BARC Red and British Superkart Racing Club all starring.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting saw the picturesque Cheshire venue basking in bright sunshine, albeit without spectators in attendance due to current government guidelines. 

Boasting a bumper entry list, the Caterham Graduates Championship served up a feast of edge-of-the-seat entertainment as they kick-started a new year with a handful of pulsating encounters.

New CGRC member Simon Shaw enjoyed a dream debut as he stormed to victory in the opening Sigma race before James McCall race two where the top three were covered by little over a tenth of a second.

Harry Senior and Ben Winrow were tipped as drivers to watch prior to the meeting and the duo reinforced that fact as they took a win apiece in the Sigmax class. Elsewhere, Jamie Ellwood was perfection personified as he bagged a brace of race wins in the Sigma 150 category.

In the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, former title winner Paul Rose enjoyed a perfect start to the new season as he produced a dominant drive to claim victory and set his stall out as the driver to beat.

At the wheel of his Saker RAPX S1-500, Rose converted pole position into a lead that he never looked like relinquishing as he powered his way into the distance to take the chequered flag by nearly 30-seconds, lapping all but Jon Woolfitt and Paul Dobson who finished second and third respectively.

Having enjoyed a memorable debut in 2020, BARC Red kicked off its sophomore season with a pair of frenetic encounters. Open to competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in, the series garnered a healthy entry for the start of the new campaign.

Jasver Supra – who has made a name in the Kumho BMW Championship in recent years – piloted his BMW E46 to victory in race one before Anthony Bennett claimed race two honours at the wheel of his Caterham R300.

Rounding off the day’s action were a trio of races from the British Superkarts Racing Club where Lee Harpham, Sam Moss and Paul Platt shared the spoils.

To view the full classification of results from all of Saturday’s sessions, click here.

BARC set to kick off 2021 season at Oulton Park

After months of excitement and anticipation, the British Automobile Racing Club is set to lift the curtain on its 2021 season this coming Saturday (April 17) with what will undoubtedly be a blockbuster race day at Oulton Park.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting at the Cheshire venue will mark the start of a busy year for the BARC, with events scheduled to run all the way through until the middle of November.

The CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the North West Centre’s flagship category, boasts a healthy grid for the new campaign where variety is very much the spice of life. Playing host to a number of different machines, the multi-class category has proven a smash-hit down the years and 2021 looks to be no different.

Notable names to keep an eye across both races include reigning champion Jamie Cryer, Danny Bird, Paul Rose, Paul Woolfitt and Guy Carter, amongst many others.

Despite not crowning any champions last year, the Caterham Graduates Championship proved to be one of the star attractions in 2020 and the much-loved single-make category is aiming to pick up where it left off at Oulton Park.

Like the CNC Heads, the Caterham contingent has an ultra-competitive grid primed for action and with the class structure condensed down to just three – Sigma 135, Sigma 150 and Sigmax – edge-of-the-seat entertainment is all-but guaranteed.

Robin Webb, Adam Harrison, Jamie Ellwood, Jonathan Curry, Oliver Gibson, Harry Senior and Ben Winrow are just some of the drivers that will undoubtedly be in the mix for the top step of the podium.

After breaking new ground in 2020, BARC Red returns for its sophomore season. Open to competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in and providing they met current Motorsport UK safety regulations, the series of races garnered plenty of attention from the outset last year and duly delivered.

Now back for a second year, BARC Red looks set to grow in stature with a variety of cars set to battle it out for overall honours around the challenging 2.26-mile layout. 

Rounding out the days action will be a number of races from the full-throttle British Superkart Racing Club. Renowned for producing jaw-dropping wheel-to-wheel entertainment whilst sitting mere millimetres from the tarmac, the Superkarts will be keen to kick off the new campaign in fine style.

Saturday’s race meeting will include the national minute of silence in honour of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

To find out more information on this Saturday’s Oulton Park curtain-raiser – including links to live timing, timetable and final instructions – click here.

Please note that this event is being run in accordance with government guidelines and will therefore take place behind closed doors, without spectators being permitted.

Knockhill event on May 29/30 cancelled

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship revved up for 2021 campaign

Preparations are well underway for the start of the new CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship season, with the forthcoming campaign shaping up to be one of the best in its long and illustrious history.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the championship enters its 38th year in 2021 and its popularity continues to grow, with a bumper grid expected to line up and duke it out for the coveted overall title this year.

Such has been the success of the multi-class category that Ric Wood and CNC Heads have continued their unrivalled title sponsorship of the series,

Coming off the back of a COVID-19 affected 2020, the CNC Heads contingent are planning a full season with 13 rounds spread across seven events. In line with their policy of controlling costs by having multi round meetings, five of the events have more than one race taking place.

Three visits to Oulton Park, where the North West Centre takes operational control of the race meeting, as well as trips to Knockhill, Cadwell Park, Donington Park and Croft are set to provide a fitting backdrop for this exhilarating championship.

As usual the championship is open to saloon, sports or GT cars that were originally designed for the road. To encourage competition the cars are split into Specials and Modifieds (based on extent of preparation), with each category further split by engine capacity at 1600 and 2500cc.

Anyone wanting to join this friendly, cost controlled, competitive and clean championship can follow the link to the CNC Heads page on barcnorthwestern.co.uk or contact John Leck at johnleck.racing@hotmail.co.uk.