Tag: Junior Saloon Car Championship

Junior Saloon Car Championship stars on Top Gear

The Junior Saloon Car Championship took on a starring role in the latest episode of Top Gear this past Sunday (April 4) as a number of drivers went head-to-head with presenters Paddy McGuiness, Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris.

Bringing Series 30 of the hit television show to a close on BBC1, past and present drivers from the popular one-make category showcased what they and the championship is all about as they went wheel-to-wheel with the presenting trio at Castle Combe.

Tasked with selecting a ‘second-hand, mid-life crisis/opportunity car’ for £8,000 before embarking on a number of different challenges, Freddie, Chris and Paddy diced with the next generation of motorsport stars in varying vehicles.

Freddie’s choice saw him get behind the wheel of a TVR Chimaera whilst Chris opted for a Vauxhall Monaro. Paddy meanwhile chose a distinctive Ferrari F355/Toyota MR2 kit car.

Heading to the Wiltshire venue for their challenge, each presenter would complete a handful of laps around the 1.85-mile circuit with the aim of being overtaken by the least amount of JSCC competitors.

Whilst we won’t give any spoilers away, former two-time champion Lewis Saunders, Harry Rice, Alex Solley, Charlie Hand, Olivia Martin, Ben Kasperczak, Matthew Cripps and James Black were just some of the drivers that raced Freddie, Chris and Paddy.

Speaking on the experience of being part of Too Gear, Saunders said: “I was really excited about the day and that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that will never come round again. I was proud to be representing the JSCC.”

Former Scholarship winner Rice added: “It was a very enjoyable experience being part of the filming process, seeing everything behind the scenes and how they organise such a high class show. But, the most enjoyable part was when we got to race the presenters and show them what young drivers can do.”

Black concluded: “Filming with Top Gear was such a surreal experience! After watching it on TV for so many years it was great to be a part of the show and it gave great exposure to JSCC and all the young, upcoming drivers in the UK.”

To watch the episode on demand, head to https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000ty91/top-gear-series-30-episode-4.

New venue and date for JSCC Scholarship

The Junior Saloon Car Championship has confirmed that its 2021 Scholarship will now take place at Pembrey Circuit on Tuesday 13th April.

Originally scheduled to take place at Croft Circuit on Monday 5th April, the home of Welsh motorsport will play host to the competition that will see one aspiring racer win a fully-funded season in the 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship, amongst other prizes, for the very first time.

In what is undoubtedly the opportunity of a lifetime for one lucky youngster, the ever-growing list of Scholarship participants are set to be in for a challenging day made up of a variety of tests.

Over the course of the day, drivers will face the media, partake in a fitness test and then showcase their attributes behind the wheel on-track. A judging panel made up of championship’s organisers and partners will then whittle down the competition before selecting a winner.

Previous winners of the coveted accolade include 2019 overall champion Scott McIntyre, Harry Rice and last year’s victor Deagan Fairclough.

To find out more information on the Junior Saloon Car Championship, it’s Scholarship programme and the full list of prizes on offer, head to https://www.juniorsaloons.co.uk/.

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.

JSCC set to begin search for latest Scholarship star

The Junior Saloon Car Championship is set to once again begin its search for the next teenage sensation and provide the opportunity of a lifetime as it stages its Scholarship programme for the 2021 season.

Scheduled to take place at Croft Circuit on Monday 5th April, a number of aspiring racers will all battle it out for a chance to win a fully-funded season in the 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship as well as several other prizes.

Drivers will face a series of tests which include facing the media, showcasing their fitness and getting behind the wheel to underline their racing prowess. A judging panel made up of championship’s organisers and partners will then whittle down the competition before selecting a winner.

Previous winners of the award include former champion Scott McIntyre, Harry Rice and last year’s victor Deagan Fairclough, who enjoyed a sensational maiden campaign.

Commenting on winning the Scholarship, Fairclough said: “Winning the Scholarship has totally changed my life. I entered it at just 13-years-old as my parents had planned to enter me the following year, however Dave (Beecroft) told my Dad to enter me anyway as I could gain the experience.

“The day was so surreal, I got to drive a car for the first time and I was buzzing all day. After making it into the top three, me and my parents were convinced that one of the older guys had got it and that they wouldn’t pick someone so young but here I am.

“The JSCC has really built me as a person as I’ve had some amazing results and bad luck, the usual highs and lows that everyone has in racing. The experiences has better mentally prepared me for my future career and things to look out for. Everyone in the series has been great and supports each other, that’s what it is all about.

“I’ve made friends for life in the JSCC and it’s been an experience I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to see where this great start to my car racing journey is going to take me.”

To find out more information on the Junior Saloon Car Championship and it’s Scholarship programme, head to https://www.juniorsaloons.co.uk/.

2020 Season Review: Junior Saloon Car Championship

History was made in the Junior Saloon Car Championship in 2020 as Lewis Saunders cemented his legacy as one of the series’ most successful competitors by becoming the first-ever double champion.

Lifting the coveted crown in 2018 before narrowly missing out on retaining it the following year, the 16-year-old entered his third season as the hot favourite for the title and he duly lived up to the hype by producing a virtuoso performance from start-to-finish.

Providing the first steps on the motorsport ladder for 14 to 17-year-old’s and bridging the gap between karting and cars, the one-make category has become the perfect platform for teenagers to forge a career behind the wheel at an affordable price.

With a blend of experienced and rookie drivers making up the bumper entry list for this year’s revised seven-round schedule, the usual edge-of-the-seat entertainment that has become customary in the championship took centre stage once more – with Saunders emerging as the benchmark.

Retaining the support from British Touring Car Championship outfit Ciceley Motorsport, the cornerstone of Saunders’ title charge began as soon as the lights went out in July as he embarked on an impressive winning streak that would stretch across ten races.

Double wins at Cadwell Park, Croft, Brands Hatch, Knockhill and Mallory Park built up a commanding lead at the summit of the standings, however he didn’t always have things his own way.

Alex Solley, Charlie Hand, Ruben Hage, Benjamin Greenhill and Scholarship victor Deagen Fairclough were just some of the regular challengers towards the sharp end of the field, all of whom constantly remained within striking distance of Saunders as each round passed.

Solley would come to the fore towards the end of the season as he scored a brace of wins at both Silverstone and Oulton Park, however by then it had proved too late in the day to overhaul points leader Saunders.

Finishing hot on the heels of the youngster in the remaining four races of the campaign, Saunders bagged valuable points to put one hand on the championship trophy heading into the series finale at Brands Hatch.

Unfortunately, due to a second national lockdown being implemented in the days leading up to the final two rounds of the year, the annual visit to Kent was cancelled and that subsequently meant Saunders was crowned as champion for the second time in his career, rewriting the history books at the same time.

Statement: Cancellation of this weekend’s British Truck meeting at Brands Hatch

This weekend’s concluding round of the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship has been cancelled. Although DCMS and Motorsport UK had designated the event as an Elite fixture, detailed discussions have been required with Kent County Council this week following the new lockdown decision.

Given the short timescales now available to competitors, officials and suppliers to make the necessary preparations at this late stage, BARC and MSV have decided to cancel the event in the best interests of the Club and its competitors.

All parties would like to make clear that this decision has no impact on next weekend’s BTCC championship finale at Brands Hatch.

Green light given to November 7/8 BARC race meeting at Brands Hatch

The British Automobile Racing Club is delighted to confirm that the green light has been given for this weekend’s (November 7/8) British Truck Championship race meeting at Brands Hatch to take place as originally planned.

Having consulted with the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for guidance, governing body Motorsport UK has confirmed that elite motorsport events will be able to continue over the coming weeks, which includes both this weekend’s British Truck Championship and next week’s British Touring Car Championship finale.

Brands Hatch will therefore host the final rounds of the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship on Saturday and Sunday, with three former champions – Ryan Smith, David Jenkins and Stuart Oliver – all in contention for the coveted 2020 Division 1 title.

BARC produces plenty of thrills during Halloween race day at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club made it a Halloween to remember at Oulton Park this past Saturday (October 31) as it served up a thrilling day of racing.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, four championships descended on the Cheshire venue to battle challenging weather conditions as they capped off their 2020 campaigns.

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Alex Solley prevented Lewis Saunders from wrapping up the title after he produced a virtuoso performance by taking two wins. Saunders will now have to wait until this coming weekend (November 7/8) at Brands Hatch before getting a chance to make history.

Coming off the back of a sensational double-winning drive at Silverstone, Solley took centre stage and subsequently had an answer for every question that was asked of him across both races to close the gap in the standings and set up an intriguing title showdown.

The CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship – the flagship series of the Club’s North West Centre – didn’t disappoint either as a mighty 36-car grid went wheel-to-wheel across two pulsating contests.

Former champion Paul Rose underlined his credentials in the multi-class series in the opening encounter as he powered his Saker RAPX S1-500 to victory by less than a second over Paul Woolfitt.

Woolfitt and his trusty Lotus Exige would then come to the fore in race two as he stretched his legs on the opposition to build up a 15-second margin at the chequered flag, as well as lapping all the way up to fifth place.

Mark Dicken was the driver to beat in the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup, dominating the categories only race at the picturesque track to beat Alex Cursley by more than ten seconds.

Rounding out the Saturday action were three breathtaking contests from the British Superkarts Championship. Liam Morley, Lee Harpham and Tom Rushforth reigned supreme over the course of the day to share the spoils.

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

Oulton Park set for BARC tricks and treats this Halloween

Oulton Park is set for an abundance of tricks and treats this coming Saturday (October 31) as the British Automobile Racing Club aims to make it a Halloween to remember.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the one-day meeting will see three of the Club’s championships take centre stage at the Cheshire venue for what will be a pivotal event on the 2020 schedule.

Titles will be decided in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the North West Centre’s flagship category, as they stage two contests around the challenging XX-mile Island layout.

Having raced at Cadwell Park, Donington Park and Oulton Park, the multi-class series which is home to an eclectic mixture of machinery of all shapes and sizes will put on one final show for those in attendance.

Leading the way in the overall standings is Jamie Cryer, who holds a 17-point advantage over the chasing duo of Guy Carter and Garry Wardle, both of whom are tied on points.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship has proven to be a smash-hit this year and Lewis Saunders finds himself in the box seat to become the first two-time champion in the series.

Entering the season as the hot favourite, the 2018 title winner underlined his superiority by winning the first ten races on the bounce, putting him within touching distance of the crown.

Bidding to ensure Saunders doesn’t wrap up the crown are a host of drivers, one of which is Alex Solley who ended Saunders’ winning streak last time out at Silverstone. Throw into the mix the likes of Charlie Hand, Benjamin Greenhill and Molly Dodd and you can see why the day’s two races will prove most intriguing.

Further tin top thrills and spills will come in the shape of the Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup. The budget conscious, single-make series has boasted bumper grids this year and has seen some of the closest wheel-to-wheel action around.

Notable names to look out for include Wayne Rockett, Alex Cursley, Mark Dicken, Kevin Smiles and James Goodwin.

Alongside the cars, the British Superkarts Championship will be in action clocking frenetic speeds mere inches from the tarmac.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event, such as the timetable and entry list, click here.

Junior Saloon Car Championship announces 2021 Scholarship details

The Junior Saloon Car Championship will once again look to find the next teenage sensation behind the wheel and provide the opportunity of a lifetime as it stages its Scholarship programme for the 2021 season – with the search scheduled to take place at Croft Circuit on Saturday 20th February,

Drivers competing for the prize will take to the circuit, face the media, have a fitness test and also take part in an auto test. A judging panel made up of the championships organisers and partners will then whittle down the competition to select a winner.

The winner will receive a fully-funded season for the 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship along with team support, a season-long supply of Dunlop tyres and full days pre-season testing. The prize will be awarded at the close of the competition.

The Scholarship will be limited to 30 entrants, aged between 14-17 years old, and entrants do not need to have an ARDS license or any previous race experience. Entrants must ensure they are available for the competition date.

Entrants aged 14 and under may be considered if they are 14 at the start of the 2020 season, or if they wish to practice for a future scholarship entry.

Previous winners of the prize include Emily Glanvill, Harry Rice and most recently Deagan Fairclough; who has gone on to record a string of podium finishes this past season.

More information and registration for the 2020 Junior Saloon Car Championship Scholarship can be found at https://www.juniorsaloons.co.uk/scholarship.

Silverstone plays host to blockbuster BARC bonanza

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Silverstone this past weekend (October 10/11) to produce a spellbinding two days of action which saw champions crowned and battles lines drawn.  

Thrills and spills have been a staple of the Classic Touring Car Racing Club this year and the annual visit to the Home of British Motor Racing proved to be no different as it signed off for the year with a string of spellbinding encounters.

Simon Jeffs was in a league of his own in the combined Pre’66 and Pre ’83 races whilst Andrew Wilson showcased similar levels of dominance in the amalgamated Pre ’93, Pre ’03, Thunder and BOSS contests.

Signing off for another year, the CTCRC also celebrated its champions, with more information on them published at https://classictouringcars.com/.

The Caterhams Graduates Championship brought the curtain down on another vintage year of competition with Harry Senior missing out on completing a hat-trick of wins by a mere 0.080 of a second.

Bagging top spot in qualifying, Senior cantered to wins in races one and two before looking to complete a clean sweep in race three. Jamie Ellwood however would ultimately prevent Senior in the end as he got the nod on the line by the smallest of margins.

Alex Solley enjoyed a near perfect weekend in the Junior Saloon Car Championship as he finally halted the juggernaut form of Lewis Saunders. Bidding to become the first two-time champion in the series, Saunders had won every race up until Silverstone but Solley ended that streak in style.

Storming to pole position, the teenager edged out Saunders in both races to bolster his own hopes of lifting the coveted crown at the end of the season.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship served up a handful of pulsating contests too, boasting bumper grids and eye-catching wheel-to-wheel battles. VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison and Jim Hepworth reigned supreme in the opening Endurance Class encounter before RAW Motorsport’s Ben Dimmack and Steve Burgess did the same in race two.

Britcar’s Trophy Class enjoyed its biggest grid of the season and it didn’t disappoint either as Amspeed’s Adam Howard and Chris Boardman powered their BMW M3 E36 to the top step of the podium in both races.

Amalgamating together to boast a bumper grid, the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club and Max5 Racing Championship served up an abundance of entertainment over the course of the weekend, with two races on Sunday proving to be a highlight.

David Mellor and Fergus Campbell each took a win apiece in the MG category whilst Paul Roddison reigned supreme amongst the Max5 contingent, triumphing in both contests.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action was action from the BRSCC Formula Ford Championship and the Tiedman Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Silverstone, click here.

Champions to be crowned as BARC speeds into Silverstone

Champions will be crowned at Silverstone this weekend (October 10/11) as the British Automobile Racing Club takes centre stage for what should be a blockbuster two days of track action around the famous National layout.

In what has been an unprecedented year which has seen a scaled down and condensed 2020 season, several championships will bring the curtain down on their campaigns at the Home of British Motor Racing – and it is not to be missed.

The Caterham Graduates Championship kicked off their season with a taster day at Silverstone in February and it feels only right that things have come full circle for the one-make series as it caps off another stellar year of on-track entertainment.

Bumper entry lists have produced enthralling wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the field this year and that theme is set to continue as champions are decided in Classic, Sigmax, 135 and 150 classes.

Titles will also be decided in the Classic Touring Car Championship as the battle for supremacy comes to a head between the main protagonists across each category.

Action from the Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, Shell Oil Pre 83′ Touring Car Championship, Laser Tools Pre-93 Touring Cars Championship, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars Championship, Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship, Burton Power Products Blue Oval Saloon Series and the Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship will undoubtedly set pulses racing.

Silverstone could see Lewis Saunders take a step closer to title glory in the Junior Saloon Car Championship as well. Looking to become the first double champion in the series, Saunders has been perfection personified this year – winning every race so far.

Leading the chase for Ciceley Motorsport-backed teenager is Charlie Hand, Alex Solley, Benjamin Greenhill and Molly Dodd, to name but a few.

Edge of the seat entertainment will be provided by the Dunlop Endurance Championship across both days as its Endurance and Trophy categories take centre stage with a pair of races eacg. Marking the penultimate round of the season, every point is set to be crucial in deciding the destiny of each title come the end of the year.

Notable names to look out for during the course of both days include Paul Bailey in his Ferrari 488, VR Motorsport’s Jack Fabby and Garry Townsend, Barry McMahon and the Peugeot RCZ duo of Rob Smith and Charlie Campbell – amongst many more.

Sunday will also see the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship and Max5 Racing Championship join forces and amalgamate their grids for two all-action contests around the challenging 1.64-mile circuit.

Joining the BARC over the course of the weekend will also be the BRSCC Formula Ford Championship and the Tiedman Trophy.

To view more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Silverstone, including where to follow live timing and to view the event timetable, click here.