Tag: Kumho BMW Championship

BARC battles changeable conditions at breathtaking Brands Hatch meeting

The British Automobile Racing Club battled changeable conditions to serve up a spectacular two days of track action this past weekend (May 11/12) at Brands Hatch, with a host of championships taking centre stage.

Marking the latest visit to the Kent venue by the Club, the Indy circuit saw treacherous rain and bright sunshine play its part over the course of both days, further spicing up the on-track action.

Following two events at Silverstone, the a bumper entry list in the Dunlop Endurance Championship produced two pulsating one-hour races. SB Race Engineering emerged as the team to beat during Saturday with the Ferrari 488 Challenge duo of Paul Bailey and Andy Schultz triumphing on both occasions.

Bailey and Schultz got the best of the conditions in race one to triumph more than half a minute ahead of Paul Rose, who ended the race as their nearest challengers. With the weather taking a turn for the better later in the day, the Ferrari pairing produced a similar level of dominance in race two.

Hitting the front early on, the duo made their escape out front and were ultimately never challenged, ultimately crossing the line by more than 40 seconds ahead of Lee Frost in his Ginetta G55.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series returned to action in style with three exciting races playing out around the 1.2 mile layout. Showcasing two generations of Clio machinery, the one-make category had those in attendance on the edge of their seats.

Simon Freeman, James Colburn and Nic Harrison claimed individual honours in their respective classes in the opening race before the trio did the same later in the day.

Amalgamating with the BARC Tin Tops Championship, the final race of the day – which wasn’t eligible for championship points – saw Tyler Lidsey end the weekend on the top step of the podium.

Garrie Whittaker continued to reign supreme in the Kumho BMW Championship as he extended his advantage at the summit of the multi-class standings. Having been the man to beat at both Oulton Park and Castle Combe, the E36 M3 driver showed no signs of letting up as adding to his silverware collection.

Lapping up to sixth place, Whittaker was unstoppable in race one as he scored his fifth win of the year, and he dually added to his tally later in the afternoon with another imperious drive. Whittaker then extended his winning streak with another dominant performance later in the day, scoring victory once more.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship boasted a bumper 24-car grid and it too provided unmissable track action. Race one ended in dramatic fashion as leader Lee Sullivan saw his hopes of triumphing diminish following an engine failure, gifting William Sharpe and his MG ZR victory.

Simon Kendrick was the man to beat in the MGOC’s second race as he got the better of Steve Darbey and Mark Baker in his MG F VVC.

In the BARC Tin Tops Championship, Chris Whiteman and Terry Stephens claimed outright honours to top the rostrum.

Capping off the weekend’s action were several demonstration sessions from the SmarTrack Series Elite contingent. Two Jaguar Project 8 cars took to the circuit to give fans and potential competitors a flavour of what is come to from the series over the course of the forthcoming year.

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

BARC heads back to Brands Hatch for latest two-day event

Brands Hatch will welcome back the British Automobile Racing Club to Kent this weekend (May 11/12) with six championship readying themselves for another pivotal event on their 2019 calendars respectively.

In what is the latest visit to the Indy circuit for the BARC, the two-day event is the latest chapter in what is proving to be another vintage of motorsport for the Club and its championships.

Topping the bill will be a pair of one-hour races from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. With two events at Silverstone in the books already for Britcar’s premier series, the 1.2 mile Brands Hatch layout will welcome an awe-inspiring line-up of illustrious supercars, all of which will be set to go wheel-to-wheel.

Ferrari 488 Challenge’s lockout the top two spots in the standings and they could well be the car to beat. Tim Gray’s Praga R1T will also be one to watch having been a force to be reckoned with already whilst several other car and driver combinations will be eyeing success.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series is back in action for the second time this year and all signs point to another pulsating event. Three races will be run across both days and both the third and fourth generation Clio will be

Ronan Pearson, James Colburn, Nic Harrison and Simon Freeman were just a few of the stars at the curtain-raiser and they will all, along with several others, be keen to mix it at the front of their respective classes.

It has been a lengthy wait for the second Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship meeting, having initially kicked off their season at Oulton Park in March. With some of the most iconic MG machinery from all eras battling it out for supremacy, the championship is not to be missed.

Notable names to keep an eye on across both days include multiple champion Jim Baynam, Stuart Plotnek, Fergus Campbell and Steve Darbey.

The Kumho BMW Championship has starred at Oulton Park and Castle Combe so far and that theme will likely continue this weekend. Pitting some of the best models from the German manufacturer against each other, the production-based series continues to be a smash-hit.

Garrie Whittacker has emerged as the man to beat so far however the likes of Lucky Khera, James Card and Trevor Ford are amongst several leading contenders out to halt his momentum.

Showcasing some of the best saloon cars competing today, the BARC Tin Tops Championship will be back in action at Brands Hatch for the second time this year. Having produced a mesmerising pair of races last month, another variety-filled grid is set to line up and duke it out for supremacy.

Capping off the weekend’s action will be several demonstration runs from the all-new SmarTrack Series Elite. Designed to appeal to both amateurs and more experienced racers aged 40 and above, the brand new series will hit the track with two Jaguar Project 8 cars.

Giving drivers the opportunity to fettle their cars as well as give the public its first taste of the category, Series Elite will hit the track on four occasions over the course of the weekend for further mileage to be clocked.

To find out more information, including a timetable and links to live timing, click here.

Blockbuster BARC race day served up at Oulton Park

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oulton Park primed to welcome four BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club will head to Cheshire this Saturday (March 23) with four championships kick-starting their 2019 campaigns around the infamous Oulton Park International layout.

Serving as the traditional starting point for the Club’s North West Centre, who organise and run the race meeting, Oulton Park has become renowned down the years for producing exhilarating action whenever the BARC is in town.

That theme looks likely to continue as months of preparation and anticipation comes to fruition for the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Classic Touring Car Championship, CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship and Kumho BMW Championship.

Providing a clear path into motorsport for drivers aged 14 to 17, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has become a force to be reckoned with in recent years, with 2019 set to arguably be one of the strongest yet for the single-make series.

Reigning champion Lewis Saunders enters the year as the teenager to beat as he bids to become the first JSCC racer to score back-to-back titles. The challenges however will come from all angles with Ben Kasperczak and Scott McIntyre leading the list of returning drivers.

The day’s two races will also feature a host of new faces, all of whom will be making their first foray into car racing. Of those on the entry list, recent Scholarship winner Harry Rice will one many will be keeping a keen eye on.

Fans of saloon cars from yesteryear will be well catered for as the Classic Touring Car Championship also kicks off their campaign with a raft of races. Once again providing a variety of different classes, all of which span different decades, the series will hit the track for six races over the course of the day, with edge-of-the-seat thrills predicted in each.

Notable names to keep an eye include the long list of 2018 champions such as Stephen Primett, Steve Barden and Piers Grange, all of whom were in fine form when the championship last took to the track.

The BARC North West Centre’s flagship series, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship will also hit the track over the course of the day as they lift the curtain on their 2019 campaign. A popular fixture on the calendar for the championship, this weekend marks the first of three visits to Oulton Park

Open to a whole host of cars, variety really is the spice of life when it comes to the CNC Heads and it is a championship that was dominated by Paul Rose last year. With Rose having moved onto pastures new for this season, the door is open for a new driver to step under the spotlight, with James Cryer and Richard Wood just two season veterans to look out for.

Capping off the action will be a pair of races from the Kumho BMW Championship. Showcasing the very best machines built by the German manufacturer, the series will add another chapter with its illustrious history this year as it continues to go from strength to strength.

With a blend of returning and new faces set to line up on the grid, picking not only an outright race winner but also class winners has never been more difficult.

For more information on this Saturday’s Oulton Park event, head to the official race meeting page here.

BARC serves up memorable Rockingham send-off

The British Automobile Racing Club served up a memorable farewell at Rockingham Motor Speedway this past weekend (September 22/23) as a trio of championships battled it out one last time.

With the impending closure of the venue fast approaching, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Max5 Racing Championship and Kumho BMW Championship took on a starring role as part of the popular Truxx Factor two-day extravaganza.

Having been a permanent fixture on the oval layout for the past 15 years, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship brought the curtain down on its time at the Corby-based venue with two pulsating races.

Since the inaugural oval race in 2003, the series has flourished at Rockingham and the last chapter proved to be an enthralling one. Paul Tompkins wrote his name into the history books by producing a scintillating double victory – the first by a mere two tenths of a second ahead of Dale Gent.

Tompkins was in similarly irritable form in the second encounter of the weekend as he once again edged out Gent, this time by more than four seconds. Mark Willis and Scott Bourne capped off the weekend by filling the remaining podium positions in both races.

Paul Roddison continued his dominant run in the Max5 Racing Championship with another pair of race wins. Proving to be the benchmark driver in 2018, Roddison narrowly pipped Ian Loversidge in race one before then repeating the performance in the second race, albeit by a bigger margin.

Whilst Roddison and Loversidge filled the top two positions, Jeremy Shipley kept the pair honest with a brace of third place finishes.

Garrie Whittaker continued the theme of commanding performances in the Kumho BMW Championship with two victories at the wheel of his BMW E36 M3.

In addition to the on-track action, several heavyweight machines from the British Truck Racing Association Championship were also in attendance ahead of their penultimate event of the season at Pembrey on October 13/14, providing spectators with the opportunity to get up close and personal with the five-tonne behemoths.

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

Rockingham’s last competitive meeting, the Super Send-Off, will take place on November 24/25.

Action aplenty at Snetterton as BARC championships shine

It proved to be a scorching two days both on and off the track at Snetterton this past weekend (August 4/5) as a host of British Automobile Racing Club categories produced mesmerising action.

Back on track and providing plenty of entertainment at the top of the race programme was the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, which staged a four-hour endurance race around the 2.99 mile circuit.

Boasting another bumper entry list, a staggering 53 cars lined up for the start of the 240-minute race which saw plenty of high drama and memorable moments. Come the end of what was a gruelling race in scorching conditions, McAttack Racing emerged as the winners, little under a minute ahead of their nearest challengers Absolute Alignment.

Notching an impressive 76 laps, the team of Declan McDonnell, Joe Wiggin and Simon Walker-Hansell topped the podium in their trusty #347 machine. With Absolute Alignment finishing second, Old Hat Motorsport rounded off the rostrum and ended the race as the final team to finish on the lead lap.

Ben Palmer continued his march towards defending his title in the Michelin Clio Cup Series, maintaining his perfect record with two more races wins. Blasting his way to pole position for both races, the reigning champion once again underlined his title credentials with his latest set triumphant performances.

Palmer narrowly pipped Ronan Pearson in race one whilst Ben Colburn was also hot on the heels of the pair too. Race two proved to be an equally tense affair as Pearson and Colburn produced a carbon copy performance, hounding Palmer to the chequered flag but ultimately being unable to overhaul him.

In the Road Class, defending champion Nic Harrison continued his fine run of recent form to score a double of his own.

Garrie Whittaker was another driver to score a brace of victories at Snetterton, dominating proceedings in the Kumho BMW Championship. Just three laps were completed in race one but come the end of it, Whittaker was the man to beat – finishing little over a second ahead of Colin Wells whilst Darren Fielding rounded off the podium.

Race two would go the distance later in the day but Whittaker was again leading the way, with Wells and Fielding continuing to give chase but unable to gain the upper hand over the BMW E63 M3 driver.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship was in action with its raft of classes, many of them amalgamated together to produce an array of on-track thrills.

A bumper 30-car grid made up the Sigmax races where the spoils were shared between two drivers. Jamie Winrow led a tense opener in which the top three were covered by less than half a second, pipping Mark Johnson across the line whilst Samuel Wilson rounded out the podium.

Wilson was to make his mark in the weekend’s second Sigmax encounter as he got the better of Winrow to prevail, with Johnson this time propping up the podium in third.

Declan Dolan was at his brilliant best in the combined Sigma/Mega/Classic races, charging to a pair of race wins to further strengthen his position at the top of the standings.

Rounding out the racing at Snetterton where a flurry of races from the Classic Touring Car Championship. Famed for its blend of iconic tin top machines from all eras, the championship descended on Norfolk with a bumper entry list that didn’t disappoint.

Pre 83 Group 1 Touring Cars had a familiar feel to it as David Howard and Stephen Primett took a win apiece whilst Matthew Evans and Stuart Day did the same in the Classic Thunder & Blue Oval Saloon Series races.

Pre 93 Touring Cars, Pre 03 Touring Cars and Pre 05 Production Touring Cars came together for a pair of races over the course of the weekend too, with David Griffin in unstoppable form as he notched wins in both.

Capping off the list of race winners was David Hall and Michael Sheraton, both of whom scaled to the top step of the podium in the two Paul Inch Classic and Historic Touring Car races.

For the full classification of all sessions from Snetterton, click here.
For more information click here

BARC championships gearing up for Rockingham farewell

The British Automobile Racing Club is set to say a fond farewell to Rockingham Motor Speedway this weekend (September 22/23) at Truxx Factor, where a host of championships will look to leave their mark on the Corby venue.

Following the circuit’s sale in August, motorsport events will cease at the end of the 2018 season, bringing to an end a 17-year run as one of the UK’s most-popular race tracks.

Opening in 2001 and staging all manner of race meetings and championships from that point on, the BARC have been regular visitors to Rockingham having played a part in the initial development of the track from its inception.

Now staging an event at Rockingham for the final time this weekend, the Club and its associated championships will be keen to sign off in style as part of the family friendly Truxx Factor weekend.

Billed as a two-day extravaganza, spectators will be able to immerse themselves within a multitude of live arena, on and off track thrills.

Although not competing, a raft of heavyweight behemoths from the British Truck Racing Association Championship will be in attendance and on display, allowing spectators to get up close and personal to the five-tonne machines that do battle across the length and breadth of the country.

In addition, spectators will be given the opportunity to sample the delights of a BTRA machine with passenger laps being available around the challenging Rockingham layout.

On-track and tackling the oval circuit for the final time will be the Pickup Truck Racing Championship. The series has become a stalwart of Rockingham down the years and has enjoyed countless landmark events along the way.

This weekend will see two high-octane encounters and all eyes will be on reigning champion Scott Bourne and title protagonist Lea Wood. The pair have been locked in a season-long battle at the summit of the points and that is set to continue on the banked tarmac.

The Max5 Racing Championship has delivered a memorising season of racing two races from the one-make series will add the latest chapter to that over the course of the weekend. Notable names to look out for include Paul Roddison, Josh Malin, Matthew Tidmarsh and Richard Smith.

Capping off the BARC portion of racing will be a pair of races from the Kumho BMW Championship, home to all manner of models from the German manufacturer. The Racing Ford Series is also set to be in action, adding to the on-track spectacle.

To find out more information about this weekend’s event, click here.

BARC championships shine in Oulton Park thriller

Oulton Park played host to an unmissable day’s track action this past Saturday (June 23) as four British Automobile Racing Club championships resumed battle.

In sweltering conditions, the picturesque Cheshire venue provided the perfect backdrop for a frenetic day’s racing which was organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre.

Heading up the action was Britcar’s Dunlop Endurance Championship, which saw a 50-minute and two-encounter run. Bringing together a raft of eye-catching and mesmerising machines onto one grid, both races proved to ha

In the shorter 50-minute Sprint race, Richard Neary piloted his Mercedes Benz AMG GT GT3 to victory – more 25 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger after completing 28 laps.

Neary continued that form into the day’s longer race, which had a 50-minute sprint incorporated into it too. Once again starring in his Mercedes, Neary romped to clinch the chequered flag to make it a dream double and uphold his position as being in a league of his own.

Whilst Neary and many others peeled off at the end of their race, the endurance contingent continued to tackle Oulton Park and come the end of the two hours, the pairing of Sean Cooper and McCollum drove their Track Focused KTM X-Bow to the top of the podium.

The solitary CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship race had a familiar feel to it as Paul Rose further cemented himself as the man to beat in 2018. Having produced countless race-winning performances already this season, Rose was in his usual superlative form at Oulton.

At the wheel of his Saker RAPX S1-400, Rose converted pole position into a dominant win as he streaked clear, winning by more than 55 seconds. Despite their best efforts, the duo of Danny Bird and Luke Arminger could do nothing about Rose’s charge and settled for second and third respectively.

Garrie Whittaker emerged as a one-man juggernaut in the Kumho BMW Championship, picking up two overall race wins. Home to some of the most iconic models from the German manufacturer, a grid of more than 20 cars went wheel-to-wheel for supremacy, with Whittaker prevailing. Race one saw Whittaker edge out a close affair with Piers Reid and Colin Wells in close proximity, ultimately filling the rostrum. Whittaker’s performance in race two was to be more dominant, triumphing by more than 12 seconds ahead of Wells and James Card.

In the Classic 2CV parts.com Championship staged the latest two rounds of their popular one-make category, with experience coming to the fore. Race one saw reigning champion Lien Davies bag a win before Pete Sparrow did the same in the second.

For the full classification of results from all championship sessions over the weekend, 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.

BARC championships dazzle at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club produced two days of memorising racing this past weekend (June 2/3) at Donington Park, with six championships in action.

On what was a scorching event both on and off the track, the Leicestershire-based venue proved to be a fitting backdrop for the latest chapter of championship action across all categories.

In the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns, three high-octane encounters served up a feast of thrills ’n’ spills. At the wheel of his Mallock MK23, Clive Wood proved to be the driver to beat as he charged to a trio of victories – all by more than ten seconds.

As Wood emerged as the yardstick for those behind to beat, a host of contenders all picked up rostrum finishes. Ian Crombie, Monika Arvidsson, Peter Richings and Michael Mallock all secured silverware over the course of the weekend too.

Boasting an entry list of more than 20 iconic German machines, the Kumho BMW Championship delivered two action-packed races. In the opening encounter, James Card piloted his BMW M3 E46 to victory, a mere two seconds ahead of Piers Reid.

Missing out on top spot in race one, Reid made no mistake in the second bout of the weekend as he too drove his M3 to win, narrowly pipping Garrie Whittaker.

Dave Rees was perfection personified in the Mighty Minis Championship, bagging a brace of victories whilst Paul Roddison did the same in the Max5 Racing Championship. Roddison’s double further underlined his dominance in the one-make Mazda series as he extended his win tally to seven victories from eight races.

Fans of single seater racing were treated over the course of the weekend too virtue of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship.

Winding the clock back to a bygone era of open-wheeled racing, both races delivered exhilarating entertainment and ultimately saw Benn Tilley steer his Merlyn Mk20 to victory in both races. Ben Tinkler and Nigel Lingwood could only watch on and occupy the remaining podium positions as Tilley added to his impressive record in 2018.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship rounded off the action from the Club, bringing together some of the most iconic models from the much-loved marques.

Spoils were to be shared come the end of the weekend with Martin Willis in his MG F and Steve Darbey in his MG ZR taking a win apiece.

In addition to the BARC championship action, MSA British Superkarts also duked it out around the sweeping curves under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Four championships gearing up for Oulton Park race day

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Oulton Park this Saturday (June 23) for what is set to be a full-throttle day of track action around the picturesque International layout.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, four championships will do battle to write the latest chapter in their 2018 memoirs.

Topping the bill will be the hugely popular Britcar Dunlop Endurance Championship. Continuing to go from strength-to-strength under the stewardship of Claire Hedley, a 50-minute sprint race and two-hour encounter will take place in the afternoon.

Boasting a bumper entry list of jaw-dropping machinery and top names, both the Sprint and Endurance categories are beginning to heat up. Maximum Motorsport’s Stewart Lines and Adam Morgan currently lead the way in the Endurance series, however with Morgan on BTCC duties this weekend Lines has had to draft in a new team-mate. Step forward former BTCC racer Mat Jackson.

Piloting the teams SEAT Cupra, Jackson will get back behind the wheel and will be keen to taste champagne as he targets victory. The pair will have to keep on their toes though as the pairing of Matt Greenwood and Sarah Moore lead the chasing pack, which is quickly followed up by Andreas Demetriou and Luke Williams.

Elsewhere in the Sprint standings, Tim Docker is the benchmark driver at the moment at the wheel of his VW Scirocco. Richard Neary and the duo of Alex Day and Robert Day are in hot pursuit of Docker arriving at Oulton Park.

As the flagship category for the BARC North West Centre, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship will undoubtedly deliver a banquet of thrills ’n’ spills. Staging just a single 20-minute plus one lap race, expect there to be plenty of action.

Running under a multi-class system, all manner of cars compete in the series, and with the engine sizes being so vast, there literally is action right throughout the field. Paul Rose and Jamie Cryer took an outright win apiece at Cadwell Park last time out and with Paul Dobson, David Harvey, Oliver Thomas and Tony Ellis, amongst others, joining those two in contention, it is anybody’s race to take this weekend.

The Classic 2CV parts.com Championship will roll back the years with two 20-minute encounters poised to keep fans on the edge of their seats. One of the most low cost categories to compete within in the UK, the 2CV series continues to garner interest and big grids, thus adding up to exciting races.

Whilst the speeds aren’t the highest, overtaking is high on the agenda and there will likely be plenty of it at Oulton Park. Peter Sparrow, reigning champion Lien Davis, Tom Perry, Sandro Proietti and Luca Proietti are just a handful of names to keep a watchful eye on during the day – all of them having known what it takes to succeed.

Rounding off the action at the Cheshire venue will be two races from the Kumho BMW Championship. Bringing together some of the most iconic models from the German manufacturer onto the same piece of tarmac, the championship has a long and rich history.

Marking the half-way point in the season, the sweeping curves of Oulton Park are set to add another twist in the tail. The multi-class format of the championships means that there are battles running throughout the field, not just at the sharp end, lending itself to dramatic wheel-to-wheel duels.

Notable names to look out for over the course of the day include Colin Wells, Ian Crisp, Russell Dack, Kevin Denwood, Giuseppe Callari and Darren Morgan-Owen.